Tag: Patricia Hammitt Alcester SD

09/24/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

 

To use the catch-phrase of Joan Rivers,

“Can we talk?”

 

Folks we have a problem!

We have a Ward III Councilman who thinks the law does not apply to him but will waste law enforcement time to deliver a bully-sheet to coerce and intimidate a citizen who is asking uncomfortable questions.  A councilman who has few ethics when it comes to election signs and posters.

We have a Finance Officer who LIES!  When I asked for a copy of the city letter demanding the ambulance pay for water usage and sewer, I was told I (FO Jurrens) do not have a copy.  I exclaimed, “You did not keep a copy of the demand letter you issued to the Alcester Ambulance?”  FO Jurrens reiterated, “No, I did not.”  Yet when I issued a formal FOIA for the demand letter and courtesy copied in a council person, it was confirmed FO Pat did indeed have a copy and the council-person assured me, I would be sent a copy.  To date I still have not received the demand letter NOR the reply to the demand letter.

WHY NOT?

I asked for a copy of the Building Permit for 518 Anderson Street.  Still do not have that one, either.  FO Pat stated to the permit did not have to be displayed.  LIE!  Au Contraire Madame FO, YOU and your ‘familiar’ Geoff Fillingnsess have harassed people who do not tail-gate your bum, insisting they HAVE a building permit, they MUST post it or they will receive a CEASE and DESIST notice.  YOU, YOURSELF issued the building permit below!

(SEE BELOW)  WHAT DOES THAT SAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE?H-M-M-M-M?

  • Building permit is not displayed on the WASS building site, so by your own words they must CEASE and DESIST until it is displayed properly.
  • Building permit is still not displayed on Alcester Councilman Lance Johnson‘s illegal building project.
  • So Councilman Lance Johnson and the PIES GUYS must CEASE and DESIST until it complies with permit display!

518 ANDERSON STREET STILL NO PERMIT DISPLAYED

09-23-2019 NO PERMIT POSTED LANCE JOHNSON-III.JPG09-23-2019 NO PERMIT POSTED LANCE JOHNSON-II.JPG09-23-2019 NO PERMIT POSTED LANCE JOHNSON-I.JPG

 

“NOTICE   THIS CARD MUST BE POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE, FACING THE STREET, ON THE PREMISES ON WHICH THE WORK IS TO BE DONE,  AND MUST BE MAINTAINED THERE UNTIL COMPLETION OF SUCH WORK.

 NOT IN A WINDOW IN THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR OR ACROSS THE STREET!

NOT FACING AWAY FROM THE STREET! 

…AND…

NOT FACING THE INSIDE OF COUNCILMAN LANCE JOHNSON’S DRAWERS! 

09/16/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Please note the placement of the wire basket of folders on the council table. It certainly is convenient for Mayor Glas and Councilman Lance Johnson to hide behind. Just so ya’ll know Pat, I can always crank my tripod up but the good folks in the gallery cannot clearly see the faces of Mayor Glas and Councilman Lance Johnson or hear the Mayor and Councilman Johnson as they mumble their way through a meeting. Co-incidental, nah I don’t think so!

Mayor Tom Glas called the September 16, 2019, meeting of the Alcester City Council to order at 6:00 pm with Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilman Lance Johnson, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, and Councilwoman Darla Reppe. Councilman David Larsen was absent as was Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson.

Agenda Item #3-The council approved the agenda with one correction to the Executive Session. The Executive Session was for 1-25-2.3 NOT 1-25-2 what-evah!

1-25-2.   Executive or closed meetings–Purposes–Authorization–Violation as                             misdemeanor. Executive or closed meetings may be held for the sole                              purposes of:

(3)  Consulting with legal counsel or reviewing communications from                                     legal counsel about proposed or pending litigation or contractual                                  matters;

The agenda change was approved with the change. Why is it that FO Pat cannot seem to get executive session correct? However Councilman Johnson. “so move” just does not cut it. Ya’ll got to STATE the motion. For all we know when ya’ll say “so move” Councilman Lance Johnson, you could be a tellin’ ol’ Mayor Glas to move his little ol’ self over, ’cause he’s a crowdin’ yer space.

The agenda did not address the minutes from the September 4, 2019, meeting so neither did the council. So the September 4, 2019, minutes are left in the fridge just like left-over pasta till the council can ‘get-to-them’.

Agenda Item#4 Input-

  • I raised the issue that the Alcester Food Pantry DOES NOT have a CBDG Loan, it is the Alcester Health Services Foundation. I pointed out FO Pat’s error and suggested she take better care in the naming CBDG Loan recipients accurately within city documents.
  • I went on to remind the group of a FOIA regarding the listing of folks receiving notices from the Pat and Geoff Property Maintenance Protection Squadron (Snoopy staffen).
  • Lastly I addressed Councilman Lance Johnson, handing out a copy of his letter of intimidation to the council members. I warned him about bullying and intimidation and I would not tolerate his behavior. I was never on any property belonging to the Johnson Family Trust, I was just looking for a genuine building permit which as of last night STILL is not posted IF it exits.

Next up during Input was Jon Serck from the Alcester Ambulance who started out with an apology to the council for a letter sent in response to a letter to the ambulance from the city dunning the ambulance for water and sewer usage.

Folks for almost 16 years I volunteered with the Alcester Ambulance as an EMT and treasurer/bookkeeper. In fact I was one of a group of volunteers who worked very hard to re-vive the defunct ambulance with donations arising out of fundraisers, residual funds from the previous ambulance and a lot of hard work. The former ambulance vehicle was given away, the ambulance garage building had been combined with the police department and there was no equipment left. So we started with nothing and we had to prove ourselves (rightly so) to the former crew. We had an uphill struggle. We scheduled certification classes, Beresford ambulance graciously allowed us use of some of their equipment with which to practice our skills for testing and we sat for the national certification tests, practicals and written. In 1996 we passed our testing and we were nationally certified EMT’s.

But we still needed an ambulance vehicle, medical supplies and a place to store our rig. We purchased a used ambulance for $15K, bought sheets blankets, medical supplies, radios, pagers and so on with the donated moneys. Alcester Fire Department graciously allowed us to store our ambulance in their garage. Union County came through with annual funding of around $10K and Alcester City eventually footed our cell phone, back up to our radio. In the entire time I spent volunteering with the Alcester Ambulance and handling the accounts the only monetary support from the city of Alcester was one cell phone and a place on the volunteer insurance roster.

We managed to save our money to purchase a new reliable ambulance, upgrade our equipment, build our own building, upgrade radios, upgrade AED and add a computer with the capability to connect with the hospitals.

NOW I find out in last night’s meeting that FO Pat has been charging the VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE for sewer and God only know what else. Now folks the way the sewer is charged, it is inextricably tied to water usage. Therefore NO WATER CHARGE-NO SEWER CHARGE! It is my understanding the Fire Department is exempt from these charges. FO Pat continually rationalizes the Ambulance can bill. Stryker cot $10K-$20K, 12 lead AED $3K-$10K, New Ambulance $250K, required continuing education, upgrades in training and etc. The ambulance cannot slap a special assessment like FO Pat does (for now) and raise real estate taxes.

Agenda Item #5 2020 Budget second reading with a change separating the community building from the golf course.

Agenda Item #6 once again tabled to the October 2, 2019, meeting at the golf-course due to a new player in the auction field.

Agenda Item #7-destruction of water and sewer records with a snide shot from Pat about the Former Finance Officer saving records longer that she thinks he should have. Amazing, this coming from a woman who allegedly tossed a letter dunning the ambulance for water and sewer.

Executive Session Agenda Items #8-With no attorney present the council went into executive session for litigation purposes. So who is giving out legal advice, FO Pat? So for about 20 minutes the council visited about litigation with an occasional burst of laughter. GEE what is funny about litigation?

Agenda Item #9 Meeting was adjourned BUT, BUT Check out the Video. Pat continued to discuss business with a quorum present.

WAY-TO-GO!

09/03/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

In the spirit of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and Where is Waldo ? Alcester has come up with a new game played by FO Patricia and Alcester Councilman Lance Johnson.  It is called, wait for it,  Where is Councilman Lance Johnson’s building permit?

Check out the pics below.  Where is Lancie’s License to build? Can you find the building permit?  Good Luck.  I was there in person today and I could not see the city building permit and I asked the workman.  I asked, “where is the building permit?”  Workman said, “it is probably in the mayor’s pocket.  I said, “Mayor?”  Workman said, “Yeah, the one who lives over there indicating 517 Anderson Street.” I said, “he is not the mayor, he is just a councilman.” Imagine that!LANCE JOHNSON 09-03-2019-III.JPGLANCE JOHNSON 09-03-2019-II.JPGLANCE JOHNSON 09-03-2019-I.JPG

Did you know no permit, no dig?  Permit is supposed to be posted and there is something about conditional use, too.  That did not happen.  Did FO Pat over-extend her job description again?  By-the-way are the side yard set-back boundaries per code, the back set-back or the front set back correction?

Now to be fair, (it really bites in this case) the funeral home has the same problem.  Where is the permit?

FUNERAL HOME 09-03-2019-V.JPG

FUNERAL HOME 09-03-2019-IV.JPGFUNERAL HOME 09-03-2019-III.JPGFUNERAL HOME 09-03-2019-II.JPGFUNERAL HOME-09-03-2019-I.JPG

Can you see the building permit?  Folks this is right across from FO Pat’s Peek-a-Boo Office Window.  Again, where is the building permit.  FO Pat made a big deal over a businessman adding a concrete pad without a building permit.  So FO Pat and Mayor Glas, Where is the permit?  Got-to-be-posted, right?  Or are those rules just for the rest of us?  H-m-m-m?

NEWS FLASH!

UPDATE

Prior to the September 4, 2019, meeting FO Pat told me the funeral home has a building permit posted. 

Yeah, where?  Well folks the building permit for the funeral home is located in the east window of the Quam-Berglin Building ’cause there was no wall to attach the permit to.  REALLY, REALLY  Give ol’ FO Pat a cane ’cause that excuse is so lame even Mayor Magoo could see through it. I told Pat the permit should be on the premises and maybe a simple wood stake would take care of the lack of a wall.  Geez Louise, give that woman a crystal ball with instructions how to use it and she would ask, ” how do I see through my hands?”  Good Gravy and FO PAT is still looking for Carmen and Waldo!

 

 

08/28/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted,

when we tolerate what we know to be wrong,

when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy or too frightened,

when we fail to speak up and speak out,

we strike a blow against freedom, decency and justice.

Robert F. Kennedy

Folks, I filed a complaint as soon as I became aware of violation of election with regard to the April 9, 2019, mayoral election. I attach a copy of my complaint for your reading. This complaint was filed with the Union County State’s Attorney Jerry Miller as suggested by the South Dakota Secretary of State Office when I started digging for information. I also submitted copies of my complaint to the South Dakota Secretary of State and Margaret Gillespie, South Dakota Board of Elections.

According the South Dakota Statute:

9-13-24.   Return and canvass of votes. The election returns shall be reported as soon as possible to the finance officer, and within seven days of the election, the governing body shall canvass the election returns, declare the result, and enter the result on its journal.

12-1-3.3 “Election officials,” state and local officials charged with the duty of conducting elections and the canvass of returns;

12-1-3.9 “Person in charge of an election,” or “person charged with the conduct of an election,” the county auditor in all cases except local elections for a municipality, school district, township, or other political subdivision, in which case it is the officer having the position comparable to the auditor in that unit of government if not specifically designated by law;

12-20-21.   Return of ballot boxes, returns, records and supplies to officer in charge–Tampering prohibited–Violation as felony. The sealed ballot box, together with the pollbook and duplicate tally sheet, registration lists, and the envelope containing the unofficial returns and all supplies and returns required, shall be returned by the precinct superintendent or a precinct deputy designated by the precinct superintendent, to the officer in charge of the election immediately after completion of the vote count. No person may deface, destroy, or tamper with the ballot box, envelope, pollbook, duplicate tally sheet, or registration lists or remove any seals. A violation of this section is a Class 6 felony.

These are just a few of South Dakota Statute covering elections and the person in charge of elections. For the municipality of Alcester, a class 2 municipality defined as: “Second Class: Those with populations between 500 and 5,000″. So our class 2 municipality has the Appointed Finance Officer as election official in charge of the election.

Alcester City Finance Officer Jurrens, during the April 15, 2019, canvass meeting, handed over the key to the ballot box, allowed the ballot box to be opened-in fact assisted in opening the ballot box and the voted ballots to be handled by the Alcester City Council as you can see in the video taken that evening. Illegal!

The council relied on Alcester City Finance Officer Jurrens to know what she was supposed to be doing. In fact Alcester FO Jurrens has attended seminars with the South Dakota Municipal League and received educational election materials from the South Dakota Secretary of State on conducting legal elections.

Add to the fact that Alcester City Finance Officer Jurrens knew she was in violation but the Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson was present, who sat by and watched the whole scenario and did not say a word! You can see him seated at the council table on which the ballot box was sitting upon in the video.  video link  https://bit.ly/2YmBsrc

SDML 2019 Municipal Elections Handbook, Section 5, Chapter 5 After the Election-5.000 Official Canvass under

#1…DO NOT TAKE THE BALLOT BOX TO CANVASS AS THE GOVERNING BODY DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RECOUNT BALLOTS…”

It is my understanding that Jerry Miller WAS going to charge Alcester City Finance Officer Pat Jurrens with Malfeasance. According to Black’s Law Dictionary,

MALFEASANCE is

The wrongful or unjust doing of some act which the doer has no right to perform, or which he has stipulated by contract not to do. It differs from “mis- feasance” and “non-feasance,” (which titles see.) See 1 Chit. Pr. 9; 1 Chit. PI. 134; Dudley v. Flemingsburg, 115 Ky. 5, 72 S. W. 327, 00 L. R. A. 575, 103 Am. St. Rep. 253; Coite v. Lynes, 33 Conn. 115; Bell v. Josse- lyn, 3 Gray (Mass.) 311, 63 Am. Dec. 741.

I AM COMPLAINING NOW!

I call for a new election because the illegal opening of the ballot box and the illegal handling of the voted ballots may have compromised the election and put the vote into question.

As a result of Alcester Finance Office Patricia Jurrens failure to abide by her oath of office, her incompetence and failure of duty be fined for the cost of a new election and fined a minimum of $4880.00 in punitive costs.

AND

I call for the termination of Patricia Jurrens as Alcester Finance Officer.

08/21/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

FOR SHAME!

Yesterday you could view Alcester (Canton, Wagner, Elk Point and Salem but no longer works for Beresford or Geddes) Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness in operation.

This alleged Code Enforcement Officer did not know the name of the judge who signed the quasi-administrative inspection warrant (had to call, in fact referred to the judge as he), admitted there was no date, no date to determine the enforcement stale date of the quasi-administrative inspection warrant and in essence this ‘code enforcement officer’ had no background in which to determine the administrative inspection warrant was indeed legal.  In fact for all he knew,  Alcester City Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens went out on Pinterest as alcestercityfo.com and dug up copyright free administrative inspection warrants, copied it, and scribbled a pseudo signature.  But by-golly Alcester Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness was, “DARNED WELL GETTING INTO THAT HOME TO TAKE PICTURES TO TAKE BACK TO THE JUDGE (whoever that was) and BY GOLLY HE, MAYOR GLAS AND FO-JURRENS WERE GOING TO CLEAN OUT THAT FAMILY HOME!”

(Even to the point of taking the home away?)  Really?

This Code Enforcement Officer could not acknowledge a complaint I made and signed my name to.  It appears he was to busy persecuting the former Alcester Finance Officer at Mayor Glas’ request to force his way into Mr. Kezar’s home than to take action on the curb vandalization on Anderson Drive.  Mayor Glas and Finance Officer Pat Jurrens fell all over themselves to protect Randy Roo and themselves for violation Alcester Ordinance.  (See the complaint below which outlines the violations to Alcester City Code.)  Oh and I hear tell Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson is already whizzing and moaning he has to change his trailer garage plans.  Would you want to spend over $100K to look out-of-your window and see some cheap-ashamed trailer?  He will be violating city code.  In fact he doesn’t even have standing that the trailer property abuts his primary residence, ’cause that is across Anderson street.  Folks even the city council cannot change that many ordinances to benefit a sitting city councilman.  In fact he still should be worried about pulling up signs!

The city needs the website up and functional.  The city website needs to have a full, complete copy of all ordinances we are expected to obey!

 

 

Call Mayor Glas 605-934-2188, call your ward councilmembers and let them know.  If you do not take action, Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness could appear on your door step with a monopoly game warrant and camera in hand to force his way into your home ’cause FO Pat Jurrens doesn’t see a pallet sitting outside leaning against the door or your Christmas lights cord is frayed.  Let ’em know how you feel!  Let them know collecting is not against the law, let them know a man’s castle is inviolate to Pat Jurrens’ and Tom Glas’ peculiar personal tastes!

08/19/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

I have been traveling and missed the August 5, 2019, city council meeting.  It sounded interesting.

I do however have a report or two on the Alcester City Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness’ fishing trip to the Kezars.  On or around August 8, 2019, Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness contacted the Kezars to let them know he was coming on August 9th at 9:00 a.m. to ‘inspect’ their home for Code violations, there had been complaints.  Really?  Ole FO Snoopy Nose?  Code Enforcement Officer Fillingsness warned the Kezars he had a warrant and expected to go into their home to take pictures.

REALLY! 

I was there to video-tape the fishing expedition.   Upon Code Enforcement Officer Fillingsness arrival just a few minutes before 9:00 a.m., I started filming.  Code Enforcer Fillingsness made it all the way to the door and when asked to present a valid warrant, he had to hussle back to his car to find the document.  What did he think?  That he was just going to walz into the home without question?  He presented a quasi-warrant to the home owners.  I say quasi because the document had no date, lacked the judge’s name, lacked a readable signature and carried no file number.  It lacked the affidavit of the complainant giving the judge the justification for signing an administrative inspection warrant, just plain lacking legal status in my book and smacked of FO Jurrens ‘aptitude’ for legal document incompetence.

Code Enforcer Fillingsness was told no he could not enter the home.  Code Enforcer Fillingsness wandered around the outside property, poked his Pinocchio nose into the garage, took pictures of windows and upon failing to gain admittance into the house he left with the verbal threat of, “…I am going to have to report this…”

Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Fillingsness returned on August 19, 2019, and was allowed into the home under duress and protest.  Pay special attention to the conversation regarding the file number, the name of the judge, the lack of date and time to object to the findings.

This can happen to any of us who collect.  It is moronic for FO Jurrens and Mayor Glas to whiz and moan about property maintenance and filing blind complaints on people.  Look and see what she perpetrated on the atrium in city hall and this is just a small example of what junk she shoved into the atrium.

DSC00959.JPG

In 2014 the council voted for a website, not a high priority.  About four months ago the council again voted for a website, evidently still not a high priority for FO Pat and Mayor Glas.  Could it be because they would have to publish the agendas, the minutes and the city ordinances on the website.  We would get the breakdown money dispersions for the finance office, not just a global number.  We can fix this, we just have to be willing.  Call Mayor Glas 934-2188 or your ward council person and let them know!