We have a Ward III Councilman who thinks the law does not apply to him but will waste law enforcement time to deliver a bully-sheet to coerce and intimidate a citizen who is asking uncomfortable questions. A councilman who has few ethics when it comes to election signs and posters.
We have a Finance Officer who LIES! When I asked for a copy of the city letter demanding the ambulance pay for water usage and sewer, I was told I (FO Jurrens) do not have a copy. I exclaimed, “You did not keep a copy of the demand letter you issued to the Alcester Ambulance?” FO Jurrens reiterated, “No, I did not.” Yet when I issued a formal FOIA for the demand letter and courtesy copied in a council person, it was confirmed FO Pat did indeed have a copy and the council-person assured me, I would be sent a copy. To date I still have not received the demand letter NOR the reply to the demand letter.
WHY NOT?
I asked for a copy of the Building Permit for 518 Anderson Street. Still do not have that one, either. FO Pat stated to the permit did not have to be displayed. LIE! Au Contraire Madame FO, YOU and your ‘familiar’ Geoff Fillingnsess have harassed people who do not tail-gate your bum, insisting they HAVE a building permit, they MUST post it or they will receive a CEASE and DESIST notice. YOU, YOURSELF issued the building permit below!
(SEE BELOW) WHAT DOES THAT SAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE?H-M-M-M-M?
Building permit is not displayed on the WASS building site, so by your own words they must CEASE and DESIST until it is displayed properly.
Building permit is still not displayed on Alcester Councilman Lance Johnson‘s illegal building project.
So Councilman Lance Johnson and the PIES GUYS must CEASE and DESIST until it complies with permit display!
518 ANDERSON STREET STILL NO PERMIT DISPLAYED
“NOTICE THIS CARD MUST BE POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE, FACING THE STREET, ON THE PREMISES ON WHICH THE WORK IS TO BE DONE, AND MUST BE MAINTAINED THERE UNTIL COMPLETION OF SUCH WORK.
NOT IN A WINDOW IN THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR OR ACROSS THE STREET!
NOT FACING AWAY FROM THE STREET!
…AND…
NOT FACING THE INSIDE OF COUNCILMAN LANCE JOHNSON’S DRAWERS!
Please note the placement of the wire basket of folders on the council table. It certainly is convenient for Mayor Glas and Councilman Lance Johnson to hide behind. Just so ya’ll know Pat, I can always crank my tripod up but the good folks in the gallery cannot clearly see the faces of Mayor Glas and Councilman Lance Johnson or hear the Mayor and Councilman Johnson as they mumble their way through a meeting. Co-incidental, nah I don’t think so!
Mayor Tom Glas called the September 16, 2019, meeting of the Alcester City Council to order at 6:00 pm with Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilman Lance Johnson, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, and Councilwoman Darla Reppe. Councilman David Larsen was absent as was Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson.
Agenda Item #3-The council approved the agenda with one correction to the Executive Session. The Executive Session was for 1-25-2.3 NOT 1-25-2 what-evah!
1-25-2. Executive or closed meetings–Purposes–Authorization–Violation as misdemeanor. Executive or closed meetings may be held for the sole purposes of:
(3) Consulting with legal counsel or reviewing communications from legal counsel about proposed or pending litigation or contractual matters;
The agenda change was approved with the change. Why is it that FO Pat cannot seem to get executive session correct? However Councilman Johnson. “so move” just does not cut it. Ya’ll got to STATE the motion. For all we know when ya’ll say “so move” Councilman Lance Johnson, you could be a tellin’ ol’ Mayor Glas to move his little ol’ self over, ’cause he’s a crowdin’ yer space.
The agenda did not address the minutes from the September 4, 2019, meeting so neither did the council. So the September 4, 2019, minutes are left in the fridge just like left-over pasta till the council can ‘get-to-them’.
Agenda Item#4 Input-
I raised the issue that the Alcester Food Pantry DOES NOT have a CBDG Loan, it is the Alcester Health Services Foundation. I pointed out FO Pat’s error and suggested she take better care in the naming CBDG Loan recipients accurately within city documents.
I went on to remind the group of a FOIA regarding the listing of folks receiving notices from the Pat and Geoff Property Maintenance Protection Squadron (Snoopy staffen).
Lastly I addressed Councilman Lance Johnson, handing out a copy of his letter of intimidation to the council members. I warned him about bullying and intimidation and I would not tolerate his behavior. I was never on any property belonging to the Johnson Family Trust, I was just looking for a genuine building permit which as of last night STILL is not posted IF it exits.
Next up during Input was Jon Serck from the Alcester Ambulance who started out with an apology to the council for a letter sent in response to a letter to the ambulance from the city dunning the ambulance for water and sewer usage.
Folks for almost 16 years I volunteered with the Alcester Ambulance as an EMT and treasurer/bookkeeper. In fact I was one of a group of volunteers who worked very hard to re-vive the defunct ambulance with donations arising out of fundraisers, residual funds from the previous ambulance and a lot of hard work. The former ambulance vehicle was given away, the ambulance garage building had been combined with the police department and there was no equipment left. So we started with nothing and we had to prove ourselves (rightly so) to the former crew. We had an uphill struggle. We scheduled certification classes, Beresford ambulance graciously allowed us use of some of their equipment with which to practice our skills for testing and we sat for the national certification tests, practicals and written. In 1996 we passed our testing and we were nationally certified EMT’s.
But we still needed an ambulance vehicle, medical supplies and a place to store our rig. We purchased a used ambulance for $15K, bought sheets blankets, medical supplies, radios, pagers and so on with the donated moneys. Alcester Fire Department graciously allowed us to store our ambulance in their garage. Union County came through with annual funding of around $10K and Alcester City eventually footed our cell phone, back up to our radio. In the entire time I spent volunteering with the Alcester Ambulance and handling the accounts the only monetary support from the city of Alcester was one cell phone and a place on the volunteer insurance roster.
We managed to save our money to purchase a new reliable ambulance, upgrade our equipment, build our own building, upgrade radios, upgrade AED and add a computer with the capability to connect with the hospitals.
NOW I find out in last night’s meeting that FO Pat has been charging the VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE for sewer and God only know what else. Now folks the way the sewer is charged, it is inextricably tied to water usage. Therefore NO WATER CHARGE-NO SEWER CHARGE! It is my understanding the Fire Department is exempt from these charges. FO Pat continually rationalizes the Ambulance can bill. Stryker cot $10K-$20K, 12 lead AED $3K-$10K, New Ambulance $250K, required continuing education, upgrades in training and etc. The ambulance cannot slap a special assessment like FO Pat does (for now) and raise real estate taxes.
Agenda Item #5 2020 Budget second reading with a change separating the community building from the golf course.
Agenda Item #6 once again tabled to the October 2, 2019, meeting at the golf-course due to a new player in the auction field.
Agenda Item #7-destruction of water and sewer records with a snide shot from Pat about the Former Finance Officer saving records longer that she thinks he should have. Amazing, this coming from a woman who allegedly tossed a letter dunning the ambulance for water and sewer.
Executive Session Agenda Items #8-With no attorney present the council went into executive session for litigation purposes. So who is giving out legal advice, FO Pat? So for about 20 minutes the council visited about litigation with an occasional burst of laughter. GEE what is funny about litigation?
Agenda Item #9 Meeting was adjourned BUT, BUT Check out the Video. Pat continued to discuss business with a quorum present.
Check out the photos from yesterday, September 10, 2019, Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson STILL has not posted his building permit.
So who gets the blame Pies Construction for not having a building permit displayed BEFORE they broke ground? Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson for not getting a building permit, displaying a building permit on the premises, or before ground was broken? Or Alcester planning and zoning for not publishing the planning and zoning code or enforcing planning and zoning or SECOG Patrick Andrews for failing to provide accurate and usual practices to his client the Alcester City Council. So what version of the International Planning and Zoning codes did he provide and the council approve.
Folks, we can change this! We can change the city Offices being closed on Tuesdays, too. We can take the initiative, literally! We can be resolute and effect change!
Check out the pictures 518 Anderson Street-Lance Johnson 09-10-2019 Oh yes, I took the photographs from the street. No crony-ism here!
I think we should charge a minimum property tax charge for garage only properties like we are being charged for water. Oh yeah and make it retro-active!
Call the city office let Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens know (605) 934-2851, Call Mayor Tom Glas (605) 934-2188 let him know or call your city council member as published in the Alcester Union-Hudsonite. Let them know!
Prior to the September 4, 2019, meeting FO Pat told me the funeral home has a building permit posted.
Yeah, where? Well folks the building permit for the funeral home is located in the east window of the Quam-Berglin Building ’cause there was no wall to attach the permit to. REALLY, REALLY Give ol’ FO Pat a cane ’cause that excuse is so lame even Mayor Magoo could see through it. I told Pat the permit should be on the premises and maybe a simple wood stake would take care of the lack of a wall. Geez Louise, give that woman a crystal ball with instructions how to use it and she would ask, ” how do I see through my hands?” Good Gravy FO PAT is still looking for Carmen and Waldo and Mayor Glas is still scratching his head and asking who is Carmen and Waldo?
Mayor Tom Glas called the September 5, 2019, regular meeting of the Alcester City Council to order at 6:00 pm with Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilman Lance Johnson, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman David Larsen and standing in for Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson was his father, Larry A. Nelson ’cause Alcester City Attorneys Sam Nelson and Alcester City Attorney Tom Frieberg had homework from the judge in a civil case.
The council approved the agenda with no corrections and approved FO Pat’s version of the minutes for August 5th and August 13th.
Public input was called with no responding input.
Agenda Item #6-Since the meeting was well ahead of the scheduled community center presentation by Gary McKellips and Tom Walsh the council continued on with the ‘business’ of the night.
Agenda Item #7 was legal updates and legal has been very busy indeed. Cemetery obligation is still waiting on Alcester City Attorney Sam’s changes to the agreement between the city and the cemetery board and yet another draft.
Agenda Item #8-clean up nuisance letters by Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson-Oh but he wasn’t there and his father quoted Sgt. Schultz, “I know nothing…” about this. Further discussion included a condemnation and other nuisances.
Agenda Item #9Street Parking. This agenda item was brought to the council by Councilman David Larsen so council could consider changes to parking restrictions as the merge of all grade levels to the sixth street school location and with added bus stops at all three daycares. The council entertained a motion to draft a parking ordinance involving Iowa and 5th streets in Alcester’s Ward II. Unanimous vote to draft an ordinance.
Agenda Item #10 The man-hole on third street.
Agenda Item #11 Water and Wastewater. Dale missed the schedule change and was not present. FO Pat winged it, she really should give up flying-by-the-seat of her petti-pants! According to FO Pat’s sharing of test results, we have ‘nothing’ to worry about. Well at least about the wastewater.
Agenda Item #12 Police Department- Chief Jeff Christie presented the department stats, discussed the city owned shot-gun surplus and sale. The motion was made and approved the city declare shot-gun surplus and dispose of them via auction or sealed bid.
At 6:15 pm the Community Center presentation was scheduled to begin so the council and gallery adjourned (not formally mind you) to the auditorium gym. I wondered why did Mayor Glas not introduce Mssrs. McKellips and Walsh, after all he IS the mayor. Why was Finance Officer Jurrens playing hostess-in-charge? Then it was ‘splained that Ol’ mistress Jurrens was the third wheel on the community center bike.
Mr. McKellips made his presentation. He dodged the question of city offices in the community center at first but later in the presentation he conceded the plan included city offices to be re-located to the community building. The city’s share is somewhere north of $500K plus add-ons for the golf club.
The question was asked what happens if the city rejects the current plan, will the money still be available for a re-think plan. There was hemming and hawing with a substantive silence indicating the money might not be available. While I am in favor of a community building, the city offices MUST stay down-town Alcester.
Oh, Oh, I have an idea! Later in the meeting was a discussion on a tiny house development. I HAVE THE SOLUTION TO THE FINANCE OFFICE CONUNDRUM. Put the tiny house development in the North Business Park, set up two tiny houses side-by-side at 202 Broad Street, one for Finance Officer Pat and one for her asst. office girl. Then they can plant petunias, pick the weeds and plant as many painted wood pallets as they can find. Shoot they can even paint they own tiny house bright red it they want.
At 7:13 pm most of the council and all the gallery moved back into the council room, while everyone waited for Councilman Lance Johnson to return. Gee I am sure glad we didn’t have to wait for him ‘to return’ as long as MacArthur took to return to the Philippines. (1942 to 1944)
Council returned to Agenda Item #12 Police Department-Feral cats. Contract was sent but nobody knows when it will return. Sioux Falls Humane Society versus Dr. Johnson Hawarden. Feral Cats issue was tabled to next meeting.
Chief Christie did relate a warning he had received about garage thieves and the information they may be headed south. Lock up your garages and take the keys/fobs out of your cars in the garage.
Agenda Item #13-Golf Course I over-heard a question on why was Finance Officer Jurrens on the committee of three for the community building/golf course club house instead of the Committee Chair David Larsen? Good Question H-m-m?
Agenda Item #14 Tiny Houses District. Somebody wants to speculate in Tiny Houses. Wants to put three on one lot and possibly four on a double lot like on Beck Drive. Growing up in Spirit Lake I saw the 1950’s version of tiny houses, we called them cabins. They happened in clusters around the lakes. They attracted low income renters/owners and were usually abandoned after a year or two, falling into disrepair or worse they attracted squatters/transients. Should a fire start in a tiny house, even the short distance the fire department would have to travel, they wouldn’t have enough time to roast a decent sized marshmallow with the flame left.
If the speculator wants tiny houses, buy a lot in the North Development Park, declare a tiny house district. Don’t lower OUR home valuations with an outhouse sized house next door.
Agenda Item #15-Finance Office Fairy Tales Approve warrant for Road Guy and Louiseau motion but failed to declare the price tag. Approved! BOO! Approve August warrants–approved.
September special meeting approved for Monday, September 16, 2019, at 6:00 pm. Approved.
October Council meeting scheduled at the golf course on October 2, 2019, at presumably 6:00 pm.
2020 Budget was presented to the council with the Finance Officer interminable verbal twitch of ‘with regard’ at each section of each page of the budget. The only way the council and gallery knew she was moving to a new subject line was the snooze alarm of ‘with regard’.
FO Pat wants radio water meter readers. Looks like Peeping Patty no longer has a job peeping for puppies!
FO Pat also wants new Election Booths. Really? That certainly is not going to solve our election and voting abridgment problems.
BY THE WAY–WHERE IS OUR WEBSITE FOR THE CITY? So we and the city council can read in advance FO Pat’s pretentions. A website so we have a posted agenda, so WE can research items, so WE can access the property maintenance. City Council YOU voted for the website a second time and still we do not have an official city website. Again FO Pat has deemed it not a priority. Give Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens the ultimatum, get the darned website up and running. Get the agenda, minutes and ordinance ON THE WEBSITE–NOW! We are tired of waiting!
Agenda Item #16-Fairboard Update-Still putting up with grain on city property leased to Union County. Commissioners get over being upset, DO something! City Council DO something. City Council you have the right of refusal on the county leasing this land, TAKE BACK your control!
Agenda Item #17-HRC Now it begins-more monetary upkeep and NO LOTS have been sold and the HRC financial hole is deepening.
Agenda Item#18-Executive session for Legal-My update as to content, speculative only. The mayoral election travesty is still being investigated and according to my information has been placed in the hands of the SD Attorney General and DCI or is it a lawsuit? Maybe Pat’s tiny house will be orange with decorative metal grills on the front.
Agenda Item #19-Executive session for contract-The council voted in open session to allow up to $2500 appraisal fees for the potential sale of the auditorium? This is a long process but IF the auditorium is BID on and it has to be BID.
So tell me where is the police department going go?
Where is the finance office going to go? NOT the community building, no way.
Agenda Item #20-Adjourn at 9:02 pm
*after yesterday a word of advice for Councilman Lance Johnson, I suggest you go back to the school you ‘graduated from’ and ask for your money back!
I would also like to share that I respect the Alcester City Police Department. I am appalled that Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson’s paranoid temper tantrum has placed them in an untenable position because Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson has an axe to grind with me. I admire the Police Department’s ethical adherence to duty—-Vickie A. Larsen
As I explained in my 09/3/2019 A Voice From the Gallery Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson failed to display a building permit for his property located at 518 Anderson Street. As I stated I was there in person yesterday, standing in the middle of the street, I could not see the city building permit. I asked the two workman from Pies Construction standing next to the Pies enclosed trailer in front of 517 Anderson Street, “where is the building permit?” The Pies employee told me, “I am just an employee, you will have to ask that guy,” indicating a man standing in the work area on the 518 Anderson Street site. The Pies worker standing in the middle of the site called to me and asked what I needed. I replied from the middle of the street that I was looking for the building permit. The onsite employee/worker said, “it is probably in the mayor’s pocket. I asked, “Mayor?” still maintaining my position from the street. The Pies employee/worker said, “Yeah, the one who lives over there indicating 517 Anderson Street.” I said, “he is not the mayor, he is just a councilman.” To which the Pies employee/worker replied, “Well, you will have to talk to him.” I walked back to my car parked at the curb in front of 516 Anderson Street, climbed into my car and left.
I went down first street to the intersection of SD Highway 11 and First and witnessed Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson in his John Deere Green pick up pull out of the gas island at Total Stop, talking on his cell phone. Intuition kicked in and yup after a trip to my shop, I went back downtown and there I saw that little ol’ John Deere green pickup truck parked in front of the city offices.
I went into the city office atrium where I heard Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson’s voice yapping about trespass in the Police Office. Intuition wins again, hands down. I actively eves-dropped to Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson temper tantrum. The Finance Office door was closed, it was Tuesday afternoon. I could almost see the joint wall between the finance office and the police office breathing in and out.
Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson turned around and caught sight of me standing in the atrium and took off out the door like a scalded duck. I repeated the above events to both officers and left.
Now what I find rich, is here sitting Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson who pulled down election posters of Michael Bucholz from the Total Stop wall, who pulled up campaign signs belonging to Michael Bucholz and who destroyed said property has the unmitigated gall to cause me to be served with the document above.
This is the type of individual who is occupying a seat on the Alcester City Council?
In the spirit of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and Where is Waldo ? Alcester has come up with a new game played by FO Patricia and Alcester Councilman Lance Johnson. It is called, wait for it, Where is Councilman Lance Johnson’s building permit?
Check out the pics below. Where is Lancie’s License to build? Can you find the building permit? Good Luck. I was there in person today and I could not see the city building permit and I asked the workman. I asked, “where is the building permit?” Workman said, “it is probably in the mayor’s pocket. I said, “Mayor?” Workman said, “Yeah, the one who lives over there indicating 517 Anderson Street.” I said, “he is not the mayor, he is just a councilman.” Imagine that!
Did you know no permit, no dig? Permit is supposed to be posted and there is something about conditional use, too. That did not happen. Did FO Pat over-extend her job description again? By-the-way are the side yard set-back boundaries per code, the back set-back or the front set back correction?
Now to be fair, (it really bites in this case) the funeral home has the same problem. Where is the permit?
Can you see the building permit? Folks this is right across from FO Pat’s Peek-a-Boo Office Window. Again, where is the building permit. FO Pat made a big deal over a businessman adding a concrete pad without a building permit. So FO Pat and Mayor Glas, Where is the permit? Got-to-be-posted, right? Or are those rules just for the rest of us? H-m-m-m?
NEWS FLASH!
UPDATE
Prior to the September 4, 2019, meeting FO Pat told me the funeral home has a building permit posted.
Yeah, where? Well folks the building permit for the funeral home is located in the east window of the Quam-Berglin Building ’cause there was no wall to attach the permit to. REALLY, REALLY Give ol’ FO Pat a cane ’cause that excuse is so lame even Mayor Magoo could see through it. I told Pat the permit should be on the premises and maybe a simple wood stake would take care of the lack of a wall. Geez Louise, give that woman a crystal ball with instructions how to use it and she would ask, ” how do I see through my hands?” Good Gravy and FO PAT is still looking for Carmen and Waldo!
A Voice from the Gallery 