06/11/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Mayor Glas proclaims we have air in our water, no problem!  Really?  Mayor Glas with the ‘profess-tional, cee-ment mind with the minor IQ” where is that thar air (if it is air) coming from?  Did you have it tested? Where is the air coming from, could it be a broken line that is sucking air or methane from the soil and into the water?  Oh by the way Mayor you don’t like me getting involved or helping a fellow resident, Do your darned job!  Investigate the issue, not your own bellybutton!

Folks Mayor Glas, FO Pat and the council handed over $4800 in my opinion in an illegal, violation of the existing, in-force Alcester Personnel Manual.

Policy #3:  Employee Classifications Appointive Official:  An individual who holds a position in the municipality as specified by SDCL 9-14-1 (repealed)

Policy#5 Hours of Work

5-3.1 City Finance Office  Monday through Friday, the finance offices will be open from9:00 to 12:00pm  The finance office will re-open at 1:00 pm and remain open until 5:00 pm.  The finance officer will start the work day at 8:00am and will open the city office for public business at 9:00am.

5.5 Flex time -The governing body (council) reserves the right to authorize flexible work hours within the 40 hour work week in situations where it is appropriate or necessary.  Employees must still adhere to the standard 40 hours work week unless flex time or overtime has been approved by the mayor. The mayor authorized flex time is subject to review and final authorization will be from the city council at the next city council meeting.

5.6  Overtime Eligibility – Employees may be required to work overtime when determined necessary by their supervisor or the governing board.  Overtime is defined as time that is worked in excess of the first 40 hours within the standard work week and does not include hours paid but not worked such as holidays, vacation pay days or sick days.  The mayor shall have the option of selecting compensatory time off or overtime pay and the finance officer shall be advised of the decision prior to the performs of any such work.

All overtime must be authorized by the mayor prior to the working of such hours except in emergency situations.  Overtime is to be authorized only if the work cannot be otherwise done during normal work hours.  Insofar as possible, the opportunity to work overtime shall be distributed as equally as practicable by the municipality among the employees in each department.  Accrual of overtime without prior authorization may result in disciplinary procedures.

Overtime compensation for all overtime eligible employees shall be at the rate of one and one-half of the employees regular hourly rate.  As stated above, time paid for but not worked(holidays, etc) does not count toward hours worked for the purpose of calculating overtime hours.

5.7 Comp time – Authorized comp-time shall be administer within the same guidelines and be accrued at time and one half.  Comp-time must be used within 30 days from the time in which it was accrued.

The maximum amount of comp-time that may be accrued is 16 hours.

5.8 Exemptions to Overtime – The following employees are exempt from the overtime standards as mentioned in the above sections:

1) Appointive officers (if determined to be FLSA Exempt)

2) Police and fire personnel (if less than 5 within the dept)

3) Swimming pool personnel (if operated less than7 months)

5.10  Time Sheets or cards – Each employees time sheet is a record of their regular hours worked, overtime worked and vacation or sick leave used for the purpose of calculating and issuing pay checks.  Every employee must sign their time sheet to verify that all entries are accurate,  Intentional falsification of time sheets may result in disciplinary action.

5.11 Time Clocks – Time clocks are used by the municipality for recording work time for all employees specified by the governing board.  Each employee required to use a time clock must punch in and out promptly and have the finance officer initial changes necessary to correct time records.

It is absolutely forbidden to punch another employees time card.  Such action may result in disciplinary action.

Policy# 6 Compensation

6.3 Time Sheets Each employee is responsible to ensure that his/her time sheets are correct ad submitted on time.  Signed vacation and sick leave slips must accompany all time sheets (see appendix one).  Any misrepresentation of time worked or falsification of any time sheet may result in disciplinary action.

Policy# 7 Leave of Absence

Policy #8 Separation from Municipal Service

8.4 Exit Interviews It is a policy of the municipality  of Alcester, for the appropriate authority to conduct an exit interview prior to an employee’s separation from municipal employment.  The exit interview is conducted for several purposes, including 1) to resolve all outstanding matters between the municipality and the employee, 2) to advise the employee of the affect their separation will have upon all benefits and what benefits they have coming upon separation, 3) to aid the municipality in gathering information to help improve the municipality’s working environment and other employment relationships.

8.5 Misconduct Defined The following is a partial listing of employee misconduct that may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate discharge.  This list is not intended to completely list all employee misconduct that may result in the above, but rather is provided as a guideline by which employees can judge actions that will not be tolerated by the municipality:

  1. Incompetent, inefficient, unreliable, unwilling or incapable of fulfilling his/her job duties as assigned.
  2. Inadequate performance of duties.
  3. Neglect of duty.
  4. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor offense which might adversely reflect on or create doubt about the moral character, credibility or reliability of the employee.
  5. Theft or misappropriation of municipal property.
  6. Insubordination.
  7. Failure to observe drug and alcohol policies of the municipality.
  8. Failure to observe harassment policies of the municipality.
  9. Knowing or willful violation of municipal ordinance.
  10. Unauthorized absences.
  11. Habitual tardiness.
  12. Abuse of sick leave.
  13. Sleeping/loafing during work hours.
  14. Disclosure of confidential information.
  15. Offensive or inconsiderate conduct, or use of abusive language in public, or toward the public, municipal officials or fellow employees while on duty.
  16. Personal acceptance or appropriation of any fee, gift, tip or other gratuity or remuneration received solely for the performance of official duties in connection with municipal employment.
  17. Knowing, intentional, or repeated falsification of any application for employment or any municipal record, report or time sheet.
  18. Willful alteration, destruction or waste of municipal property, facilities, equipment or  records.
  19. Serious or repeated disorderly conduct or horseplay.
  20. Threatening, intimidating, coercing or interfering with supervisors or other employees.
  21. Deliberate attempts to injure another employee or fighting on municipal property while on the job.
  22. Unauthorized possession of fire arms, explosives or any dangerous weapons while performing municipal work.
  23. Recklessness resulting in a serious accident while on duty, whether on or off municipal property.

Policy #9 Disciplinary Action and Grievance Procedure

Policy #10 Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy

Policy #11 Americans with Disabilities Act

 

Policy #12 Appointive Officials

12.1  Definition An Appointive Official is an individual who holds a position in a municipality in SDCL 9-14-1 (see  policy 12.2)

12.2 Appointive Officials to be Appointed

12.2.1  Second and Third Class Municipalities – The appointive officers in second and third class municipalities are the finance officer (auditor, treasurer) and other such officers as provided by municipal ordinance.

12.4  Applicable policies to municipal officials

The following sections of this manual shall apply to municipal officials:

  • Policy #1 all sub-sections,
  • Policy #2 all sub-sections,
  • Policy#3 all sub-sections,
  • Policy #4 not applicable,
  • Policy #5 Applicable if such officials are covered by FLSA,
  • Policy #6 all sub-sections,
  • Policy #7 all sub-sections,
  • Policy#8 not applicable,
  • Policy #9 not applicable,
  • Policy #10 all sub-sections,
  • Policy #11 all sub-sections.

Folks this is the policy manual which is in effect now, and was in effect at the start of FO Pats Comp Time Grab in 2014.

Ask the question at what rate of illegal compensation was FO Pat offered?  The time and one half rate at the time of her falsification of time in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018?  Or was it at the 2019 raise rate?  From 2014 who authorized FO Pat’s raises, Finance Officer Pat Jurrens, Mayor Glas or the council who authorized the budget without asking questions?

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If you are in doubt, check out 2019-01 Ordinance change Read it Well.  Policy 8.5 misconduct.  Still in favor of the settlement of $4800 pay out? 

Gee I wonder who placed this jewel in front of the council? 

 

06/08/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Yup, give the Finance Officer Jurrens time and a half ($4800 unsubstantiated need and hours) for pickin’ weeds, painting walls, scopin’ out the thrift stores for atrium furnishing, and etc.

We have folks who have cloudy water in the down town area.  This isn’t the first complaint!  The first complaint was dealt with eyes rolled up and a suggestion about mental health.  Really?

Now I was called, I went to the site of cloudy water complaint-the same site ol’ Mayor Tom witnessed and admitted to the cloudy water and told the homeowner to go to the store for water.  I SAW the water coming out of the cold water tap (it was milky white), I took a sample of that water and I talked to neighbors.  It was my understanding Mayor Tom couldn’t care less or be bothered to check in to the situation.

I did some research.  https://plumbingtoday.biz/blog/why-is-my-faucet-water-cloudy Below is what I found:

I called Mayor Glas at about 3:30 p.m. asked him about telling the homeowner to go to the store.  I asked the Mayor if he was going to have the water tested?  He said after some hemming and hawing, Monday.  I asked Mayor Glas if the city was going to pay for the water.  Oh folks that didn’t go over so well.  In fact Mayor Glas hung up on me.  SO JUST EXACTLY WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR WATER CONTAMINANTS?  WHO DO WE CALL?  h-m-m-m Mayor Glas?  Do we have pipe breakage, do we have raw sewage seeping into our water lines on the west side of town or do we have both?

Folks if you have cloudy water let the Mayor Glas know, call 605-934-2188 it is his JOB! Send an email to alcestercityfo.com  Tell him if he can’t get the water tested until Monday, open up city hall and dispense water to the taxpayers who are already paying for water, DRINKABLE WATER!

 

06/03/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

At 6:00 p.m. Mayor Tom Glas called the regular Alcester City Council meeting to order with Councilman David Larsen, Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilman Lance Johnson and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson present.  The group began business with approval of the night’s meeting agenda and the approval of the May meetings.

Agenda Item #5 Marc Macy was called upon to make his presentation for the National Flood Insurance Program.

Agenda Item #6 was called for the first reading of Alcester City Ordinance 2019-02 dealing with conditional uses which would allow placing just a garage on a lot for storage (?).  This was a garage ordinance originally called 2019-01, after my argument there was already a 2019-01 ordinance which I call ‘protect Pat’s Job attempt’, an argument from Pat I was wrong on the numbering and AFTER I proved I was correct,  the amending ordinance was changed to 2019-02.  Ya know all FO Pat had to do was to pull her file on ordinances (which she is required to keep) she could have prevented the confusion of two (2) 2019-01 ordinances, the delay of first reading and of course knowingly calling me wrong.

Agenda Item #7-a presentation made by Amanda Ericson and Carmen Kast for the Fireman Water Fight scheduled for June 15, 2019, during the hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and to ask permission to close off Second Street from Iowa to Dakota.  Permission was granted.

Agenda Item #8– I commented on three items, which were included in my hand-outs to the council.

First was the Ordinance numbering which was dealt with the Agenda item  6.

Second was the failure of the Mayor and FO Pat Jurrens to provide FOIA for access to completed public records absentee ballot application and listing poll book.  FO Pat argued I was wrong and could not access these documents.  I had already provided information from the Secretary of State to back up my claim.  I was refused access and was given a listing of the absentee ballot names and was informed that Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson had spoken with the South Dakota Secretary of State representative Christine Lehrkamp.

Since I had spoken to a different person in the SD Secretary of State office, I contacted Ms. Lehrkamp, explained the situation and she agreed I should have     access.  I made plans to bring this to the council’s attention during input.  On Monday, June 3, 2019, I contacted Ms. Lehrkamp asking for a written statement I could present to bolster my argument and she provided me with the statement.  Upon my introduction of the FOIA issue, FO Pat objected, I argued the statement in my handout and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson stated he read the Ms. Lehrkamp’s statement, I was correct and I was to be given access to the FOIA information.

Third was the issue of no visible pool rules. I spoke of the absence of the large pool rules sign, the fact children were going down the slide head-first and a garden hose strung across the pool deck and wound around the slide ladder which creates a clear danger to pool users.  After speaking with city representatives of Beresford and Canton     I was told there should be a life-guard stationed at the ladder of the slide and a life-guard in the pool at the foot of the slide.

One again FO Pat waded in with an argument noting the size of the slide, to which I responded we got the slide from Beresford who had the two life-guard slide rule.

I went to the pool this morning, saw the copy paper sized, laminated farce of a sign attached to the slide and not a large visible sign that parents, children and life-guards can clearly see without walking to within two feet of the slide.

Agenda Item #10– The council spoke to the Mayor’s and FO Pat’s decision to sic a South Dakota Circuit Judge on non-conforming residents.  Oh and yeah,  Mayor Glas asked for what I will call a not-so-secretary security de-tale of one volunteer to walk around town with him to inspect properties.  Councilman Lance Johnson leaped at the change.  Amazing, this is the guy who lives across from 518 Anderson where the curb and gutter vandalism took place and has not been resolved.

Agenda Item#11 Alcester Ambulance came to request the city forgive the water charges for the ambulance building.  The Council voted to not charge the ambulance for water usage.

Item Agenda #16– Finance Office  A couple of notable departures from code and duties.

First was Mayor Glas major faux pas.  This ‘sage of cee-ment and construction” was advised the roof on one of the park shelters needed repair.  Well ol’ sage tom went to Schoeneman to price steel.  Oh not the sine-wave of course.  Well he got pricing on a single sheet unit of steel but not the screws, nails, wood and etc. to cover the roof A-N-D then he did the math times six (6) to cover the whole roof?  Are ya kidding?  Who does that? MAYOR TOM GLAS, that is who!  But it gets better, he is given a verbal opinion of cost, Mayor Glas FAILED to GET-IT-IN-WRITING!  Who does that?  Mayor Tom Glas, that is who!

Next is the Executive Session for personnel, now everyone aside from the council, Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson and FO Pat Jurrens were ushered out.  So there we were Gordon Richards and myself standing in the atrium of the Auditorium with Wanda Halverson guarding the council door against Vandals, Huns and who know what interlopers.  Folks the council is abusing Executive session.

Now I figured the council was dealing with the recent demand for payment from a former employee, but the reason to go into executive session was personnel which was inappropriate for a lawsuit question.  Occasionally we would hear a word or two erupt into the silence in the atrium, such as “I make a motion!”  Really! Making a motion in executive session, A BIG NO-NO!  Yes folks that did get my attention!  What was it about, wait for it, wait for it.

The Council was declared out of Executive Session at 9:00* and slam, bam, you’re gonna get the dough FO Pat.  Immediately a motion was made to PAY FO PAT JURRENS $4800.00 settlement for her “illegal comp time”  Alcester Voters $4800.00 for comp time (time and a half) for exempt administrative hours, HOURS THAT WERE NOT APPROVED AS TO NECESSITY, ADVANCE WRITTEN APPROVAL, HOURS NOT PROPERLY ACCOUNTED FOR,  AND ETC.

The city offices are closed on Tuesday noon to five with the door closed and the telephone not answered ’cause the ‘girls’ cannot get their work done!  Yeah well yesterday was a Tuesday, what part of weed pulling, flower bed tending is in FO PATS job description?  Who pays $25.00/hour for a finance officer to pull weeds and make pretty-pretty?  What idiot pays FO Pat time-and-a-half for pulling weeds, painting walls, shopping -for-atrium-decor?  Judging from the payroll checks signed by Mayor Tom Glas he is the idiot!  Mayor Glas whose ‘Oversight’ is the “I forgot and made a mistake Oversight” NOT the “I am watching you Oversight” WHO in Hades is “OVERSEEING” Mayor Glas and the Finance Office.

I would recommend that decision be referred and not be paid out.  So I would advise FO Pat not to spend that $4800!  With that gem of governance, the council adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

*Mayor Glas in his rush to get FO Pat her unapproved comp time/over-time, barely allowed those of us waiting in the no-open-meeting-for-us atrium-land to be seated in the council room, much less get the camera rolling to record his shining hour.

05/21/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

I filed a violation of property maintenance with the city of Alcester for 518 Anderson Street including a picture of the vandalization of the curb and gutter.  In fact I hand-delivered that formal complaint of violation to Mayor Glas in front of the Alcester city council on April 15, 2019.

Mayor Glas finally got around to sending a letter in reply.

On May 9, 2019,  I reiterated my FOIA Request on the property maintenance violation.

On May 20, I received the delayed FOIA information and was denied information regarding the vandalization of 518 Anderson curb because according to Alcester Finance Officer Jurrens, Randy Heuer OWNS the curb and gutter.  BULL!  What barn-door barrister handed down that opinion?  As to who gave him permission to vandalize the curb and gutter, could it have been the Alcester city councilman who admitted to vandalizing election signs of Mayor Glas’ opponent in the mayoral election?  This is the city, boyo not the back forty, shelter belt!

FO Pat and Mayor spent many hours crafting their Home-Owners-Association-like Circus of Hades.  You know where the city is being run by a pair of pissants dictating what we can and cannot do within our castles, imposing their troglodyte tastes upon the rest of us, and giving their  drinkin’ buddies ‘speschal’ privileges.    The city owns the curb and gutter, the abutting homeowner pays the upkeep.  Kind-of-like the nightingale call girl.  Ya’ll don’t own her but if you enjoy her company ya’ll are payin’ her upkeep, her ‘managing partner’ fees and her shots!

So tell me, WHAT ARE SET BACKS Mayor Glas and Finance Officer Jurrens?  The city owns from the center of the street, thirty-three feet toward the property.  Maybe Mayor Glas, FO Pat and IA-Roo need to do a refresher course on property owner-ship and who owns what and how far.

So third request for FOIA:

  • FOIA 04-22-2019 II-NO ANSWER
  1. Full name and title* of the individual granting permission to vandalize/modify the curb portion of the curb and gutter abutting the property at 518 Anderson Street, Alcester, SD 57001.
  2. Full and complete documentation/council variance approval* for the vandalisation/modification of the curb portion of the curb and gutter abutting 518 Anderson Street, Alcester, South Dakota 57001 and owned by Randy R. Heuer.
  3. The name and address of the individual or company* which performed the vandalisation/modification of the curb portion of the curb and gutter abutting 518 Anderson Street, Alcester, South Dakota 57001.

Readers, Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson ‘schooled’ me during a city council meeting interrogation on who was giving me advice.  Young Sir, I am fully capable of acting pro se and surely you have figured this out by now.  But to use your own logic Alcester City Attorney Sam, ‘If you refuse to answer, it didn’t happen and…(here I quote you ACA Sam), “…you are wasting my time discussing this…”.

Folks Mayor Glas and FO Pat are more worried about how high the grass grows, how low the trees hang, but working fire hydrants are not a high priority!  So Mayor Glas and FO Pat in your letter you stated Randy Ray Roo had permission, so where is the demolition permission and fee?  Randy Ray Roo chopped up the curb, where is the demo permit showing he paid you $400?  That is in you lil’ ole property maintenance.  I think you ‘jewels’ were charging somewhere around $400 for a demolition and a permit had to be obtained from the city.  SO WHERE IS IT?  If you make changes you have to have a building permit and according to FO Pat’s job description she has to inspect ‘yer process and progress’.  So what class was that at Beacom School of Business again?

So according to Alcester City Attorney Sam, there was NO variance, NO permission, there was NO professional removal, NO ownership, apparently NO demo permit just a ‘bag of words’, a mesh satchel of lies and absolutely no facts.

I WANT ANSWERS!  My fellow citizens WANT ANSWERS.  So if it is okay for Randy Ray Roo can vandalize his curb and gutter, if Alcester Councilman can vandalize an election sign, then by golly the rest of us can be civilly disobedient with impunity!

05/06/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Mayor Tom Glas called the May 9th, 2019, regular meeting of the Alcester City Council to order with Councilman David Larsen, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman Lance Johnson and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson present.

Prior to the meeting an emboldened Tom Glas elected to attack me, telling me I was not to talk during the meeting.  I responded asking him, “does that apply to Pat Jurrens and Wanda Halverson”…”are they banned from talking during council meeting?” “Yes?”  “No?”  “What?”

I can only suppose it was my remarks about the deficient Alcester City Council Meeting Agenda which prompted the Tom Glas temper tantrum.  Glas’ proposed agenda or was it FO Pat’s agenda is a masterpiece of proposed open meeting violations and incompetence.

Mayor Glas started the council meeting with his usual, “it’s that time”, coming to his feet to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, which always evokes an errant thought for me.  Aha!  This is “Mayor Tom’s” anatomical, repositioning sphincter response to relieve pressure on his cerebellum.

The May meeting of the Alcester City Council has historically been two separate meeting in one night.  Typically this first meeting after the April election is where the ‘old’ council would finish up prior business and adjourn.  Upon adjournment the retiring council members exit giving up their places at the table to the incoming members. The new meeting is called to order with newly elected/appointed members reciting the oath of office and seated at the council table.  These are two separate meetings with the council receiving pay for each meeting.  However this night Mayor Glas or was it FO Pat’s ill-conceived aura of safety of position chose to imbed the Planning and Zoning committee meeting into opening meeting.  And by now I have lost many of you.  The Alcester City Council is ALSO the local planning and zoning committee.

Note on the agenda page 1) there is no public input for the initial meeting, no public input for the planning and zoning committee meeting and note there is no formal opening of the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting to let the gallery know a separate meeting has been opened, nor was there a formal adjournment on the agenda to close the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting.  Poor procedure!   Better never than late, Mayor Glas under duress added a public input at 9.5 on page 1) of the Alcester City Council meeting  agenda. However he neglected to add Public Input under the Planning and Zoning Hearing committee meeting.  Bad FOrm Mayor Tom and FO Pat!  FO Pat must not have found a form to co-op for a compartmented triple meeting.

The council made short work of the approval of the agenda, it’s deficiencies and dispatched the approval of Minutes with alacrity.

Tena Keiser and Amanda Ericson presented Alcester Police Chief Jeff Christie with a check representing the fundraiser proceeds for the police department.

At this point there was still time before the 6:30 p.m. start time for the Planning and Zoning committee public hearing.  Mayor Glas elected to move onto Agenda item 9.5 Public Input for the Initial Alcester City Council meeting.  I responded to Public Input and another dust-up began.  I commented on the violation of open meeting with the lack of proper Public Input both for the council meeting and the planning and zoning public hearing, plus the appearance of a violation of open meeting with Page 1, agenda item #9.  Mayor Glas butted into my short public input time with his argument public input was the Public Hearing.  I pointed out it was a public hearing, but no provision was made for specific public input.  Mayor Glas chose to argue semantics defined as a part of language, its structure, morphology, syntax, pho and logic concerned with meaning. (evidently he heard ce-mentics and alas he lacked a concrete argument!)

At this point Alcester Attorney Sam Nelson of Frieberg, Nelson & Ask of Beresford took over questioning my ‘authorities’.  I cited SDCL 1-25-1

“…The chair of the public body (city) shall reserve at every official meeting by the public body a period for public comment limited at the chair’s discretion, but not so limited as to provide for no public comment…” 

Note the word “shall”.  ‘Shall’ is used in statutes according to Black’s Law Dictionary, Abridged Sixth Edition (1891-1991), page 958 to mean “…generally an imperative or mandatory…”  Mr. Nelson and I continued with a spirited discussion of Executive Session as referenced in page 1) agenda Item 9 as defined in SDCL 1-25-2.,1

“… Discussing the qualifications, competence, performance, character or fitness of any public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee…” 

My position being, compensation time is NOT a subject for executive session, it is an open session discussion with a determination whether the council is falling down a rabbit hole.  I based my opinion that Mayor Glas, FO Pat Jurrens and the Alcester City Council were Abusing Executive session, using past, numerous and lengthy personnel discussions.  That many discussions of qualifications, competence, performance, character, or fitness of city personnel?  And FO Pat is almost always is present with the council in the closed session…do you s’pose?  ‘Cause bookkeeping is not personnel, the book keeper is but not her position!

There was no formal adjournment of the Alcester Planning and Zoning committee. It is good there was no action on the draft of Ordinance 2019-01’cause Ordinance 2019-01 was already enacted on February 4. 2019, with the express purpose of changing FO Pat’s job from appointed to a quasi protected hire. Competency?  The Finance Office is charged with keeping a file of the Ordinances.  So what Happened FO??

CCI05082019.jpg

Now the third meeting has been opened and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson has administered the oath of Office to the council members.

Mayor Glas handed out his and Pat’s 2019 committee assignments.  Page 2) under agenda item #4.  Councilwoman Melissa Kay was visibly upset as she read down the sheet of assignments.  Councilwoman Kay had held the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Chair of the Public Safety Committee but under the 2019 Committee assignments she had been removed.  Councilwoman Kay questioned Mayor Glas, asking him what she had done wrong to be removed from the Chair of these two committees?  (48:58:53)

Councilwoman Kay looked to Chief Christie and asked him for input. (50:39:00)  I believe Police Chief Christie asked permission to respond to Councilwoman Kay’s question.  Mayor Glas ignored him, a heated discussion was still taking place between Councilwoman Kay and Mayor Glas who by this time was making some questionable comments. (50:48:57)  Councilman Haeder asked Mayor Glas if Alcester Police Chief Christie could respond to Councilwoman Kay’s question.  Mayor Glas responded Alcester Police Chief Christie had to wait until public input!

ARE YOU KIDDING Mayor Glas?  What cognitive cripple would not allow Police Chief Christie respond to a DIRECT question from Councilwoman Kay!  Past mayors usually tried to match up councilpersons capabilities with committees. The best Mayor Glas could come up with was, “…I tried to mix everything up…”  Yeah Mayor, you surely did!

Next agenda item was Fire Chief Pat Kast report, notifying the council of the fire hydrant situation.  In a recent fire situation an inoperative fire hydrant was discovered which exacerbated an already dangerous situation. The fire hydrants are the responsibility of the city and Mayor Glas!  The uptake is the city is going to have to repair and replace fire hydrants.  Keep this in mind folks for the Finance Office spending spree!  The city did vote to pay two fire school tuitions.

Alcester Ems gave a report concerning the snow removal issue and the water bill.  I have been a member of the ambulance crew and I worked with the financial/billing side of the operation.  The ambulance has reached a point where the ambulance vehicle needs to be replaced.  In the past the only funding the city provided to the all volunteer ambulance was a cell phone.  I was surprised to hear the city did not supply free water to the service.  Contrary to FO Pat’s comment the ambulance had billing capability, the billing amounts had to cover fuel, medical supplies, linens, laundry, AED pads and leads, blood sugar kits, Epi Pens, IV supplies, saline and etc.  FO Pat do you think we get those out of a cracker jack box?  Do you realise what med supplies cost?

Reports and Updates from Street, Swimming Pool, Water tower, Water and Waste water.

Agenda Item #10 page 2).  The Crown Victoria that Mayor Rick Johnson got for a bargain price, has died and not worth repairing.  Therefore there is a need for a new police car.  The city has the ability to purchase a new Dodge Charge at $24K with delivery on or around January 2020 with some funding coming from the Second Penny Sales Tax according to Book Keeper Pat.  Check out the state of the sales tax income for the year.

David gave an update for the golf course.  Clubhouse personnel was hired but the groundskeeper position is still open.

Agenda Item #12 page 2) – Executive session SDCL 1-25-2.2 Litigation  This was notice the city had received a certified letter of demand for wages past due.  Not like the comp time FO Pat has been angling after but actual wages earned.  The council spent twenty-two minutes in closed session to discuss strategy?

Finance Office report:

Summer Equipment

-plastic chaise lounges, picnic tables, benches  $5,450.00**

-fold-up picnic tables   (10)                                     $1,599.00**

Garbage cans 300 gallon (2)                                    $   900.00**

Additional expenses

water tower maintenance                               $9,750.00*

audit required                                                    $6,000.00*

city website                                                         $   700.00/year for 3 yrs*

new police car                                                   $24,000.00*                                                            involves second penny sales tax

* unanimous vote for expenditure

** non necessity

We have failing fire hydrants but by golly we have to have our plastic chaise lounges and fold up picnic tables.  Mayor Glas did brag in a campaign speech something to the effect, “Just look what Pat and I have done for the city!”  Yeah right! More like, “Just look what Pat and I have done TO the city!”

Meeting adjourned at 9:38 p.m.

 

04/25/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Mayor Tom Glas called yet another special meeting of the Alcester City Council to order at 5:00 p.m. with Councilman David Larsen, Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilwoman Linda Talbott and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson present with Alcester Councilman Lance Johnson absent.

Pledge Allegiance was called, Approval of Agenda was called with one change to move Agenda Item number 6 to after Agenda Item number 7.  The council approved the amended agenda.

Input was called with no response.

Street Update was called and thus began yet another discussion of reclamation.  After a discussion of the pro’s and con’s of a rent the machinery and do-it-yerself street reclamation by city employees and day laborers, it was decided it would be wiser to let someone in the business of street reclamation provide the machinery and labor to reclaim 17 blocks of city street by Full Depth Reclamation.

quote: city of alcester fdr

During this discussion of which dates were discussed that The Road Guy HAD to show-up on a specific date, the Fog Seal was going to be dispensed with because it’s $18K price tag would cause the bid to exceed the bid exempt statue (o-o-o-h), the surety bond was not forfeited ($3500.00) Really? A-n-d I do believe another extension was given to The Road Guys.  ANOTHER ONE?  A call for the motion!  The council moved to accept the Loiseau bid merged with The Road Guy.

A motion to wave Council pay for this meeting was made by Councilman Dan Haeder and seconded by Councilwoman Linda Talbott, no further discussion and the vote was 4 Aye; Councilman Haeder, Councilman Larsen, Councilwoman Reppe, and Councilwoman Talbott with one Nay vote Councilwoman Melissa Kay.

Council Adjourned

04/23/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Mayor Tom Glas called the April 15, 2019, special meeting of the Alcester City council to order (once he got there) at 6:07 p.m. with Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Councilwoman Linda Talbott, Councilman David Larsen, Councilman Dan Haeder, Councilman Lance Johnson and Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson present with Councilwoman Darla Reppe arriving after Mayor Glas.

During Public Input I presented the Finance Officer with a FOIA, I presented the council with a property maintenance code violation complaint on Anderson Street, I commented any payment on comp time stating it was not applicable to Finance Officer Pat Jurrens and questioned about the Chip Seal Road Guy bid which was not fulfilled in 2018, contract/agreement time frame extended in September 2018 and attempted to change the terms and conditions last night and finally I questioned the Executive Session for Personnel in how many applicants for the auditorium custodian position (? nobody knew), how many applicants for the golf groundskeeper position (2) and how many applicants for the summer reading assistant position (1).

The next Agenda Item called was the canvass of the votes.  It was interesting watching and listening.  It was particularly interesting about the messengering of ballots from the Care and Rehab Center and the messenger of those absentee ballots.  Evidently Alcester City Finance Office Employee Wanda Halverson was sent to the Care and Rehab center by Alcester City Finance Officer Pat Jurrens to collect some absentee ballots from the nursing home which is interesting because the SD Absentee Ballot Application Form carries the language,

“Please print and return to your county auditor…You may apply for an absentee ballot before 5:00 p.m. the day before the election for any or all general, primary, municipal, school or any other elections conducted in this calendar year with one request…” Item #8  AUTHORIZED MESSENGER REQUEST DUE TO SICKNESS OR DISABILITY ONLY:

At 6:34 p.m. Councilman Lance Johnson left the meeting, two minutes later Finance Office Pat Jurrens whispered to a councilman about Theresa Driesen’s voting status.

Upon the lengthy ballot canvass, the council finally declared the vote in favor of Tom Glas.

Agenda Item Street Updates was called, with a lengthy discussion regarding the significant change in the manner of street repair and maintenance taking place.  Instead of just chip sealing, a proposal was solicited by Alcester Finance Officer Pat Jurrens from Loiseau Construction, a company specialising in street reclamation using FDR (full depth reclamation) which simply put employs a grinding process which is Fog Sealed and requires two applications of Chip Seal.  Watch the discussion.  I had already questioned the violation of bid process, unfortunately the council was advised by Mayor Glas and Finance Officer Pat Jurrens this was not a violation.  The council elected to table until April 18th meeting before they would enter into a contract with Loiseau and The Road Guys.  There was a motion to schedule a follow-up meeting on April 18th, 2019, at 5:00 to made a decision and the council voted to approve the April 18th meeting.

There was a public discussion of comp time (agenda item # 8) and with little information shared, the council moved onto agenda item #9 and straight into Executive session to discuss; auditorium custodian, golf course grounds keeper, Summer reading assistant and in my opinion what-ever-they-could-get-away-with!

Please note when the council came out of Executive Session they only voted for the Summer Reading Assistant.  Amazing!

Meeting was declared adjourned at 9:13 p.m.

04/16/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

Tuesday, April 9, 2019-At 2:50 p.m. Mayor Glas returned on a run, rushing into the Finance Office announcing to Finance Officer Jurrens,

“you were right”.  Mayor Glas continued to report that 300 East Fourth Street was OMG, “shingling their roof…there was not building permit…HE KNOWS BETTER!” 

Finance Officer Jurrens picked up her phone (not the fancy one with all manner of bells and whistles a salesman brought in that morning which she will no doubt pitch to the city council, she just has to have it or she cannot function without it!) and called the roofing contractor, left a message for him, “…to contact her right away…!”

Monday, April 15, 2019- Election Update-Canvass the Votes from April 9 Election

During Public Input last evening I presented the Finance Officer with a FOIA, I presented the council with a property maintenance code violation complaint on Anderson Street, I commented on any payment of comp time stating ‘it was not applicable to Finance Officer Pat Jurrens’, I questioned the Chip Seal, Road Guy bid which was not fulfilled in 2018, contract/agreement time frame extended in September 2018 and attempted to change the terms and conditions last night and finally I questioned the Executive Session for Personnel in how many applicants for the auditorium custodian position (? nobody knew), how many applicants for the golf groundskeeper position (2 and rumor has it mayor glas is one of the applicants) and how many applicants for the summer reading assistant position (1).

Perhaps the city of Alcester should adopt ordinance to the effect that, “anyone who intentionally tampers with infrastructure faces up to five years in prison and $10,000.00 fine…”

HEUER VIOLATION

The definition of infrastructure is the basic facilities and installations…including roads…”

So Mayor Glas, you and Finance Officer Jurrens appeared on April 9, 2019, to be vindictively gleeful in threatening a citation for an alleged failure to obtain a building permit for a roof repair job.  Mayor Glas and Finance Officer Jurrens, here you go.  This individual deliberately vandalized public property, I and the rest of the city wait upon the issuance of a citation and fine to make this portion of  Anderson Street whole again!

 

 

04/15/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

I thought I would provide a brief comparison of what Alcester City Finance Officer believes her duties are.  Please note the color coding.  RED is the color used for the South Dakota Municipal League definition of a Finance Officer.  BLUE is the color used for a brief definition of City Manager.  Purple is the color used to denote a blend of Finance Officer and City Manager.  Remember folks we have a finance officer, NOT a city manager or administrator!

DUTIES OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE OFFICER

SDML

  • KEEP REGULAR BOOKS OF ACCOUNT
  • SUPERVISE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
  • KEEP A RECORD OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
  • DRAW AND COUNTERSIGN ALL WARRANTS
  • KEEP THE CORPORATE SEAL
  • COUNTERSIGN ALL CONTRACTS
  • AUDIT AND ADJUST ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY BEFORE THEY ARE ALLOWED BY THE GOVERNING BOARD
  • KEEP A BOOK IN WHICH ALL CONTRACTS SHALL BE ENTERED
  • CERTIFY ANNUAL TAX LEVY TO COUNTY AUDITOR
  • MAINTAIN SPECIAL ASSESSMENT RECORD
  • FILE BONDS OF ALL EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIAL OF CITY EXCEPT AUDITOR’S BOND
  • PREPARE, PUBLISH AND FILE ANNUAL REPORT
  • MAINTAIN BOND RECORD
  • PREPARE BUDGET BEFORE SEPT 1 OF EACH YEAR AND SUBMIT TO COUNCIL
  • MAINTAIN A FILE OF ANNUAL INVENTORIES
  • RECEIVE MONIES OF CITY AND MAINTAIN CASH RECEIPTS JOURNAL
  • ISSUE PRENUMBERED RECEIPTS IN DULICATE GIVING THE ORIGINAL TO THE PAYER AND THE DUPLICATE TO THE AUDITOR
  • INVEST SURPLUS CASH BALANCES OF CITY
  • MAINTAIN A WARRANT REGISTER LISTING ALL WARRENTS ISSUED BY FUNDS
  • COMPARE CASH BALANCES MONTHLY WITH AUDITOR
  • REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL GIVING A FULL AND DETAILED ACCOUNT OF ALL RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES SINCE THE LAST REPORT
  • MAINTAIN A REGISTER OF ALL WARRANTS NOT PAID FOR WANT OF FUNDS
  • FILE AUDITOR’S BOND.

 

CITY MANAGER

  • MANAGING THE CITY BUDGET
  • OVERSEEING CITY PERSONNEL
  • ADDRESSING QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA REGARDING CITY COUNCIL ACTIVITIES
  • MEETING WITH VARIOUS HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE ISSUES
  • MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, INCLUDING BUDGETS, PERSONNEL NEEDS AND PROJECTS COST
  • ENSURING COMPLETION OF REPORTS AND STUDIES COMMISSIONED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS
  • OVERSEEING IMPORTANT SERVICES SUCH AS TRASH PICK-UP AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS
  • ENSURING WATER SUPPLIES ARE SAFE
  • WORKING ON IMPORTANT EXONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
  • RESPONDING TO AND RESOLVING DIFFICULT OR DELICAT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OF CITIZENS

PAT JURRENS DEFINITION OF DUTIES

  • RECOMMENDS NEW POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES TO THE COUNCIL, TRAINS AND EVALUATES PERFORMANCE AND DISCIPLINES PERSONNEL USING THE EMPLOYEE STANDARDS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
  • SERVE AS LIASON BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WITH REGARD TO WATER, SEWER, STREET AND OFFICE DEPARTMENTS, OFFERING RESOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS AND EVALUATING THE PROGRESS OF GOALS.
  • BRIEF COUNCIL MEMBERS ON PENDING AGENDA ITEMS AND OTHER CITY ISSUES PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AS NEEDED
  • PROVIDE ANALYSIS NEEDED TO ASSIST THE COUNCIL TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS
  • PERFORM FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ANALYSIS FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL RELATING TO CITY OPERATIONS, GRANTS AND PROGRAMS FOR CONSIDERATION
  • PREPARE THE BUDGET BEFORE SEPT 1 AND SUBMIT TO THE COUNCIL, PREPARE, PUBLISH AND FILE THE ANNUAL REPORT BY MARCH 1
  • COUNTERSIGN ALL CONTRACTS
  • SUPPLY MONTHLY, QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL INFORMATION TO THE AUDITOR FOR REVIEW
  • MAINTAIN ANNUAL INVENTORIES AND A LIST OF ALL FIXED ASSETS OWNED BY THE CITY
  • ISSUE BUILDING PERMITS–MAKING PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS SEVERAL TIMES DURING CONSTRUCTION
  • ISSUE ALL OTHER LICENSES AND PERMITS AS ALLOWED BY THE ORDINANCES
  • ACT AS CUSTODIAN OF BOOKS OF RECORD, ORDINANCES, MEETING MINUTES AND OTHER OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS AND ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL, THE CORPORATE SEAL AND OTHER OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.
  • CREATE, MAINTAIN AND IMPLEMENT A POLICY & PROCEDUREAL MANUAL FOR CITY OPERATIONS
  • FILL OUT MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR THE SEWER PLANT, RETIREMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, EMPLOYMENT TAXES AND WITHHOLDING AND SALES TAX REPORTS
  • WORK WITH THE ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER ON THE WATER BILLING, DELINQUENT BILLS, ADDRESS UPDATES AND OTHE INNER OFFICE DUTIES
  • LISTEN TO THE REQUESTS AND CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY AND RELATE TO THE COUNCIL FOR REVIEW.
  • MAINTAIN THE CHECKBOOK BALANCE, PREPARE MATERIALS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AND SCHEDULING GYM EVENTS.
  • ATTEND ALL COUNCIL MEETINGS AND OTHER MEETINGS AS REQUIRED
  • CONFER WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON FISCAL MATTERS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  • ANY OTHER DUTIES ASSIGNED BY THE COUNCIL.

 

 

 

 

04/11/2019 A Voice From the Gallery

It was an interesting and enlightening election day.  After I voted, I settled down on a folding chair in the atrium of the Alcester City Auditorium as a poll observer.

According to the Office of the Secretary of State, Steven J. Barnett South Dakota Poll Watcher and Observer Guidelines updated 01/08/2019 poll observer is defined as, “…any person at a polling place, to observe, who does not declare themselves to represent one of the categories listed…is not a poll watcher but is an observer…”. (SDCL 12-18-8.1.9.9.1)

“…poll watchers must be positioned in a location where they can plainly see and hear what is done within the polling place but may not interfere in any way (SDCL 12-18-9)  Poll watchers and observers may converse with the election board and look at the pollbook only if it doesn’t interfere with the voting process.”

“Within 100 feet of a polling place (including absentee voting polling places), poll watchers and observers MAY NOT do any of the following (SDCL 12-18-3, 12-18-9.1, 12-26-21, 12-26-22)”:

As I sat from 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., observing the voting public come and go, I found the demographics intriguing.  In the early morning hours, it was Hurry-canes and rolling-walkers of the Silent Generation, followed by an after-work-influx of Baby Boomers, followed by end-of-shift GenX and Millennials.  Each generation appearing at the polls to vote on their conscience and freely participate in their constitutional right.

At 8:20 a.m. Mayor Glas showed up at the Finance Office whining to Finance Officer Jurrens and alleging, “… I (Vickie) was writing down the names of voters as they walked past me…that the names were already in the poll books…”  I was not recording names.

In that same space of time Finance Officer Jurrens mentioned a Chamber of Commerce meeting tomorrow (April 10, 2019) at noon.  Gee, I am sure Finance Officer Jurrens announced in one of the March council  meetings she had resigned from the Chamber.  WOW did I really just see her nose grow?

At 2:50 p.m. Mayor Glas returned on a run, rushing into the Finance Office announcing to Finance Officer Jurrens, “you were right”.  Mayor Glas continued to report that 300 East Fourth Street was OMG, “shingling their roof…there was not building permit…HE KNOWS BETTER!”  Finance Officer Jurrens picked up her phone (not the fancy one with all manner of bells and whistles a salesman brought in that morning which she will no doubt pitch to the city council, she just has to have it or she cannot function without it!) and called the roofing contractor, left a message for him, “…to contact her right away…!”  Then Wanda was sent out with Ballots?  WHY was Wanda doing anything with Ballots?  About an hour later, the contractor showed up suitably apologetic for the lapse in building permit.

Through-out the day Finance Office Jurrens and Ass’t Halvorson scurried back and forth, in and out of the Finance Office, going here, going there, Post Office, Nursing Home, to lunch and etc.  Folks, you really need to bring a comfy lawn chair, sit in the atrium and observe the ‘going-on’ of the Finance Office.  It is no wonder, they Need illegal OT or Comp Time to finish their work!

It was the home stretch of my marathon observation, when a disgruntled IA-Roo made his appearance.  I watched him walk back and forth for about a half hour, presumably to build up his courage.  Finally at 6:20 p.m. his courage at its peak, he stopped in front of me and began his little dance-wing-dipping, squawking out, “…I don’t like my name in the paper…”  Well Mr. IA-Roo, I was black-balled by the newspaper some time ago.  I have NO articles in the local paper. Now I just content myself with my news reporting medium-www.avoicefromthegallery.com

Mr. IA-Roo claimed “…he OWNED the vandalized curb and gutter…he had been given permission to vandalize the curb…”  WHO gave you permission, Mr. IA-Roo?   Mr. IA-Roo opines he has lived in Alcester for 25 years and, etc.  Mr. IA-Roo I have lived in Alcester since 1988 (31 years).  However Mr. IA-Roo whether I have lived here 31 years, you have lived here 25 years or your neighbor across the street has lived here all of his life  none of us can lay claim to ‘preferred status’. Mindful of my position of poll observer, I responded more congenially than Mr. IA-Roo deserved.

I told Mr. IA-Roo the curb vandalism would allow water to filter down behind the gutter, collect underneath the street causing voids and faults which would lead to street damage.  Now I didn’t use all those big words with him, fearing he would not understand.  Surely Mr. IA-Roo through his tenure in Ames and Iowa City (noted Iowa hubs of education) some modicum of extended learning may have rubbed off.  Nope?  There goes the osmosis theory of education!

Mr. IA-Roo the municipality owns a proscribed number of street-width feet which is measured from the center-line of the street to the curb and beyond.  A portion of  that city owned footage is from the curb inward, toward the residential structure generally to provide for utilities.  Mr. IA-Roo the developer paid to install the curb and gutter, which was added to the price of the lot.  Through ordinance, the cost of attrition of curb and gutter attached to Anderson Street has become the liability of the land owner. YOU DO NOT OWN THE CURB AND GUTTER!  In addition Mr. IA-Roo according to the CC&R’s which “run with the land” (a copy should be attached to your title), that residential lot could not be sub-divided legally.

Mr. IA-Roo your act of vandalism creates a potential for down-stream damages to your neighbors, for the taxpayers of Alcester and I suspect you could be charged with a misdemeanor for the curb destruction.  Speaking of misdemeanors, hopefully Councilman Lance wasn’t the one who gave you permission.  Mr. IA-Roo when you chose to school someone, perhaps you should have more than a tenuous grasp on the subject matter!