Month: December 2022

12/19/2022 A Voice From the Gallery

The  December 19, 2022, meeting 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, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples present with City Attorney Sam Nelson absent.  The council and gallery recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

(00:01:17.30)  AGENDA ITEM #3 – APPROVE AGENDA  Approved unanimously x 4 aye votes.

(00:02:59.63)  AGENDA ITEM #4 – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT  SETH WEILAND  Mr. Weiland made a brief presentation after a couple of questions regarding how far along the council was with a community development plan.

(00:15:19.50)  AGENDA ITEM #5 – PUBLIC INPUT

          (00:15:28.10)  VICKIE LARSEN

          (00:20:40.53)   DAVID LARSEN PUBLIC INPUT

          (00:21:59.47)  DARLA REPPE PUBLIC INPUT – AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS. Folks you do not want this to happen. Already Ward I and Ward II are not fully represented or equally. You do not want the possibility of having someone not from your Ward speaking for you. YOU need to speak, get with the other members of your Ward. Take control of your votes!

          (00:23:37.43)  CYNDI PEEPLES PUBLIC INPUT – Ice machine failure at the bar.

           (00:25:47.53)  MAYOR HAEDER brought up the renaming of Vast to Bluepeak.

(00:27:46.73)  AGENDA ITEM #6 – LEGAL UPDATES CITY ATTORNEY SAM NELSON – ABSENT.    

 (00:28:22.03) AGENDA ITEM #7 –  CHAIRPERSON UPDATES

(00:32:40.77)  AGENDA ITEM #8 – COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT FUNDING PAPERWORK  (0:33:05.03) RESOLUTION 2022-09 FAIR HOUSING  UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES  (00:35:17.80) RESOLUTION 2022-10 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES  (00:37:17.50)  AUTHORIZE THE RELOCATION, DISPLACEMENT AND ACQUISITION PLAN UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES.  (00:38:40.17) AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE CERTIFICATION REGARDING RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING  UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES.  (00:40:45.50)  AUTHORIZATIONTO ALLOW MAYOR HAEDER TO SIGN AN EXCESSIVE FORCE POLICY  UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES.  (00:43:37.63)  ORDINANCE 2022-11 CODE OF CONDUCT CHAPTER 1:05 TO THE CITY OF ALCESTER ORDINANCES UNANIMOUS X 4 AYE VOTES. The city had to adopt all of these measures to gain grants to fund what…an albatross?

(00:48:39.03)  AGENDA ITEM #9 –  FUND TRANSFERS – Discussion  (00:49:42.37)  Listen to FOPAT defend her actions.  (00:49:59.30) Listen to Mayor Haeder talk to “camera people” demanding they understand his unfathomable and unplumbed analogies.   (00:50:34.50) 

MAYOR HAEDER, THE ONLY PAST ADMINISTRATIONS YOU COULD POSSIBLY KNOW OF ARE THOSE OF YOUR TWO PREDECESSORS GLASS AND JOHNSON WHO WERE AS CLUELESS AS YOU WHEN IT COMES TO SENSIBLE GOVERNANCE OF A MUNICIPALITY!

Folks listen to Mayor Haeder blame you for not understanding his vague grasp of municipal finance.  He blames you for his and FOPAT’s penchant for recklessly spending your tax dollars.  Listen closely.  (00:55:47.37) Mayor Haeder, your explanation of the purpose of an enterprises fund is like skydiving and while you are drifting your way down to earth, ya’ll keep cutting the cords that keep the parachute open and your HOT AIR is just ain’t inflating the reality of that sudden stop that is waiting for you at the end of your descent. (01:04:44.03)  You really did not just go there.  Those two didn’t quit, they could no longer stomach the machinations of FOPAT and you did nothing.  It is on you Mayor Haeder!  (00:01:07:12.13)  MOVING MONEY AROUND FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER.  SAY ISN’T THAT WHAT ‘EASY EDDIE’  DID WHILE CONSPIRING WITH AL CAPONE?

(00:01:14:08.23) AGENDA ITEM #10  – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE 2022-08  VOTE  THREE (3) AYE (Reppe, Peeples and VandenHull) VOTES AND ONE (1) NAY (Driesen)

(00:01:15:06.03)   AGENDA ITEM #11  FINANCE OFFICE UPDATES

(00:01:27:48.30) EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS SALARIES/PERSONNEL  In Executive session at 7:27 p.m. and out of Executive session at 8:42 p.m.  (00:01:30:40.73)  Mayor Haeder moves on to Agenda Item # 11 (f) Year End Warrants without taking any action or approval of the 2023 salaries.  Agenda Item #11(e)(iv) called to an approval of the salaries but Mayor Haeder failed to call for the approval action.  So I take it through that failure to call the motion to a vote, no salary changes were approved for the employees of the city? What is going on? We only have FOPAT’s word when it comes to the City Attorney’s advice, she is not an attorney. We are expected to take HER word?

(00:01:34:16.03)  AGENDA ITEM #12  – EXECUTIVE SESSION IF NEEDED – NOT NEEDED

(00:01:34:32.23)  AGENDA ITEM #13  – GOLF COURSE/COMMUNITY CENTER.  Motion to hire Jenna Smith as a cook at a wage of $12.00 per hour effective immediately.  Second was made with the motion passing.  Unanimously X 4 aye votes.

(00:01:35:33.60) AGENDA ITEM #14 – ADJOURN  MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:48 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

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12/06/2022 A Voice From the Gallery

Folks there are some questions we should be posing to Mayor Haeder

and Finance Officer Jurrens:

First the behavior of Mayor Dan Haeder in meetings:

  • Haeder’s Finance Officer Jurren’s continuing participation as a council member offering up opinions on topics not within her purview of employment. 
  • Haeder’s Public Input during the December 5, 2022, meeting regarding a letter mis-delivered to his residence.  His condescending  comments regarding a local organization and the measure of its donation to the Alcester Food Pantry as well as his failure to deliver the donation to the Treasurer of the Alcester Food Pantry.
  • Haeders complete lack of mayoral demeanor and civility to certain members of the public during input.  His repeated calling Next…Next…Next when he is trying to intimidate speakers during Public Input.  Perhaps if we the gallery would, when Mayor Haeder goes off on a tangential tirade to some analogy known only to him, holler Next…Next…Next when Mayor Haeder causes a-delay-of-meeting.  Kind-of-like “the Pot calling weed a drug” or  “A shot goose gabbles the most!”
  • Hey Mayor when is your video gonna hit the website?  Can’t wait!
  • So Mayor are you still pandering the propaganda that the former chef at the Community Center quit rather than was fired a couple of months back?  Are you going to do the right thing and retract your aide-de- beurre‘s letter to the unemployment people nixing deserved unemployment?

The Finagling of Funds by FOPAT, the Wrangling of the Water Enterprise Fund, the Shifting of the Sewer Enterprise Fund, Playing Hide-the-Penny of the Second Penny Sales Tax Fund and the Slip, Slidin’ Away of the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund landing in the Hole-in-One Money Pit #453 Golf Course Fund.

  • $75,000.00 from Water Enterprise Fund – exorbitant fees allegedly to pay for water treatment upgrades just to hand over to the Golf Course?  Will it be paid back in time for the west side of town to survive?
  • $75,000.00 from Sewer Enterprise Fund – again rising rates to allegedly pay for sewer treatment facility upgrades just to hand over to the Golf Course?  Will it be paid back in time for the west side of town to survive?
  • $25,000.00 from Second Penny Sales Tax Enterprise Fund – again the original purpose of this second penny sales tax was for needed Capital Improvements not for general fund wish list.  Again Will it be paid back in time for the west side of town to survive?
  • 25,000.00 from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund – Folks this money is derived from grants and garbage fees for a home for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), Construction and Demolition Debris and Industrial/Commercial Waste. (https://danr.sd.gov/Funding/EnviromentalFunding/SolidWasteManagement.aspx)          Will it be paid back in time for the west side of town to survive?
  • $200,000.00 total from the above funds which were to provide for Water, Sewer, Capital Improvements (not wish list party venues the average tax payer cannot afford to utilize) and a home for the garbage of the City of Alcester.  Nah, these funds are being transfered to what appears to me to be the FOPAT FRAT HOUSE. 
  • What did the Community Center NEED to purchase to have a year-ending debt to the tune of $200,000.00?  UPS-Brown, Duluth Shorts for Christman giving? OR maybe Golf Carts to haul us to the poor house?    H-m-m? 
  • Why are the council handouts not published on the Alcester City Website so the public can read them? Why is FOPAT failing to get those out for public consumption?  H-m-m?

Meanwhile, the west side of town is experiencing rank sewer smell, reports of sewer backup, no curb and gutter, no streets.  Folks think about all those ads about Fort Lejeune lawsuits and the circumstances which led to those lawsuits.  Evidently Mayor Haeder and Finance Officer Jurrens feel a multi-million dollar community center is a better buy than viable streets, viable sewer system and water systems.  The west side of town is in trouble, similar to those homes on the coast which were built on the side of a cliff and erosion has undermined the strength of the houses ability to hang on to the cliff.  Eventually those coastal homes slide into the water.  Nobody wants to build or upgrade a home on the west side of Alcester, subject to all the fees and maintenance fees when they get nothing in return, their properties do not gain in value because the infrastructure to all intents and purpose has been abandoned by the Mayor and past city councils and they have little or no representation in city hall.  AND if they let property maintenance go by the wayside because they do not have the money to pay the fees exacted? WELL the city comes in, deems them a nuisance and takes adverse possession leaving the owners homeless.  Listen to the meeting and see who is talking the loudest and pushing the hardest for adverse condemnation.

COME TO A MEETING, ASK QUESTIONS AND FILL THOSE EMPTY COUNCIL SEATS WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL INSIST UPON POSSITIVE ACTION AND NOT A FANCY, PLUSH OFFICE!

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

12/05/2022 A Voice From the Gallery

The  December 5, 2022, meeting of the Alcester City Council was called to order by Mayor Dan Haeder at 6:01 p.m. with Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman Lukas Driesen, Councilman Kyle VandenHull, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples and City Attorney Sam Nelson.  The council and gallery recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

(00:01:43.87)  AGENDA ITEM #3 – APPROVE AGENDA.   Agenda approved as written.  Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes.

(00:02:26.67)  AGENDA ITEM #4 – APPROVE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 7, 2022 AND NOVEMBER 21, 2022 MEETINGS.  

           Minutes from the November 7th and November 21st, 2022 meeting were approve as written with no changes or additions. Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes.

(00:03:11.40)  AGENDA ITEM #5 – PUBLIC INPUT

          (00:03:18.63)  GORDON RICHARD – Mr. Richard notified the council of an upcoming newspaper article regarding action of Union County Commissioners effectively stopping negotiations regarding the sale of the parcels of property described as the Union County Fairgrounds to FCS (Farmers Cooperative Society).

          (00:03:48.50)  MAYOR HAEDER announced a donation for the Alcester Food Pantry was delivered to his house.

          (00:05:04.00)  VICKIE LARSEN raised the subject of last meeting council action to declare 505 Ofstad as surplus property and no longer used for intended purpose.  The property is zoned residential and according to the projected used was going to be used to place a governor’s house on the property fulfilling the intended zoning purpose of residential.  I also noted the ball field and possible cemetery appeared to be zoned residential which seemed to be an oxymoron

          (00:07:36.87) FOPAT offered up a comment/response.

(00:08:23.07)  AGENDA ITEM #6 – LEGAL UPDATES CITY ATTORNEY SAM  NELSON. 

          No Sam but Mayor Haeder had pictures of 307 Iowa property which has been under discussion since prior to 2020.  As the council compared pictures of the property taken in 2020 and recent 2022 pictures and came to the conclusion because nothing significant had been done on the interior Haeder and FOPAT wanted to have Attorney Sam and Inspector Geoff co-write a letter.  Councilman Driesen offered up an opinion while the city has had an interest in the exterior he felt the city had no business sticking their collective noses into the interior of the residence.  FOPAT offered up an opinion but her bookkeepers opinion was not relevant to the question being discussed.  Councilwoman Peeples felt much as Councilman Driesen but did feel that the city should send a firm message to the owner.  (00:20:26.83)  Consensus is to focus on the exterior!

(00:20:34.70) AGENDA ITEM #7 –  POLICE DEPARTMENT  Updates and hired Colton Laubach as a part-time officer at the rate of $17.75 per hour (00:35:16.87).  Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes.

(00:36:26.20)  AGENDA ITEM #8 – APPROVE FUND TRANSFER OF $13,325.88 (00:37:12.37)FROM PLEASANT HILL CEMETERY MAIN ACCOUNT TO GENERAL FUND FOR ANNUAL EXPENSES  (00:38:51.50)  Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes.  

          APPROVE YEAR END FUND TRANSFERS – $75,000.00 from Water Fund, $75,000.00 from Sewer Fund, $25,000.00 from Second Penny sales Tax and $25,000.00 from Solid Waste Fund for a total transfer of $200,000.00 to the Golf Course Fund.   (00:43:35.90)  I asked for a copy of the document involved in the computation of the transfers.  What I got was a summary not the detailed computation.  So much for transparency.  I still want all the break downs   (00:47:02.33)  I commented on the transfer of Water Enterprise Funds and the transfer of Sewer Enterprise Funds to the Golf Course Fund was not in line with what I believed the purpose of the segregation of profits derived from these Enterprise Funds.  (00:47:45.13) FOPAT says, “…the auditor never told me…” H-m-m.  Then she says (00:47:53.87), “…we did it when Mike was here…”  Sorry FOPAT I don’t think so ’cause he explained this action to me back in the day.  Isn’t it fortunate for you he is not here to contradict your statement.  So Madame FOPAT all those raises in the Water Rates which ostensibly were to fund the Wastewater facility and infrastructure are now being “TRANSFERED” to the Great Alcester Albatross. 

          Let’s see, THE SOUTH DAKOTA CONSTITUTION , Article XI Revenue and Finance, §11Unauthorized use of public money as felony,  “Unauthorized use of public money as a felony.  The making of profit, directly or indirectly, out of state, county, city, town or school district money, or using the same of any purpose not authorized by law, shall be deemed a felony and shall be punished a provided by law… Article XIII Public Indebtedness, §4 Debt limitations for municipalities and political subdivisions and §5 Irrepealable tax to repay debt of municipality or political subdivision, “Any city, county, town, school district or any other subdivision incurring indebtedness shall, at or before the time of so doing, provide for the collection of an annual tax sufficient to pay the interest and also the principal thereof when due, and all laws and ordinances providing for the payment of the interest or principal of any debt shall be irrepealable until such debt be paid.”

Since the Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds were established and provided the profit arising from the water and sewer fees was to be applied, “before the time of indebtedness were being collected to provide for the collection to pay the interest and principal of water and sewer facility…” upgrade indebtedness.    

(00:51:39.53) Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes. 

(00:52;17.17)  AGENDA ITEM #9 –  SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE  2022-08  Unanimous times three (3) Aye Votes.

(00:53:24.97) AGENDA ITEM #10  – FINANCE OFFICE UPDATES 

          (00:53:44.63)  Letter from CBDG granting $770,000.00 for Wastewater Facility Upgrade.

          (00:54:52.03)  Pass/Fail results of Alcester wastewater effluent toxicity.  Alcesterpassed on general but Alcester failed on the toxicity portion of the test finding the marine organisms are failing to survive 24 hours after exposure.  (EPA Whole Effluent Toxicity Methods,

(https://www.epa.gov/cwa-mthods/whole-effluent-toxicity-methods)) (00:56:25.70) link

          (00:59:26.50)  Approve the Warrants  Unanimous time three (3) Aye Votes

(01:05:53.00) AGENDA ITEM #11  GOLF COURSE/EVENT CENTER – NOTHING TO ADDRESS.

(01:06:01.27)  AGENDA ITEM #12  – EXECUTIVE SESSION IF NEEDED  NOT NEEDED

(01:06:12.17)  AGENDA ITEM #13  – ADJOURN 7:06 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