jan feb county comment

County CommentOfficial Publication of South Dakota Counties

January/February 2012 Volume 58, Number 1

Hughes County Courthouse

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Dickinson, ND 586012803 I-94 Business Loop E 701-456-1400

Fargo, ND 581043402 36th St. SW701-280-3100

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Minot, ND 587011505 Hwy 2, Bypass E701-852-3508

Aberdeen, SD 574014950 E Hwy 12 605-225-6240

Pierre, SD 57501801 N Garfield Ave.605-224-5400

Rapid City, SD 577023601 Deadwood Ave.605-342-4850

Sioux Falls, SD 571073201 N Louise Ave.605-336-3010

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January/February 2012 3www.sdcounties.org • www.sdcc.govoffice2.com

2011 - 2012 Officers and & Board of Directors

PresidentRobert JohnsonHarding County

First Vice PresidentAllen Sinclair

Yankton County

Second Vice PresidentDelvin WorthPotter County

TreasurerPhylliss Pudwill

Walworth County

Past PresidentJohn Claggett

Davison County

DirectorsOscar Thompson

Aurora County

Dave AlbrechtSpink County

Francis HassClark County

David ForretteGrant County

Casey KrogmanMellette County

Bill FloydSully County

Gerald BeningaMinnehaha County

Ron BuskerudPennington County

Ex-Officio MembersJim Schmidt - East RiverMike Ortner - West River

NACo RepresentativesDon Larson • Brookings CountyNancy Hansen • Brown County

WIR RepresentativeClint Farlee • Ziebach County

Robert Johnson, Harding County Commissioner

SDACC President’s Comments

The official newsletter of South Dakota Counties222 E Capitol Ave Suite 1Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-4554 Fax: (605) 224-4833

Website: www.sdcounties.orgWebsite: www.sdcc.govoffice2.comEmail: [email protected]

These associations were founded for the betterment of county government and serve members through lobby-ing, education, publications, and research.

The County Comment is published nine times a year. It is distributed to county elected officials, state agency personnel, National Association of Counties (NACo), universities, non-profit associations and organizations interested in the betterment of county government. Companies interested in advertising in the County

Comment, please contact Kris Jacobsen, Assistant Editor.

South Dakota counties may place classified ads, story ideas, articles and photographs in this newsletter at NO CHARGE. Send your information by email to [email protected].

Each member county devotes approximately $10.00 per official of their annual dues for a subscription to the County Comment. Non-member subscription rate is $15.00.

The opinions expressed within are not necessar-ily those of the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners (SDACC), South Dakota Association of County Officials (SDACO), South Dakota Association of County Highway Superintendents (SDACHS), or South Dakota Association of County Welfare Officials (SDACWO).

What is the Definition of Grass-roots Lobbying?Grassroots lobbying is when everyday citizens contact their own legislators to try to influence legislation and policy.

Why Should I Contact My Legislators?It’s important to let your legislators know where you stand, because the number of letters on each side of an issue will be an important indication of where people stand and frequently influence how a legislator will vote on a bill. Grassroots lobbying is very effective because the legislators are hearing directly from their constitu-ency, who will be voting the next time they are up for re-election.

What Do I Say to Legislators?When you contact your legislator, state your position clearly and politely – do you want the legislator to support the bill, or oppose it? Try to keep the mes-sage short. Briefly state in a paragraph or two why you support or oppose the bill. Write a separate message for each bill.

Grassroots lobbying is simply citizen participation in government. The key to successful grassroots lobbying ef-forts is assembling people who share common goals and concerns. Grass-

roots communica-tions are vital in educating legisla-tors to the con-cerns of the voting population in their state. If you do not share your views with your repre-sentative, then your views will not be considered when he/ she votes on an issue which affects you. You can make a difference by simply writing, calling, meeting, or faxing your representative!

Grassroots efforts are our best weapon because it ensures that we will suc-cessfully reach and influence every member of the legislature. Today, more politicians are focusing more on what is being said by the local com-munities and the people. As former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill stat-ed, “All politics is local.” As a voter, you have the most powerful tool avail-able, your vote. You have the ability to hold each representative accountable to you as a constituent. Without hear-ing from you, your legislator does not know what is important to you. Your recommendation may be the deciding factor in a member’s decision to vote for or against a bill.

You make a difference!

4 January/February 2012 www.sdcc.govoffice2.com • www.sdcounties.org

SDACO President’s ThoughtsJulie Risty, Minnehaha County Register of Deeds


PresidentJulie Risty

Register of DeedsMinnehaha County

First Vice PresidentDoreen Priebe

TreasurerBrule County

Second Vice PresidentLisa Schieffer

AuditorMeade County

Secretary/TreasurerSue Ganje

AuditorFall River/Shannon County

Past PresidentKaren Layher

AuditorGrant County

ParlimentarianSheri KoeckTreasurer

Hand County

DirectorsArlene Koch

Register of DeedsAurora County

Sara GrimTreasurer

Gregory County

Kathy GlinesAuditor

Harding County

Deborah TridleTreasurer

Lawrence County

John HilegemannRegister of DeedsMcPherson County

Julie PearsonAuditor

Pennington County

South Dakota Association

of County OfficialsHappy New Year! We’ve completed another year and are now ready to begin 2012. Most of us begin with New Year’s resolutions to do better, feel better, and – yes – even look bet-ter. But starting a new year does not necessarily end the old. We have no choice but to carry forward what we can’t leave behind, whether it’s our work, our relationships with others, or tasks not yet completed. All the while we must remember that accomplish-ments, no matter how simple or basic they may seem, often require hard work and perseverance, sometimes only achievable with the help and cooperation of others. As the 2012 Legislature begins, coun-ties will be looking toward our state legislators for their help and coopera-tive efforts during the upcoming legis-lative session. As we know, counties are continually faced with a variety of complicated issues, while struggling with restricted means of generating much-needed revenue that’s vital in providing important and essential services to the citizens of our counties. We encourage state-wide growth, and take pride in the many attributes that make us unique. But with increased growth comes increased burden, and the mandatory need for counties to provide more and better services with tightly limited budgets.

I have often thought that running county government is much like walk-ing a tightrope – a feat that requires courage, hard work, dedication, and skill. Imagine yourself high above the ground, carefully balancing on a wire only ½” wide. The only thing allowing you to keep from falling is a balancing pole -- with expenses, obligations and challenges resting on one end . . . and revenues, problem resolution and opportunities resting on

the other. The slightest gust of wind, or unex-pected shift in weight, can have drastic results.

As dedicated, hard-working county officials, we consistently strive to find ways to meet the needs of our constituents. In order to make it safely across the tightrope, we must remain firmly fixed on the goal, always looking ahead. If we proceed together in a cooperative effort, one step at a time, -- steadily working to meet and resolve continual challenges -- we will be successful in “walking the wire”, and will continue to provide efficient and effective county government and excellence in public service.

I wish you all a safe and happy new year!

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PresidentRon KrempgesMiner County

President ElectLenny Uhrich

Edmunds County

First Vice PresidentMerle HansonHamlin County

Secretary/TreasurerGreg Vavra

Jerauld County

Past PresidentRandy Seiler

Fall River County

NACE State DirectorRaymond Roggow

Union County

DirectorsJerry Batien

Beadle County

Shannon RasmussenBrule County

John HowardsonClark County

Clint DegenHanson County

Dick BirkLawrence County

Ken McGirrMeade County

South Dakota Association of County Highway

Superintendents

Ron Krempges, Miner County

SD Assoc of County Highway Superintendents

Another year has come to a end and what a year it was. From battling snow and winds of last winter to spring flooding from snow melt, spring rains, and already saturated ground from the year before. the latter part of the year provided some excellent weather to get somewhat caught up and some much needed road and bridge mainte-nance and repair done. I was fortunate enough to get away from the daily grind to attend our highway meetings, training, and county convention. These meetings have always been very informative and beneficial to our department for updates and training for this fast paced world. As I write this plans are being made for the 2012 County Highway Su-perintendent Short Course in Huron, March 13-15, and the County Conven-tion in Sioux Falls this fall. While in Pierre last December, I was able to tour the new county building just before the staff moved in. It is a great improvement for the staff and

it is nice to know we have a place in Pierre to go for meetings and train-ing. Everyone have a wonderful and safe 2012

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Employment OpportunityJob Title: Lawrence County

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Qualified Applicants shall submit a Lawrence County application and

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http://www.lawrence.sd.us/employ.htm


SD Association of County Welfare Officials


PresidentKaren Romey

Pennington County

Vice PresidentSarah Petersen

Codington County

SecretaryJerry Miller

Union County

Past PresidentTheresa Hodges

Spink County

CCPR AdministratorKristie Jacobsen

SD Counties

South Dakota Association of County Welfare Officials

Karen Romey, Pennington County H & HS The below information is courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion. http://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealth-matters/2012/01/new-years-resolution-be-ready/

We all make resolutions for the New Year, lose weight, read more, learn a new skill. Well this year why not make one of your resolutions to be ready? 2011 was full of devastating emergen-cies, from the Mississippi River flooding to the more than 343 tornados that tore through the Southeast. Just a few simple steps can ensure that you’re ready for anything. To help you be more prepared in 2012, we’ll be posting 31 days of preparedness.

Day 1 - Tip: Make an emergency kit for your second home…aka your carYour house isn’t the only thing that should be well stocked; your car should also include some important essentials. You can easily put together items you already have in your house to make an emergency kit for your ride. Include things like:•Blanket•Flashlight•BatteriesStore your items in a bag in the trunk so they are secure and out of the way until you need them. You can make your kit more complete by stopping by an auto supply store and picking up road flares and jumper cables.

Day 2 - Tip: Always keep your gas tank atleast 1/2 fullWaiting until the last minute might be a hard habit to break, but if you’re ever stranded or have to evacuate you’ll be happy you followed this tip.

Day 3 - Tip: Learn how to change a tireEveryone should know how to change a tire, even if you’ve got roadside assist-ance there may be times when this isn’t an option. Review your owners manual and try a test run at your house when

there’s no pressure.

Day 4 - Tip: Review or establish an evacuation plan from your house.If there was a fire, would you know how to get out? Sit down with your family and go over each exit route in the house and how you would get out if there were a fire or other emergency. Sketch a floor plan of your home, walk through each room and discuss evacua-tion details with your family.

Day 5: - Tip: Put together a first aid kit for your homeThis is something you’ll use all year. Here are some items that should be in everyone’s first aid kit. If you or a fam-ily member have special needs make sure to consider these when putting your kit together.•Bandages•Alcohol swabs•Tweezers•Thermometer•Cold compress

Day 6 - Tip: Stock up on waterWater is an essential for life. And not only do you need it to live, but think of all the other times during the day you use water. If your pipes burst or freeze or flood water contaminates the treat-ment plant, you’ll need to have supplies on hand. Make sure you store a gallon of water for three days for each member of your family, including your pet.

Day 7 - Tip: Stock up on foodFloods, snow, severe storms, and any number of other natural disasters can limit your access to the grocery store. Make sure you always have additional food in your house, basic non-perishable foods that can last each person in your

•Gauze Pads•Aspirin•First Aid booklet•Blanket•Non-latex gloves

•First aid kit•Granola bars•Jumper cables

house for three days. Keep a manual can opener in hand, but avoid canned goods that are dented or swollen.

Day 8 - Tip: Copy important papersYou should have copies of all your important papers, birth certificates, passports, deeds, etc. Keep them in a fire proof box in a designated area in the house. While you’re at it, make an electronic copy and email it to your-self. If something happens such as an earthquake, fire, or flood you’ll be glad you’ve got copies of the originals.

Day 9 - Tip: Write down important phone numbersThis includes the fire and police depart-ments, poison control, but also your family practitioner, a trusted neighbor, and an out of town friend or relative. Put a copy of this list in your emergency kit and post another copy on your fridge. You could also go ahead and program them into your cell phone so if you’re away from your house you can still ac-

Continued on page 17


South Dakota Legislature2012 Legislator ListingDistrict 01 (Day, Marshall, Roberts)Frerichs, Jason (D) Senate Sigdestad, David (D) House Wismer, Susan (D) House

District 02 (Brown, Spink)Dennert, H. Paul (D) HouseElliott, Elaine (D) HouseHundstad, Jim (D) Senate

District 03 (Brown, McPherson)Feickert, Dennis (D) House Novstrup, Al (R) Senate Novstrup, David (R) House

District 04 (Brookings, Deuel, Grant, Moody)Begalka, Tim (R) Senate Rausch, Val (R) House Street, Steve (D) House

District 05 (Codington)Holien, Ried (R) Senate Magstadt, Melissa (R) House Solum, Roger (R) House

District 06 (Beadle, Clark, Codington, Hamlin, Kingsbury)Fryslie, Art (R) Senate Greenfield, Brock (R) House Tulson, Burt (R) House

District 07 (Brookings)Hawley, Spencer (D) House Munsterman, Scott (R) House Tidemann, Larry (R) Senate

District 08 (Lake, Miner, Moody, Sanborn)Fargen, Mitch (D) House Olson, Russell (R) Senate Stricherz, Patricia (R) House

District 09 (Minnehaha)Deelstra, Bob (R) House Hickey, Steve (R) House Peters, Deb (R) Senate

District 10 (Lincoln, Minnehaha)Abdallah, Gene (R) House Hunt, Roger (R) House Krebs, Shantel (R) Senate

District 11 (Lincoln, Minnehaha)Hubbel, Lora (R) House Schlekeway, Todd (R) Senate Willadsen, Mark (R) House

District 12 (Lincoln, Minnehaha)Johnston, Mark (R) Senate Steele, Manny (R) House Wick, Hal (R) House

District 13 (Minnehaha)Blake, Suzy (D) House Heineman, Phyllis (R) Senate Liss, Brian (R) House

District 14 (Minnehaha)Cutler, Joni (R) SenateFeinstein, Marc (D) House Tornow, R. Shawn (R) House

District 15 (Minnehaha)Buhl. Angie (D) Senate Haggar, Jenna (I) HouseKirschman, Patrick (D) House

District 16 (Lincoln, Union)Bolin, Jim (R) House Lederman, Dan (R) Senate Miller, Patty (R) House

District 17 (Clay, Turner)Boomgarden, Jamie (R) House Jones, Tom (D) House Nygaard, Eldon (D) Senate

District 18 (Yankton)Hunhoff, Bernie (D) HouseHunhoff, Jean (R) Senate Moser, Nick (R) House

District 19 (Bon Homme, Douglas, Hutchinson, Turner)Putnam, J.E. “Jim” (R) Senate Kloucek, Frank (D) House Van Gerpen, Edward (R) House

District 20 (Aurora, Davison)Carson, Lance (R) House Rozum, Tona (R) House Vehle, Mike (R) Senate

District 21 (Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Jones, Lyman)Juhnke, Kent (R) Senate Schaefer, James (R) House Scott, David M. (R) House

District 22 (Beadle, Hand, Jerauld)Gibson, Peggy (D) House Hansen, Tom (R) Senate White, Jim (R) House

District 23 (Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, Hyde, McPherson, Potter, Walworth)Brown, Corey (R) SenateCronin, Justin (R) House Hoffman, Charles (R) House

District 24 (Hughes, Stanley, Sully)Gray, Bob (R) SenatePerry, Tad (R) HouseVenner, Mark (R) House

District 25 (Hanson, McCook, Minnehaha)Hansen, Jon (R) HouseNelson, Stace (R) HouseRave, Tim (R) Senate

District 26 (Gregory, Mellette, Tripp, Todd)Sutton, Billie (D) SenateLucas, Larry (D) House Vanneman, Kim (R) House

District 27 (Bennett, Haakon, Jackson, Shannon)Bradford, Jim (D) Senate Iron Cloud III, Edward (D) House Killer, Kevin (D) House

District 28 (Butte, Corson, Dewey,Harding, Meade, Perkins, Ziebach)Maher, Ryan (D) SenateSchrempp, Dean (D) House Olson, Betty (R) House

District 29 (Butte, Meade)Brunner, Thomas (R) House Rhoden, Larry (R) Senate Wink, Dean (R) House

District 30 (Custer, Fall River,Pennington)Rampelberg, Bruce (R) Senate Russell, Lance (R) House Verchio, Mike (R) House

District 31 (Lawrence)Nelson, Tom (R) Senate Romkema, Fred (R) House Turbiville, Charles (R) House

District 32 (Pennington)Adelstein, Stanford (R) Senator Conzet, Kristin (R) House Gosch, Brian (R) House

District 33 (Meade, Pennington)Jensen, Phil (R) House Kraus, Elizabeth (R) Senate Sly, Jacqueline (R) House

District 34 (Pennington)Dryden, Dan (R) House Lust, David (R) House Tieszen, Craig (R) Senate

District 35 (Pennington)Haverly, Jeffrey (R) Senate Kirkeby, Mark (R) House Kopp, Don “Pete” (R) House

Call:Senate Lobby (605) 773-3821House Lobby (605) 773-3851

Fax:(605) 773-6806 (Indicate Legislator)

Write:Senator or Representative

500 E Capitol Ave • Pierre SD 57501Email:

[email protected] or [email protected](Include Legislator’s name in subject box)

CONTACT INFORMATION


Municipal Bankruptcy

Tips, Trends and Resources

This article is a two part series. The second will be published in the March issue of the County Comment.

In 1995, Orange County, CA became the largest municipality, and the first county, to declare bankruptcy under Chapter 9 of the United States Code. In recent months, Jefferson County, AL has had to face a bankruptcy filing and the cities of Vallejo, CA, Central Falls, RI and Harrisburg, PA have also filed for bankruptcy. With the cur-rent economic slowdown, declining housing values and revenue shortfalls facing many local governments, bank-ruptcy is once again a looming issue for many local governments.

Following the devastation of Hur-ricanes Katrina and Rita, several southern parishes and counties took a long hard look at bankruptcy. The longstanding economic downturn and the looming debt for employee retire-ment benefits, including healthcare, have many counties facing a struggle to survive.

What issues can bring a county government to the brink of bank-ruptcy? What role do the states play in addressing municipal fiscal stress? What are the states’ roles in handling municipal fiscal stress? How can a county prevent filing for bankruptcy? A quick look at the lessons learned from the Orange County bankruptcy, as well as the history of other munici-pal bankruptcies, will help shed light on this issue.

Chapter 9 The US Bankruptcy Code was amend-ed in 1934 to allow municipalities to declare bankruptcy. Chapter 9 of the US Bankruptcy Code was developed in 1934 when municipalities faced the strain of the Great Depression and has been amended multiple times since it

was declared constitutional in 1937. In 1933, 24 mayors marched on Wash-ington asking President Roosevelt for federal loans to help them meet their local financial responsibilities.1

Although nearly everyone on Capitol Hill was sympathetic, no one was in favor of loaning them federal funds. President Roosevelt was opposed to loaning money to local governments because he believed 1) the demand might increase to more than $10 bil-lion and 2) local governments would have to surrender their independence to Washington and the federal govern-ment.2 As a result of the President’s decision and with his support, legis-lation was drafted for what became Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code that would allow them to declare bank-ruptcy. Section 109 of the Bankruptcy Code establishes four conditions that a municipality must meet to declare bankruptcy under Chapter 9: • The entity must be a municipality (defined in the Code as a “political subdivision or public agency or instru-mentality of the state.”) • It must be specifically authorized by its state to be a debtor • It must be insolvent • It must desire to reorganize debts

Chapter 9 provides municipalities with protection from creditors while at the same time giving them the space and time to adjust their debt. Since the establishment of Chapter 9 bank-ruptcy fewer than 500 municipalities have filed for bankruptcy and most of these have been special purpose districts. Chapter 9 is similar to private sector bankruptcy in that it gives the debtor breathing room from its credi-tors and allows the county or city an opportunity to reorganize its debt. The filing must be voluntary on the part of the debtor. Even though municipal bankruptcy is similar to private sector bankruptcy, it differs in several ways.

A private sector bankruptcy allows for the liquidation of the debtor’s assets in order to pay creditors in the reorgani-zation phase. Since municipal govern-ments perform essential public duties, their assets cannot be liquidated. In this way, the federal bankruptcy court has very little power. It cannot liq-uidate assets and it cannot, assign a trustee to oversee the case, because of the 10th Amendment reserves certain rights to states. The bankruptcy court does not involve itself in matters of local politics.

Role of the State The protection of the sovereignty of the states is what made writing a federal bankruptcy statute for local governments problematic. The original municipal bankruptcy code legislation was ruled to be in violation of the 10th Amendment in 1934 by the U.S. Su-preme Court3 and had to be amended in 1937 to be constitutional.

The role of the state in municipal bankruptcy is crucial. The state must give specific authorization to the mu-nicipality to declare bankruptcy. Some states have authorization statutes that allow municipalities to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy, often with precondi¬tions. Georgia and Iowa are 2 of the 25 states that do not allow their municipalities to file bankruptcy. Others, like Alaska and Alabama, do not have statutes on the subject at all, meaning that since they do not give specific authorization to do so, municipalities may not file Chapter 9. Because the municipality is under control of the state, the state can set precondi¬tions to bankruptcy or do anything in its power to prevent the municipality from declaring bank-ruptcy.

By having to go through the state to declare bankruptcy, the municipality is

Continued on page 9


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Continued from page 8

Municipal Bankruptcy - con’t

at the mercy of the state and how it de-cides to handle the fiscal problem. The state, in its gatekeeper function, does not have to allow the municipality to even declare bankruptcy. In that case, the state would be looked upon to provide financial and technical assist-ance in order to bail the county out of its financial distress. Some states, like New York and Pennsylvania, have en-acted municipal distress statutes which are the equivalent of state bankruptcy procedures. In the case where the state does allow the filing of the bankruptcy petition, they can appoint a trustee to oversee the bankruptcy and prepare a readjustment plan.

To recap, for a municipality to be eligible for Chapter 9: • The municipality must be authorized to be a debtor by state law • The municipality must be insolvent • The municipality must want to adjust its debts • And must deal with its creditors in one of several specified ways.

Generally, a state will do what it can to prevent a municipality from filing for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy will not only affect the credit and bond rating of the participating county, but it could also have a negative effect on the rest of the state. According to US News and World Report4, in the week after the Orange County bankruptcy filing, share prices of single state California closed-end muni-bond funds dropped by an average of 5 percent. The risk for all municipal bonds across the na-tion is also raised as a result of mu-nicipal bankruptcy.

Why Bankruptcy? How do counties get to the point of going bankrupt? It is important to note that not all fiscally distressed counties or municipalities file for bankruptcy

even when that option is available. All sides try to prevent that situation from happening. But what causes a county’s fiscal situation to become so dire that bankruptcy is a legitimate option?

There are many reasons for extreme fiscal distress in counties. An Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations report examined many of the root causes of financial distress on mu-nicipalities.5 The report found that “the principle cause of financial emergen-cies in the 1972-83 period continued to be unsound financial management.” Bad budgeting and accounting practic-es led to losses in liquidity, the study found. In the case of Orange County, some bad investments led to over $1 billion in losses.

There was another underlying cause for the Orange County bankruptcy. In the state of California, Proposition 13 had severely limited all counties’ abil-ity to raise revenue through property tax. With this in mind, counties felt pressured to raise revenue in other capacities. The Orange County Invest-

ment Pool was creating that needed revenue. State cutbacks, in general, have left counties grasping for ways to fund programs that are essential to life in their county, especially in the areas of health and human services. These unfunded mandates and reduction in state funds in general have forced many counties into a financial bind.

Another cause of financial hardship that the report identified is the result of court judgments against municipali-ties. This is especially true for smaller governments that are hit with large sum judgments. For example, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi was issued a $375,000 judgment by federal district court while the total budget of the city was $728,294. The bankruptcy was dismissed because the city couldn’t comply with the court order to borrow the money from a bank and had to turn to the state to get approval to borrow money to successfully pay the judg-ment. In 1984, Wapanucka, Oklahoma faced a similar situation where it had insuf¬ficient funds to satisfy a judg-



Tips. Trends, and Resources

ment against the town. As a result of court rulings, small governments can find themselves in a hole for which they had not budgeted. These exam-ples may only be a preview of things to come for county governments. The report concludes that “the trend toward a broadening of local government liabilities and exposures to lawsuits appears likely to cause more emergen-cies in the future.”

Yet another reason for financial hard-ship is demographic changes, espe-cially when local governments lose their population and their tax base. This issue is currently under debate in Pittsburgh, PA. Although they have not filed for bankruptcy, years of out-migration in the area has caused the city to lose 50 percent of its population in the last 50 years, ravaging its tax base. It is nearly impossible to keep up with services when half of the tax base has left. Allegheny County, PA felt the crunch as well, since many of the commu¬nities in the county, not just Pittsburgh, are experiencing the same loss of population.

Jefferson County, AL In the current economic environment many counties are struggling with major revenue shortfalls and grappling with meeting their economic responsi-bilities. Primary among recent coun-ties in this situation is Jefferson Coun-ty, AL. Jefferson County has been on the brink of bankruptcy for a number of years, largely due to actions taken to repair and rebuild its sewer system to settle a lawsuit for violating the Clean Water Act in 1996. The county sold bonds to finance the project rais-ing $555 million. The county also purchased a derivative connected to some of the fixed rate debt.

After nearly 10 years of refinancing

and occasional accusations of cor-ruption by local government officials (several were found guilty) the county saw itself unable to pay its debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. The county initiated a new tax to increase rev-enue and raise the potential of pay-ing its debt, but the tax was struck down by the State Supreme Court on a technicality. After attempting for the last three years to renegotiate the sewer debt to avoid default, the county finally reached an agreement with its creditors in mid September 2011 to stave off bankruptcy.6

Unfortunately, on November 20, 2011, the agreement with their creditors fell apart because the creditors apparently refused to go along with the economic concessions that had been negotiated earlier. The county then voted to file the petition for Chapter 9 bankruptcy citing $5 billion indebtedness, making it the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

Other Governments Consider Bankruptcy Another county that resorted to bank-ruptcy to settle the amount it owed be-cause of a lawsuit is Boise County, ID.

The county was involved in a lawsuit brought by a developer who balked at the restrictions the county placed on its development of a proposed residen-tial treatment facility that would house 72 boys in the small county. The de-veloper brought suit under the federal Fair Housing Act and won a judgment of $4 million and $1.4 million in attor-ney’s fees. The county both appealed the decision and attempted to negotiate an agreement with the developer but both failed. With a county operating budget of less than $10 million, this county of 7,500 people had no choice but to file for bankruptcy. Upon review by the federal bankruptcy court in Idaho, the judge’s finding was that the county had sufficient funds available to pay the judgment against it and still maintain services for its residents and dismissed the case, on September 2, 2011, denying the bankruptcy peti-tion.7

Nassau County, NY is in a state that does not allow municipal bankruptcy. As observers watched over the years, they saw that this wealthy county out-side of New York City which had little or no tax hikes was getting deeper and



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deeper into debt. Former County Ex-ecutive Tom Suozzi came into office to a system where the convoluted and inconsistent tax assessment system left the county holding the bag for refunds to homeowners who challenged their school tax assess¬ments. This at a time that the county was giving 65 percent of the collected tax revenue to a school district over which it had no control. Most challengers won their appeals. In recent years these overpay-ment refunds have been in the tens of millions forcing the county to borrow $100 million each year in short term loans to refund tax overpayments to homeowners. Coupling these refunds with the ongoing economic reces-

Continued from page 10 sion, increasing healthcare costs, social services delivery cost increases, police overtime and union contracts, the county saw its average tax bill go to $11,500, one of the highest in the country and in late 2010, saw its credit rating downgraded making it even harder to borrow the money it needed each year.

Finally, the state of New York stepped in appointing the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which took over the county’s financing and put a stop to the short term borrowing.8 Finance Authority members believe that the county’s bookkeeping system needs examination and that the hopes the county executive has to realize conces-

sions through future labor contract ne-gotiations may go unrealized. Howev-er, the authority’s role is to work with the county executive and other county officials to help stabilize the county.

Resources1 Time Magazine, June 12, 1933 2 Time Magazine, June 12, 1933 3 Ashton v. Cameron County Water Im-provement Dist. No. 1, 298 U.S. 513, 532 (1936)4 US News and World Report, December 11, 1994 5 Bankruptcies, Defaults and other Governmental Financial Emergencies, Advisory Commission on Intergovernmen-tal Relations, March 19856 Marketwatch.com, September 16, 20117 Idaho Statesman, September 3, 20118 New York Times, January 26, 2011


Are inmate medical costs draining your county budgets?The South Dakota Association of County Commis-sioners (SDACC) is proud to partner with Correction-al Risk Services (CRS) to offer two programs to help South Dakota counties contain the costs of medical care for county inmates.

Choose from:Inmate Medical Claims Review Service: CRS will perform claims administration management for all county inmates housed in a county jail. Claims admin-istration management will include:

1. Determine if the medical treatment was actually delivered.2. Determine if the medical treatment was medically necessary.3. Provide hospital and physician discounts, where available, through our PPO network.4. Negotiate ‘quick pay’ discounts from providers whenever possible.5. Prepare checks to be sent to hospitals, physicians, and other medical care providers.6. Furnish explanations of payment.7. Provide detailed claims reports.8. Furnish Sheriff Department personnel with Inmate Provider Claim Cards.9. CRS retains a percentage of what they save on the billing. If there are no savings – there are no costs to the county.

Inmate Medical Budget Protector: CRS will provide inmate excess medical insurance for county inmates. The policy will include the Claims Administration Management and the following:

1. A $10,000 deductible per county inmate, per con-tract year.2. A policy limit up to $250,000 (less deductible) per inmate, per contract year.3. Covered charges include: a. Inpatient hospitalization b. Outpatient surgical charges c. Emergency room charges - if followed by a hos-pital admission d. Physicians’ & surgeons’ fees e. Anesthesiologists & radiologists charges, f. Nurses charges g. Diagnostic x-ray & laboratory services h. Dressings, drugs, & medicines dispensed in a hospital or outpatient facility i. Medical conditions such as cancer, heart, kidney, diabetes are covered illnesses j. Accidental injuries, fights, self-inflicted injuries, and attempted suicide.4. No pre-existing medical condition limitations after coverage has been in effect for 72 hours.

NOTE: This is a summary of the plan details. Please call SDACC at (605) 224-4554 for specific details.

Juvenile detention medical costs are also eligible for these programs!

Sheriffs’ departments and county governments are faced with the ever

increasing problem of providing medical, dental, and prescription drug benefits to an inmate population. In

today’s climate of rapidly rising hospital costs, sheriff and county

budgets are stretched beyond limit. Often times those budgets are exceeded

well in advance of year end.

Program Services

**Members**McPherson, Meade & Mellette

Counties

“What we do is provide an insurance policy to the county in the event an

inmate has a large medical claim”

Correctional Risk Services, Inc

Drainage Structure Maintenance & Repair

6 0 5 - 8 3 8 - 8 3 8 4w w w . c l e a n c u l v e r t s . c o m

We have over 4 million miles of roadway in the US, making it the largest highway system in the world! Millions of culverts are hidden underneath the roadways to channel water and prevent flooding.

There has been more attention and maintenance work done for above ground infrastructure, while the underground infrastructure is failing due to lack of maintenance and proper asset management practices.

Subsurface Inc. has invested time and money to bring the most technologically advanced trenchless solutions to the forefront to rehabilitate the existing structures without the cost and inconvenience of open cutting and detours.

OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND

We don’t have time for closed roads due to failed structures.

Hydro-Mechanical cleaning restores the drainage capacity of reinforced concrete culverts and corrugated metal culverts. Slip-lining of culverts using Culvert Renews “Thread Lock” design. We offer this culvert liner directly to the end user and provide training for the contractor, state or county that wishes to install them themselves. This solution allows traffic to continue uninterrupted. Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) is a great option when lining a corroded out metal pipe and hydraulics cannot be sacrificed. RCP Joint Repair and Pipe Rehabilitation - Left unattended, joint separations continue to increase in size and voids created outside the pipe grow until the road bed settles, creating a dip or the road bed fails completely. Internal Void Grouting of External Voids is performed from inside of the reinforced concrete culvert by technicians trained to work in culverts as small in diameter as 24 inches.

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Call for More Information


County SpotlightHughes CountyLargest City: PierreCounty Seat: PierrePopulation: 17,022Organized: 1880Size: 741 square miles

Organized in November 1880 by Alexander Hughes, Hugh-es County is located in the center of our state. In 1874, a pioneer missionary of the Congregational Church named Reverend Thomas L. Riggs built a permanent mis-sion at Oahe. During 1877, a Frenchman named Napoleon Duschenaux erected a log house on the present site of Pierre and operated a horse ferry across the river to the trading post in Fort Pierre. In 1880 land was purchased by the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. Upon learning that Pierre was to become the terminal for the railroad, a North Dakota man by the name of John Hilger built the first frame building in the county that was used as a store. He also became the first Postmaster in Pierre.

With the coming of the railroad, Pierre became the meeting point of lawbreaking and tough characters. A group of vigilantes was formed to rid the town of the disorderly individuals, soon the town became peaceful and law abiding.

When South Dakota achieved statehood in 1889, many state officials had argued for the duration of the first legislative session whether Vermillion, Yankton or Bon Homme should be selected as the state capital. Following a long campaign, centrally-located Pierre was given the honor by a vote in 1890.

Settled in 1882, Blunt was named for John E. Blunt, chief engineer of the Northwestern railroad.

Canning, established in 1884, was probably named for George Canning, an English orator and states-man.

Harrold, settled in 1881 and incorporated in 1884, was named for Harrold R. McCullough. He was an official for the Northwestern railroad.

Pierre, incorported in 1888, took it’s name from the older town of Fort Pierre just across the river. It was founded in 1878 as Meto, but in 1880 John and

Anson Hilger consigned a shipment of household goods to “Pierre on the east side of the river opposite Fort Pierre,” and the new name stayed.

Perhaps Hughes County’s most famous resident was inter-national rodeo champion Casey Tibbs. Born in 1929, Tibbs grew up breaking broncos and herding cattle throughout South Dakota. In 1951 and 1955, Tibbs won the title of World Champion All-Around Cowboy.

We’re South Dakota’s Public Finance Partner

Gerald J. Spethman, Jr. Senior Vice President, Public Finance Banker

[email protected]

Darwin L. ReiderSenior Vice President, Public Finance Banker

[email protected]

1111 North 102nd Court, Suite 300Omaha, Nebraska 68114

D.A. Davidson & Co. is committed to strengthening the infrastructure and enriching the lives of people in our communities throughout South Dakota and across the nation.

D.A. Davidson has established strong bonds with communities throughout South Dakota. Our public finance bankers average over 20 years of experience in conventional fixed-rate debt financing, variable-rate bonds, credit-enhanced structures and non-rated bonds. Year after year we serve as manager of billions of dollars of financing. Our primary areas of focus include the following: Cities, Counties, School Districts, Rural Water Utility Finance, Healthcare Finance, Lease-Purchase Financing, Nonprofit Entities and Alternative Energy.

For additional information please contact our South Dakota bankers listed below:

Let’s build a brighter future!

www.davidsoncompanies.com/ficm/


Permanent Life Insurance Program


In recent years the cost of employee-paid benefits has risen dramatically. As a result, employers are finding it more difficult to meet the demands for any enhancements or updates to benefit schedules.

Along similar lines, middle wage earn-ers are not receiving individualized and personal life insurance planning assistance as they once did due to a reduction in agents and profit margins for smaller permanent life insuranceproducts. Generally there are medical and underwriting requirements which also make it more difficult to secure long-term protection at affordable prices for average income earners.

The South Dakota Association of County Commissioners has entered

into an agreement with Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company to provide South Dakota counties the Employee Life Option (ELO), which is a whole life permanent insurance program. Boston Mutual Life Insurance Com-pany has been in business since 1891 and has an excellent financial insur-ance rating, competitive premiums, commitment to service and stature in the industry.

The ELO program is completely vol-untary and is being offered via payroll deductions. It is not meant to duplicate or replace any current benefits. It is available to all elected officials and employees, as well as their spouses, dependent children and grandchildren. A family member can be covered with-out the employee or elected official

personally buying coverage. Neither the employee/elected official nor eligible family members can be turned down for certain guaranteed amounts due to past or present health problems and no physical or blood testing is required. How-ever, a spouse may be subject to medical ques-tions if treated in a medical facility within the prior six months of enrolling.

Premiums are guaranteed to never increase. The face amount, cash values and

paid-up benefits will never decrease. Cash values are currently earning 4.25 percent. The insured can continue the ELO upon retirement or termination of employment with no increase in premiums or decrease in benefits.

Many units of government offer group term insurance that provides insur-ance for a specific period of time in the event the insured dies prematurely. Few, if any, offer permanent life insur-ance which combines death protection with savings no matter when death occurs. Less than 2 percent of the policyholders ever collect benefits from term insurance while 100 percent collect benefits from permanent life insurance.

The Boston Mutual Life Insurance ELO is serviced and enrolled by Haus-er and Associates Insurance Services. The agency’s reputation for service, integrity and professionalism is well documented. Their experience with county government was critical in the decision to endorse this product. Their commitment to the customer’s interest is also well recognized.

This is an opportunity for govern-ments to offer an insurance product to their employees and families at no additional cost to the taxpayers. Many of these employees are otherwise unable to obtain life insurance in the conventional market for their personal long-term and post-retirement needs. Identifying and addressing employee’s needs is a means to improved perform-ance, a more content workforce and a higher appreciation of the employer.

For more information contact the South Dakota Counties office at (605) 224-4554 or by email:[email protected].


Retirement News

The Internal Revenue Service has an-nounced higher maximum contribution limits for participant-directed defined contribution plans, effective Janu-ary 2012. The announcement means county workers will be able, by law, to contribute more into their NACo Deferred Compensation Program and similar retirement-plan accounts as soon as the first paycheck of the new year.

In January, county workers can con-tribute as much as $17,000 per year to their deferred compensation plan account. If they’re at least 50 years old, they could contribute as much $22,500 through the age 50-plus catch-up provision. Certain employees who are nearing their retirement date could contribute as much as double this year’s maximum limit, $34,000, through the Special 457 catch-up provision.

For most workers, the legal maxi-mum may be beyond their financial reach. Their “max” is the contribution increase that matches their budget and comfort level. The federal government encourages retirement-plan partici-pants who may need help saving for retirement through the Saver’s Credit, a tax credit created under the Eco-nomic Growth and Tax Relief Rec-onciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA). For those who qualify, it allows a credit of up to $1,000 on their federal income tax return for contributing to their NACo Deferred Compensation Program account. Eligibility depends on filing status and modified adjusted gross income.

Nationwide is promoting the 2012 contribution limits, as well as the Saver’s Credit, with an underlying theme which reminds public employ-ees that increasing contributions by any amount right now could mean

having more options in retirement.

County leaders can support their work-ers by promoting their sponsorship of deferred compensation. Make sure your employees know that you un-derstand the challenges they face, and how you’re working to help them to find solutions through your plan.

Let us help your county’s workers feel prepared for retirement — be-cause they’ve planned for it through the NACo Deferred Compensation Program. Contact Lisa Cole at NACo, [email protected], 202.942.4270 or a Nationwide representative at 877.677.3678, option 2.

IRS Increases Retirement Plan Contribution Limits for 2012


Senator Tim Johnson136 Hart Senate Office BldgWashington, DC 20510(202) 224-5842Fax: (202) 225-5823

Aberdeen (605) 226-3440Rapid City (605) 341-3990Sioux Falls (605) 332-8896

Senator John ThuneUnited States Senate SR-493Washington, DC 20515(202) 224-2321Fax: (202) 228-5429

Aberdeen (605) 225-8823Rapid City (605) 348-7551Sioux Falls (605) 334-9596

Representative Kristi Noem226 Cannon House Office BldgWashington, DC 20515(202) 225-2801Fax: (202) 225-5823

Rapid City - (605) 791-4673Sioux Falls (605) 367-8371

Congressional DelegationRecent Job Growth in South Dakota by Senator Tim JohnsonU.S. Senator Tim Johnson highlighted the continued economic growth in South Dakota during a tour of the new Builders Choice manufacturing facility in Vermillion. The business opened its doors in November and hired 30 workers, with plans to increase hiring throughout the year.

“Even with a tough national economy, South Dakota has always been open for business. The decision to bring Builder’s Choice to Vermillion is proof of that. This is good news for the local economy and means dozens of new jobs in our state,” said Johnson.

Builders Choice is an Alaska-based company that manufactures modular homes, a process by which new homes are constructed at the facility, broken down to large components and shipped to be reassembled at their final loca-tion. The company has constructed homes for many North Dakota com-munities following the ongoing oil

boom, which has increased demand for housing in the state.

Last month, Builders Choice held a ribbon cutting for its new 45,000 square-foot warehouse in Vermillion. The company has already brought 30 new jobs to the community and is ex-pected to add as many as 30 new jobs over the next year.

“Although our state hasn’t been hit as hard as some others during this downturn, there is still room to grow our economy. Bringing new businesses like Builders Choice to South Dakota will keep momentum going and help strengthen this recovery,” continued Johnson.

According to the most recent statis-tics released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Department of Labor, South Dakota’s unemployment rate has fallen to 4.3 percent, the low-est level since January of 2009.

Johnson was joined on the tour by Steve Howe, Director, Vermillion Chamber and Economic Develop-ment Corp.; Mark Larson, President, Builders Choice Inc. and Greg Stirn, Vermillion Plant Manager, Builders Choice Inc.

Each year, I recognize one South Dakota

family as Angels in Adoption.

Nora and Randy Boesem, Newell, SD have adopted nine

children. All are affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disor-

ders (FASD). In addition to their adopted children, they have also opened their home to nearly 70 children through the foster care system over the last 10 years.

2011 Angels in AdoptionNora and Randy Boesem


Assisting Communitieswith Development and Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing

HOME Funds Rural Site Development Funds Housing Tax Credits Bond Financing

HOUSING S O U T H D A K O T A

D E V E L O P M E N T A U T H O R I T Y

605.773.3181 800.540.4241 www.sdhda.org

County News

cess the list. In an emergency, it’s often easier to reach someone outside of the affected area because the lines can be jammed where you are. Letting this person know your location can help you and your loved ones avoid the stress of knowing whether or not you’re safe.

Day 10 - Tip: Make a list of your pre-scriptionsWrite down a list of all the medicines you take, doses, and any allergies so that you can take it with you in an emer-gency. Keep this list with your other important documents.

Day 11 - Tip: Check your flashlights and radiosDouble check that all the gadgets you have in your emergency kit still work. Replace any batteries or devices that have passed their prime. You don’t want

to find out your flashlight no longer works when the power goes out.

Day 12 - Tip: Check your smoke detec-torsThis should be something you do every month. You should replace your smoke detector’s batteries at least once a year, even if you don’t think they need to be replaced. If you don’t think you’re go-ing to remember next year, do this on a date that’s special to you.

Day 13 - Tip: Identify a meeting place outside of your homeCertain emergencies require that you evacuate your house. Make sure you and your family have a safe place to meet outside of your home like a neighbor’s driveway. Be sure everyone is clear on where they should go and do a test run.Day 14 - Tip: Find out what emergen-cies are likely where you live

Take time to learn what disasters are likely in your area and make sure you know how you should respond.

Day 15 - Tip: Identify an area in your home to shelter in placeDuring an earthquake, tornado, or severe storm you will need to shelter in place. Find a secure area in your home where you and your family can go. Choose a room in advance for your shelter. The best room is one with as few windows and doors, like a basement.

Day 16 - Tip: Test your emergency plan with your familyReview where everyone should go if they need to shelter in place, leave the house, or evacuate your town. Also go over where important documents and phone numbers are and who each family person should call to check in.



SDACC Associate Member DirectoryAgriculture United of SDSteve DickPO Box 507Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 336-3622Agriculture

American Engineering TestingRobert Temme, PE1745 Samco RdRapid City, SD 57702Phone: (605) 388-0029Engineering

American State BankKelley VanLithPO Box 1178Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9233Financial Services

Architecture IncorporatedSusan KahlerPO Box 2140Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 339-1711Architectural Firm

BankWestKristin Brost420 S Pierre StPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7391Financial services

Banner Associates, IncDoug WesselPO Box 298Brookings, SD 57006Phone: (605) 692-6342Engineering, Architecture, Surveying

Beckenhauer ConstructionRon StaufferPO Box 866Norfolk, NE 68702Phone: (402) 371-5363Construction Mgmt, Design Build

Best Western SD Ramkota HotelsJean Lacher3211 W Sencore DrSioux Falls, SD 57107Phone: (605) 334-2371Hotels, Accommodations

Black Hills PowerJulio “”Mutch” UseraPO Box 1400Rapid City, SD 57709Phone: (605) 716-3951Diversified energy holding company

Brosz Engineering3030 Airport RdPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-1123Engineering

Buskerud ConstructionDean HerllPO Box 187Dell Rapids, SD 57022Phone: (605) 428-5483Construction Services & Materials

Butler MachineryKelly Humble3401 33rd St SFargo, ND 58104Phone: (701) 298-1705SD Caterpillar dealer

CenturyLinkJeff Carmon125 S Dakota Avenue 8th FlSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 339-6871Communications

Clark EngineeringKevin Goff1410 W Russell StSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 331-25052301 8th Ave NE #125Aberdeen, SD 57402Phone: (605) 225-3494214 5th AveBrookings, SD 57006(605) 692-8799Engineering & Surveying

Correctional Risk ServicesDJ Kreal215 Jamestown Park Dr #201Brentwood, TN 37027Phone: (615) 376-6101Inmate Excess Medical Insurance

Diamond Mowers IncDavid Burkhart27134 Parklane DriveSioux Falls, SD 57106Phone: (605) 368-5865Agricultural Mowers

Diesel Machinery IncDon Mosey4301 N Cliff AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-0411Construction Equip Distributor

Dougherty & Company LLCTom Grimmond110 S Phillips Ave Suite 203Sioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 339-9800Finance

Election Systems and SoftwareMike Hoversten11208 John Galt BlvdOmaha, NE 68137Phone: (402) 938-1305Elections Services

G & R ControlsBrandy ThompsonPO Box 85661Sioux Falls, SD 57118Phone: (605) 336-3788Building automation/Temp controls

Hagan Benefits IncJeff PedersonPO Box 903Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 334-1030Liability & Property Insurance

Howard R. Green IncChad Hanisch, PE6010 S Minnesota Ave #102Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (605) 334-4499Engineering/Consulting

Insurance Benefits IncKaren Ripperda4901 Isabel Place #110Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (605) 334-7252Insurance

Jebro IncMike Spohr2303 Bridgeport DriveSioux City, IA 51111Phone: (800) 831-8037Asphalt Products Supplier

Johnson Controls IncMichael Hubbard3413 Gateway BlvdSioux Falls, SD 57106Phone: (605) 361-0680Energy efficiency/facility management

Lankota Custom TruckStacy Haberer1800 E Benson RoadSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-1727Truck & construction equipment

McLeod Printing & Office SuppliesBrad Zimmerman1011 S EdgertonMitchell, SD 57301Phone: (605) 996-5151Printing and office supplies

Metal Culverts, IncMichael L. RackersPO Box 330Jefferson City, MO 65102Phone: (573) 636-7312Corrugated metal pipe & drainage

Mryl and Roy’s Paving, IncPatty Nohr1300 N Bahnson AveSioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 334-3204Asphalt Const & Aggregate Supply

NACo Prescription Drug Card Brad Stone620 Epsilon DrPittsburgh, PA 15238Phone: (412) 967-2307Prescription Drug Card

Nationwide Retirement SolutionsTom Sierakowski5404 D J LaneSchofield, WI 54476Phone: (715) 355-9889Retirement Programs

Northland Securities215 W Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-5557Public Finance

RDO EquipmentBrad Gietzen2801 N Louise AveSioux Falls, SD 57107Phone: (605) 336-2730John Deere Equip Sales & Service

Sayre Associates, IncMonty Miller, P.E.216 S Duluth AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 332-7211Civil Engineering & Land Surveying

Sheehan Mack Sales & EquipEric Matzen901 E 60th St NSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-2000Contractors’ Equip & Supplies

Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc Alec Boyce401 E 8th Street, Suite 309Sioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 330-7000Engineering, Architectural Consulting

Simplifile, LCDallen Miner4844 N 300 W, Suite 202Provo, UT 84604Phone: (800) 460-5657E-Recording

Subsurface, IncKen Moulds2815 E Whisper TrailSioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (605) 838-8384Culvert cleaning, lining, joint repair, void grouting

Team Laboratory Chemical CorpMichelle MaierPO Box 1467Detroit Lakes, MN 56502Phone: (218) 846-9490Industrial Chemical Sales

The Sidwell CompanyKaren Fouts675 Sidwell CourtSt. Charles, IL 60174Phone: (630) 549-1000GIS, Aerial Photography

Titan MachineryMatt Leighton4201 N Cliff AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-34341741 Deadwood AveRapid City, SD 57702Equipment Dealer

TriMin Government SolutionsBill Juergens2277 Hwy 36 W, Suite 101ERoseville, MN 55113Phone: (651) 604-3617Land Records Mgmt System

TrueNorth SteelShane DavidsPO Box 1439Huron, SD 57350Phone: (605) 352-8643Corrugated culverts & steel tanks

Tyler TechnologiesBrad King5519 53rd StLubbock, TX 79414Phone: (800) 646-2633Computer Software & Services

Ultra/ Connecting PointDoreen Singrey504 Jenson Ave SEWatertown, SD 57201Phone: (605) 882-1555Computer Hardware and Software


Supporters of County

Government!

SDACO Associate Member DirectoryActive Data SystemsDamon Durick2504 W 46th StSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 335-5906www.activedatasystems.com

American State BankKelly Van Lith, VP of Marketing700 E Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9233www.asbpierre.comBanking Services

BankWest, Inc.Kristin Brost, VP of MarketingPO Box 998Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7391www.bankwest-sd.comBanking, Insurance, Trust, Brokerage

Brosz Engineering3030 Airport RdPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-1123Engineering

Computer Software AssociatesAustin Bunning, Territory Manager11 N 26th StBillings, MT 59101Phone: (800) 247-1161www.csa-inc.netDocument Pro-Indexing and Imaging Solution

D.A. Davidson & CoGerald Spethman, Jr111 North 102nd Court, Suite 300Omaha, NE 68114E-mail: [email protected]: (402) 392-7933Financing

DeMersseman Jensen Tellinghuisen Stanton & Huffman, LLPRoger Tellinghuisen516 Fifth StreetRapid City, SD 57701E-mail: [email protected]: (605) 342-2814Fax: (605) 342-0732Law Firm

Election Systems & SoftwareMike Hoversten, Regional Acct Mgt11208 John Galt Blvd.Omaha, NE 68137Phone: (612) 940-5962E-mail: [email protected] Equipment, Supplies and Services

Hagan Benefits, Inc.Jeff Pederson, President1741 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 200Sioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 334-1030www.hagangroup.comAdministrator and Marketing forSouth Dakota Public Assurance Al-liance (liability and property pool)

hal Systems CorporationKathy Taylor, Consultant8111 Lyndon B. Johnson Frwy, #860Dallas, TX 75251E-mail: [email protected]: (303) 791-5688 or(800) 442-9273Fax: (214) 691-4730www.halFILE.comwww.CountyRecords.comAffordable records management

Insurance Benefits, Inc.Karen Ripperda,SDML WC Fund Administrator4901 Isabel Place, Ste 110Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (800) 233-9073www.sdmlwcfund.comSDML Worker’s Compensation Fund

Legal Support ServicesSteve Polley19 Nickel PlaceSpearfish, SD 57783Phone: (800) 583-0365

McLeod's Printing & Office SupplyBrad Zimmerman1011 S EdgertonMitchell, SD 57301Phone: (800) 952-2201Printing

Microfilm Imaging Systems, Inc.Curt Reiter2530 Harney StOmaha, NE 68131Phone: (402) 346-7211Document Imaging & Scanning, Scan Plats & Maps, Service & Sell Micro-film Equipment

Northland Securities, LLC215 W Sioux AvenuePierre, SD 57501Phone: (877) 224-5557www.northlandsecurities.comPublic Finance

Pierre Area Chamber of CommerceLaura Schoen Carbonneau, CEO800 W Dakota AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7361www.pierre.org

PryntCommTom Roberts, Sales Manager303 E. Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9999www.pryntcomm.comCommercial printing

Ramkota Hotels of SDGloriann Kueter3211 W Sencore DriveSioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 965-1423www.regency-mgmt.comHotels, Restaurants, Conference Centers

Risty BenefitsRoger R. Risty,PresidentPO Box 90335Sioux Falls, SD 57118Phone: (605) 338-1489www.ristybenefits.comEmployee Benefits – Medical plans, Life, Disability, Homeowners/Auto Workers Compensation Commercial Casualty

SimplifileDallen MinerVice President4844 North 300 West, Ste, 202Provo, UT 84604E-mail: [email protected]: (800) 460-5657Fax: (801) 373-1417www.simplifile.comProvider of e-recording services

Software Services Inc.Patti Guthrie614 N Kiwanis AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 334-5200

TriMin Government SolutionsBill Juergens, Account Executive2277 Hwy 36 West, Suite 101ERoseville, MN 55113E-mail: [email protected]: (651) 604-3617Cell: (612) 590-9892www.trimingov.comLand Records Management Systems Cashiering, Web Access, e-recording, Auto Indexing, Imaging, Redaction

Tyler TechnologiesLocal Government DivisionBrad King, Territory Sales Manager4021 W 23rd St.Sioux City, IA 51103E-mail: [email protected]: (712) 258-1143 or(800) 747-8649www.tylertech.com

Ultra Inc./Connecting PointDoreen Singrey504 Jenson Ave SEWatertown, SD 57201Phone: (800) 529-5500www.connectingpoint.bizCounty Software, HardwareNetworking

Wells Fargo Real Estate Tax ServiceTheresa Sheerin,Client Service ConsultantOne Home CampusMac #X2301-026Des Moines, IA 50328Phone: (800) 499-4829 ext. 40550Procure & payment of real estate taxes

PeriodicalSD Ass’n of County Commissioners211 E Prospect AvePierre, SD 57501Ph: 605-224-4554, 1-800-439-5672Fax: 605-224-4833email: [email protected]

All we cover are South DakotaPublic Entities. You are our business.

Endorsed by:

For More Information Contact:

Hagan Benefits, Inc.Celebrating 25 Years of Service!Liability & Property877-273-1712www.hagangroup.com

For More InformationContact:

Workers’ Compensation800-233-9073

www.sdmlwcfund.com

Sponsored by:SD Association of

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Specializing inWorkers’ Compensation

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Stable Rates Financial Stability Investment in SD

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Your County AssociationSponsored Program

South Dakota PublicAssurance AllianceCelebrating 25 Yearsof Service

The MAJORITY of the CountyOfficials protect their Tax Payers byhaving their Liability and PropertyCoverages through the SDPAA.

We have broad specializedcoverage for public entities inthe following areas:• General Liability• Automobile Liability• Automobile Physical Damage• Public Officials Liability• Law Enforcement Liability• Property Coverage• Boiler CoverageVolunteers, Appointed andElected Officials are included.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

Pierre, SDPermit No. 5

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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