The November 7, 2022, of the Alcester City Council was called to order by Mayor Dan Haeder at 6:00 p.m. with Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman Lukas Driesen, Councilman Kyle VandenHull present with Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples and City Attorney Sam Nelson absent.  The council and gallery recited the pledge of allegiance. 

(00:01:05.37)  AGENDA ITEM #3 – APPROVE AGENDA  Under discussion Councilman VandenHull asked about Agenda Item #8 Legal Update Sam Nelson, whether this agenda item would be discussion since City Attorney Sam Nelson was absent.  Upon answer provided by Mayor Haeder, Sam would be available via telephone should it be necessary.  (00:01:50.53)  Mayor advises the council that City Attorney Sam Nelson would like an Executive session at 6:45 p.m. (00:02:09.77)  Mayor doesn’t know where that 6:45 p.m. Executive session would fit in and he doesn’t know whether the agenda needs to be amended.  WONDERFUL!  Amazing what the Mayor doesn’t know!  UNANIMOUSE VOTE OF THREE (3) AYES to approve the agenda without change.

(00:03:16.43)   AGENDA ITEM #4 – APPROVE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 10,2022 AND OCTOBER 24, 2022, MEETINGS  No discussion or change, the minutes are approved as written.  UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THREE (3) AYES to approve the minutes unchanged.

(00:04:04.30)  AGENDA ITEM #5 – PUBLIC  INPUT 

          (00:04:09.60)  VICKIE LARSEN  Report of sewer backup from October 24th meeting, question put to Mayor Haeder, has the update in sewer infrastructure been pushed back a couple of years to meet the city’s ability to pay for the upgrade in the facility?  Listen to what Mayor Haeder has to say or perhaps not to say!  So it appears Mayor Haeder is unconcerned that Ward I residents are expected to pay a street tax for dirt streets and increased water and waste water bills for the thrill of sewer back-ups.  Folks listen to the silence. (00:05:05.57)  Report of City rejecting an application for unemployment  I asked the council did they vote to reject an application for unemployment.  Council members said there was no vote, I asked who authorized and wrote the letter of rejection.  Listen again to the answer.  (00:05:58.17)  Mayor Haeder responds, “…we had a meeting today…and we’ll see where it goes…Next”  Oh, ho Mayor Haeder doesn’t want to talk any more about it. WOW!  (00:06:09.03)  Question on Mayor’s pedophile comment from October 24th meeting. Listen to the exchange.  I reported I checked the list of sexual offenders and Alcester had only one registered offender which was not listed as a pedophile.  Mayor replies (00:06:45.50) in a sotto voce and asinine tone , “…only one, only one…Next”  Mayor Haeder still doesn’t want to talk any more about my question.  AH GEE!  (00:06.55.07)  Comment of polling site in the city finance office.   

12-18-3. Electioneering, offices, distracting communications devices, and signature gathering prohibited near polling place–Violation as misdemeanor.

Except for sample ballots and materials and supplies necessary for the conduct of the election, no person may, in any polling place or within or on any building in which a polling place is located or within one hundred feet from any entrance leading into a polling place, maintain a campaign office or public address system, or use any communication or photographic device in a manner which repeatedly distracts, interrupts, or intimidates any voter or election worker, or display campaign posters, signs, or other campaign materials or by any like means solicit any votes for or against any person or political party or position on a question submitted or which may be submitted. No person may engage in any practice which interferes with the voter’s free access to the polls or disrupts the administration of the polling place, or conduct any petition signature gathering, on the day of an election, within one hundred feet of a polling place. For the purposes of this section, the term, polling place, means a designated place voters may go to vote on the day of the election or go to vote absentee. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 1897, ch 60, § 39; RPolC 1903, § 1923; RC 1919, § 7273; SL 1921, ch 222, § 1; SDC 1939, §§ 16.1209, 16.9920; SL 1974, ch 118, § 103; SL 1982, ch 86, § 84; SL 1985, ch 114; SL 2008, ch 34, § 14; SL 2009, ch 69, § 5; SL 2014, ch 71, § 1.

(00:08:27.83)  GORDON RICHARD PUBLIC INPUT  HRC report referring to the signs on the edge of town and the state of disrepair of the Welcome to Alcester Signs put up in the late 80’s by the Commercial Club now known as the Alcester Area Chamber of Commerce.

(00:09:33.83)  AGENDA ITEM #6  CHAMBER CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING  The Alcester Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction and cooperation with One More Bar requested special permit for alcohol at the juncture of Iowa street and Second Street during the hours of 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Council approved the permit.  UNANIMOUS  VOTE OF THREE (3) AYE

(00:13:41.90)  AGENDA ITEM #7  STORM SEWERS  SOUTH  IOWA STREET.  City hired Roto Rooter to video some 249.7 feet of ‘steel pipe’ from somewhere south of First Street and Iowa Street junction to the Creek.  Sink holes have been occurring in Iowa Street South creating a hazard and Mayor Haeder wants to get to the ‘bottom’ of them.  Follow Mayor Haeder’s part of the discussion and his interpretation of the photos.  Mayor Haeder says, “…the corrugated…tubing is okay…the holes are in the top…”  The bookkeeper is not sure what needs to be done, well-go-howdy.  If the bookkeeper cannot understand the source of a hole, well there ya go FOPat doesn’t understand the video pictures of a wastewater line.  NO ACTION TAKEN.

(00:19:00.47)  AGENDA ITEM #8  LEGAL UPDATES CITY ATTORNEY SAM NELSON  NOTHING DONE

(00:19:20.20)  AGENDA ITEM #9  POLICE DEPARTMENT  Police Chief Austin Schuller and Office Grayson Lass were present.  Chief Schuller gave the monthly update and discussed police actions and investigation of the past week or so.  Business addressed (00:22:31.73) was the approval of the Radio Purchase of a Motorola Solutions invoice for $8,284.25 for Radio upgrade to be assessed against the 2023 Police Department budget.  Council approved the purchase UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THREE (3) AYE VOTE.  At this point (00:26:41.00) MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION UNANIMOUS THREE (3) AYES.  6:27 P.M. OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR POLICE PERSONNEL AT 6:48 P.M.  NO ACTION TAKEN

(00:28:16.20)  AGENDA ITEM #8 REVISITED WITH EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH TELEPHONIC PARTICIPATION BY CITY ATTORNEY SAM NELSON SDCL 1-25-2.3 LEGAL.  (00:30:00.77) NO ACTION TAKEN ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION LEGAL.

(00:30:22.03) AGENDA ITEM #10 FINANCE OFFICE  DIRECT DEPOSIT forms to be filled out by city employees and other authorization housekeeping facilitating the move to Direct Deposit described by Finance officer Moore.  (00:35:08.90) APPROVAL OF WARRANTS.  October warrants were approved UNANIMOUS WITH THREE (3) AYE VOTES.  (00:36:32.33) 2023 OPERATING LIQUOR LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH TOTAL STOP, ONE MORE AND ALCESTER GOLF COURSE.  UNANIMOUS WITH THREE (3) AYE VOTES.  Reminders and Updates. 

(00:39:10.97) AGENDA ITEM #11  HRC UPDATE  None

(00:40:33.33) AGENDA ITEM #12  EXECUTIVE SESSION  NOT NEEDED

(00:40:45.33) AGENDA ITEM #13  GOLF COURSE/EVENT CENTER  Information coming out of the agenda item is that errors in construction and failures in construction have not been completely resolved with final inspection to take place within the month of December.

(00:43:17.50)  AGENDA ITEM #14  ADJOURN    7:13 P.M.

Contact City Council

Mayor Dan Haeder                            605-934-2287     

Councilwoman Darla Reppe             605-934-2602

Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples           605-934-2096

Councilman Lukas Driesen               605-934-

Councilman Kyle VandenHull          605-934-

Patricia Jurrens                                  605-934-2517