As you have already figured out the January 3, 2022, regularly scheduled city council meeting was Covid quarantine/postponed to January 10, 2022.  The meeting was called to order with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by Mayor Dan Haeder with Councilman David Larsen, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples, and Councilman Lukas Driesen.  City Attorney Sam Nelson and Councilwoman Darla Reppe absent.

          As you can see at the beginning of the video FO (01:56.13), while FOPAT was busy delivering beverages in mugs and handing out napkins and with a general ‘what can I get you’ solicitousness precipitating a raise in the offing.  When FOPAT finally planted her backside into the seat normally occupied by City Attorney Sam Nelson, Mayor Haeder began (02:05.83) regurgitating all actions, votes and times occurring after he first called the meeting to order and proceeded to stick her snout into the discussions as if she was an equal of the city council members after she practiced her servicing techniques on the council members.

Agenda Item #3 – Approve Agenda

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #4 – Approved Minutes of 12/06/2021 and 12/20/2021

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #5 – Public Input

#1      I (Vickie Larsen) (03:24.97) started questions about Agenda Item #15 involving the downtown garbage cans (01:39:52.50) at $500 a can, 8 cans plus $900. shipping feet and placed downtown Alcester.  Folks,  eight (8) cans at $500.00 each plus $900.00 shipping fee, I come up with $4900.00 FO Pat wants to spend. Let your council and Mayor know your opinion!

            My next question was the Agenda Item #16(b) ‘Resolution of Fees’, a draft copy should have been placed on the city website so ‘we the people’ see the old saying, “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul” put into action.  So which are you?  A Peter or a Paul?  I spoke of people who contacted me with concerns over the raises in water and sewer rates as well as the accuracy of those reads.(04:54.40)  Folks retain your postcard bill, keep a log with the date of read, your own reading of your meter versus the city read and try to do the reads as close to each other as possible.  Point of interest, some time ago I overheard a city hall conversation between the ‘finance office girls’ concerning cold temperature and meter reads and the comment, “…well we’ll just guess-ti-mate the usage…” (05:22.73) So just how often do we get a cold guess-ti-mate or a hot guess-ti-mate or a “I just do not have the time guess-ti-mate? M-m-m-m?  Also Agenda Item #16(d) First of all the need for an Executive Session to discuss Salaries.  I asked the question (06:06.50) do we even have anyone on salary to which FOPAT answered just Landon.  H-m-m so folks why an hour long Closed Curtain Executive Session to discuss salary? 7:54 p.m. to 8:58 p.m.

          My third topic of question was Agenda Item #17 Volunteer Roster additions of the administrative personnel Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens and her aide-de-camp Wanda Halverson to do ‘volunteer’ work at the Albatross and be protected by Worker Compensation. (06:37.83)

          Lastly my question, did Finance Officer Pat Jurrens or her aide-de-camp Wanda Halverson apologise to the complainant whose private telephone number was shared by Mayor Haeder’s girls-in-the-finance office.  (07:16.53)  Check out Mayor Haeder’s answer…”I apologised via email…” (07:46.37)

#2      Councilman Lukas Driesen reported (08:09.67) he had received a thank you from Fay Hendricks for the work our Police Chief Austin Schuller and Officer Lass in protecting our city and its residents.

Agenda Item #6 – Police Policy and Procedure Manual 

          (09:11.67) Chief Schuller  advised the council the finishing touches had been made to the Police Policy and Procedure Manual and it was ready for City Attorney Sam Nelson’s final legal proofing.  (10:36.73)  Note Finance Officer Jurrens stick her snout into the conversation to offer up her opinion.  Yo! FO, you are there to take notes and advise the council whether we still have money in OUR accounts, NOT to offer up quasi legal primping opinions! (10:47.83)  City Attorney Sam Nelson is our forms guy not the waitress-in-training/bookkeeper!  (11:15.77)  FOPAT says she will draft changes for a city manual for police policy?  Gotta wonder what kind of places she has had her nose into. I realise she has had a history of personal experience with legal summons and legal charges and professes opportunities of broadening her horizons of experience but that does not make her competent in writing policy manuals.

Agenda Item #7 – Police Department

          (13:19.63) Chief Schuller gave updates on department activities and asked for Council approval for his attendance at the Police Chief and Sheriff Spring Training Event in Deadwood. (18:12.67)  FOPAT stuck her snout in to interrupt Chief Schuller from answering the question posed to HIM by Councilwoman Linda Talbott. His request was approved.  (18:51.00) Once again FOPAT needs to be reminded of her place, she is only needed to record the minutes and to report which accounts she move money from and to! Inspired by an old proverb,  “she should only be allowed to be present to take notes during a city council conversation but should not be allowed to speak unless she is directly asked a bookkeeping question.”  In my opinion, a cardboard effigy sitting in a chair with a recording device would work just as well.  Regarding the plus one issue, is a question for Sam since he is both legal and SDML.  In addition, Council members the city was and I presume still is a dues paying member of the SDML and therefore council members can go straight to the horse’s mouth (equi oris) instead of settling for the (bookkeeper ______).  And folks the SDML does speak English so our council members do not NEED an interpreter!

Agenda Item #8 – Community Center – (21:35.03) Clint Nyreen

Mr. Nyreen gave a recap of the opening and updates on finances and outlined operational changes.

A conversation concerning smoking (38:20.30)

SDCL §34-46-13,  SDCL §34-46-15 and SDCL §34-46-14

Smoking in public or place of employment prohibited–Petty offense.

No person may smoke tobacco product or carry any lighted tobacco product in any public place or place of employment. A violation of this section is a petty offense.(Source: SL 2009, ch 171, § 1, approved eff. Nov. 10, 2010; SL 2019, ch 155, § 2.)

Signage discussion.  (46:10.17) 

Community center employees, employment and wage decision are not part of FOPAT’s  job.  Keep taking notes for minutes of the meeting, that is your job FOPAT!  (51:44.13)

(54:34.07) Just who is on the community center committee?

Agenda Item #9 – 2022 Retainer Agreement (1:00:10.27)

Retainer between the city of Alcester and Frieberg, Nelson and Ask.  One Key component of the retainer agreement is:

 “…II.   City shall pay Attorney at the rate of $150.00 per hour for Thomas H. Frieberg and $150.00 per hour for Samuel J. Nelsen for Attorney’s time spend in and out of court on legal matters on behalf of the City;  City agrees to pay Attorney at the rate of $150.00 per hours for attending regularly schedules city council meeting.  Attendance at regular meetings shall not be mandatory but shall be at the invitation of City.  Special meetings requiring Attorney attendance will be billed at the contracted rate.  In addition, City agrees to pay all costs, filing fees, or other expenses associated with Attorney’s representation of City, except for mileage for attending one regular meeting per month.  City Agrees to pay mileage to Attorney in connection with the prosecution of city ordinance violations and representation on other legal matters that involve travel away from Beresford, South Dakota at the federal mileage rate then effect at the time of travel…”

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #10 – Street Purchases –

(1:02:18.87) Motion 1 listed  JD 54″ Snow Blower ($1600.00), Ballast Box ($240.00), Cab ($385.00), Skid Steer rush ($1200.00)  Renken Sales – Snow Fund Account.  Second motion for ($1800.00) JD Skid Steer Front Deck Mower.  Renken Sales – Solid Waste Fund.  On a $5000.00 budget, Guess What?  Exceeding budget by  ($225.00)  Didn’t seem to bother the council  ‘Cause Councilman David Larsen made the motion to over-spend the budget for toys rather than support a local entrepreneur. (1:09:27.57)

Both Motions Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #11 – 2022 Official Newspaper- Alcester Union-Hudsonite  (1:13:49.33)

Approved unanimously

Agenda Item #12 – 2022 Official Bank- Premier Bank (1:14:44.53)

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #13 – Golf Course Tree Trimming  (1:15:49.27)

Councilman David Larsen is concerned by an unexpected $13,000.00 expense so he asks the bookkeeper about an additional unexpected expense of $2100.00. (1:17:26.67) Folks listen to her answer. (1:18:28.60)  The attitude seems to be, “what’s another $2100.00 expense”  S-o-o Councilman David Larsen plunges ahead (1:19:58.33) to spend $2100.00 tree trimming expense which could be put off until the $13,000.00 expense overage is resolved.

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #14 – Golf Cart – Purchase or Lease? (1:20:53.73)

According to discuss the only option is the trade/purchase option.  Deal offered is to trade our 2005 cart for two (2) 2013 carts plus up to $6000.00.

Approved Unanimously

Agenda Item #15 – Downtown Garbage Cans (1:24:47.53)

Loren Fischer and FOPAT put their collective heads together to spend more money.  New trash cans (Eco-Tainers)(www.snyderrefuse.com) for down town at $500.00 each for 8 cans with $900.00 for shipping or more for a total of $4900.00.  Folks now the council wants a lock down device for the lids for security reasons at a cost of approximately $50.00 each which would add an additional $400.00 for a grand total of $5300.00. Now this handy dandy lock down device prevents lid removal in an upright position but at a 90 degree angle (I believe) when the moto-arm swings the can to dump it, the lid will release to drop the trash.  Now these polypropylene wonder cans must be placed where the moto-arm can lock onto them.  The idea voice in the meeting was to place the cans near light poles so the sidewalk could be cleared of snow and the moto-arm could latch on to them.  Lord only knows what would happen if ol’ moto-arm latches onto the light pole.  There is another drawback, these polypropylene cans only have a three (3) year limited warranty.  The brochure says these $500.00 pedestal cans are seamless so no seam cracking but they have UV protection added supposedly to reduce fading.  That is fine for your logo but UV stabilizer is also added to polypro to offset the material degradation process for outdoor usage. 

Why the push you say?  Well let’s see, the armed garbage truck cannot pick up our caged trash receptacles so that means someone has to remove the lids, pull out a bag, throw it in the city truck and haul ten bags of trash to a dumpster.  Kind-of-a-no-brainer but then…

Now folks we have ten (10) cage type trash receptacles which hold an approximate 33 gallon plastic container dotted around the city.  These are still usable containers and new lids can be purchased for these units.  So for the cost of one of those $500.00 handy-dandy polypro pedestal cans, the city should be able to purchase five new lids.  However there would be no polypropylene pedestal for FOPAT to stand on and we would still have our light poles.  A-w-w

Mayor Haeder read the brochure (1:26:47.03) “…Pedestal can be weighted up to 70 lbs. for added stability…)The council had the good sense to table this issue (1:39:52.50), but the next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 17, 2022. (Martin Luther King day)  Contact the council, contact Mayor Haeder and let them know.  The numbers are listed below.

Agenda Item #16 – Finance Office (1:40:44.93)

a)  Warrants – (1:48:44.97)  Approved Unanimously

b)  City Fees Resolution 2022(1:49:15.83)  Approved Unanimously

c)  2022 Municipal Election (1:51:26.33)

d)  2022 Salaries Executive Session (1:52:53.13)

Motion for Executive Session (1:53:28.17)  Approved Unanimously

Entered into Executive Session at 7:54 P.M. with all council members present and by request of Councilman David Larsen, FO Pat Jurrens. 

Council declared out of Executive Session at 8:58 P.M.

(1:56:12.07) Approval of 2022 Salaries Vote Unanimous

e)  Reminders and Updates

Agenda Item #17 – Update of Volunteer Roster Patricia Jurrens and Wanda Halverson (1:57:34.33) 

So tell me Pat Jurrens and Wanda Halverson work for the city, they are already on the worker compensation roster so why are they appearing on the volunteer roster?  H-m-m?  Double Dipping?  (1:57:46.37) Motion by Councilman David Larsen to add City Finance Pat Jurrens and City Finance Office Aide Wanda Halverson to the volunteer roster of the Albatross.  Second by Councilman Lukas Driesen.  Discussion called with Councilwoman Linda Talbott responding:

(1:58:08.07).  Councilwoman Talbott told the council,

“Clint asked her (Linda) what purpose did Pat and Wanda want to come to the Community Center…Clint wants to maintain some sort of semblance of order…” 

(1:58:38.70)  Pat says, 

” I want to train”…

(1:59:10.63) FOPAT says,

“If I look at the schedule…I see holes…or I feel there is not quite enough staff…” 

Apparently if her ‘trained eye calls’ speaks to her. FOPAT fully intends to stick her snout in and interfere in Clint’s operation with her Aide De Camp Wanda at her back.  Nice working conditions, don’t cha think.  Ya got a PAT on your back, with a Wanda Crop. 

Approve Unanimously

Agenda Item #18 – Executive Session 1-25-2 (purpose ?) if needed

Agenda Item #19 – Adjourn (2:00:20.30)

Contact City Council

Mayor Dan Haeder                             605-934-2287      605-770-7929

Councilman David Larsen                  605-934-2434

Councilwoman Darla Reppe               605-934-2602

Councilwoman Linda Talbot              605-254-3074

Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples

Councilman Lukas Driesen

Patricia Jurrens                                  605-934-2517