09/19/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

Ah we have a quorum of the sisterhood of the white feather literary guild.

The Alcester City Council Mayor Lukas Driesen called the September 19, 2023, meeting to order with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance with council members Darla Reppe, Kerry Hedden, Brian Johnson, Cyndi Peeples, Kendra Hatle, City Attorney Austin Felts present.  Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom was delayed.

Agenda Item #3 Approval of Agenda (00:42.64) the printed agenda was amended to effect changes in order of consideration and lack of information at the time of the meeting to address a specific agenda item.  The agenda was approved with the changes – times 5 ayes (unanimous vote)

Agenda Item #4 Finance Officer appointment (00:02:25.18) Candidate David Hodgson was introduced. (00:02:56.97) DO-OVER  Item #4a Motion to appoint David Hodgson at $25.00 per hour was made by Councilman Johnson, Second came from Councilwoman Peeples and with no discussion roll call vote was taken with aye votes coming form Councilman Johnson, Councilwoman Peeples, Councilwoman Reppe, Councilwoman Hatle and one abstention from Councilman Hedden.  (00:03:30.73) Item #4b Approve adding Alcester City Finance Officer Hodgson as a signed on the City of Alcester Bank Accounts-Vote X 5 ayes.  (00:04:02.15) Item # 4c  Approve a $1.000.00 credit card for City of Alcester Finance Officer David Hodgson – Vote X 5 ayes.  (00:04:27.61) Item #4d  Approve appointment of Alcester City Finance Officer David Hodgson as the authorized official to act on behalf of the City pursuant to ordinance.  Vote X 5 ayes.  (00:04:56.79)  Approve the posting of vacant Deputy Finance Officer position.  Vote X 5 ayes.

Agenda Item #5  (00:05:26.79) Public Input- no public input.

Agenda Item #10  (00:05:43.81)  Police Department.   Call to go into executive session to discuss on call issue and hiring part-time officer.  (00:06:03.63)  Council went into Executive Session SDCL 1-25-2.1 personnel at 6:07 P.M. and came out of Executive Session at 6:54 P.M.  It is to be note here Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom went into the session at 6:50 P.M.  (00:07:04.71) Motion was made and seconded to post a call for a full-time Officer position.  Vote X 6 ayes.  (00:07:31.15) Motion to approve the hiring of Robert Coleman for the part-time position at a rate of $25.00 per hour.  Vote X6 ayes.

Agenda Item #6  (00:07:5.90)  Finance Office Arrangements

Agenda Item #7  (00:13:08.04) Old Club House Discussion the decision came as a consensus of the council not to sell or lease the old club house property.  (00:20:43.06)  It was decided that Councilwoman Reppe would notify Ms. Rus of the council’s decision.

Agenda Item #8   (00:20:19.77)  Fairground Water Valve.  The council received notification FCS that the city water valve located on the northern end of the fairgounds needed to be moved to the south.  A bid was obtained from Dan Waterman of $3967.37 to effect the move.  Council votes X6 ayes to hire Mr. Waterman to do the move.    

Agenda Item #9     (00:24:02.74) still could not be addressed by the council due to a lack of information on all the necessary information needed.

Agenda Item #11     (00:24:10.17)  Legal Updates Discussion. 

Agenda Item #12    (00:35:45.37)  2024 Budget Second Reading. DO OVER   was needed due to the error in the date.  Vote X 6 ayes. 

Agenda Item #13   Reminders  (00:37:44.31) 

Agenda Item #14   Executive Session  (00:38:20.21)  Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples indicated there was a need for an executive session for the purposes of SDCL 1-25-2.1 Personnel.   The council went into executive session at 7:26 P.M. and exited executive session at 7:39 P.M.  with no action taken.

Agenda Item #15    Motion made to adjourn.  Council adjourned the meeting at 7:39 P.M.  Vote X 6 ayes.

09/12/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

The Alcester City Council Mayor Pro Tem Darla Reppe called the September 12, 2023, meeting to order with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance with council members Kerry Hedden, Brian Johnson, Cyndi Peeples, Kendra Hatle, City Attorney Austin Felts present.  Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom was absent.

Agenda Item #3 Approval of Agenda (00:40.78) the printed agenda was amended to effect changes in order of consideration and lack of information at the time of the meeting to address a specific agenda item.  The agenda was approved with the changes – times 5 ayes (unanimous vote)

Agenda Item #15 Banner & Associates presentation, (00:03:30.46) discussion and vote (line item moved up in order).  Tele-conference with Banner Representative Tanya Miller to discuss and effect any change orders, facilitate payment application, feasibility questions and invoice numbers.

  1. Approve payment application of $244,190.82 to IPT from Sewer Fund.  Motion/Councilman Johnson, Second/Councilwoman Hatle, no discussion, Vote X 5ayes.  Motion passed.
  2. Approve payment to Banner Associates $234 for invoice #40614 from Sewer Fund.  Motion/Councilman Hedden, Second/Councilman Johnson, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes.  Motion passed
  3. Approve payment to Banner Associates $11,975.02 for invoice #40589 from Sewer Fund.  Motion/Councilman Johnson, Second/Councilwoman Peeples, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes.  Motion passed.
  4. Approve payment to Banner for the June 24, 2023 payment of $28,392.12 for invoice #40179 (forgotten).  Motion/Councilwoman Hatle, Second/ Councilman Johnson, no discussion other than the June payment was forgotten.
  5. Approve change order#4 for contract increase of $5,556.40 which will increase the overall cost of the project to $5,365,743.05.  Motion/Councilwoman Hatle, Second/Councilman Hedden, no discussion, Vote X5 ayes.

          Agenda Item #8  (0:13:46.92) Old Golf Course Club House/Shelly Russ. The council listened to Ms. Rus’ presentation and elected to consider her plan.  I question the amount of money involved in re-siding and window replacement that was quoted in an upgrade proposal was in my recent experience was low, even considering a contractor discount.  For the city to sell the property and then buy it back should things not work out would be foolish in light of what a buy back dollar amount would raise to.  Worst case scenario, lease the property with a final say on all facility upgrades.

          Agenda Item #4  (0:22:22.14)  Approve Minutes of the July 24, 2023, July 31, 2023, August 16, 2023, and August 21, 2023, meetings.  Motion/Councilwoman Peeples, Second/Councilman Hedden, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes.

          Agenda Item #5   (0:24:45.86) Mayoral executive session and appointment.  M/Councilwoman Peeples, Second/Councilwoman Hatle, no discussion, Vote X5 ayes to go into Executive session.  Executive Sesson at 6:28 PM to 6:40 PM.  M/Councilwoman Reppe, Second/Councilwoman Peeples to appoint Lukas Driesen as Mayor, no discussion with Vote X5 ayes. Oath of Office was administered to Lukas Driesen and he re-claims his seat at the table.

           Agenda Item #6  (0:27:10.22)  Temporary Finance Officer discussion.  M/Councilwoman Hatle, Second/ Councilwoman Peeples to go into Executive session to discuss, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes.  Into executive session at 6:43 PM Out of executive session at 7:02 PM.  No action taken

          Agenda Item #7    (0:28:27.90)  Public Input  (0:28:46.72) Alcester PD Office Kyle Kleinschmit  submitted his resignation but stated he would still like to work part-time for Alcester.  (0:31:49.66)  Vickie Larsen  I spoke to the city applying for reimbursement in the bond required from Patricia Jurrens in her capacity as Finance Officer, to reimburse the city for the loss the city incurred from Ms. Jurresn failure to perform her duty.  i.e. to place an advertisement in the official newspaper and other appropriate publications for bids related to the Banner Engineering project.  According to my information, Ms. Tanya Miller wrote out the advertisement and sent it to then Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens and which Ms. Jurrens apparently blew off.  This failure of Patricia Jurrens to do her job, created a re-bid submission which cost the city of Alcester and its citizens somewhere around $60,000.00 to $70, 000.00 for a requote and advertisement.  (0:32:45.69)  Mayor Lukas Driesen  Mayor Driesen commented on his appointment, his desire to do the job of mayor and his intent to do his very best.

          Agenda Item #9  was tabled to a time when all the necessary information would be available act as a planning and zoning board with all the updates in plat request by FCS.

          Agenda Item #10     (0:34:48.53)  Industrial Board  Discussion update presented by Councilwoman Darla Reppe concerning change in circumstances of the old school building and costs related.

          Agenda Item #11    (0:40:46.74)  Community Ctr and Golf Course Discussion.  Need to declare as surplus items for kitchen in the community center which apparently purchased when there was no need for them.  Declared as un-needed, was a 36-inch griddle with table and a brand-new Salamander (a high-tech broiler using hi-temp broiling process).  Folks this Salamander thingy, when I looked it up was running at a price of $4100.00 and I would wager a guess that the thing came from Maxwell’s in Sioux Falls.  Just a guess on my part.  M/Councilwoman Peeples, Second/Councilman Johnson, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes.

          Agenda Item #12    (0:43:21.95)  Police Department  Alcester Police Chief Jared Thompson gave updates on the PD.  Chief Thompson did bring up the subject of a recurring attempt for the county/Sheriff’s department to charge municipalities for 911 services.  This has been attempted before and it is untenable when the communities of North Sioux, Jefferson, Elk Point, Beresford and Alcester could conceivably be assessed a 911 fee charged just for the county to answer a telephone much less send officers out.  While just a few scant miles down the road there exists an unincorporated city which in the past would be exempt from the 911 fee charge.  Be sure to make your voices heard by the county commissioners, the city councils and the sheriff’s office.

          Also in Chief Thompson’s remarks was the surplusing of Officer Kyle Kleinschmit’s body armor ($1431.00 cost) to sell to Beresford.   M/Councilwoman Peeples, Second/Councilman Johnson, no discussion, Vote X 5 ayes. 

          Agenda Item #13   Legal Updates  (0:57:41.71)  City Attorney Austin Felts made updates

          Agenda Item #14   Camera Quote  (01:07:42.18)  This was tabled to the January 2024 meeting.

          Agenda Item #16   Finance Office   (01:08:11.40)  Assistant Abigail Moore was absent so Councilwoman Kendra Hatle made the budget presentation.  (01:09:37.53) Councilwoman Hatle spend many, many hours of her personal time to figure out what was going on the budget which is due October 1, 2023.  Nothing had been done what-so-ever on the budget prior to Councilwoman Hatle having it dumped into her lap.  Note the captions dealing with unassigned funds, large amounts of in-the-red funds with no explanation or justification.  With this information, the city needs a forensic audit.  Normally I do not do TikTok but there was an episode recommended to me.  You may find it interesting.  It is about a woman name Candice Matthews.  She got a hold of some items the finance officer in her Texas community has purchased on the city’s/taxpayer dime.  In the TikTok she holds up some underwear ($88.00) and etc.  Sound familiar?  She was asking for a forensic audit.  H-m-m

          (01:30:14.96)   Special Maintenance Fees 2023-05  (01:32:36.10)  City Attorney had a question on the numbering and title of the special maintenance fee.  The voices on my audio were very faint cause those who were discussing the issue did not speak loud enough for my camera to pick up.  However, motion to approve was made M/Councilwoman Peeples, Second/Councilwoman Reppe, no discussion, Vote X5 ayes. City Attorney Austin Felts most recent Date and Title was 2022 and was confused.  I will try to get the information.

          Agenda Item #17   Executive Session   Not Needed

          Agenda Item #18   Adjournment      Meeting was adjourned at 8:21 PM

09/09/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

SDLRC 22-11-3. Obstructing certain public officers or employees–Misdemeanor.Any person who intentionally obstructs or attempts to obstruct a public officer or employee, not a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician in the performance of any official duty, or who resists a public officer in performance of that duty, is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SDC 1939, §§ 13.1106, 13.1302; SDCL, §§ 3-15-2, 3-15-3; SL 1976, ch 158, § 11-22; SL 2005, ch 120, § 192.

Oh Mz.Finger-Painter, it most definitely been a long time since I posed for the glamour shots photo. As many folks on facebook or email use memes, quotes and cartoons as identifiers, I use my glamour shot. Not to disguise or hide themselves as you accuse but to remind us of an event, a time or wondrous experience in our lives. My glamour shot visage reminds me of when my sister, Kari and I took our grandmother to Sioux Falls as a surprise for her December 25th birthday. The day was a wonderful outing for a grandmother and her two adult grand-daughters. As we entered the studio, my sister and I explained to Grams that we were there for a make-over. Grams looked around and said in a not-so-quiet voice there were quite a few there that needed a make-over and my sister bolted out of the shop. The stylist/make-up artists did their magic and turned us over to the male photographer who flirted with my 88 year old grandmother much to her delight. Everytime I look at my ‘shot’ and Grams ‘shot’, I remember with love that special day we had together.

If remembering my grandmother with love and affection is living in the past, so-be-it. She passed away on my birthday in 2004, exactly 19 years ago.

Ma’am my blog orginated out of the need for a public response medium ’cause the local newspaper editor, Mr. Hill refused my responses to accusations. I started using videos ’cause I was being called a liar by folks like FOPat. So Madame with your penchant of middle finger salutations, finger-pointing threats and obstruction of our duly elected mayor’s ability to perform his duty, what is your excuse beyond the obvious? My blog is not anonymous. How else would you know how to write me your complaints. You have used your voice to complain to me, however coward that YOU are you fail to sign you litany of accusations.

Now madame, I have elected to publish these virulent anonymous attacks. First to convince the powers that be that our Mayor was indeed under a malicious, venomous attack which pompted his resignation and once he felt he and his family was safe he rescined the resignation. Now madam, I realize you were not alone in sending me 18 pieces (at this point) of malevolent mail. However with this piece of mail, you have proved a pattern of ongoing harassment and threats suitable for charges. As I indicated in a previous blog, I have indeed contacted the police about this situtation as well as I have spoken to the local post offices out of which this mail was delivered. A small town post office usually has a pretty good idea of perpetrators such as you and your coven. At some point your quilling party members will cease to see the value in harassment, and will abandon you to your fate.

09/07/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

Attacks by bullies and religious bullies.  As I stated in an earlier posting of my blog, “…I will not quote the Bible.  I will not quote the Bible to bolster any argument, to defend my personal opinion, to justify any actions I take or any actions I do not take, bully another person or to put someone down because they dare exercise freedom of speech…”  What I have learned in my lifetime in Spirit Lake (the summer-time door-to-door bangers who were looking for their salvation through badgering donations from the residents of Spirit Lake), Woonsocket (rural door-to-door religious door bangers who walked into my farm home while I was away and left their coupon for salvation on my kitchen counter) and Alcester (again the summer-time door-to-door evangelists from the deep south who wanted to share their printed handout) is to watch out for the religious bullies.  Religious bullies who quote bits and pieces of the Bible, taking those bits and pieces out of context to use against me or others with whom they disagree.  The advice I would give is to avoid these religious bullies but unfortunately, bullies do not go away and they won’t leave you alone unless you do something about it. 

I learned in first grade at five (5) years old that a warning did not make Carl a second-grader stop bullying me.  This school yard bully stood a head taller than me had me backed-up against a school yard fence, refusing to let me go and who I warned I was going to “sock-him-in-the nose if he did not let me go.  He didn’t and I did.  He ran to the teacher in charge of recess (who was a disciplinarian) holding he nose and bawling that I hit him.  She came to me and asked why?  I told her the truth.  The boy did confirm what he had done to me and the teacher scolded him in front of me.  The lesson I learned, tell the truth but always be ready to follow up in convincing a bully to leave you alone. So, with that said I will share with you folks my recent batch of hate mail from anonymous porch pulpiteers with my commentary.

Also I would note that while I post these with the notation Coward #1 and so-on, several of these missives are from the same individual porch “postulate.” So I presume this group of Brethren of the Order of the White Feather has a small membership.

COWARD #9.1 AND 9.2 Appear to be from the same coward. Note the similarity of handwriting and the failure to get the zip code correct not once but twice.

COWARD #10 Makes the statement, “…she, … are praying for me, Makes me kind of wonder, Praying for What?

COWARD #11 Now folks this consitutes a threat against me, I have already talked to law enforcement and the post office officials. Now folks you can see why I have chosen to publish these missives of mistruths. You are correct in one thing sugar, people need to know WHO YOU are and indeed they can consider the source; a bottle bottomer, a pretentious, pious, porch profit or a Bible tympanist.

COWARD #12 Good People? Let’s see on-going criminality in a city office? Your idea of good people defies logic. Really? So how is your mirror image?

COWARD #13 We? Who? You and the turd you carry in your pocket and use for an ID? How did that photo turn out? And so, what is your reputation besides being a voting member brethren of the Order of the White Feather?

COWARD #14 Well congratulations Coward #14 if you do not like bullies, how do YOU face yourself in the morning while you shave? H-m-m-m You state you read my blog and it was hard for you to read. Well sugar, it is not written for children.

COWARD #15 Oyea, here they come. Honey ya’ll needed to have filled this little two-question test out before you sent it, to let me know what your answers revealed to YOU darlin’. I suggest you stick with the plastic bag of popcorn and a video you can hang on door knobs idea.

COWARD #16 Hey COWARD #16, do you want your stamp back. I see the post office missed cancelling the stamp on that little folded up missive of yours. Folks this missive measured three (3) inches by Five (5) inches all folded up with the stamp and cutesy little self-stick stickers. Oh-Oh you ended your suggestion with a preposition.

COWARD #17 GEE another postcard, ya gotta be a running out of those little buggers along with your floral forever stamps. Ah folks…Hoping now not Praying…must have a long ride and no bathroom stops.

09/02/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

With that said folks, please note the cowards continue in their bullying attempts as you will note below:

COWARD #7  I have to wonder at this coward, ‘cause it seems this card was hand delivered rather than sent through the post office.  There is no evidence that this postcard ever went through the postal service, yet it magically appeared in my residential mailbox in Spirit Lake.  Note the absence of any postal markings indicating it went through the postage system. I have spoken to the Spirit Lake Post Office about this and will be contacting other postal authorities.  Ms. Coward #7, do you realize it is a violation of Federal statute to place items in a designated post box:

*“18 U.S. Code § 1725 – Postage Unpaid on Deposited Mail Matter.” LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1725.

COWARD #8   WOW you found my house in Spirit Lake!  I’m gonna give you a heads up Sugar, many of the folks in Spirit Lake know me by my maiden name (having been born in Spirit Lake and growing up in Spirit Lake) and my married name.  In fact one or two have come to me for help with city issues on occasion, a-w-w gee ya failed, again.  But one must expect that from a coward who presumes to step into the  pulpit of self righteous sanctimony, sententious and moral smugness, theatrically banging on a book that should be revered and not used as a bludgeon, screaming and shaking a raised fist, “…I got God’s back…”

Folks take a look at the message portion of this missive.  This copy does not show it well, but the message was generated by computer on a sheet of paper, appears to have been cut to size and tacked to a get well greeting card.  Now folks I gotta say, this coward did pay postage on his smug moral missive

08/31/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

With that said, I shall now address my “fan mail”.  Folks I have received six missives over August 24th and August 26th from anonymous authors who apparently want to put me in my place.  H-m-m! I have labeled these anonymous mailings so I may address each chastisement aimed at me with the full amount of attention I believe it deserves regardless of the anonymity where the author is too cowardly to stand in the public pulpit under their own name.  

First Up-Coward #1   I have already, in a previous blog, pointed out the foibles of this anonymous postcard.  Ma-am as long as innocent people doing their job are being attacked, bullied and finger-assaulted by drunkards, I will be here pointing their behaviors out AND SIGNING MY NAME.

Second Up- COWARD #2   Folks I would address this missive of shame-on-you nattering.   Note that the writer really-really wanted to make sure their Identity was secret.  Obviously this person just wanted to follow the lead wooly-bugger sheep.  Here Coward#2 ignores the meanness of their cohort, totally forgiving the despicable things she perpetrated during her tenure with the city.  I will not stand by silently, condoning the bullying, abusive behaviors she practiced upon certain residents of Alcester.  

Third Up – COWARD #3  As you all can see there is at least a group of six who are interpreters of the Bible.  Beware, the Bible verses y’all are regurgitating are accurate to the Bible and the events it is relating and y’all are not adding your own translation.  Oh one thing, I have a question about the book of Numbers.  How many verses does your Bible have in Chapter 6?  Can you share with this old sinner, Verse 28 in the Bible you so vigorously quoted?  My Bible doesn’t seem to have a verse twenty-eight.  H-m-m  See this is one of those things I was a’talkin’ about.  If you do not know how many verses, why in the world would you take the chance on quoting the Bible to me.

Fourth UP – COWARD #4   Ah Coward #4 I see from your tirade that you seem to have a “spiritual” crystal ball whispering in your deaf ear.  Just as the things you have done are unlikely to “win” you anything but a sharp slam-shut of a pearly gate,  I only write about the things I can prove with facts and video.  As to your advice sugar, I would strongly suggest you find a nice, comfortable seat while you wait. In addition, I would politely suggest you send one of your missives to she-who-was-fired, so she can start her long journey and make amends to all the people she has harmed.

Oh I gotta hand it to you on your artwork,  Hey maybe you can get Art by Paula to show it alongside her work at whatever venue is still open to her.

Fifth Up  –  Coward #5  Ah, this one made me laugh.  Um you have been a busy little beaver, sugar.  It begs the question: did they know me before or after you did the character assassination on me.  I can understand why you would be unwilling to attach your name to this missive.  You really should have used the word “known” rather than “know” in your writing efforts.  I would suggest you take the advice of the quote you plagiarized below and see a doctor about your mental problem or visit a confessional if you cannot find a doctor who is willing to treat you!

Sixth Up – Coward #6  Far and wide, really?  You get around that much?  Oh honey, I don’t attempt to fool anyone.  More often than not, people will laugh and share in the jocularity of my mind set.  When I make someone laugh, I feel honored.  It is indeed too bad, you do not have any empathy or sympathy for those folks who the fired-former-finance-officer harassed, those folks she caused to be thrown out of their home while ol’ Geoff Fillingsness tramped through their home taking pictures or the Mayor she refused to hand over the tools of his office because didn’t like him.  It wasn’t her choice!  She was just a bookkeeper.  If y’all want to pray for someone, I suggest she be at the top of your list ‘cause from what I hear, albeit from the grapevine, she told a whopper in a house-of-worship.  And folks I am not talking about the Burger King sandwich,