Tag: Patricia Anderson Alcester SD

09/12/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

I wish to make a statement here. I have received and continue to receive what I term as anonymous and not-so-anonymous bully mail or another term I call is coward’s mail. People whose intent is to bully and threaten those who do not goose step in the same manner they do. This is a handful of anonymous brethren of the white feather society who get off on cheap postcards and greeting cards inscribed with pathetic prose written with all the idiocy of an adult who has not been potty trained and has yet to figure out how to fold toilet paper for maximum coverage. Proving the width and breadth of the harassment dealt out to our city official. I have posted those missives so community members can see for themselves the iniquitous drivel this small band of mule track divots, scoop up and mail.

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.

NOTE:  How was it that the payment in item #d was missed?  Ya gotta ask former finance office employee Pat Jurrens, it was her job to get it on the agenda.  Check out the agendas for May 1, 2023, May 15, 2023, June 5, 2023, and June 20, 2023, nothing regarding this payment.  Now it is to be noted she did manage to get two payments on the June 5, 2023, agenda.  One to pay IPT $155,610.00 for construction services and one to pay Banner Engineering for $6,318.08 for engineering services.  So, what happened?  Check out all the agendas for payments to Banner, no sign of a bill/warrant for that amount on that date.

          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. 

          Also appearing under Agenda Item #12C hiring a part-time police officer.  Folks this was addressed in council meeting, I chose to edit the discussion out of my video because I felt this should not have been discussed in a public venue but rather in Executive Session.

          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

I will never stand by silently allowing an innocent individual to be railroaded by misinformation, untruths, by cowards who let others take blame for their actions or people too lazy to investigate the truth whether it is in Spirit Lake, Iowa or here in Alcester, South Dakota.  To my critics, shame comes from continuing to perpetuate a wrong on a good man when he has been proven innocent.  If divisive means one faction fighting to restore a man’s good name while a second faction continues to perpetuate the wrong, Yup we are divided!  If airing the dirty laundry is the only way to clean it, get the clothes-pins ready honey and get the clothes-line wiped down!  I come from a line of fighters, the Magee and Culbertson in the Revolutionary War and the Newtons in both World Wars.  I am confrontational, I am pit-bull tenacious, I am obdurate but I AM NOT a quitter.  To the cowards who mail me the unsigned, anonymous sophomoric drivel, which passes for your opinions of my worth—I decline your invitation.  I am here—- so bring it on!  This one ‘little woman’ who will not only be seen but be heard.  I will no longer silently sit back hoping truth and justice will prevail.  I will fight, annoy, push, shove, bully, harass and antagonize to ensure justice has a chance.  I am more than willing to, as the title of a jazz song suggests, “Face The Music and Dance”!

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

“Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 784; Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(j)(33), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(F), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)*

*“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

Note:  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.  I make this statement because I do not pretend to be a Biblical scholar in terms of how I understand the semantics of the language, interpretations of the circumstances surrounding the time and place in which the words were originally written and the factual aspects of the events being described.

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,

08/30/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

Beware the fury of a patient man*

John Dryden -*Brainy Quote. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_dryden_101689.

“

(d)Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or other thing of value, knowingly so deposits or causes to be delivered, as aforesaid, any communication, with or without a name or designating mark subscribed thereto, addressed to any other person and containing any threat to injure the property or reputation of the addressee or of another, or the reputation of a deceased person, or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. If such a communication is addressed to a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official who is covered by section 1114, the individual shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 741; Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(j)(7), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 777; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §§ 330016(1)(G), (H), (K), 330021(2), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147, 2150; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title I, § 11008(d), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1818.)*

*“18 U.S. Code § 876 – Mailing Threatening Communications.” LII / Legal Information Institute,  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/876#:~:text=Whoever%2C%20with%20intent%20to%20extort. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.     

HUMOR ME FOLKS.

Got this in the mail with a postal date of 24 August 2023  PM 2  L notation on the front of the puppy dog postcard stating…Thinking of you. This appeared with five (5) other anonymous letters in my mail.

To Ms. Anonymous Sender, please read the above very carefully.  Oh by the way I would strongly recommend your cohorts read it very carefully, also. 

So folks take a look at the message on the puppy dog postcard.   Take note of the left side of the postcard and the font of the message.  This indicates the writer is moderately versed in calligraphy.  Note the style of the letters ‘w’ with the right elevated upstroke, now note the style of the letters ‘g’ and the ‘y’ with their sweeping descender (that is the final downstroke of the “g” and “y”) and finally note the agitation showing in the dotting of the letter  “i” from the ‘i’ in ‘praying’ to the ‘i’ in ‘will’ to the first and second ‘i’ in writing and lastly the ‘i’ in things.  Note the first two ‘i’ have no ‘tittle’ (the dot over the i), now look at the first “i” in writing which has a small, tentative “tittle” compare that small “tittle” to the large emphasized “tittle” the second “i” in writing and finally to the small offset “tittle” over the “i” in things.  Remarking on the two “P”, first look at the beginning capital “P” with just a small hint of a desender curving up, now look at the second “P” with its loop at the top of the descender.  Finally I would point to the “t”  in stop, writing and things, note the crossing of the “t” starts just above the “x” height of the vertical stem of the “t” traveling at an upward angle to the right.  

Now on to the address portion of the anonymous postcard to the right of the postcard’s vertical midline.  Here the writer makes a concerted effort to disguise their handwriting.  But again I will draw your attention to the V in  Vickie resembles a check mark, and the L in Larsen leans back.  This is a point where the unconscious takes control and reverts to the normal day-to-day style of printing by Ms. Anonymous.  I draw your attention to the letter “n” in the address components, see where the ‘shoulder’ of the “n” has a downward slope as opposed to the “n” on the calligraphic side “n”?  Unfortunately for Ms. Anonymous, her normal handwriting style keeps interfering with her attempt at anonymity.  Again compare the letter “s” on the calligraphic message side with the address side.  One final note on the lettering aspect of this abortive attempt at anonymity, check out the K another ‘tell’.

Finally folks look closely again to the right side of the postcard.  Take note of the smearing to the lower right side of the card and a dark grey smearing under the stamp placement. Was there perhaps another stamp there at one point?  Lastly, the stamp.  The stamp appears to have come from a small book of stamps rather than a coil of stamps, this is purely my presumption.  In my experience coil stamps have two perforated sides rather than four. How this is important is the application of the stamp onto the document to be mailed.  

If the stamp is self-adhesive, it does not have to be licked.  No DNA.  With that pointed out, think about how a self-adhesive stamp is removed from its backing.  I remove a self-adhesive stamp by peeling back with the index finger and with thumb pressure upon placement on the envelope. I would imagine that I am not the only person who applies stamps in this manner.  However any lack of DNA is made up for with the possibility of a thumb print or an index finger print.

Should you be fortunate to have a licked stamp, a good forensic scientist should be able to extract DNA with saline solution swabs and with the help of Ancestry your face will appear like portrait magic in a tray of photographic developing solutions.

I have not yet opened the other predictable, malicious missives (I want to preserve any evidence) pending my choices of reactive response beyond this blog.

08/16/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

“Never trust the translation or interpretation of something without first trusting its interpreter.” ~ Suzy Kassem*

*150 QUOTES BY SUZY KASSEM [PAGE – 2] | A-Z Quotes. (n.d.). A-Z Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/author/54644-Suzy_Kassem?p=2

Folks please forgive the delay in publishing this Video, processing a 3 hour, 20 minute video took more time than usual

The August 16, 2023, regular meeting of the Alcester City Council was called to order by Mayor pro-tem Darla Reppe with the following council members present Councilman Kerry Hedden, Councilman Brian Johnson, Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples with Councilwoman Kendra Hatle taking part via telephone until she could attention in person in the council room.  City Attorney Sam Nelson was also present, in person at the meeting.  The council and the gallery recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Agenda Item #3 – Approve the agenda was addressed with a “point of order called” which concerned Agenda Item #4 Mayoral interviews.  The point of order addressed the open issue of duly elected Mayor Lukas Driesen, his document of resignation and the document of his rescission of resignation and the legally of proceeding to interview any potential mayoral candidates.  City Attorney Sam Nelson addressed the council and gallery regarding a legal opinion and the threat of the city’s liability insurance carrier continuing to provide liability insurance to the city. (00:12:12.) Mr. Nelson addressing the job that Mayor Lukas, “…from a posistion of impartiality…Mr. Driesen has done a fine job…”)

Questions to Mr. Nelson regarding his opinion from the council and the gallery were addressed and discussed.  The agenda approval was ultimately voted on in the affirmative.

Agenda Item #4 – Public Input – Pastor Scott Connor addressed the council with questions.  Mrs. Trudy Hedden addressed the council with her question, “…can Lukas be re-appointed” and the answer she received was Yes, Lukas Driesen can be re-appointed as Mayor.  

Agenda Item #5 – General Policies Discussion by Vickie Larsen  I addressed the council with concerns, changes in policy to make managing city business and departments more efficient, changing finance procedures and billing form requests from certain vendors of the city to identify specific costs in order to cut costs and eliminate certain fees to have a more realistic budget and dig ourselves out of the hole of over-spending as the past twelve years of dubious, opaque spending. *

* my notes will appear on the blog.

Agenda Item #6 – Community Center- Landon shared with the council the Community Center is losing money being open on Mondays with no appreciable up-tic in the future.  This is due to lack of staff and customer patronage.  

Discussions for carpet cleaning, advertising for part-time bartenders and servers, rental double booking fiasco, walk-through dealing with failures of completion, failures of workmanship of the building, and safety issues with course trees.

Agenda Item #7 – Police Department – No imperative updates.  Report that the National Night Out event went well.

Agenda Item #8 – Legal Updates – Sam. Discussion on property line Setback ordinances, Fencing restrictions, Council-at-large representation as opposed to Ward delinations and Appointment of Abigail Moore and Darla Reppe as authorized officials to act on behalf of the City of Alcester pursuant to Ordinances.

Agenda Item #9 – HRC signature on paperwork for HRC  Mayor Pro-Tem Reppe signed document in front of City Attorney Sam Nelson.

Agenda Item #10 – Wass Funeral Home request for two handicapped parking places in front of their establishment on Second street.  The Council voted to designate two handicapped spaces with possible discussion on designation of signage costs

Agenda Item #11 – Camera Quotes and Decisions.  Discussion took place but no action was taken until more information was available about the number of cameras needed and the capacity of coverage was determined.

Agenda Item #12 – Old Clubhouse Discussion.  Any action on this item was tabled due to whether the council really wanted to undertake the costs of refurbishing versus removing the building retaining ownership and control of the property for future city development and usage.

Agenda Item #13 – Banner Engineering with Tanya Miller via telephone.  Ms. Miller went over re-assessments, $8200.00 charge plus taxes (not to exceed) completion of Engineering Services for the hourly amount including reimbursement expenses plus taxes. Motion was made to approve, passed. Discussion to approve paying Banner Associates $9547.37 already due. Motion was made to approve payment and was approved.

Agenda Item #14 – Pool  Discussion on ongoing issues of the facility and pool which in the long run, would it be cheaper to repair, replace or decommission.

Agenda Item #15 – Finance Office 

Budget preparation by Councilwoman Kendra Hatle.  Note here:  a completed budget due date for city approval is September 1st.   As I understand it, absolutely no work had been started on the budget by former Finance Officer Patricia.  Councilwoman Hatle has been trying to make sense of the hot-mess, failure to maintain common sense, transparent bookkeeping for our city books. Councilwoman Hatle has spent many hours trying to make sense of non-sense.  I believe at the completion of her task, she should be rewarded with monetary compensation for taking this task on.

The council has agreed to contract with a neighboring community’s Finance Officer to come and assist Councilwoman Hatle and Assistant Finance Officer Abigail find their way through the chaos of our city books and to effect regular transparent bookkeeping methods and policies.

Yet another indemnification of Mayor Lukas’ RIGHT to Fire Patricia Jurrens as Alcester Finance Officer and for the Alcester City Council to UNANIMOUSLY approve the termination of Patricia Jurrens. Another note here is albeit hearsay that, “…Ms. Jurrens apparently has been verbally maintaining she voluntarily quit…”  If that is the case, it is my understanding that one cannot apply for unemployment if she/he quits.  It is my information Ms. Jurrens has applied for unemployment…all the while she claimed Mr. Nyreen voluntarily quit and apparently took steps to see to it Mr. Nyreen’s application for unemployment.  Mr. Nyreen was fired, Ms. Jurrens was fired so how is it that Mr. Nyreen who was FIRE was denied unemployment due to a claim he voluntarily quit but Ms. Jurrens who was also FIRED claims she voluntarily quit yet she files for unemployment?  Really?

Question of the compensation for Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples for her volunteering to cover for the vacation related absence of Assistant Finance Officer Abigail Moore.  The council voted to monetarily compensate Councilwoman Peeples but the amount of compensation was placed on hold until an opinion was offered by City Attorney Sam Nelson.

There was a question from the council regarding the presence of FORMER FINANCE OFFICER Pat Jurrens in the city offices behind the counter while Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples was in charge of the city offices.  According to the answer, Ms. Jurrens came in looking for a paper for the library. Why didn’t the Librarian request the document and have it emailed?  Why was she allowed access to city documents and allowed to walk over and just help herself to city documents?  She no longer has ANY RIGHTS to actively accessing city filing systems or protected documents!

Agenda Item #17 –  Executive Session (if Needed) was called.  Immediately a motion from Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples called for an executive session to discuss personnel and that a police officer remain (curious). SDCL 1-25-2 (1) Personnel  This motion violated open meeting law because given the action taken immediately upon exit of the council from Executive Session was the acceptance of the two resignation documents received from Councilman Kyle VandenHul and Mayor Lukas Driesen did not comply with the specific requirements mandated by definition of closed session South Dakota Open Meeting Statute.  This discussion was merely the acceptance of only two of the three documents already received from duly elected Mayor and Councilman.  Therefore because the motion was a violation of executive session statute by barring public participation, depriving the public from input and any discussion of the subject matter and discussion of decision to the acceptance of only two of the three documents received by the council along with the concluding vote.  All decisions and votes are invalid because the Executive Session violated South Dakota Open Meetings Law.

Agenda Item #18 – Council was adjourned at 9:42 p.m

08-14-2023 A Voice From the Gallery

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and you win!

Mahatma Gandhi

When I first became aware of the “Letter to the Editor authored by Ms. Paula Fagre” appearing in the August 10, 2023, Number 32, Volume 136, edition of the Alcester Union-Hudonsite” newspaper, I balanced my choices. Play verbal chicken with a flightless bird, initiate a verbal duel with a saber versus an epee or ‘psycho-analyzing’ the statements made in the letter to the editor.   With that said, let’s start with the paragraph-by-paragraph approach below (the red italicized paragraphs) and determine whether I should call the chicken out or give a sharp slashing poke.

¶1  “It has been a long couple of months, after anticipating what turned out to be an EMERGENCY MEETING by the Alcester City Council on 7/2/4/2023.  I will humbly admit that I did not handle myself well under the stress, but I did send a formal apology by letter to this current council for my upset, and my quietly rude gestures-all while they discussed in these endless private executive sessions…”

Humbly Ms. Fagre?  Under stress, Ms. Fagre?  I see no humility and I question your choice of blaming your questionable behavior on stress.  You were not the subject of the executive session.  You sent a formal apology by letter for your upset and your quietly rude gestures???  What is this too little, too late?  A variation on the attitude of, “it is better to apologize than ask for permission…”  Madam you state. “… quietly rude gestures…”.  Are you aware you were in a public government building during a meeting in which an executive session was in process and you were just outside the door stomping and wildly gesticulating at the council in executive session?  You were in effect obstructing and threatening with your gestures, government officials in a closed meeting.  Duh?

¶2  “I wanted to reply to some of the comments made at City Council in regard to my artwork hanging in City Hall, and the Community Event Center in Alcester, SD.  Some of the comments made were alluding to the fact that hanging art in a public space is practically a crime…”

Ms. Fagre, madame artiste there was no allusion to a crime, I merely asked questions why the City of Alcester in the guise of FO Pat Jurrens who appeared to be working as a gallerist for a private and apparently for-profit entity.  The walls of Alcester City Hall and the Alcester Community Center were in effect damaged and or vandalized for the purposes of displaying this personal art show.  I asked the question, was the city being reimbursed for this ongoing display, the cleaning of this art display, the liability for this art display and the employee time spend in managing and cleaning this display.  The city is not in the business of being your private art gallery.  The Alcester Taxpayers are not paying taxes so you can display your ‘wares’ madame artiste and make money off their tax dollars.   Build your own gallery or rent a storage shed so you can open the doors and sell your “art” on the weekends.   You pay for your own facility, You pay for your own advertising and You collect your own cash instead of floating it through the city coffers.  The council did not give its permission to be a gallery for you.  Your inference we should be grateful that you are bringing people into Alcester with your art is ludicrous and presumptuous.

¶3  “…It is quite apparent that one particular lady living in Alcester appears to hate my art or me, because of my association with Patty.  And, for now, not one City Council Member disagrees with that assessment.  I am sincere when I day that I truly believed that hanging art in these places in our little town, would bring color and fun to a working space, and a restaurant.  It was completely free to anyone that chose to enjoy.  And, if I should make a sale here and there, I figured this would be a WIN-WIN situation for all…”

Assuming that I am that lady accused of hating your art or hating your person.  First “madame artiste”, I am no lady and I do not have the title Dame before my name either with an “E” or without an “E”.  I have my own art appreciation.  As to hating you, at this point I have no interest in you one way or the other.  However, that could change given your propensity for libeling, slandering and threatening our duly elected public officials via media venues or in public hallways.

4  “…Never was Patty Jurrens my “personal gallerist: as was stated.  I did not ever have any kind of contract, or was thought to be EXCLUSIVE.  I am guessing that if anyone wanted to share their artwork, it would have been accepted as well.  I was simply bold enough to ASK if it would be OKAY…”

Ms. Fagre, I spoke to the appearance of former Finance Officer Patrica Jurrens acting as a curator or a gallerist. Your reference to former Alcester Finance Officer as your personal gallerist is in error.  I did not say former Alcester Finance Officer was your personal gallerist.  I never got an answer to my question dealing with that subject during council as to what exactly was going on with the art. Why? Because the council was unaware of FOPat’s apparent failure to get the council’s permission, contract, agreement and there was no vote to approve your art display in the city offices or the community center.  Where by the way, YOU are still displaying your wares in the community center and we the people have no idea what the accounting, sales and etc. is taking place. We want that accounting.   You forget Ms. Fagre it appears to have been FOPat and only FOPat who was “allowing” your “Art to be Hung”!  Madam Fagre your guesses are irrelevant.

¶5  “…I don’t think Patty, Wanda, Abigail or Landon spent much time hanging, or rearranging the pieces that I would bring in.  Most of them I hung myself originally.  With the help of my amazing husband, Richard.  And the, I told City Personnel to decide what hung where.  I am not that much of a control freak.  I said…Do whatever you think is best.”

Ms. Fagre the fact you ‘don’t think” says it all.  Ya dumped your ‘art’ on the city, expecting the city employees to take care of it for you on the taxpayer dollar.  WOW In addition Ms. Fagre, I cannot speak to how amazing your husband is or how much of a freak you are no, matter how tempting.

¶6  “…Was I grateful every single time someone purchased an art piece?  Yes.  Absolutely.  I am grateful ANY time someone finds joy in the work that I do.  Am I becoming independently wealthy by my art work?  Not a Chance.  Sometimes I spend more dollars on the art supplies, than I do selling a piece.  Not to mention the hours spent on each one…”

Ms. Fagre, I would not ever try to guess how much you spend on your canvas, acrylics, alcohol ink, wood planks or you Gandma Moses frames.  The hours you spent on your “art” are valuable only in that you are not harassing city officials when you are huddled in your dark studio, creating your art.

¶7  “…My goal was never to hurt a single individual by sharing art work.  As a matter of fact, I have donated at least a dozen pieces EACH YEAR for the past 8 years here in town, to various groups in our local community.

Ms. Fagre what you have or have not donated is not pertinent to your behavior toward our mayor and council members.  I am not inclined to give you a free pass on your behavioral ‘upsets’ just because you donate some canvas, paint and alcohol ink or offered up a crocodile-teared written apology.

¶8  “…I have tried everything I can think of to be a good resident, a nice neighbor and a supporter of this community…”

Ms. Fagre I am not interested in what you have tried but how many people have been bullied by you in those endeavors.

¶9   “…We are retired. And tired, to be honest.  Most don’t even know that Richard had a kidney removed due to renal carcinoma last month, and I just broke a rib.  And yet, so many people have much worse going on, and we realize that …”

Ms. Fagre your husband’s personal health problems are not relevant to the discussion we are having.  However, the broken rib just might be relevant, did that happen the night you visited City Hall and showed those present in the hallway how many foul words you had in your vocabulary?

¶10  “…Our income is SS.  Plus, we are “Janitors for Jesus” at Nathanel Lutheran.  And, Richard drives school bus.  In addition, I have stepped in to teach art at the Alcester Schools when it was needed.  That was Great…”

Ms. Fagre, I am sure HE is grateful for your service. 

¶11  “…We have volunteered in every capacity possible.  And…mostly…I constantly spread the positive word about our little town.  I’m human, so I have had some complaints. But… it was almost always just how wonderful this town has been…”

Ah Ms. Fagre, there is the rub.  You brag about the town but you degrade and threaten our public officials in person and in social media.

¶12  “…I am now very sad, and disturbed at what has happened…”

¶13  “…You think I am devastated?  I cannot even imagine what our finance officer is feeling at this moment….”

Ms. Fagre perhaps you should have been just as devastated when FOPat was harassing our former Finance Officer who was gravely ill.  You should have been just as devastated when she tried to have a young man arrested on false claims via 911 calls or upset with the lies, she has told to the council and the public.

¶14  “…I have now rambled a bit, and spent a full page talking about what feels like being crucified personally.  I could do ten pages as to why Patty should not have been treated with even more cruelty.  Of course…each and every one of her critics has an opinion for this final decision.  Rumors and hearsay are not good reasons…”

Ms. Fagre do not confuse fact for Pat’s fiction or crafting a crown from the pikes of a Yucca plant.  This has been a long time coming and too many residents have been victims of FOPat’s actions, consistant failure to do the job she was paid to do and her manipulations of robbing Percy to pay Patty.

¶15   “…This job…was an impossible job.  No one could win at it.  And…it was said that Patty was hired as a bookkeeper, and that is all she should have been.  Okay.  Fine.  But…if no one stepped into MANAGE the daily events, from petty issues all day long, to HUGE endeavors like the Community Center and the Water Treatment Plant…WHO WOULD HAVE DONE IT?  No one seems to want to help out with ALL THAT!…”

Our former Finance Officer Mike Kezar was doing quite well, he did have an assistant but Mr. Kezar did not have delusions of being City Administrator.  That was all FOPat!  Quite frankly it is my opinion that FOPat did not want anyone to know exactly what it was she was doing and what exactly she was failing to do.  FOPatty do petty issues?  Nah, she wanted the big top, center-ring show grabber! 

¶16  “…And…by the way…a former Council Member said that Patty Jurrens did not have a degree, so she should not even be in that position.  CHECK YOUR FACTS!  She has a 4-year degree from USD in Accounting.  Why are untruths allowed to be stated without corrections?  I would like some Investigation as to where Lukas Driesen graduated from.  I will check.  Being a mayor is a very important position as well.  And my personal experiences have shown me why he might not be the best thing for Alcester.  ASK ME, and I will explain privately.  I do not want to share personal issues in public.  I prefer the positive over the negative.  Always…”

Ms. Fagre as far as asking you about anything, it would seem from recent experience it all depends on what time of the day we would be asking.  After the witching hour or when the needle on the glass registers E?  By the way how was it you broke a rib? So far madame artiste you have not conducted anything in private as it relates to our mayor and you have been more than willing to share your opinion, your prejudice and your vitriol in person and on Facebook which albeit was taken down, H-m-m!

¶17  “…I guess we will now see how it all goes.  By unanimous vote of the current council, Ms. Jurrens has been officially fired, After serving this town for more than a dozen years.  Even though I am a College Graduate, former High School Teacher and Varsity Coach, former Business owner of 7 restaurants in 3 states, Chamber Executive Assistant, Property Manager, Golf Coursen Staff Member, COA Executive Assistant, Lifeguard, Drivers Ed Teacher, Secretary, Janitor and now Artist…I could not care one little bit about credentials.  I only look at how a person lives and operates…”

Ah Gee for someone who. “…could not care one little bit about credentials…”  Ya sure do know how to list them ad nauseum.  Ms. Fagre you go on to say, “I only look at how a person lives and operates…”  So, ma’am taking your own justification for what you look at in how you judge people, YOU are giving me permission to look at how YOU operate and how YOU perceived how FOPat operates.  Ma’am when did you last have YOUR vision checked, H-m-m? Oh by the way Ms. Fagre, do you know how long Mr. Kezar was Finance Officer when he was dismissed? Over thirty years Ms. Fagre. What was his wage at his dismissal? $35K plus or minus. So what was Pat Jurrens starting wage as Finance Officer with no experience? She was hired with no experience as finance officer at $2000.00 more than what Mr. Kezar was making after 30 years of service to the city with an raise to $40,000.00 a year after a short trial period. Still want to hand out thorny crowns to your bestie?

¶18  “…It’s a never-ending spinning toilet bowl recently.  Sadly.  I had high hopes that we were truly better than that.  Speaking of being better, I hear at the council meetings all the time that we need to be respectful of one another.  And yet, there is name calling from a certain lady constantly.  I am known now as “Barstool Betty”, Cosette Hemen (by the way, I corrected your spelling of your ‘friend’s name) is “Nurse Ratched” (again I corrected your spelling of the name of the character Nurse Rached), and Anita is “California Karen”.  She also refers to the beautiful Alcester Community Center as the “Big White Alabatross”.  It is allowed to be printed and filmed and shared among the airwaves.  The names that she has called Pat Jurrens are not even something that I would like to type here. This citizen, that I will not name, is constantly finding fault with someone, and breaking down instead of building up our community.  It appears that she carries a sign that says, “Welcome to Hellcester”.

Ms. Fagre throughout this diatribe you appear to make extensive use of the party favor word “hearsay” and you have sprinkled “misinformation” like the confetti bombs at a Reveal Party.  By the way, did you use your special alcohol ink for your vitriolic, verbal and venomous assault on our elected officials and reporters? Correcting your analogy of “a never-ending, spinning toilet bowl…”  Ms. Fagre a toilet bowl does not spin, the water spins  a- n- d  ma’am the spinning water stops when the defecate is removed through that big hole in the bottom of the toilet bowl! 

I have already corrected your numerous errors in spelling in the above paragraph because I do not want to perpetuate your mistakes. I have referred to the Alcester Community Center as “an Albatross” not big and not white.  You added those terms.  In addition to characterize the Alcester Community Center as beautiful.  Ma’am from what I gather is YOUR definition of beautiful, “Beauty” is definitely in the eye of the beholder and I most assuredly do not share your concept of beauty. 

Ms. Fagre you chafe, .. It (presumably my video blog) is allowed to be printed and filmed and shared among the airwaves…” Madame artiste, remember what the U.S. Constitution says?  Amendment I – Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Ms. Fagre, you inventoried you varied accomplishments and trotted them out like grocery coupons in the local newspaper.  Ma’am when you were graduating high school, I was graduating college.  I was proud to be the first in my family to achieve a college degree.  My grade point was not necessarily noteworthy because I paid my way through school.  While I attended a local two-year community college, I went to school during the day and at 4:00 I was punching in at the time clock at Berkeley & Company.  I worked from 4:00 pm to midnight, five days a week year round.  I earned $1.80 per hour, $.10 of that was shift pay.  I ran machines, molding machines, I ran 45 braiding machines which produced braided rope and spooling machines which transferred the plastic strands onto the spools for the braiding machines.  From Iowa Lakes Community College, I went to Northern State College in Aberdeen where I finished out my BA degree in English, with a minor in History and the equivalent of a minor in science due to my insistence on getting a BA degree not a BS degree.  Yes, I am proud of that accomplishment! 

My other accomplishments along the way are only relevant to those services to people along the way.  The good people of Alcester are aware of some of my accomplishments, but not all of them.  Some of what I did was anonymous by choice.  I did not feel the need to brag about them when it may embarrass a recipient or when a pat on the back was better served being attributed to someone else.  So as I said, the good folks of Alcester are aware of my contributions to Alcester.

I do not carry a sign either figuratively or in reality declaring, “Welcome to Hellcester”.  Folks that is a malignant, malevolent characterization of Ms. Fagre’s design.

¶19  “…The real sign reads, “ALCESTER…Small Town Treasure”.  Hope that remains true for the future…Without reminding citizens of this beautiful little town, and our United States of America…and trying to live under our CONSTITUTION…our State Motto remains…” Under God, the people rule”. It is up to the people.  I am only one voice…”

          Ms. Fagre says, “…without reminding citizens of this beautiful little town…”  Sugar ya’ll spouted an Oxymoron ie. “…without reminding…”, but then ya’ll remind them.  Oh by the way Ms. Fagre, I took a class titled, Semantics.  It was a great class.  The South Dakota Motto, “Under God, the people rule” is often interpreted “if the people believe in God, they rule”.  However this is open to interpretation.  What if it really means God has set out the rules to the people, the people must abide by and uphold those rules then and only then the people will rule?

One last thought for you about me Ms. Fagre … “en Garde!”,

One word of encouragement to Mayor Lukas,

“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat…F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack.

Seneca

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

09/15/2022 A Voice From the Gallery

“He is a kitchen wench and all grease, and I know not what use to put him to than to make a lamp from him and run from him by his own light.

a bastardization of a William Shakespear quote.

I missed the opening of the meeting, the Pledge of Allegiance and the call for Agenda approval.  The video begins with (00:17.33) the last stage of agenda approval.

(00:25.83) Agenda Item # 4 Approval of the August 1, 2022, and August 17, 2022, meeting minutes.

(00:01:00.07) Agenda Item #5  Public Input

          Brian Johnson – Mr. Johnson asks the Mr. Haeder if he has a copy of the Oath of Office.  Once a copy has been given to Mr. Haeder, Mr. Johnson asks. “…would you please read it for me…” (00:03:20.83)  Mr. Johnson next addresses the Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson and asks Mr. Nelson to summarize the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  (00:03:30.67)  Mr. Nelson replied, “…Ah I would have to look it up…you know I think you have a right to counsel…”  According to Cornell Law: 

The Sixth Amendment guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay, the right to a lawyer,  the right to an impartial jury, and the right to know who your accusers are and the nature of the charges and evidence against you.  It has been most visibly tested in a series of cases involving terrorism, but much more often figures in cases that involve (for example) jury selection or the protection of witnesses, including victims of sex crimes as well as witnesses in need of protection from retaliation. (https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/sixth_amendment#:~:text=The%20Sixth%20Amendment%20guarantees%20the,charges%20and%20evidence%20against%20you.)

In anticipation of Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson’s inevitable response to the semantics of the phrase ‘criminal defendants’ and from my own experience with the Alcester City Council which at the time consisted of :  Mayor Dan Haeder, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilwoman Linda Talbot, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilman David Larsen, Councilman Marcus Ireland and Councilwoman-under-fire Vickie Larsen will have Mr. Nelson note the ‘issue’ of advice of counsel.  Amendment to 6.5.1.3 Right to Confront Adverse Witnesses:  Current Doctrine.  Spells out the right to have assistance of counsel for defense, reliability of trustworthiness, reliability of evidence tested in the crucible of cross examination.  Folks while I missed the meeting, I anticipated the outcome and did some ‘light reading’.

(00:05:33.50)  Mr. Haeder asks, “who was terminated?”  Duh?  Hey Mayor Haeder, where was your head when you folks came out of Executive session at the August 17th Alcester City Council Meeting and “…(1:05:38.60)  Mayor Haeder calls for motion to terminate Clint Nyreen.  Councilman Kyle VandenHull makes the motion to terminate Clint Nyreen for cause, Second came from Councilwoman Darla Reppe.  Councilman Kyle VandenHull, Councilwoman Darla Reppe and Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples all voted unanimously and by roll call to terminate Clint Nyreen effective August 18, 2022 at 8:00 a.m…”  Evidently your ears were filled fecal material!  (00:06:08.70) NOWHaeder states, “…the individual resigned…”

MAYOR HAEDER DEFENDS HIS NON-FEASANCE.  HIS PATHETIC, COWARDLY FAILURE TO DO WHAT THE ALCESTER CITY COUNCIL INSTRUCTED HIM TO DO.  LIAR! 

FOLKS WATCH THE VIDEO 08/17/2022  (1:05:38.60)

(00:06:52.87)  Mayor (?) Haeder states he was instructed to hand out the termination papers at 9:30 A.M.  Nah Mr. Haeder the motion/instruction was “…effective August 18, 2022, at 8:00 am …”   Video 08/17/2022  (1:05:38.60)

WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR MR. MAYOR,  MR. LUSK TO COME ON DUTY SO HE COULD DO THE DIS-HONOR FOR YA?

Gordon Richard Input – (00:14:35.87)  Mr. Richard asked for the Statement of Financial Condition of the community center.  (00: 15:11.30) Response from Mayor Haeder, “…I don’t know…”  Mayor Haeder comments about another request for a Statement of Financial Condition of the community center by Mr. Gary McKellips.  Finally Mr. Richards is told by Mayor Haeder and FOPAT he will get a copy of the Statement of Financial Condition of the community center.  Hopefully that night!

Aaron Larsen Input (00:15:50.93)  Mr. Larsen questioned why the Mayor and council did not call for the employee’s side?  (00:17:50.53)  Mr. Larsen asked, “…why did you (mayor and council) fail to allow Mr. Nyreen to defend again the specious allegations put forth in ‘open meeting’ of August 17, 2022, by California Karen who accused one of our councilwomen of being ‘grossly negligent’  and one can assume more specious allegations were delivered by employee-cook-in-training Connor Lusk son of California Karen when he was invited into the Executive Session of August 17, 2022.  (00:17:59.30)  Mayor Haeder attempts to defend his abysmal failure to hear both sides of the allegation.  (00:18:15.37)  Mayor Haeder says, “…enough people involved in the Executive Session conversation…discussed…”  Folks ya gotta hand it to Haeder, fire a guy for an unproven cause while ya only have three (3) council persons present – just barely a quorum.  Those in attendance for the quasi Scopes Monkey Trial were Mayor Haeder, FOPAT (not a council member, just the bookkeeper), Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples and recently appointed Councilman Kyle VandenHull, City Attorney Sam Nelson with Councilman Lukas Driesen absent and Councilwoman Linda Talbott’s resignation due to the threats of California Karen and her cohorts still echoing in the ‘council chambers’.  Oh and lest we forget also making his grand entrance into the Executive Session by invitation was cook-in-training bravo-bozo Connor Lusk who has yet to learn what a butt-shark is or a one delta ten tango.  Now we have to wonder why FOPAT was in the session?  She is just the bookkeeper, although she certainly has experience in inappropriate behaviors.  Talk about your Looking allegations.  How many LOOK minutes does it take for a FOPAT to determine Duluth Underwear sizing for inappropriate gifting to employees?  Mayor thought it was funny.  FOPAT was not fired for cause.  How many invitations from FOPAT which carried BYOB to the golf course bar birthday party was the firing line criteria for FOPAT’s violation of state and city liquor law/ordinances.  Where the firing for liquor violation for cause that time?  Or how many computer hard drives did the city purchase from Applied Software.  Oxymoron?  What about the False 911 call?  No talks of firing for false claims.  Why not?  Seems to me some preferential treatment when a legitimate termination should have taken place.

Police Chief Austin Schuller Input – (00:20:14.07)  Apparently FOPAT just couldn’t get her act together to get the Police Department and Chief Schuller on the agenda.  Chief Schuller gave updates on activities occurring within the city. 

FOPAT Input – (00:25:47.03)  States she was contacted by a landlord whose tenant up and left him with the water bill.

(00:29:39.57) Agenda Item #6    Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade   Tanya Miller

(00:30:33.97) RE- BID DATE WAS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA.  Cannot be considered because FOPAT FAILED to include it on the agenda and the council approved the agenda without a bid-date.  It cannot be acted upon with just a flimsy cover-yer-ass blanket statement which describe nothing but the incompetence of the Alcester Finance Officer!  (00:34:23.07)  Hey mayor time to step aside if yer that tired.  WOW  Mayor wants to cut to the chase…he is tired of the 9:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. meetings.  Well mayor quit your inane blathering, inform the council proper, hire a Finance Officer who can get the job done correctly and then step aside for someone who knows what they are doing.  (00:45:05.80)  Motion by Councilman VandenHull with second from Councilwoman Reppe to do the Wastewater Facility Upgrade with the various changes.  (00:46:04.33)  Unanimous Aye x 4 vote!

(00:49:18.33) Agenda Item #7  Iowa Street Storm Sewer  NO ACTION

(01:06:46.60) Agenda Item #8  Legal updates  This Agenda Item #8 was relegated to Agenda Item #8B and in its stead Agenda Item #13 was inserted as Agenda Item #8A.  Evidently Sam needed a boredom break ’cause he left the meeting. (01:07:59.17)  Council goes into Executive Session alleged to discuss personnel SDCL 1-25-2.1 at 7:12 P.M.  (01:09:16.60) Council back in open session after Executive session lasting one (1) hour.  (01:09:36.31) Actual legal updates now.  Fairgrounds – Original appraiser could not be used due to concerns of conflict, found a commercial appraiser for $5000.00.  City Attorney Sam Nelson leaves the meeting at 8:17 P.M.

(01:14:03.17) Agenda Item #9  Council Committees Mayor Presentation

(01:14:51.77)  Agenda Item #10 Finance Office

(01:15:54.37) Call for motion and second to pay for AHHS Utilities  $2616.61  Motion by Councilwoman Darla Reppe with second coming from Councilman Kyle VandenHull, no discussion and a unanimous x 4 vote.  (01:16:49.67)  Motion to pay August warrants made by Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples with second coming from Councilman Lukas Driesen, no discussion and a unanimous x 4 vote.  (01:17:27.23) Budget Presentation by FOPAT

(01:59:57.07)  POLICE DEPT CRITIQUE

(02:10:24.53)  2023 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FIRST READING

(02:10:33.10)  Motion by Councilman Kyle VandenHull, Second by Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples, no discussion with a unanimous x4 Aye Vote.

(02:10:58.00) 2022-05 SPECIAL MAINTENANCE FEE RESOLUTION

(02:11:35.43)  Motion by Councilman Kyle VandenHull, Second from Councilman Lukas Driesen, no discussion and unanimous Vote x 4.

(02:12:26.00) RESOLUTION 2022-06 ADJUST RATES FOR WASTEWATER DISCHARGE

(02:13:35.13)  Motion from Councilman Lukas Driesen, Second from Councilwoman Darla Reppe with discussion from Councilwoman Peeples for clarification for total cost with a unanimous Vote x4.

(02:21:36.30)  Agenda Item  #11 – NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY

(02:25:10.90)  Agenda Item  #12  – FAIR BOARD UPDATE

(02:27:47.17)  Agenda Item #14  City Employees

(02:28:00.63)  Motion by Councilwoman Darla Reppe to increase the wage of Sam LNU and Conner Lusk by one (1) dollar per hour and retroactive to August 18, 2022, with second coming from Councilman Lukas Driesen.  Amazing how back stabbing your boss ’cause you had to give up your phone and actually work can pay off!  No discussion and a unanimous Vote x4!  Oh and by the way Mr. Lusk had the brass

(02:29:33.60)  Agenda Item #15  Adjourn

(02:29:41.07)  Motion was made by Councilman Kyle VandenHull with the second coming from Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples and with no discussion Vote was unanimous X4.  Adjourned at 9:33 P.M.

Folks you have options to the resolutions, ordinance and other attempts to raise our taxes.  Write up an initiative, get signatures and put it to a city wide vote.  You do have the ability to reverse these addle pated edicts from Mayor Haeder and his hand-maiden FOPat.

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