Tag: Paula Fagre

10/03/2023 A Voice from the Gallery

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP,  FINALLY

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our mayor and council members for all they have endured, the extra miles they are taking to get our city back on track.  I know the time, effort and research you all have taken to rescue our city.  We are still not out of the woods, but with the help of residents, Mayor Driesen and our council, Councilwoman Reppe, Councilwoman Peeples, Councilman Hedden, Councilman Johnson, Councilwoman Hatle and Councilwoman Sundstrom.  Folks I have gone through just four or five tubs of city records which I had requested FOIA and for which I paid the fees for copying, and I cannot even imagine the time Councilwoman Kendra spent trying to get the city budget in line and on time.  Thank you for the councilmembers who have vounteered their time and expertise to solve some of the city’s more pressing problems.

Alcester City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Lukas Driesen with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by the council and members of the gallery.  Present were Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilwoman Kendra Hatle, Councilman Kerry Hedden, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples, Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom, Councilman Brian Johnson, Alcester City Finance Officer David Hodgson and Alcester City Attorney Austin Felts.

Agenda item #3   Approval of the agenda.  The agenda was approved with the amendment of adding an executive session 1-25-2.1 Personnel to agenda item #8 Finance Officer to accommodate a change in employment of current staff, and approving authorization on city bank accounts.  Motion was made by Councilwoman Peeples to approve the agenda as amended; Second came from Councilman Johnson.  Unanimous vote aye, motion passed.

Agenda item #4   Approval of minutes.  (00:01:46.84)   Councilman Hedden moved to approve the minutes of the September 12, 2023, meeting and the minutes of the September 19, 2023, meeting as written.  Unanimous vote aye, motion passed.

Agenda item #5   Approval of warrants.  (00:02:27.51)   Councilwoman Peeples moved, Councilman Johnson seconded to approve the warrants from July 2023 through September 2023.  Unanimous vote aye, motion passed.

Agenda item # 6   Public Input (00:02:58.53)     (00:03:06.46)    Vickie Larsen input dealt with City Visa credit cards/statements and the computer App titled ‘work from home’ which was purchased the former finance officer.     (00:06:55.16)    Kyle Kleinschmit input dealt with the circumstances surrounding his resignation as full-time officer.     

Agenda item #7   Finance Office (00:09:10.64)   Motion from Councilman Johnson, second from Councilman Hedden to go into Executive session 1-25-2.1 Personnel.  Unanimous vote aye.  In executive session at 6:10 p.m. and out of executive session at 6:44 p.m.  (00:10:18.07)   Motion by Councilwoman Reppe, second by Councilwoman Sundstrom to hire Abigail Moore part-time in the finance office starting October 7, 2023 through October 31, 2023, at $25.00 per hour rate.  Unanimous vote aye.  (00:10:50.94)   Motion by Councilman Johnson, second by Councilwoman Peeples to authorize Finance Officer David Hodgson as User ACH at Premier Bank-City Bank accounts.  DISCUSION   IT WAS NOTED ON THIS ACTION OF AN PROCEDURAL ERROR BY COUNCILWOMAN REPPE.  PROCEDURALLY FORMER DEPUTY FINANCE OFFICER ABIGAIL MOORE HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PREMIER ACCOUNT DUE TO HER EMPLOYMENT CHANGE, THEN MOTION COULD BE MADE TO AUTHORIZE FINANCE OFFICER DAVID HODGSON AS ONLINE BUSINESS USED ACH PREMIER BANK.  (00:13:16.01)   Motion by Councilwoman Reppe, second by Councilman Johnson to remove Abigail Moore as authorized user on the city accounts at Premier Bank.  Motion passed by unanimous vote aye.  (00:14:15.06)   Motion (do over) by Councilman Johnson, second by Councilwoman Peeples to approve Finance Officer David Hodgson as authorized ACH user on the city bank accounts at Premier Bank.  Unanimous vote aye.

Agenda item #8   Police Department Update    (00:14:47:70)  Chief  Thompson gave an abbreviated update with some concerns.  (00:16:26.00)   Motion to go into Executive session to discuss PD personnel SDCL 1-25-2.1   Unanimous vote aye.  Council moved into Executive session to discuss hiring a part-time police officer at 6:50 P.M.  (00:17:02.18)   Council out of Executive Session at 7:04 P.M.  (00:17:10.13)   Motion was made by Councilwoman Peeples to hire Jason Baker as part-time police officer at $25.00 per hour, seconded by Councilwoman Hatle, motion passed with unanimous aye vote to hire.

Agenda item #9   City Website Renewal   (00:17:44.94)  Discussion included the renewal due date, the limited, convoluted administrative issues with this website.  Discussion took place on finding a better suited website and just plain over-all user-friendly city website which would cover all of the city’s needs.  Decision on final requirements to take place October 17, 2023, meeting.

Agenda item #10   Legal Updates     (00:27:04.73)  Discussion on the Property Maintenance ordinance with regard to fair for all not just a handful of residents. 

Agenda item #11   Summer Rec Program   (00:42:48.93)   Question over the lack of the city’s past funding contribution of $500 per year in past year few years.

Agenda item #12    Community Center   (00:51:15.47)   Pay the balance due even though it seems a final inspection has not been made or construction failures not corrected and discussion.

          Agenda item #13    Streets   (00:58:52.49)   John Deere repairs.  Discussion on repair or replace.  $7250.00 project cost of repairs which has already been approved versus what sounded like to me exorbitant machine replacement cost on a ‘new’ used machine. 

          Agenda item #14    City Government   (00:01:02:23.15)  A social event designed to involve residents with their city officials.  Discussion took place and develop a plan and date for this event.

          Agenda item #15   City Insurance   (00:01:05:30.29)  Discussion and review of city insurance policies.  At present the city insurance plan is replacement versus used.  $38,642.00 fee.

          Agenda item #16    Executive Session if needed    (00:01:07:11.54)  Was not needed.

          Agenda item #17      Reminders   (00:01:08:02:11)  Recap of upcoming events and a review of what clean items would be allowed in the dumpsters.

          Agenda Item #18    Adjourn     (00:01:10:07.90) 7:58 P.M.

          As you have seen on my blog, I have published the number and ilk of the anonymous, malicious maelstrom of Mailed letters I received.  Thank you, Anonymous Annies, for making it easy for me to prove what type and genre of harassment to which our Mayor and his family were exposed.  To date I have received 35 plus anonymous, malicious missives and I am still receiving them. 

I longer need to allow you any place on my blog to prove my point.

Contact City Council

Mayor Lukas Driesen

Councilwoman Darla Reppe

Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples

Councilman Kerry Hedden

Councilwoman Kendra Hatle

Councilwoman Julia Sundstrom

Councilman Brian Johnson

Finance Officer David Hodgson

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.

08-14-2023 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

08/02/2023 A View From the Gallery

I read a redacted version of this statement to the council.  I was limited to three (3) minutes for which I did not plan and therefore it came off disjointed until the end.

“This concerns the rapid, flimsy and questionable excuses with which the Alcester City Attorney Sam et.al. are attempting to unseat our Mayor Lukas Driesen.”

“The time starts with the pre-election steps Lukas Driesen took to run for the seat of Mayor of Alcester, SD.  Mr. Driesen contacted Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens for the number of signatures he needed for his petition for mayor…” Alcester is a Second Class Municipality.  A second class municipality defined in South Dakota State Statute is a city with a population between 500 and 5000.   According to SDCL 9-13-9, the number of signers required for nominating petitions in first, second and third class municipalities…Time for circulating petitions.

9-13-9. Number of signers required for nominating petitions in first, second, and third class municipalities–Time for circulating petitions.

In municipalities of the first and second class, if the candidate is to be voted for by the voters at large, a nominating petition shall be signed by five percent of the registered voters of the municipality based on the number of registered voters recorded by the county auditor on the second Tuesday in January of the year of the election. No petition need be signed by more than fifty voters.

If the candidate is to be voted for by the voters of a ward of a municipality of the first or second class having more than one ward, a nominating petition shall be signed by five percent of the registered voters of the ward based on the number of registered voters recorded by the county auditor on the second Tuesday in January of the year of the election. No petition need be signed by more than fifty voters.

In municipalities of the third class, if the candidate is to be voted for by the voters at large, the nominating petition shall be signed by not less than three registered voters of the municipality. If the candidate is to be voted for by the voters of a ward of a municipality having more than one ward, the nominating petition shall be signed by not less than three registered voters of the ward. A petition signer in a municipality of the third class is not restricted in the number of petitions which the person may sign.

No nominating petition may be circulated until on or after the last Friday in January before the election.

Source: SL 1913, ch 119, § 106; SL 1915, ch 115, § 4; RC 1919, § 6320; SDC 1939, § 45.1309; SL 1973, ch 49; SL 1978, ch 60, § 2; SL 1980, ch 64, § 1; SL 1981, ch 67; SL 1983, ch 52, § 4; SL 1986, ch 67, § 5; SL 1987, ch 76, § 1; SL 1988, ch 63, § 7; SL 1992, ch 60, § 2; SL 2004, ch 75, § 4; SL 2017, ch 57, § 1.

Folks our number was 522 registered voters times 5% equals 26.1 signatures for his petition for mayor.   It is usual to get a few more signatures just to be safe.

Lukas Driesen achieved his signatures and was duly elected Mayor of Alcester, South Dakota.  Alcester Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens administered the Mayoral Oath of Office to Lukas Driesen.  Then Alcester Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens flatly refused to hand over any of the tools of the officer of Mayor which included Keys to offices, keys to any and all municipal buildings and city owned properties.  This blatant insubordination was just another act in a long line of insubordinate behaviors, lies, inexcusable failures to perform her duty, failures to supply accurate and complete information to the duly elected city council and residents and a history of violations of South Dakota statute it became necessary to terminate Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens.

Mayor Driesen used his authority as duly elected mayor, confirmed by Patterson v Linn and removed Patricia Jurrens

Patterson v. Linn, 

#21745 “KONENKAMP, Justice (on reassignment).

[¶1.] By statute, the mayor in an aldermanic-governed municipality has the authority to remove officers the mayor appointed.  Clifford L. Linn, the mayor of Sturgis, summarily fired the city finance officer during her one-year term.  The city has a personnel policy outlining legal procedures for discharging employees, but it was not followed.  The finance officer brought suit.  In granting summary judgment for the mayor and the city, the circuit court concluded that even if the personnel policy applied, it could not override the statute empowering the mayor to remove an officer.  We affirm.”  Considered on Briefs May 29, 2001…Opinion Filed 11/7/2001

https://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opiniondetail.aspx?ID=194

from the position of Alcester Finance Officer, terminating her employment on or around July 6, 2023, with a formal confirmation by roll call vote of the Alcester City Council on July 18. 2023.  This process can be viewed and heard in the video presented at www.avoicefromthegallery.com dated July 24, 2023, time stop (00:18:50.90)  AGENDA ITEM #4 with a unanimous vote of the council.  

Unfortunately due to threats and aggressive behaviors toward Mayor Driesen, he offered a letter of resignation but as I understand the situation the letter was not presented to anyone on the council nor the city attorney.  It was just passed on. The council under the direction of President of the council, mayor pro-tem Darla Reppe did not act upon or accept this resignation ‘document’.  On July 26, 2023, Mayor Driesen rescinded that resignation with a written document of rescission of his previous document of resignation and copies of the signed and dated rescission were distributed to the members of the city council.

However, City Attorney Sam Nelson Through Attorney Austin Felts stated the first document stands m and made no comment on the rescission document.  Now let’s talk about the history of the presence of the firm of Frieberg, Nelson and Ask. Attorney at Law as Alcester City Attorneys.

January 8, 2018, the Alcester City council voted to approve the 2018 Retainer agreement between the City of Alcester and Attorney Charles Haugland of Gubbrud, Haugland and Gillespie Law Firm.  Motion was made by Alcester City Councilman David Larsen to approve the retainer agreement, with a second coming from Councilwoman Darla Reppe and with all members of the council having a true and complete copy of the retainer agreement, the council voted unanimously to approve the retainer agreement between the City of Alcester and Charles Haugland, Attorney.

However, on January 9, 2018, Mayor Tom Glass and City Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens hot footed it down the street to Mr. Haugland’s office and announced, “the city council felt that it was ‘time for a change’ concerning the retention of Mr. Haugland’s Law Office and Mr. Haugland in particular…that the city intended to retain Tom Frieberg of Frieberg, Nelson and Ask as the new City Attorney for the City of Alcester…”  With Glass and Jurrens comment he (Mr. Haugland) would remain until sales documents were completed.  Mr. Haugland responded, “NO!”  Mr Haugland tendered his Letter of Resignation January 16, 2018.

WOW the council of two, Glass and Jurrens ‘decided’ it was time for a change less than 24 hours after the council voted unanimously to approve the retainer agreement which awarded Mr. Haugland $105.00 per hour for his legal services.

There was no meeting on January 9, 2018, for the council to meet and decide… JUST Glass and Jurrens yapping.  Now folks about that ‘new’ retainer agreement.  Moving on to the February 5, 2018, council meeting where Tom Frieberg is seated at the council table, n ote vidieo.  Man,  Mr. Haugland’s seat did not even have time to get cold.  Now Mr. Tom Frieberg is called upon to review the ‘New’ 2018 Retainer Agreement which awarded $150.00 per hour fee to Tom Frieberg and $125.00 per hour fee to Mr. Sam Nelson..  So who wrote that ‘New’ 2018 Retainer Agreement?  Was it Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens who had already pinched Mr. Hauglands work-product to suit her ‘needs’ or was it Councilwoman Melissa Kay, a law student?   After Mr. Frieberg’s ‘review’, Councilman Dan Haeder moved to approve the ‘new’ 2018 Retainer Agreement, using Freiberg, Nelson and Ask Law as the city of Alcester’s new city attorneys. I gotta wonder if ol’ FOPat was a client of Frieberg, Nelson and Ask.

Now Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens does not like or trust Mayor Lukas.  Her words not mine.  UP STEPS the firm of Frieberg, Nelson and Ask opine-ing and arguing Mayor Lukas’s letter of resignation stands…but his letter of rescission (The revocation, cancellation, or repeal of a law, order, or agreement. “the plaintiff agreed to the rescission of the agreement”) does not?  

WRONG!

  They are both legal documents and duly signed and dated.

Then there was a hear-say comment that Councilwoman Hatle could take part in the meeting via telephone but she could not vote.

WRONG!

From 08/30/2020 through and past the date of 03/15/2021, the city of Alcester carried telephone participation where absent council members participated and VOTED via roll-call vote via telephone.  As well as our city attorney Sam Nelson has on numerous occasions taken part with opinions etc. when he has been away in Pierre Lobbying or whatever called him away from our council meetings. 

In the October 2, 2019, meeting held in the Alcester Golf Course ‘clubhouse’ I made a comment on how often a lawyer was correct.  Something to the effect that a lawyer is only right half the time and I asked him (Sam) which half he was working on?  With that said, please take note of my video of April 15, 2019, where the ballots from the election were being canvassed.  Take note in the video where the ballot box was illegally opened, the ballots were illegally dealt out to the city council members by Councilman Dan Haeder and how Councilman Dan Haeder held the totally empty ballot box up to show my camera.  Big time Election violation, which I wrote up a complaint and filed.  A DCI agent viewed the video when he came to visit me and questioned me regarding that complaint.  NOTE:  the lower left hand part of the video, note that City Attorney Sam was in attendance and sat quietly watching and without comment as to the illegality of what he was witnessing.  Sam was …

WRONG AGAIN!

So I concluded my abbreviated remarks with:

 “…when you (the council) go into executive session to discuss the position of Mayor… VOTE to accept Mayor Lukas’s recession document which negates the resignation document and returns Mayor Lukas to his place as Mayor or you may VOTE TO APPOINT Mayor Lukas without taking any more interviews, restoring him to his duly elected position to Mayor of Alcester.

It is a sad commentary when the threat of a lawsuit is used to force a city council to acquiesce to bad advice whether it comes from a local drunk, a cry-baby countess of self-entitlement, a beer can throwing coward, or ubiquitous, omni-present threats of a lawsuit.

07/19/2023 II A Voice From the Gallery

WAKE THE TOWN AND TELL THE PEOPLE

“…Shout it from the highest steeple, ring the bells the whole night…”

There is a lot of crowing local artiste sells artwork to the state of South Dakota. Ms. Paula Fagre, Alcester a piece to the South Dakota Arts Council for the state’s public art collection through the Art for State Building Program. Well there ya go folks! One does not have to look far for the incentive for Ms. Fagre’s ‘piece of work’. The title is, Stillness in the Storm…acrylic and alcohol ink. Ironic isn’t it, alcohol ink?

This artiste likes painting birds, too. She appears to be extremely adept at flinging the bird, flipping the bird while using her alcohol ink. Alcohol ink can be purchased already made or it can be crafted using your favorite brand of alcohol and markers. So one has to assume that she used her favorite brand of alcohol and cut the tips of magic markers,,,H-m-m?

Folks these women and the man-hangers did not just appear on their own, No, I do believe they had a special invitation from FOPAT. Kind-of-like a former president allegedly sent on January 6th of fame to march on a white house or in this case city hall. While the culprets chafed and called out mucas when they were relegated to the hall for executive session discussion of what I have come to understand was the removal of a stain on our community and what would be a simple removal devolved into chaos and threats. A simple reprimand was no longer available, total and complete removal was the curative measure for a long lived infection.

It is time to FIRE Pat and humbly ask Mayor Lukas to stay on as mayor. He has worked hard to understand the workings of city government of a place he calls home. He does his research and acts in the best interests of all citizens. It has come to my attention the madame artiste has been using her alcohol ink to debase and liable our Mayor in social media.

So with that I would humbly ask you contact him and ask him to stay. I would ask the city council to return to the issue of the executive session and remove this blight on our fair city, remove the continuous refusal to follow directives and do her job, so we make a start in rebuilding our fair city’s reputation. It appears she feels she won. We are done with the false 911 calls, we are done with the sexual harassment of employees, we are done with the lies, we are done with our tax moneys moving from one pocket to another, we are done with the never ending fee assessment to offset capping of taxes on our citizenry and we are more than done with FOPAT

NOW IT IS OUR TURN, IT IS TIME WE THE PEOPLE RETRIEVE OUR FAIR CITY FROM THE SHARP JAWS OF GREED, SELF ENTITLEMENT AND A QUEST FOR POWER AND REMOVE HER FROM CITY EMPLOYMENT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL DISMISS FOPAT PERMANENTLY, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHOW MAYOR LUKAS YOU SUPPORT HIM

07/19/2023 A Voice From the Gallery

“There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.” *

Abraham Lincoln – January 1838 

*richrokicki. “Is This a Time like No Other?” Carrier Law, 13 Sept. 2020, http://www.davidcarrierlaw.com/is-this-a-time-like-no-other/. Accessed 19 July 2023.

It would seem that our beautiful little community has been infested by tramps and theives! I have a button which states Make Alcester Great Again Fire FOPAT and I will be wearing it whenever and where-ever.

FO Pat refused to hand over the keys to the city of Alcester when Mayor Lukas Driesen asked for them. FOPat is insubordinate and refuses to do her job. When she recognized her continued status as city bookkeeper was in danger, she called upon what few friends she had to support her. How did they do that, well Blitzed Barstool Betty, California Karen and Nurse Ratched and a couple of hangers-of-men decided to rant and rave out in the hallway during executive session. Barstool Betty waving at the council while it was in executive session and make use of her middle finger flipping ability and still stand up. G-o-o-l-l-y ya’ll wonder if there some sort of condition arising out of oil paint which causes that stumbling effect, although I never saw that behavior from Bob Ross. And of course California Karen who allegedly threaten to audit the entire council referring to her alleged past profession as an auditor for a movie studio. WOW an auditor for Mickey Mouse. There is something to ‘Crow’ about and then there is Nurse Ratched whose main purpose in life appears to be the resident city office chair warmer and Neighborhood Rat at FOPAT’s desk. M-m-m what was it she said? Oh yeah she was giving FOPAT advice,

“…we know someone sold you out, and when we find out who that somone is…we will make them pay dearly for it…*

*“Ratched Quotes.” MagicalQuote, http://www.magicalquote.com/series/ratched/. Accessed 19 July 2023.

Now is the time for the residents who are desparately tired of paying for FOPat’s errors, abysmal failures and general laziness to act en masse and fire FOPAT!

Please reach out to Mayor Lukas Driesen, thank him for his service and support his continued presence as mayor. We will not tolerate any and all threats towards him or his family. Footnote the video will be up and soon as I can so you all can see for yourselves. Vickie A. Larsen