Check out the photos from yesterday, September 10, 2019, Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson STILL has not posted his building permit.
So who gets the blame Pies Construction for not having a building permit displayed BEFORE they broke ground? Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson for not getting a building permit, displaying a building permit on the premises, or before ground was broken? Or Alcester planning and zoning for not publishing the planning and zoning code or enforcing planning and zoning or SECOG Patrick Andrews for failing to provide accurate and usual practices to his client the Alcester City Council. So what version of the International Planning and Zoning codes did he provide and the council approve.
Folks, we can change this! We can change the city Offices being closed on Tuesdays, too. We can take the initiative, literally! We can be resolute and effect change!
Check out the pictures 518 Anderson Street-Lance Johnson 09-10-2019 Oh yes, I took the photographs from the street. No crony-ism here!
I think we should charge a minimum property tax charge for garage only properties like we are being charged for water. Oh yeah and make it retro-active!
Call the city office let Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens know (605) 934-2851, Call Mayor Tom Glas (605) 934-2188 let him know or call your city council member as published in the Alcester Union-Hudsonite. Let them know!
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 FO PAT is still looking for Carmen and Waldo and Mayor Glas is still scratching his head and asking who is Carmen and Waldo?
Mayor Tom Glas called the September 5, 2019, regular 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, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman David Larsen and standing in for Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson was his father, Larry A. Nelson ’cause Alcester City Attorneys Sam Nelson and Alcester City Attorney Tom Frieberg had homework from the judge in a civil case.
The council approved the agenda with no corrections and approved FO Pat’s version of the minutes for August 5th and August 13th.
Public input was called with no responding input.
Agenda Item #6-Since the meeting was well ahead of the scheduled community center presentation by Gary McKellips and Tom Walsh the council continued on with the ‘business’ of the night.
Agenda Item #7 was legal updates and legal has been very busy indeed. Cemetery obligation is still waiting on Alcester City Attorney Sam’s changes to the agreement between the city and the cemetery board and yet another draft.
Agenda Item #8-clean up nuisance letters by Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson-Oh but he wasn’t there and his father quoted Sgt. Schultz, “I know nothing…” about this. Further discussion included a condemnation and other nuisances.
Agenda Item #9Street Parking. This agenda item was brought to the council by Councilman David Larsen so council could consider changes to parking restrictions as the merge of all grade levels to the sixth street school location and with added bus stops at all three daycares. The council entertained a motion to draft a parking ordinance involving Iowa and 5th streets in Alcester’s Ward II. Unanimous vote to draft an ordinance.
Agenda Item #10 The man-hole on third street.
Agenda Item #11 Water and Wastewater. Dale missed the schedule change and was not present. FO Pat winged it, she really should give up flying-by-the-seat of her petti-pants! According to FO Pat’s sharing of test results, we have ‘nothing’ to worry about. Well at least about the wastewater.
Agenda Item #12 Police Department- Chief Jeff Christie presented the department stats, discussed the city owned shot-gun surplus and sale. The motion was made and approved the city declare shot-gun surplus and dispose of them via auction or sealed bid.
At 6:15 pm the Community Center presentation was scheduled to begin so the council and gallery adjourned (not formally mind you) to the auditorium gym. I wondered why did Mayor Glas not introduce Mssrs. McKellips and Walsh, after all he IS the mayor. Why was Finance Officer Jurrens playing hostess-in-charge? Then it was ‘splained that Ol’ mistress Jurrens was the third wheel on the community center bike.
Mr. McKellips made his presentation. He dodged the question of city offices in the community center at first but later in the presentation he conceded the plan included city offices to be re-located to the community building. The city’s share is somewhere north of $500K plus add-ons for the golf club.
The question was asked what happens if the city rejects the current plan, will the money still be available for a re-think plan. There was hemming and hawing with a substantive silence indicating the money might not be available. While I am in favor of a community building, the city offices MUST stay down-town Alcester.
Oh, Oh, I have an idea! Later in the meeting was a discussion on a tiny house development. I HAVE THE SOLUTION TO THE FINANCE OFFICE CONUNDRUM. Put the tiny house development in the North Business Park, set up two tiny houses side-by-side at 202 Broad Street, one for Finance Officer Pat and one for her asst. office girl. Then they can plant petunias, pick the weeds and plant as many painted wood pallets as they can find. Shoot they can even paint they own tiny house bright red it they want.
At 7:13 pm most of the council and all the gallery moved back into the council room, while everyone waited for Councilman Lance Johnson to return. Gee I am sure glad we didn’t have to wait for him ‘to return’ as long as MacArthur took to return to the Philippines. (1942 to 1944)
Council returned to Agenda Item #12 Police Department-Feral cats. Contract was sent but nobody knows when it will return. Sioux Falls Humane Society versus Dr. Johnson Hawarden. Feral Cats issue was tabled to next meeting.
Chief Christie did relate a warning he had received about garage thieves and the information they may be headed south. Lock up your garages and take the keys/fobs out of your cars in the garage.
Agenda Item #13-Golf Course I over-heard a question on why was Finance Officer Jurrens on the committee of three for the community building/golf course club house instead of the Committee Chair David Larsen? Good Question H-m-m?
Agenda Item #14 Tiny Houses District. Somebody wants to speculate in Tiny Houses. Wants to put three on one lot and possibly four on a double lot like on Beck Drive. Growing up in Spirit Lake I saw the 1950’s version of tiny houses, we called them cabins. They happened in clusters around the lakes. They attracted low income renters/owners and were usually abandoned after a year or two, falling into disrepair or worse they attracted squatters/transients. Should a fire start in a tiny house, even the short distance the fire department would have to travel, they wouldn’t have enough time to roast a decent sized marshmallow with the flame left.
If the speculator wants tiny houses, buy a lot in the North Development Park, declare a tiny house district. Don’t lower OUR home valuations with an outhouse sized house next door.
Agenda Item #15-Finance Office Fairy Tales Approve warrant for Road Guy and Louiseau motion but failed to declare the price tag. Approved! BOO! Approve August warrants–approved.
September special meeting approved for Monday, September 16, 2019, at 6:00 pm. Approved.
October Council meeting scheduled at the golf course on October 2, 2019, at presumably 6:00 pm.
2020 Budget was presented to the council with the Finance Officer interminable verbal twitch of ‘with regard’ at each section of each page of the budget. The only way the council and gallery knew she was moving to a new subject line was the snooze alarm of ‘with regard’.
FO Pat wants radio water meter readers. Looks like Peeping Patty no longer has a job peeping for puppies!
FO Pat also wants new Election Booths. Really? That certainly is not going to solve our election and voting abridgment problems.
BY THE WAY–WHERE IS OUR WEBSITE FOR THE CITY? So we and the city council can read in advance FO Pat’s pretentions. A website so we have a posted agenda, so WE can research items, so WE can access the property maintenance. City Council YOU voted for the website a second time and still we do not have an official city website. Again FO Pat has deemed it not a priority. Give Finance Officer Patricia Jurrens the ultimatum, get the darned website up and running. Get the agenda, minutes and ordinance ON THE WEBSITE–NOW! We are tired of waiting!
Agenda Item #16-Fairboard Update-Still putting up with grain on city property leased to Union County. Commissioners get over being upset, DO something! City Council DO something. City Council you have the right of refusal on the county leasing this land, TAKE BACK your control!
Agenda Item #17-HRC Now it begins-more monetary upkeep and NO LOTS have been sold and the HRC financial hole is deepening.
Agenda Item#18-Executive session for Legal-My update as to content, speculative only. The mayoral election travesty is still being investigated and according to my information has been placed in the hands of the SD Attorney General and DCI or is it a lawsuit? Maybe Pat’s tiny house will be orange with decorative metal grills on the front.
Agenda Item #19-Executive session for contract-The council voted in open session to allow up to $2500 appraisal fees for the potential sale of the auditorium? This is a long process but IF the auditorium is BID on and it has to be BID.
So tell me where is the police department going go?
Where is the finance office going to go? NOT the community building, no way.
Agenda Item #20-Adjourn at 9:02 pm
*after yesterday a word of advice for Councilman Lance Johnson, I suggest you go back to the school you ‘graduated from’ and ask for your money back!
I would also like to share that I respect the Alcester City Police Department. I am appalled that Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson’s paranoid temper tantrum has placed them in an untenable position because Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson has an axe to grind with me. I admire the Police Department’s ethical adherence to duty—-Vickie A. Larsen
As I explained in my 09/3/2019 A Voice From the Gallery Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson failed to display a building permit for his property located at 518 Anderson Street. As I stated I was there in person yesterday, standing in the middle of the street, I could not see the city building permit. I asked the two workman from Pies Construction standing next to the Pies enclosed trailer in front of 517 Anderson Street, “where is the building permit?” The Pies employee told me, “I am just an employee, you will have to ask that guy,” indicating a man standing in the work area on the 518 Anderson Street site. The Pies worker standing in the middle of the site called to me and asked what I needed. I replied from the middle of the street that I was looking for the building permit. The onsite employee/worker said, “it is probably in the mayor’s pocket. I asked, “Mayor?” still maintaining my position from the street. The Pies employee/worker said, “Yeah, the one who lives over there indicating 517 Anderson Street.” I said, “he is not the mayor, he is just a councilman.” To which the Pies employee/worker replied, “Well, you will have to talk to him.” I walked back to my car parked at the curb in front of 516 Anderson Street, climbed into my car and left.
I went down first street to the intersection of SD Highway 11 and First and witnessed Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson in his John Deere Green pick up pull out of the gas island at Total Stop, talking on his cell phone. Intuition kicked in and yup after a trip to my shop, I went back downtown and there I saw that little ol’ John Deere green pickup truck parked in front of the city offices.
I went into the city office atrium where I heard Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson’s voice yapping about trespass in the Police Office. Intuition wins again, hands down. I actively eves-dropped to Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson temper tantrum. The Finance Office door was closed, it was Tuesday afternoon. I could almost see the joint wall between the finance office and the police office breathing in and out.
Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson turned around and caught sight of me standing in the atrium and took off out the door like a scalded duck. I repeated the above events to both officers and left.
Now what I find rich, is here sitting Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson who pulled down election posters of Michael Bucholz from the Total Stop wall, who pulled up campaign signs belonging to Michael Bucholz and who destroyed said property has the unmitigated gall to cause me to be served with the document above.
This is the type of individual who is occupying a seat on the Alcester City Council?
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!
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?
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds.
John Perry Barlow
And so it begins!
Mayor Tom Glas called the July 1, 2019, regular meeting of the Alcester City Council to order or at least that was I assume his intent with Alcester City Councilman David Larsen, Alcester City Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Alcester City Councilwoman Linda Talbott, and Alcester City Councilwoman Darla Reppe in attendance with Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson sitting in his chair. Also seated at the Table was Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson.
The Council, Cling-ons Pat and Wanda, and the gallery stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The council began their duties by approving the agenda as written by Pat and since the meeting actually took place, FO Pat must have managed to post it properly. The council went on to approve the minutes of the June 3, 2019, and the June 19/20, 2019 meeting as penned by FO Pat. Next on the approved agenda was item #5 May 2019 warrants, wait a minute? May 2019 warrants? FO Slip-shod forgot the May 2019 warrants? How was the absence of a routine, imperative agenda item missed in the May agenda? Evidently paying bills was not a high priority on FO Pat’s ‘list’ in May.
Public Input was called and of course I responded. Really, I think they should just give me my own agenda line item. Chuckle, Chuckle Prior to the meeting I placed copies of my second request to be emailed an agenda for all city meetings. The original requested was made August 7, 2017 and was ignored, not even a peep from FO Pat. A-mazing! I am entitled as a resident, as a reporting entity and I provided a copy of Conducting the Public’s Business in Public, A guide to South Dakota’s Open Meetings Law (revised Fall of 2015) where I highlighted pertinent passages the council had been ignoring. One of the highlighted areas was the opinion of the SD Attorney General who opined, “that ‘local news media’ is all news media-broadcast and print that regularly carry news to the community.” The third document I provided to the council was a citation of SDCL 1-25-11,
” Recording of open public meeting to be permitted. No state, political subdivision, or public body may prevent a person from recording, through audio or video technology, a public meeting that is open to the public as long as the recording is reasonable, obvious, and not disruptive.(Source: SL 2016, ch 11, §1.)
Councilman David Larsen asked me if the Open Meeting citation I used included the changes which went into effect on July 1, 2019. I told him no, it did not. Readers rest assured I will read the changes and report how they may affect the residents of Alcester.
Legal Updates from Alcester City Attorney Sam included the Cemetery Update. I am not sure it was the wisest thing for the city to take on a perpetual care money pit. Perpetual care was deemed to be a good thing once upon a time, but it doesn’t ever seem to take into account perpetual care can mean not just mowing and trimming but roads, maintenance of markers, plot assignments, and etc.
And then there was the attack on the feral cat. Now folks I like cats, I am allergic but I like cats and I hate the idea of trapping them in cages and hauling them off to be euthanized. I spoke to the humane society today because it was my understanding they would not take feral cats, I was given the information they will attempt to re-home some feral cats which are healthy they will not take on feral cats suffering from feline leukemia or bat-bite rabies. These cats will be euthanized. In addition the bat-bite, rabied cats are dangerous to trap ’cause rabies is not always apparent and we do not pay our police enough money to take that chance. FO Pat maybe but not our police force.
So the council decided to use the animal-at-large ordinance for the time-being. So take heed Councilmember who has the cutest little cats, hauls them out to the acreage 6 miles out of town, those little cuties will come back into town and as an Alcester taxpayer you will have the privilege to pay to have then spayed and/or euthanized!
Next up agenda item Community Clean Up. The Finance Office Nazi’s are at it again! Demand letters are in the mail.
Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking Assistant Finance Secretary/Meter Reader Wanda to read your water meter through your windows.
Vickie A. Larsen shamelessly inspired by John Perry Barlow
One resident has pushed back on FO Pat Jurrens, Code Officer Geoff’s demand to breach the sanctity of their home for inspection. Really? The PC and folks this stands for probable cause not politically correct! Frau FO Pat Jurrens and Freikorper Geoff Fillingsness using FO Pat’s Bible of Bilious Bullying, the 2012 International Property Maintenance Code.
The 2012 International Property Code book includes chapters on Scope and application, Administration-Powers of Code Official, Definitions, General Requirements, Light-Ventilation and occupancy limits, Plumbing facilities & fixtures, Mechanicals & Electrical, Fire Safety, Reference Std and Boarding Std.
Folks anyone armed with this listing of tactics, a camera, and allowed within a house-hold can produce enough probable cause for a magistrate to use against Mr. Clean’s household. Do not take my word, look the code up and then ask yourself, “how well would my home do” held to the exaggeration of any one of these standards? Stop Mayor Glas and FO Pat’s Bullying!
The council voted to allow $12K for a Sioux Falls company to ‘come-in and force-ably clean house. Hey will that work on the Finance Office? Can we start a go-fund-me to clean up our Finance Office? Oh I know, we’ll take out a CDBG loan to clean up our finance office.
Going on to the Curb and Gutter discussion, Ya know the one 518 Anderson Street Randy Roo’s where Mayor Glas and FO Pat maintained approval was given, professionally chopped the Curb and council approval. Both Mayor Glas and FO Pat LIED and Denied FOIA answers. In fact FO Pat gave permission which she was not authorized to give (01:12:59) per Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson. ACA Nelson says there should be a building permit, so Mayor Glas declared since there were no materials purchased no building permit fee was due! REALLY? So what about the demolition fee? Randy Ray Roo definitely demolished the curb, a city asset. Can the rest of us do that? Evidently yes, ’cause ol’ Councilman Lance Johnson has his non-materials picked-out so he doesn’t have to back his 5th wheel camper across Randy Roo’s lot to get to the street. Let Mayor Magoo know what you think of that, 605-934-2188 The professional who butchered the curb was in fact Randy Ray Heuer. Gee I thought he was a farmer. Professional what? Rooster? Or the ‘other’ kind of professional? Oh and let’s not forget Mayor Glas’ declaration that, “…the cutting out was done professionally and does not affect the flow of water…” Are ya kidding? So just how does water flow Mayor Magoo? Downhill or from a rain-laden cloud to the earth via gravity?
Agenda Item# 10 Downtown Sidewalk -width-not-width ADA? Heck if we know!
Agenda Item #12 Circle Drive Estimated at $6300 but that is too much. So we can cobbled it (no pun intended) by applying 64 ton of rocks ($2500 with $4 per ton trucking) Motion and vote went like this, we spend up to $3K and with five ayes passed.
Agenda Item #16-Pat actually made it to this conference, she larned all about public input-we’ll see.
Approve June Warrants- Evidently we are going to follow the agenda.
Confused discussion on time sheets, paychecks, paystubs, detailed comp time and pay rates. Pat explained this to council members who are supposed to be over-sight to Pat’s book-keeping. Good Luck on that one.
ENTER South Dakota’s version of Boss Tweed (Mayor Tom Glas) and of course let us not forget Tammany FO Jurrens!
CAN WE TALK?
We have it all Collusion, Payroll scam artistes, and an epic eruption of corruption in Alcester City Hall! Where taxpayers pay Tammany FO Pat Jurrens $38.00 per hour OVERTIME to pull weeds on Tuesday mornings, then lock the city office doors at 12:00 noon until 5:00 pm Tuesdays so she can catch up on her BOOKKEEPING duties or what-ever-it-is she does holed up in her office? Where Tammany FO Pat compiles a secret diary dating back to 2014 of her Comp Time HOURS (11/2) against city policy and ILLEGAL. HOURS detailing where Tammany FO Pat painted-by-numbered city hall walls ’cause she didn’t like the color? WHO GAVE HER PERMISSION for that Over Time? Mayor Glas. There are NO RECORDS of this according to Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson.
IF THERE ARE NO RECORDS, PERMISSION WAS NOT GIVEN!
Just getting the meeting right–Tammany FO Jurrens ya got it wrong, Again! you FAILED to post the agenda according to statute for OPEN MEETING requirements on Tuesday, June 18, what were you doing behind your locked door, it sure wasn’t getting ready for YOUR special meeting on the 19th. I was there, where were you, at the ‘sistren’?
Once Boss Glas got the delayed meeting open, Mayor Magoo called for a motion to go into Executive Session for the purpose of SDCL 1-25-2-1.
WRONG!!!
You’d think a guy with a name like Glas would be transparent in all things, EVIDENTLY not Mayor Magoo! Now as you can read below SDCL 1-25-2-1 is NOT LEGAL purposed :
1-25-2. Executive or closed meetings–Purposes–Authorization–Violation as misdemeanor. Executive or closed meetings may be held for the sole purposes of: (1) Discussing the qualifications, competence, performance, character or fitness of any public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee. The term “employee” does not include any independent contractor;
The correct citation should have been 1-25-3 or 1-25-4. Legal was the whole purpose of the meeting, right?
When you tried to violate my request for FOIA of Absentee Ballot Application records you cited SDCL 12-20-31
12-20-31. Destruction of ballots and pollbooks–Period for which held–Pending recount or contest. The officer in charge of an election may destroy voted ballots and pollbooks from a nonfederal election sixty days following the election at which such ballots were voted. .
Tammany FO ya got it wrong AGAIN! You stated Alcester City Attorney Sam had spoken to the SD Secretary of State office which gave you the right to refuse my FOIA. I had already spoken to the SD Secretary of State office who assured me I could access those records but since I had not spoken to ACA Sam’s alleged source I contacted the same source, this is what she emailed me.
If our office was the keeper of absentee ballot applications and we received a request for copies or viewing, we would provide the absentee ballot applications. SDCL 12-19-2 specifically states what records are not open to inspection, which implies that all other records under the chapter would be open to public inspection. Also, the information provided on an absentee ballot application is the same type of information provided on a voter registration application which is also open to inspection per SDCL 12-4-9. There is no applicable exemption to prevent this record (an absentee ballot application) from being considered a public record under SDCL chapter 1-27, so SDCL 1-27-1would apply and the record should be available for inspection by the public during your normal business hours.
Sadly the council relies solely upon Tammany FO’s self professed ‘expertise’. Are we keepin’ score yet? You fail miserably to provide council members with OBJECTIVE AND FACTUAL information they need to make intelligent, fair decisions YET THEY ALLOW YOU TO GET AWAY WITH KEEPING THEM IN THE DARK and not terminating your butt!
Thursday June 20, 2019, MAYOR MAGOO called for a motion to allow him to sign a settlement document. Listen/watch the video, the so-called motion FAILED to state the dollar amount of tax dollars and the so-called motion FAILED to state to whom the settlement was to be made. The motion FAILED two key components of a motion. What are you trying to hide Mayor Magoo and Tammany FO Pat? All this so-called motion did was to ALLOW Mayor Magoo to sign A settlement document. For all WE THE PEOPLE know, Mayor Magoo is signing a document to pay Tammany FO Pat to adjust the Time Clock Free records to keep from being sued for double, yea triple damages for willful scamming an employee out of many thousands of dollars.
Mayor Glas and his faithless cohorts have on several occasions reneged on valid votes of employment. Bait and Switch! Most recentlyit was our home town lawyer who gave the city of Alcester a break on his fee and was ‘shat upon’ by Mayor Glas and Tammany FO Jurrens. The council voted to accept Mr. Haugland’s retainer agreement with a $5 bump each year (starting at $110 per hour), Agenda item #8, in the regular January 8, 2018. There was NO DISCUSSION before the vote! The ink on the motion was not even dry when Mayor Magoo Glas and Tammany FO decided they wanted to change terms and conditions they skipped hand-in-hand to Mr. Haugland’s office telling him THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS (the two of them?), they wanted a Beresford lawyer and one who wouldn’t talk to Vickie Larsen. In the February 5, 2019, meeting Agenda Item #6, a blind-sided council made a motion to terminate the 2018 ($110 per hour) Retainer Agreement with Chuck Haugland, no discussion, vote four (4) ayes and (2) nays Councilwoman Darla Reppe and Councilwoman Melissa Kay abstained. Agenda item #7 Councilman Dan Haeder made the motion to Retain Beresford Attorney Tom Frieberg at $150/hour and Sam Nelson at $125/hour of Frieberg, Nelson and Ask, LLP of Beresford, SD. No discussion, vote was taken with four (4) ayes and two nays Councilwoman Darla Reppe and Councilwoman Melissa Kay abstaining.
SHAME ON MAYOR TOM GLAS, FO PAT JURRENS AND THE COUNCIL!
Prior to this Glas and FO CHEAT in 2018, the council extended an offer of employment to Chris Doty as acting Police Chief at a salary of 43,500.00 (40 hour week) and in six months to be named Police Chief with a raise of $45000.00 on February 16, 2016, via letter from FO Pat with a projected start date of April 1st, 2016. This was truly April Fools on Mr. Doty. In a Special Meeting City Council Meeting February 15, 2016, a motion was made by Councilman David Larsen, seconded by Councilman Mark Dykstra (take note here that Mark Dykstra seconded the Motion, no discussion and an unanimous aye vote. Care to guess what happened next? Yup you got it. After the April 1, 2016, start, two JACK-BOOTED THUGS-Mayor Glas and Councilman Dykstra went goose-stepping down the street to let Police Chief Doty know he was NOW expected to work 45 hours a week but would only be paid for 40 hours. FO Pat would keep those records on a legal pad in her desk drawer——Oh wait, NO FO Pat didn’t keep any OT or Comp Time diaries for Chief Doty, FO Pat only kept “LOCKED DRAWER RECORDS” on employees ‘genuinely’ deserving of OT or Comp-Time and of course herself and Wanda. Chris Doty was deliberately singled out!
Folks do you know what happens when a deliberate tort (an injury physical or financial) happens? The injured employee can ask for double or triple damages and more often than not win. Mr. Doty’s salary shortage was about $29K plus or minus. Now Mr. Doty was deliberately harmed by the Jack Booted Bullies Mayor Glas and Councilman Dykstra and continued to be harmed by Tammany FO Jurresn and a silent council! Do the math! Double = $58000.00 Triple = $87000.00 NO WONDER Mayor Magoo and Tammany FO Pat wanted to hide the settlement figure! Now folks they didn’t offer Mr. Doty $58K nor did they offer Mr. Doty $87K settlement, care to guess what these cheats did offer? First offer was 41.66% of FO Pat’s settlement! $2K Mr. Doty hometown son was out risking his life while FO Pat was lounging on her bouncy ball chair, flicking through Pinterest, plagiarizing work product of the former city attorney, violating Disney copyrights, and making-up numbers and creative math diaries.
At the end of the June 20, 2018, meeting when I told the council their motion was not valid and would not stand and after Mayor Magoo told me to shut up, Councilman Dan Haeder said, “…it is over…done deal…” No Mr Councilman, a vote on a vague, meaningless motion is null and void. Councilwoman Melissa Kay was participating via teleconference, so a couple of councilpersons asked Councilwoman Kay who they knew to be a first year (?) USD Law Student, her opinion. Which is worse, asking a first year law student for legal advice or the first year law student giving a legal opinion?
WHO COULD BE IN BIGGER TROUBLE?
Of course there is the Alcester Councilman who stole, trashed and vandalized campaign signs of Mike Bucholz (Mayor Magoo’s opponent). Yup that little rooster walked right into the grocery store, ripped down Mr. Bucholz campaign poster and unrooted campaign signs. Union County Jerry Miller received the complaint on Councilman Lance Johnson, Mr. Miller interviewed, Councilman Johnson, Finance Officer Pat Jurrens for her part in campaigning on the job as Finance Officer. We are waiting for the charges! If Councilman Johnson vandalizes election posters and yard signs, what else is he capable of doing? Illegally grinding curbs?
And the pies-de-resistance, was the announcement by Tammany FO Jurrens that she and her aid-de-cramp Geoffy caused to be sent out ‘demand letters’ from ACA Sam out to at least two of our fellow residents to open their homes to city inspection. Now Tammany FO Jurrens refrained from using names at THIS particular meeting. One of the greetings-from-the-city recipients contacted FO Jurrens to let her know they were working on FO Pat’s issue (FO Pat made fun of any efforts those folks would make) the other recipient declined and much more politely than I would have. While the city MAY have authority over the exterior of the property, Mayor Magoo and Tammany FO Pat HAVE NO AUTHORITY over the interior of our homes. If Mayor Magoo and Tammany FO Pat get away with this, WHO will be their next target? You, Me, your family or my family?
Alcester City Councilmembers get off your duffs, rein in Mayor Glas, Finance Officer Pat and Councilman Lance or We the People will exercise OUR power!
The Alcester City Council met in a special meeting with Mayor Tom Glas, Alcester City Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Alcester City Councilman Dan Haeder, Alcester City Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Alcester City Councilman David Larsen and Alcester City Councilwoman Melissa Kay via telephone. Oh yeah and Alcester FO Pat Jurrens. Oh Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson, I’ll bet you are glad you missed this meeting!
For a short meeting, the meeting was jammed packed with excitement, raised voices, and tempers raising faster than tornadic winds in the summertime.
After Mayor Tom half glas’d the meeting to order, followed up with the Pledge of Allegiance and flowed into the agenda approval. It is to be noted here that Alcester FO Jurrens dropped the FO-ball of posting the agenda. So the planned meeting for June 19th, 2019, had to be re-scheduled for June 20, 2019, ’cause bookkeeper FO Pat cannot determine 24 hours prior to the meeting. H-m-m-m her grasp of the execution of her job is tenuous on a fair day. One has to wonder what in Hades was she doin’ on Tuesday afternoon when the city office is ‘closed’ so the girls can catch up on their work…that she couldn’t get the agenda posted on time or was it perhaps deliberate so people wouldn’t find out how shabbily Mayor Glas and FO Pat treated our home-town son Chris.
Once the agenda was approved, Mayor Glas shaped-shifted his way into Executive Session for discussion based upon personnel 1-25-2-1:
1-25-2. Executive or closed meetings–Purposes–Authorization–Violation as misdemeanor. Executive or closed meetings may be held for the sole purposes of:
(1) Discussing the qualifications, competence, performance, character or fitness of any public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee. The term “employee” does not include any independent contractor;
The council went into Executive Session at 6:03 pm. and came out at 6:08 pm and BOY HOWDY that was record time!
Straight out of Executive Session Mayor Glas called for the motion to allow him to sign a settlement agreement and release. As you can hear on the video, the motion was cobbled, vague and improper. The motion involved payment of a settlement with TAXPAYER DOLLARS. The motion DID NOT STATE THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT AND DID NOT STATE TO WHOM THE PAYMENT WAS TO BE MADE. Shoot for all we know Mayor Glas could be paying Pat yet another $4800.00 for services.
Unlike the $4800 payment to FO Pat for comp time to which she was not entitled by Alcester Personnel Manual or FLSA and was not approved. Since when do we pay administration $38.00 OT or Comp time to paint floors or pull weeds in the Auditorium yard? Do we not have minimum wage employees for that?
WHY is Mayor Glas trying so hard to hide a chicken feed settlement $2K or $3K to our police officer and pay Pat $4800 for imaginary time spent working her ‘widdle’ fingers to the bone painting, plucking and gold-bricking? Oh and by the way FO Pat was the one who gave Randy Roo permission to vandalize, demolish the curb and gutter at 518 Anderson Street. FO Pat did not have the authority, no wonder she wouldn’t answer my FOIA asking for the variance approval! Man, she is really over-reaching her bookkeeping duties.
The council voted four (4) ayes to one (1) nay to settlement. Ayes; Melissa Kay, Linda Talbott, Dan Haeder, and Darla Reppe. Nay; David Larsen
After the speed-0-light adjournment, Mayor Glas ordered me to shut down my camera, I told him NO and you can all watch what happened next. Let him know what you think-Mayor Glas can be reached at
934-2188
Head’s up Alcester City Attorney Sam, the Fat Lady is warming up her vocal chords! I can assure you it is not over yet!
A Voice from the Gallery 