News from the Principal: AI in Schools

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November 2, 2023

by Chris McGregor,

GHS/GMS Principal

Happy November! I don’t know how many people actually read my September newsletter but for those of you that did, would it surprise you to know that 70% of it was written by Artificial Intelligence?

While I think of myself as a pretty decent writer, there were some phrases in that newsletter that might have given it away that I didn’t write all of it. “As we usher in the crisp, autumnal days of September” was the first one. The word “autumnal” is not one that I use very often in my day-to-day speech or writing.

With all the buzz these days about A.I. and the national attention it is getting, I thought it would be fun to see what kind of a newsletter article it could make for me. The online A.I. tool I used to write it was called ChatGPT.

Four MS/HS teachers and I recently went to a workshop and spent a lot of time exploring the world of A.I. and ChatGPT specifically. It was very informative and somewhat mind blowing. There really are so many possibilities for the use of A.I. both in school and in the world as a whole. The big question for schools is, how do we want staff and students to use it and what do we consider to be ethical ways in which to use it?

The two major takeaways from the A.I. workshop were 1) we are just at the tip of the iceberg with A.I. so hold on for a wild ride, and 2) in any use of A.I. there should be a human element at both the beginning and end of it.

I think it can be a powerful and useful tool for use in the school, but we will definitely need to do things like verifying the information that is generated, properly cite the source, and take care in editing the information to our needs.

We certainly live in an exciting time of innovation and discovery. I just hope we can learn to use A.I. in positive and helpful ways to enhance the education of our students. So, for now that’s all I have to say about A.I. and I can assure you that I wrote every word of the article this time. Or did I?

Past and future newsletters from the Garretson School District can always be found at https://www.garretson.k12.sd.us/documents/district-newsletters/12498.

Community Happenings of Nov 2, 2023

Carrie Moritz

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November 2, 2023

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Successful Trunk or Treat last Saturday

FFA toy story costume and exhibit for trunk or treat — The Garretson FFA went with a Toy Story "Toy of Terror" theme. //Carrie Moritz, Gazette

Though there was a great turnout from local businesses and citizenry bringing their vehicles to the fun, there were less trick or treaters on Oct. 28 due to the snow flurries and winds that brought frosty cold temperatures to the festivities. It was cold enough that one vehicle’s battery died, but thankfully friends supplied a jumpstart.

That is not to say that there weren’t some very colorful characters that came out to play. The costume game was very strong this year, and the kids with the most elaborate and padded costumes were having a great time. This year the Trunk or Treat event was sponsored by the Garretson Park’s Board.

five people, two adults in Mario and Luigi costumes, two female youth in princess peach and princess daisy costumes, and one male youth in Halo soldier costume — Costumes at last Saturday's Trunk or Treat were on point. //Carrie Moritz, Gazette

Garretson Area Red Hats Oct. Adventures

group of five older ladies dressed in red and purple sitting at round restaurant booth — //photo submitted

The Garretson Red Hatter's met for their October outing by attending the Mighty Corson Art Theater. The play was titled "They Promised Her the Moon" by Laurel Olstein. The cast of only 6 members performed a wonderful production based on a true story of the first American woman to test for space flight. After the play we enjoyed a meal at The Gruff Plates in Brandon. A great way to spend the day with friends.

-submitted by Rhonda Kirton

Splitrock Bowling:

The Splitrock Ladies bowled on October 24th, 2023, with the following results:

High Team Game & Series - Garretson, Ins. - 850 & 2444.

High Individual Game & Series - Jan Fonder - 174 & 471.

Pat Paulsen picked up the 4-5 & 3-10 splits.

Kathie Franz picked up the 3-7-10 & 6-7 splits.

Marlene Blum picked up the 3-10 split.

Amanda Lumpkin picked up the 3-6-7 split.

The Splitrock Ladies bowled on October 17th, 2023, with the following results:

High Team Game - Jesse James – 872.

High Team Series - Garretson, Ins. – 2467.

Kathie Franz picked up the 6-7-10 split.

Barb Risty picked up the 3-10 split.

Marcia Bork picked up the 5-6 split.

Renee Nelson picked up the 5-7 split.

Journalism attends state convention

Carrie Moritz

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November 2, 2023

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Students get a chance to learn from industry professionals and participate in state contests

by Sam Hansen, GHS Blue Ink

On Monday, October 6 some members of the journalism staff traveled to Vermillion for the South Dakota High School Press Convention.

In the morning the students went to different breakout rooms with the topic of their choice. The topics were Design, Story Ideas, Digital Storytelling, Writing for Eye/Ear, Photojournalism, and Ethics & AI.

selfie with one adult and two teenage females holding award plaques — Freshmen journalists Autumn Genzler and Sam Hansen accompanied yearbook and newspaper advisor, Kelsey Buchholz, to USD on Monday, October 16 for the SDHSAA Press Convention. Students heard from industry professionals and received tips and tricks for their own journalistic experiences. Garretson journalists, photographers, and publications received a total of 20 awards for their work. //photo courtesy Blue Ink

Autumn Genzler said, “My favorite topic was story ideas because it was the most interesting. [Jeremy Waltner] was also good at presenting his topic, his points were very clear, and he gave us a lot of examples.”

In the afternoon there was a panel discussion covering Real Talk about Real-World Media. The speakers were Austyn Freeman from Lawrence & Schiller, Joshua Haier from South Dakota Searchlight, and Cooper Seamar from Dakota News Now.

The convention closed out with the journalism awards including individual writing and photography awards as well as awards for school publications. Because of the timing needed for judging, submissions primarily come from last year’s publications, with a couple of the first weeks from this year falling into the deadline window. There were different categories for the student awards including four different categories of newswriting: feature story, general writing, sports, and editorial; three categories of photography: school activity, non-school activity, and sports.

Genzler received the top award for journalistic photography earning the highest score in the state. It was a surprise to Genzler. “I was embarrassed going up there to get it and I was shocked I got first, but I felt proud of myself.”

Individually Garretson received 13 excellent awards for news writing and photography and six individual superior awards. The Blue Ink also received a superior award for the school newspapers.

Journalism Awards

NEWS WRITING Superior Awards: Raegen Altman (Feature Story), Aleah Wagner (Editorial). Excellent Awards: Raegen Altman (General Writing, Sports), Treyton Chester (General Writing), Rebekah Roth (General Writing, Editorial, Sports), Marieke Salomon (Feature Story, Sports), Dmitriy Sysa (Feature Story, Editorial).

PHOTOGRAPHY Superior Awards: Peyton Abraham (Sports), Raegen Altman (Non-School Activity), Nora Bonte (Sports), Autumn Genzler (Sports). Excellent Awards: Nora Bonte (School Activity), Marieke Salomon (Non-School Activity), Bryn Swatek (School Activity). PUBLICATIONS Superior Awards: Blue Ink.

South Dakota beef industry sees potential in small, local meat plants

Carrie Moritz

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November 2, 2023

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South Dakota beef industry sees potential in small, local meat plants

Bart Pfankuch

South Dakota News Watch

WALL, S.D. – The small, somewhat worn meat processing plant in rural Wall seems an unlikely place for the birth of a new trend in South Dakota agriculture. But it could fundamentally change the economic landscape for the state's $1 billion annual beef cattle industry.

The 2,400 square-foot Wall Meat Processing plant is the current home base of an aggressive, innovative new ownership team that has plans to revolutionize how South Dakota ranchers get their animals processed and expand opportunities for local consumers to buy meat raised almost in their own backyards.

On a recent day, a half-dozen or so workers were on task in the cramped but clean meat plant that sits less than a mile from Wall Drug. It's the last structure standing before the city of 700 fades into a nearly endless prairie to the north.

one person standing behind a counter looking at a paper while two people talk in front of the counter — The cramped but efficient front counter at the Wall Meat Processing plant in Wall, S.D., is evidence of a growing movement to expand capacity and capabilities of small meat processors in South Dakota. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch/South Dakota News Watch)

Built nearly 60 years ago, the boxy white plant takes in local cattle as well as a few hogs, sheep and buffalo and processes them from live animals to carcasses to final cuts of meat packaged in plastic, ready for consumer purchase. With a capacity of only 15 head of cattle per week, the plant hardly makes a dent in processing the roughly 1.5 million beef cows raised in South Dakota in 2022, the overwhelming majority of which are trucked out of state for processing.

But the two co-owners of the plant, who bought it in 2017 after the former owners shuttered the business for several months, are using what they have learned in Wall to develop a business expansion plan that agricultural leaders said could form the model for future development of a new generation of in-state regional meat processing plants.

The local packing plants, they said, will allow more livestock grown in South Dakota to be processed, sold and consumed entirely within the boundaries of the Rushmore State. Local processing will create jobs and tax revenues, save ranchers money on trucking and packaging and create a fully South Dakota farm-to-table process that is increasingly popular among consumers.

Local beef, local stores, local consumers

The Wall owners and a third partner recently launched a new entity, I-90 Meats, which plans to build a $21 million, 30,000 square-foot meat processing plant in New Underwood, a town of 600 people located south of Interstate 90 midway between Wall and Rapid City.

The high-tech plant would have capacity to process 15 cattle a day, or about 4,000 a year, and would include a retail market, agri-tourism learning center and culinary demonstration area.

The plant, with a proposed groundbreaking in early 2024 and projected opening in 2025, could employ as many as 50 people with wages up to $36 an hour, according to I-90 Meats co-owner Ken Charfauros. The plant will process beef, pork, lamb and bison produced by local ranchers. It would sell those products at the plant store as well as a retail location in Rapid City and at other groceries across the West River region.

"South Dakota is fourth or fifth in cattle production in the nation, but we sell our cattle out of state and then buy it back, so it's kind of backwards," said Charfaurous, who co-owns Wall Meat Processing with Janet Neihaus. The third partner in the new I-90 Meats venture is Thomas Fitch.

"To keep the regional protein production and the revenue right here, it helps our community. And not just the ranchers and the processors but also the consumers," he said.

Change should help farmers, state coffers and consumers

The move toward greater in-state processing will mark a major shift from the existing method most South Dakota livestock producers use to get their animals processed.

Under the current system, most animals, cattle in particular, are raised in the state but then trucked out of state for finishing, slaughtering, processing and packaging at one of the four major meat packing companies in the U.S.: Cargill, JBS, National Meat Packing and Tyson.

None has a plant in South Dakota.

By sending animals to those plants, producers pay much more to have their animals transported and processed, and the state loses out on the resulting jobs and tax revenues generated by the plants. Meanwhile, consumers then pay more for products that are returned to the state for sale and for which they have no idea whether the meat they are eating was raised in South Dakota, California or even Mexico or Brazil.

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, said further expansion of processing capabilities of agricultural products in South Dakota would be a win for both producers and consumers.

"We want to make sure our meat is high quality. … And when you've got quality local producers and processing is done locally, you’re going to get a higher price for it (the products),” Rounds said in an interview with News Watch.

Latest of several other efforts

Since the 1990s, he said, the state has seen a variety of efforts to expand processing, from the opening of the Hutterite-owned poultry plant in Aberdeen to development of soybean biofuel plants to improvements and expansions at the Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls.

But Rounds said long-range infrastructure and telecommunication challenges as well as difficulty in finding capital and labor to fuel development of processing plants have limited the growth of large meat processing plants in South Dakota.

He has worked in Congress to end “the stranglehold” the four major processors have on the American beef market, in which they process about 85% of the beef raised in the U.S.

As livestock processing evolves, and consumers seek a greater connection to how and where their food is raised, Rounds said he sees the growth of smaller processing plants around the state as a likely path forward for the agricultural industry.

“Our smaller towns still struggle, and at the same time, this is the place that feeds the rest of the world,” Rounds said. “If our premises are correct, that people want to buy American beef because of its quality, then I think these smaller processors are going to continue to grow and I think they’re going to become the wave of the future."

Rounds said government can play a role in encouraging growth in processing capacity by providing one-time, startup financial incentives while adding more flexibility in labeling and marketing rules to create opportunities for growth in smaller, regionally based processing operations in South Dakota.

I-90 Meats, for example, received a $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get its operation started and has a USDA guaranteed loan package of $21 million, Charfauros said. Another proposed new regional plant in Faulkton received a $2.2 million USDA grant this year.

Rounds said South Dakota farmers and ranchers who produce high-quality foods will get higher prices for their products if they are raised, grown and processed locally. Consumers will benefit by having greater access to the quality foods that are produced in their own communities or nearby, particularly beef products that are almost exclusively processed in other states.

“We want to continue to provide alternatives other than the four major processors who process not just American beef but a lot of foreign beef as well,” Rounds said. “Anything we can do to make sure that Americans who want to buy high quality American beef are able to do so, the better off we’re going to be.”

Food processing on the rise in South Dakota

family photo with two men seated in front and three women standing behind — Troy Hadrick, second from left, poses for a portrait with his wife and three children, who are all part of a multi-generational farm and ranch legacy in South Dakota. The family -- Olivia, Troy, Stacy, Teigen and Reese -- is working as a team to build a meat processing plant near their home in Faulkton, S.D. (Photo: Courtesy Troy Hadrick)

The ongoing evolution of the meat packing industry in South Dakota is part of a larger statewide trend in which more agricultural products that are grown or raised in the state are being processed here, despite a pair of what many in the ag industry saw as notable setbacks.

Last year, a $500 million Wholestone Farms pork plant in Sioux Falls and a $1 billion Western Legacy Development beef processing plant in Rapid City both fizzled.

And yet, the increase in processing facilities statewide continues, a trend that typically opens the door to stronger markets and opportunities for new growth or expansion among producers who must fill the need created by larger processing capacity.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in the South Dakota soybean and corn industries, in which producers are seeing new local markets materialize for their products.

Ground was broken in September for a $500 million soybean processing plant near Mitchell that as early as 2025 will produce soybean meal for animal feed and soybean oil used in biofuels. Meanwhile, the company Gevo plans a $1 billion plant near Lake Preston that as soon as 2025 will process corn into biofuel for use in jets.

News Watch has also reported recently on the dramatic expansion of the cheesemaking industry in South Dakota, where new or expanded plants in Milbank (Valley Queen Cheese), Lake Norden (Agropur cheese) and in Brookings (Bel Brands) have facilitated an increase in milk production in the state.

According to the USDA, South Dakota dairy farmers produced 4.2 billion pounds of milk in 2022, up from 3.1 billion pounds in 2020 and 2 billion pounds in 2013. The milk produced in South Dakota in 2022 was valued at $1.1 billion, according to USDA.

One ongoing proposal would build an $86 million, 12,500-head dairy operation on 250 acres of land now owned by the brothers of Gov. Kristi Noem. While the proposed dairy near Hazel faces some local opposition, backers including Noem's brother, Rock Arnold, said the project would create new revenue and higher prices for farmers who raise grain and generate a new source of fertilizer for surrounding farms.

The beef cattle industry in South Dakota has fluctuated but has remained fairly stable over the past several years. According to USDA, the state produced 1.6 million head in 2015, 1.8 million in 2019 and 1.5 million this year.

The number of permitted large cattle feedlots, known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOS, has fallen in South Dakota over the past four years, according to the state Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources. In 2019, about 564,000 cattle were held on 166 permitted CAFOS, and in 2023, about 532,000 cattle were held at 149 CAFOs.

The federal and state governments are trying to aid in the expansion of meat processing plants across the country.

In 2021, the Noem administration offered about $5 million in COVID-era federal funding in grants to meat processing facilities across the state, much of it to existing small meat plants and butcher shops that expanded, though a few new facilities did receive funding.

Congress that same year allocated about $1 billion in American Rescue Act funding through the "Butcher Block Act" to expand meat processing capacity across the country, though South Dakota processors received only about $32 million of that funding.

Greater innovation needed in South Dakota

Scott VanderWal, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation, said the state has historically been slow to expand its processing capacity in a number of agricultural fields.

Shipping products out of state for processing drives up costs for producers and eventually consumers. It also has led South Dakota to miss out on potential employment and tax revenue opportunities that come with greater processing plant capacity and development.

“More local processing has been something we’ve needed for a long long time because for whatever reason, we’ve been happy in South Dakota just to produce things — corn, soybean, cattle and hogs — and ship them out of state for processing,” Vanderwal said. "It all comes down to producing and processing the food in our own country and doing it ourselves versus exporting that work and then importing the products back."

Vanderwal said South Dakota farmers are starting to take steps to use technologies such as robotic milking, inventive financing packages and precision agricultural using computers and satellites to expand processing capacity in the state.

“We haven’t been innovative enough in South Dakota to find ways to process our products, and instead we’ve been content to carry our products further down the line," he said. "As long as we stay innovative, with new ideas and ways of trying new things, we'll have a lot of opportunities and the future of agriculture will be bright because we have to continue to feed our people across the country and across the world."

A return to ranching's past

Doris Lauing, executive director of the South Dakota Stockgrower’s Association, said the move to expand processing capacity in South Dakota is in some ways a return to the past, when South Dakota producers worked on a smaller scale and were able to have their livestock processed and sold in their local communities.

“This is how the Stockgrower’s Association started in 1893,” she said. “So, if you can give us an end product right here, hallelujah 100%, because you’re going to benefit the entire agricultural community.”

Lauing said there is a great need for more meat processing facilities in South Dakota to reduce costs for producers and allow more revenue for ranchers and retailers to remain local.

“This is something that rural America needs because we have to be able to bring our product somewhere other than shipping it down to the big packers” Lauing said at an Oct. 21 public meeting on the proposed I-90 Meats plant in New Underwood. “Let someone buy it here and keep that money local.”

Lauing said she attended the October meeting to show strong support for completion of the New Underwood plant. She said consumers will benefit by knowing that the meat they buy in a store was raised and processed by their neighbors and not by someone unknown who is hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

“When you walk into a market, you’ll know where your steak comes from when you buy it,” said Lauing, who is also a rancher in Sturgis. “You can say it’s produced in South Dakota, and it’s not produced in Brazil, it’s not produced in China, it’s from right here.”

Charfaurous also noted that developing more regional capacity for livestock processing in South Dakota and across the U.S. will strengthen the nation's ability to protect the security of its food production system in a crisis and not be subject to the whims of the international food production system.

During the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, for example, major beef plants closed due to illness outbreaks, which interrupted the supply chain and processing capabilities, resulting in financial hardship for South Dakota cattle producers.

"There needs to be more plants built," Charforous said. "When those plants closed, what did it do to food security in the nation? It went crazy."

Vanderwal added that development of regional processing facilities will strengthen the U.S. food production system overall, which will protect the American food supply from outside competition and potentially unsafe processing methods elsewhere.

"I've been saying for years that we don't want our food system to become vulnerable to the same gyrations as our energy system is now," Vanderwal said. "We have a lot better food safety rules and more control over how things are done."

A nearly 5-year process to plant opening

Innovation, along with a major investment of time and money, are the keys to making new meat processing ventures successful, Ken Charfauros said. The process of designing, planning and gaining approval for the New Underwood meat plant has taken more than three years already and will extend to five years before becoming operational.

Once up and running, the owners have big plans to do more than just process meat. They have agreements to expand butcher and animal science training opportunities with South Dakota State University and Western Dakota Technical College. They are selling their meat processed in Wall in a large retail store they opened in Rapid City and even in Big D gas stations in the Black Hills region.

Word of their expansion has gotten out and recently caught the ear of Laura Moser, who with her husband hopes to open a bed-and-breakfast inn at New Underwood next year.

Moser recently toured the Wall Meat Processing plant and had many questions about the processing methods and final products produced. Her hope is to serve her guests foods, including meats, that are raised and process locally as a way to differentiate her inn and support a growing farm-to-table movement.

"If you can go right from producer to plate, that's huge," Moser said. "We're trying to keep it all local for our guests."

Before the I-90 Meats partners even break ground in New Underwood, their big plans have raised interest among at least one other South Dakota ranch family that hopes to build a smaller, yet similarly focused plant in northeastern South Dakota.

Investing in family, and in the beef industry

Troy Hadrick is part of a five-generation family legacy of farming and ranching in South Dakota. He and his family want to expand their business and provide another regional meat processing option for ranchers in northeastern South Dakota.

The family’s plan is to build a $13.5 million meat plant, called North Prairie Butchery, that could process 25 head of cattle per day near their hometown of Faulkton, a city of about 830 people in Faulk County located an hour southwest of Aberdeen.

Hadrick has qualified for a $2.2 million grant from the USDA to get the project started, though the money only comes in the form of a reimbursement for investments already made into the plant, he said. He is trying to arrange financing for the project but has had little luck with lenders in South Dakota, which he called “disappointing.”

Hadrick and his wife, a native of Sturgis, have three children, a son studying agriculture at South Dakota State University and two daughters still in high school. They hope to break ground on the meat plant in 2024 and have it open for business in 2025.

Hadrick said the plan to build a processing plant in Faulkton arose from a desire to strengthen the family business but also due to three difficult years in a row in trying to get their cattle processed out of state, first due to a 2019 fire at a Kansas processing plant, then due to COVID-19 plant shutdowns in 2020 and finally from complications in how packers were buying cattle.

“We own the cattle from conception to harvest, and then we lose all control, so you cross your fingers that it will work out in the end,” he said. “It’s one of the things that came out of COVID, when we found out we have some holes in the system, and when you have a lot of your eggs in one basket, and something happens to that basket, we see some pretty big ripples form that are hard to overcome.”

Two years ago, the Hadricks made a deal to provide beef to the Vanguard Hospitality group of restaurants in Sioux Falls, which includes Morrie’s Steakhouse, Minerva's, Grill 26 and Paramount Cocktails and Food. After a successful trial period, the family now sells about 60 to 70 carcasses of beef weighing about 800 pounds each to the restaurant group in a year, Hadrick said.

When the first shipment of beef was made to Vanguard, Hadrick took his two daughters out of school and brought them on the trip to Sioux Falls to drop off the beef himself.

“We pulled up to the back door of the restaurant and unloaded the beef, and it was like a light bulb came on for our girls, that this is why we do all the work we do at home,” he recalled. “They finally saw the end product, and it was pretty exciting and meant so much to them.”

Lack of processing holding ranchers back

The overall lack of meat processing capacity, especially federally inspected processing plants in South Dakota, puts a hardship on his business and those of other ranchers, Hadrick said.

According to the USDA, South Dakota has 38 state-inspected butcher shops, though most are very small and cannot begin to serve the needs of large beef producers. The state trails several neighboring states in the number of federally inspected meat plants, which provide producers with greater options on regard to selling their meats in other states.

A USDA database shows that South Dakota has 33 federally inspected livestock processing plants, though only nine handle beef and pork and five are considered "very small" by USDA standards. Meanwhile, Minnesota has 172 federally inspected processing plants, Iowa has 151 and Nebraska has 109.

At this time, Hadrick must drive three or four head of cattle at a time either 200 miles or 250 miles round trip to USDA-inspected processing plants to get them processed on a custom basis, which allows him to make sure the cattle he provides the butcher are the source of the meat he receives back and sends to the restaurants.

“We don’t have much capacity in South Dakota to process cattle on a custom basis,” he said. “We’re capped because we’ve got X amount of capacity in the state and it’s just not very much.”

Like the owners of I-90 Meats, whom Hadrick has spoken with several times as he plans his construction project, he hopes to expand opportunities for ranchers like himself to showcase the high-quality animals they raise and give consumers an option to buy meat that has a known origin and a closer connection to the connection to the communities where they live.

Hadrick likens the idea to what California wine producers have done for decades in promoting the specific region where their grapes were grown and then labeling products so consumers know more about what they getting, where it came from and who produced it.

“I think there’s an opportunity to do that with our beef,” he said. “We know we’ve got a good product, so why don’t we highlight that?”

— This article was produced by South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit journalism organization located online at sdnewswatch.org.

Public Notices published November 2, 2023

Public Notices

Carrie Moritz

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November 2, 2023

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Notice of Hearing: for Adult Name Change

CIV: 23-2936

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA) SS COUNTY OF MINNEHAHA)

IN CIRCUIT COURT

SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

In the Matter of the Petition

of William Lee Croiser,

For a Change of Name to

Jaci Rose Anderson-Hudspeth

CIV: 23-2936

Notice is hereby given that a Verified Petition for Adult Name Change has been filed by William Lee Croiser, the object and prayer of which is to change Petitioner’s name from William Lee Croiser to Jaci Rose Anderson-Hudspeth.

On the 28th day of November, 2023, at the hour of 11:00 a.m. said Verified Petition will be heard by this Court before the Honorable Judge Jennifer Mammenga, at the Court Room in the Minnehaha County Courthouse, City of Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, or as soon thereafter as is convenient for the court. Anyone may come and appear at that time and place and show reasons, if any, why said name should not be changed as requested.

Dated this 13th Day of October, 2023 at Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Attested by,

Angelia Gries, Clerk of Court

Published four times at the approximate cost of $50.69 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com.

10-19-23-4tc

NOTICE: Inter-Lakes Seeking Board Member

The Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership Board of Directors is seeking a member to represent the Low-Income Sector of Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties on their Board of Directors.

An election will be held to fill this vacancy. It is preferred, but not required, that the candidate is below 125% poverty guidelines.

Anyone interested in serving on this Board please contact Julie Anderson, Lincoln County Community Service Worker at 605-940-1909 or Tammie Denning, Minnehaha County Community Services Director at 605-334-2808 Ext 202 by November 9th.

Published twice at the total approximate cost of $16.61 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com.

10-26-23-2tc

Special Meeting of the Garretson School Board:

SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES

Special Meeting Garretson School District #49-4 6:00 p.m. October 24, 2023

Present: President Shannon Nordstrom, Vice President Andy Hulscher, Board Member Tana Clark, Board Member Wyatt Compton, Board Member Jodi Gloe, & Superintendent Guy Johnson. Others present: Garrick Moritz.

At 6:00 p.m., the Board convened in the Library at the Garretson School District for a special board meeting. All votes are unanimous, unless specifically noted in the minutes.

President Nordstrom led the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed guests and visitors.

President Nordstrom called for any additions or corrections to the Board agenda. There were no additions or corrections presented.

Action 24-039: Motion by Gloe, second by Hulscher, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried.

Action 24-040: Motion by Clark, second by Gloe, to go into executive session, pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2, subsection 1: A Personnel Matter, and subsection 2: A Student Matter. Motion carried. The Board entered executive session at 6:04 p.m.

President Nordstrom declared the Board out of executive session at 6:51 p.m.

Action 24-041: Motion by Gloe, second by Hulscher, to adjourn at 6:51 p.m. Motion carried.

Approved by the Garretson Board of Education this _____ day of _________, 2023.

Board President,

Shannon Nordstrom

Jacob Schweitzer,

Business Manager

Published at the total approximate cost of $17.57 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com. 11-2-23-1tc

FACT OF ADOPTION

An ordinance amending MC30-02 the Revised Joint Zoning Ordinance for Minnehaha County and the City of Sioux Falls.

The Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance MC30-47-23 on October 24, 2023. Ordinance MC30-02, the Revised Joint Zoning Ordinance for Minnehaha County and the City of Sioux Falls was amended to add Vacation Home Rental/Short Term Rental as a conditional use in the A-1 Agriculture District, RR Rural Residential District, RS-1 Residential District, RS-2 Residential District, RD Residential District, RA-1 Residential District RC Recreation/Conservation District; Vacation Home Rental/Short Term Rental in the Additional Use Regulations and a definition for Vacation Home Rental/Short Term Rental.

The entire ordinance is on file in the office of the County Auditor and available for inspection during regular business hours.

-Leah Anderson, County Auditor

Published twice at the total approximate cost of $22.37 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com. 11-2-23-1tc

Minutes of the Minnehaha County Commissioners for Oct. 24, 2023

THE MINNEHAHA COUNTY COMMISSION CONVENED AT 9:00 AM on October 24, 2023, pursuant to adjournment on October 17, 2023. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT WERE: Beninga, Bleyenberg, Karsky, and Kippley. Commissioner Bender was absent. Also present were Kym Christiansen, Commission Recorder, and Eric Bogue, Chief Civil Deputy State's Attorney.

Vice-Chair Karsky called the meeting to order.

MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bleyenberg, to amend the agenda by removing agenda item #13-Authorize the Chairperson to Sign the Agreement for Design of MC23-13 Gravel Pit Building. 4 ayes.

MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Kippley, to approve the amended agenda. 4 ayes

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Beninga, to approve the consent agenda. By roll call vote: 4 ayes. Public comment regarding the approval of the minutes was received Chet Ellsworth, Rapid City, SD. The consent agenda includes the following items:

Commission Meeting Minutes for October 17, 2023

Bills to be Paid $1,628,137.17

A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Lease-Rental Agreement $685.38, A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Maintenance Contracts $467.75, AARON GEORGE PROPERT Welfare Rent $1390, ABN ARMY SURPLUS COR Uniform Allowance $700, AIRGAS USA LLC Gas Oil & Diesel $114.65, AIRWAY SERVICE INC Automotive/Small Equipment $109.39, AIRWAY SERVICE INC Gas Oil & Diesel $146.14, ALCOHOL MONITORING S Program Supplies $4594.2, ALL NATIONS INTERPRE Interpreters $1040, ALL STAR INVESTIGATI Professional Services $965.5, ANDERSON, JENNIFER Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $1109.16, ANDREW PARROTT MacArthur SJC Grant $198, ARCHITECTURE INC Architect, Engineers, and PMgt $185229.23, AVERA MCKENNAN Hospitals $22826.63, AVERA MCKENNAN Other Medical Services $266.73, AVERA MCKENNAN Professional Services $1000, AVERA QUEEN OF PEACE Other Medical Services $510.36, AXIS FORENSIC TOXICO Lab Costs $1227, BALTIC FIRE DEPT Rescue Squad Donations Exp $400, BOYD, MICHELLE MacArthur SJC Grant $198, BRADY LIEUWEN MacArthur SJC Grant $198, BRENNAN HILLS TOWNHO Welfare Rent $700, CANFIELD BUSINESS IN Furniture & Office Equipment $17653.96, CENTER FOR FAMILY ME Professional Services $134.4, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Lease Principal $719.04, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Lease-Rental Agreement $183, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Maintenance Contracts $772.95, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Office Equipment Repair $491.67, CINTAS CORPORATION Janitorial Chemical Supplies $537.79, CINTAS CORPORATION Uniform Allowance $161.71, COMPSYCH EMPLOYEE AS Insurance-Other Costs $5922, CONSTELLATION Natural Gas $3581.22, COUNTRY MEADOWS SF L Welfare Rent $500, DAKOTA SEAL 2 LLC Fairgrounds $36352.11, DAKOTALAND AUTOGLASS Automotive/Small Equipment $59.99, DAN GRAPEVINE Uniform Allowance $35.98, DANIELS OLSEN Jail Repairs & Maintenance $40, DEMATTEO LAW FIRM PR Child Defense Attorney $1318.7, DENNIS SUPPLY CO SF Fairgrounds $4.98, DENNIS SUPPLY CO SF JDC Maintenance $236.9, DUST TEX SERVICE INC Janitorial Chemical Supplies $18.58, ENGLISH LAW Attorney Fees $6300, ERIN M JOHNSON PLLC Bd Exp Fees (Minnehaha) $5724.5, ERIN M JOHNSON PLLC Crisis Intervention Program $203.3, FIRST DAKOTA NATIONA Lease Interest $916.32, FIRST DAKOTA NATIONA Lease Principal $2939.43, FIT MY FEET Uniform Allowance $100, FOX, DANIEL Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $654.39, G & R CONTROLS INC Fairgrounds $13.36, GALLS PARENT HOLDING Uniform Allowance $344.31, GOEBEL PRINTING INC Printing/Forms $114, GRAINGER Jail Repairs & Maintenance $127.77, GUARANTEE ROOFING Coliseum $316.33, GUARANTEE ROOFING HHS Maintenance $316.33, GUARANTEE ROOFING Jail Repairs & Maintenance $316.33, GUARANTEE ROOFING Outside Repair $632.65, GUZMAN, SANDRA V Interpreters $60, HELSETH, RAMONA G. Bd Exp Fees (Minnehaha) $48, HENRY CARLSON CONSTR Construction Costs $3093, HERITAGE FUNERAL HOM Burials $2000, INNOVATIVE OFFICE SO JDC Custodial Supplies $316.61, INTERSTATE OFFICE PR Office Supplies $1170.8, JENNA GIRARD Business Travel $60, JERKE, HEIDI Business Travel $40, JIM BORK ENTERPRISES Printing/Forms $946, JONES, DAWN County Cemetery $70, JVR COUNSELING Psych Evals $2000, KATTERHAGEN, MARK Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $52.5, KAUFFMAN, DAVID W PH Psych Evals $2700, KELSEY SJAARDA MacArthur SJC Grant $1413.51, KNECHT, ANDREW J Attorney Fees $1112.8, KOCH HAZARD ARCHITEC Communication Equipment $9262.5, KONE INC Maintenance Contracts $1071.39, KRUSE LAW OFFICE Attorney Fees $2900, KYLE VANDE WEERD Business Travel $40, KYRA ENTERPRISES LLC Welfare Rent $1490.55, LAMP Interpreters $124.2, LARSON, VALERIE Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $45, LEWIS & CLARK BEHAVI Bd Evaluations (Yankton) $2130, LEWNO LAW OFFICE Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $73.38, LINDA K WHALEN Court Reporters $142, LINDAHL, JOSETTE S Professional Services $3000, LOPEZ, REBECA Interpreters $25, LOVING, PHILIP Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $2374.2, LUTHER, JEFF Medical Director $2750, LUTHERAN SOCIAL SVCS Evening Report Center $6538.76, LUTHERAN SOCIAL SVCS Shelter Care/Reception Center $77042.68, MARAS, JACOB Business Travel $60, MEADOWLAND APARTMENT Welfare Rent $661, MEDSTAR PARAMEDIC IN Transportation $1200, METRO COMMUNICATIONS Miscellaneous Expense $208301.96, MIDAMERICAN ENERGY C Natural Gas $58.03, MIDCONTINENT COMMUNI Subscriptions $546.22, MIDCONTINENT COMMUNI Telephone $115.39, MIDWEST CONTRACTING Contracted Construction $183527.03, MIDWEST WELLNESS Professional Services $4620, MINNEHAHA CNTY TREAS Miscellaneous Expense $16.5, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Administrative Charges $10, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Gas Oil & Diesel $32, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Memberships $35, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Miscellaneous Expense $36.75, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Prisoner/Bond Accounts $828.8, MINNEHAHA COUNTY Tea-Ellis Range $26.99, NAPA AUTO PARTS Automotive/Small Equipment $32.26, NAPA AUTO PARTS Other Supplies $43.14, Natalie Surkalovic Business Travel $64, NORIX FURNITURE Inmate Supplies $1171.77, NORTHERN TRUCK EQUIP Truck Repairs & Maintenance $201.85, NOVAK Other Supplies $69.91, NOVAK Trash Removal $597.61, NYBERGS ACE HARDWARE Other Supplies $45.57, OLD ORCHARD CAFE MacArthur SJC Grant $422.62, OLSON, ROBERT Taxable Meal Allowances $18, OMALLEY, JOHN Business Travel $64, OPEKE G NIEMEYER HHS $4669.5, PAYTON, ARISTARCHUS Business Travel $120.36, PECHOUS, COREY Uniform Allowance $106.01, PFEIFER IMPLEMENT CO Heavy Equip Repairs & Maint $31.92, PRAHM CONSTRUCTION I Contracted Construction $566787.5, PRICE, THOMAS L Professional Services $2400, PURPLE COMMUNICATION Interpreters $609.82, REEVES, MEGAN Court Reporters $204, RENTOKIL NORTH AMERI Contract Services $325.84, RINGING SHIELD,NICHO Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $770, RISK ANALYSIS & MANA Insurance Admin Fee $2873, RUNNING SUPPLY INC Uniform Allowance $169.98, SALEM, KARLA R Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $2640, SANFORD Investigators Expenses $19.88, SANFORD Other Medical Services $9119.53, SANFORD CLINIC Contract Services $27777.66, SANFORD CLINIC Professional Services $764.4, SCHILTZ, ANN C Bd Exp Fees (Minnehaha) $32, SD ASSOC OF COUNTY C Miscellaneous Expense $1000, SD STATE BAR Legal Research $500, SF SPECIALTY HOSPITA Professional Services $210, SHERWIN WILLIAMS Building Repairs & Maintenance $354.18, SHERWIN WILLIAMS JDC Maintenance $65, SHORT ELLIOTT HENDRI Architects & Engineers $15946.96, SILOS Welfare Rent $3023.55, SIOUX EMPIRE FAIR AS Miscellaneous Expense $12500, SIOUX FALLS AREA HUM Miscellaneous Expense $4388.79, SIOUX FALLS CITY Electricity $57.57, SIOUX FALLS CITY Water - Sewer $18086.92, SIOUX FALLS RUBBER S Office Supplies $148.77, SPLITROCK FIRE DEPT Education & Training $1275, SRF CONSULTING GROUP Architects & Engineers $207.72, STAN HOUSTON EQUIPME Bridge Repair & Maintenance $1215, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Amts Held-Daily Scram $3215, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Amts Held-Remote Breath $645, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Miscellaneous Expense $43, STREICHERS INC Uniform Allowance $658, SUMMIT FIRE PROTECTI Jail Repairs & Maintenance $540, SUMMIT FIRE PROTECTI JDC Maintenance $246, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Board Of Prisoners-Meals $31115.17, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Child Care Food $707.46, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Inmate Supplies $241.24, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE School Lunch Program $1418.39, SURAJ CHHETRI Taxable Meal Allowances $18, TECHNOLOGY HEIGHTS I Welfare Rent $744, TEGRA GROUP INC Architect, Engineers, and PMgt $28850, THOMSON REUTERS - WE Legal Research $1886, TRISTATE GARAGE DOOR Outside Repair $195.05, TWO WAY SOLUTIONS IN Communication Equipment Repair $4661.76, TZADIK TAYLORS PLACE Welfare Rent $1237, US FOODS INC Other Supplies $147.38, US FOODS INC Professional Services $2211.14, VCI ENVIRONMENTAL IN Bldg/Yard Repair & Maintenance $12120, VER BEEK, KELSEY Bd Exp Fees (Minnehaha) $877.4, VITAL RECORDS Records Storage $3488.13, WHITE MOUNTAIN PUZZL Store Inventory $464.89, XCEL ENERGY Construction Costs $14668.9, XCEL ENERGY INC Welfare Utilities $420, ZISHKA, ADAM MacArthur SJC Grant $198.

October 2023 Commission Salaries

COMMISSION Salaries $35,997.32

AUDITOR Salaries $58,019.89

TREASURER Salaries $100,193.94

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Salaries $92,094.85

STATES ATTORNEY Salaries $439,783.43

PUBLIC DEFENDER Salaries $269,696.82

PUBLIC ADVOCATE Salaries $82,217.53

FACILITIES Salaries $58,919.62

EQUALIZATION Salaries $115,856.86

REGISTER OF DEEDS Salaries $49,781.63

HUMAN RESOURCES Salaries $36,908.29

SHERIFF Salaries $1,381,478.08

JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER Salaries $202,308.10

HIGHWAY Salaries $157,610.42

HUMAN SERVICES Salaries $162,340.52

MUSEUM Salaries $90,439.47

PLANNING Salaries $47,114.29

EXTENSION Salaries $3,497.60

The following report was received and placed on file in the Auditor's Office:

Juvenile Detention Center - August 2023 Report

Routine Personnel Actions

Promotions

1. Amber Whittington, Senior Deputy Public Defender to Senior Trial Attorney for the Public Defender's Office, at $3,856.00/biweekly (23/3) effective 10/14/2023.

Step Increases

1. Kari Benz, Director of Human Services, at $5,058.40/biweekly (24/10) effective 9/23/2023.

2. Tarlue Zulu, Juvenile Correctional Officer I for the Juvenile Detention Center, at $24.16/hour (13/2) effective 10/11/2023.

3. Staci Peters, Events Coordinator for the Museum, at $31.67/hour (14/10) effective 10/31/2023.

4. Eli Show, Museum Preparator for the Museum, at $33.27/hour (17/6) effective 11/2/2023.

5. Jessie Nesseim, Curator of Collections for the Museum, at $2,796.00/biweekly (19/4) effective 10/19/2023.

6. Trista Severson, Paralegal for the Public Defender's Office, at $27.98/hour (16/2) effective 10/1/2023.

7. Craig Butler, Sergeant for the Sheriff's Office, $47.02/hour (20/14) effective 10/31/2023.

8. Nicholaus Michels, Senior Deputy State's Attorney for the State's Attorney's Office, at $3,669.60/biweekly (22/5) effective 10/1/2023.

9. Brooke Quinlivan, Senior Deputy State's Attorney for the State's Attorney's Office, at $3,761.60/biweekly (22/6) effective 10/9/2023.

ZONING APPEAL

Mason Steffen, Planner, was present for the continued public hearing regarding the appeal of a decision by the Minnehaha County Planning Commission to approve Conditional Use Permit #23-51 to allow a Rubble Dump (Tree Grinding Operation) on the property legally described as the N1/2 NW 1/4 (Ex. H-1 & R-1) Section 34-T101N-R51W Wall Lake Township. The Minnehaha County Planning Commission unanimously approved Conditional Use Permit #23-51 at their September 25. 2023, meeting. This appeal was originally heard by the Minnehaha County Commission at the October 17 meeting, at which a motion to approve Conditional Use Permit #23-51, as amended, received an equally divided vote which then required the item to be deferred to this meeting for final action on the appeal.

The Commissioners continued the discussion on the pending motion to approve Conditional Use Permit #23-51, as amended, originally made and seconded on October, 17, 2023.

Vice Chair Karsky outlined the procedures that would be used for the testimony from both the proponents and opponents attorneys as well as the comments made by members of the public.

Attorney Arguments

Paul Tschetter, legal counsel for the proponents, spoke about the petitioner filing of a solid waste permit application with the Minnehaha County Planning Department and that the proposed tree grinding operation would help extend the life of the Sioux Falls Landfill. Mr. Tschetter went on discuss how the conditional use permit approval would allow departments to review the proposed tree grinding operation through the various conditions set by the recommendation from the Planning Commission and that the petitioners would abide by all conditions that are set forth in the conditional use permit.

Lisa Prostrollo, legal counsel for the opponents, spoke about the recent discovery of a Dakota Access Pipeline easement running across a portion of the proposed operations site plan. Ms. Prostrollo believes that the presence of the pipeline easement will cause the proposed operations to change the site plan that was submitted with the conditional use application. In addition, Ms. Prostrollo also highlighted the various concerns that have been raised by surrounding property owners regarding access to the proposed location as well as the for the pipeline easement in addition to drainage, dust, and traffic concerns.

Paul Tschetter, proponent attorney, stated in rebuttal that no changes would need to be made to the site plan with regards to the pipeline or the associated easement. Mr. Tschetter also stated again that the petitioner will comply with any conditions that are associated with the conditional use permit and that there is no requirement to disclose all easements that are associated with property.

Following various questions from the Commission, Vice-Chair Karsky then opened the hearing for public comment.

Proponents:

Abby Murphy, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the need for this kind of business and the various records that are kept by the company.

Chad Fortness, Tea, SD, spoke about the trucking of the product that is produced and the number of trucks that would be used at the proposed facility.

Rebecca Jongeling, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the company not making alternations to the land and that they are good neighbor to the surrounding properties.

Phil Mueller, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the company's history of following all applicable rules and regulations.

Shaun Bruesch, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the use of wood chips in the agricultural industry.

Jim Bruns, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the traffic that would still be on the road whether or not the business would be in operation or not.

Amendment Opponents:

Lee Kriens, Hartford, SD, spoke about concerns about the pipeline easement that is located on the proposed property and access to the farmland.

Glenn Fuerstenberg, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about concerns regarding the location of the proposed business, access to the easements that are currently in place on the property, as well as concerns regarding the asbestos that is contained in the buildings at the proposed location.

Chet Hofer, Hartford, SD, spoke about concerns about the highway and the size of the trucks that would be used in the proposed tree grinding operation.

Diane Runge, Hartford, SD, spoke about concerns about the location as well as the company being a good neighbor.

Marilyn Kewley, Hartford, SD, spoke about concerns about traffic that may increase along with county highway.

Cully Valnes, Hartford, SD, spoke about concerns related to the nearby electric substation.

Discussion among the Commissioners included concerns regarding access to the farmland that was not a part of the proposed tree grinding operation, the potential need for an access permit for the farmland, hours and days of the operation as compared to other nearby facilities, notification of the pipeline with regards to the easement, and who to notify if there is debris on the highway.

MOTION by Kippley to further amend the pending motion by amending condition #10 to reduce the number of years for the Conditional Use Permit from 10 years to 5 years, second by Beninga. By roll call vote: 4 ayes.

MOTION by Bleyenberg to further amend the pending motion to amend condition #5 to require that the driveway be hard surfaced, either with asphalt or concrete seconded by Beninga. Following Commission discussion, Commissioner Bleyenberg, with the consent of Commissioner Beninga, amended her motion to state that the first one-hundred fifty feet (150') of the driveway be hard surfaced, either with asphalt or concrete. By roll call vote: 4 ayes.

Eric Bogue, State's Attorney's Office, explained that the previous motions to amend were amendments to the pending motion to approve Conditional Use Permit #23-51, as amended and that such motion to approve was still pending as now being further amended.

MOTION to approve Conditional #23-51, as amended at the October 17th meeting and as further amended at the October 24th meeting, pursuant to SDCL 7-8-18. By roll call vote: 3 ayes, 1 nay-Bleyenberg.

REZONING HEARING

Kevin Hoekman, Planner, was present for the public hearing and gave the reading of an amendment to the 1990 Revised Zoning Ordinance for Minnehaha County. The rezone would be for a six-lot subdivision approximately 34.22 acres in size from the A-1 Agriculture District to the RR Rural Residential District. The property is legally described as Prairie View Estates Addition in W1/2 NW 1/4 Section 36-T101N-R51W in Wall Lake Township and is located approximately 3 miles west of Sioux Falls. Following the first reading of this rezoning request, staff received a written withdrawal of the rezoning application by the petitioner. This item was noticed in the official county newspapers for a public hearing, but no decision is required with the petitioner's withdrawal.

PRESENTATIONS

Joleen Thompson, Family Visitation Center Director of Services, presented their supervised visitation program highlighting the focus on the long-lasting effects the pandemic has and continues to have on mental health and addiction, causing children in those situations to experience undue trauma. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Family Visitation Center conducted 10 to 15 private pay intakes a month, which has now increased to that amount in a week. In 2022, the Family Visitation Center serves over 700 individuals with 330 being children and most are being referred through Child Protection Services and the others come to the center through the courts.

Jay Marchand, Lutheran Social Services Re-entry Services Director, provided an update regarding the Family Violence Project through Lutheran Social Services. The funding received from Minnehaha County provides for individualized assessments, abusive partner intervention groups and case management for individuals that have used abuse in their relationships. Our services fall under the pillars of what Lutheran Social Services consider to an effective abusive intervention program: Assessment, Action, Accountability and Accommodation. Those pillars hold up the goal of helping our clients create emotional and physical safety for themselves and others.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN BRIEING

Susan Beaman, Finance and Budget Officer, presented a briefing regarding the 2023 3rd Quarter American Rescue Plan Expenditures. The Auditor's Office plans to report to the US Treasury regarding last quarter's expenditures of $901,727.31. The expenditures breakdown as follows: COVID Sick Leave had an expenditure of $26,978.39; Jail Staffing for COVID Isolation Unit had an expenditure of $191,200.04; Retention Bonus had an expenditure of $29,065.50; Burials had an expenditure of $69,034.47; Motels had an expenditure of $12,968.67; Jail Booking Registered Nurse had an expenditure of $146,587.48; Jail Mental Health Counselor had an expenditure of $20,359.00; New Positions had an expenditure of $301.309.12; Welfare Rent had an expenditure of $89,791.83; Welfare Utilities had an expenditure of $5,107.63; Mortgage Assistance had an expenditure of $1,948.93; Emergency Response Infrastructure Improvements had an expenditure of $213.75; Juvenile Detention Center-Psychiatric Services had an expenditure of $7,162.50. The total ARPA expenditures through September 30, 2023, were $20,262,932.71.

RESOLUTIONS

Jacob Maras, Assistant Highway Superintendent, presented a resolution to delete a bridge from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Structure 50-100-066 no longer meets the definition of a structure due to it being removed and replaced with a box culvert that no longer meets National Bridge Inspection Standards length requirements. The new culvert allowed for the removal of guardrail, extra signage, and will experience less deterioration from vehicle weight. MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Kippley, to authorize the Chairperson to sign Resolution MC 23-31 to Delete Structure 50-100-066 from NBI. By roll call vote: 4 ayes.

RESOLUTION MC 23-31

RESOLUTION TO DELETE BRIDGE FROM NBI

The Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners is in agreement with SDDOT that the following structure(s) should be deleted from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) for the following reason(s):

STRUCTURE ID, LOCATION and REASON FOR DELETION:

50-100-066 2.6S COLTON Structure has been replaced with

culverts that no longer meet NBIS

length requirements.

The Commission is aware of the following stipulations once a structure is deleted from the NBI:

1. Federal and State Bridge funds will not be available for structure replacement or rehabilitation and

2. The structure will only be added to the Inventory following replacement, using County funds.

Upon receipt of this resolution, the above structure(s) will be deleted from the inventory.

Vote of Commissioners: Yes 4 No 0

Dates at Sioux Falls, SD, this 24th Day of October, 2023.

APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION:

DEAN KARSKY

VICE-CHAIR

ATTEST:

KYM CHRISTIANSEN

DEPUTY AUDITOR

Jacob Maras, Assistant Highway Superintendent, presented a resolution to delete a bridge from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Structure 50-100-051 no longer meets the definition of a structure due to it being removed and replaced with a box culvert that no longer meets National Bridge Inspection Standards length requirements. The new culvert allowed for the removal of guardrail, extra signage, and will experience less deterioration from vehicle weight. MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bleyenberg, to authorize the Chairperson to sign Resolution MC23-32 to Delete Structure 50-100-051 from NBI. By roll call vote: 4 ayes.

RESOLUTION MC 23-32

RESOLUTION TO DELETE BRIDGE FROM NBI

The Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners is in agreement with SDDOT that the following structure(s) should be deleted from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) for the following reason(s):

STRUCTURE ID, LOCATION and REASON FOR DELETION:

50-100-051 1.1S COLTON Structure has been replaced with

culverts that no longer meet NBIS

length requirements.

The Commission is aware of the following stipulations once a structure is deleted from the NBI:

1. Federal and State Bridge funds will not be available for structure replacement or rehabilitation and

2. The structure will only be added to the Inventory following replacement, using County funds.

Upon receipt of this resolution, the above structure(s) will be deleted from the inventory.

Vote of Commissioners: Yes 4 No 0

Dates at Sioux Falls, SD, this 24th Day of October, 2023.

APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION:

DEAN KARSKY

VICE-CHAIR

ATTEST:

KYM CHRISTIANSEN

DEPUTY AUDITOR

AGREEMENT

Tyler Klatt, Assistant Commission Administrative Officer, presented a request for authorization for the chair to sign the Construction Manager At-Risk Contract for the Juvenile Justice Center with Henry Carlson Construction. The two contracts establish the terms and conditions of the relationship between Henry Carlson and the County, but do not establish the guaranteed maximum price (GMP). The GMP will be established following the completion of the design documents phase and presented to the Commission for approval prior to the start of construction. Henry Carlson was actively involved in the conceptual design phase, ensuring cost estimates were aligned with building design needs and cost limits. The AIA Document A133-2019 is the standard format agreement between the owner and construction manager used when the basis of payment is the cost of the work plus a fee with a GMP. In recognition of the economic environment regarding construction materials, there is a provision that allows for the increase in price of materials identified and restricts the increase of GMP to no more than 10% of the original cost. The AIA Document A201-2017 is a document of the general conditions applied to the project which include terms and conditions under which the owner, contractor, and architect will work together during the building construction process. The reconstruction services have a total cost of $27,276, while the construction phase fee is 3.5% of the cost of work. MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Bleyenberg, to authorize the Chair to sign the Construction Manager At-Risk Contract for the Juvenile Justice Center. By roll call vote: 4 ayes.

OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Gaylin Scott, Valley Springs, SD, spoke in appreciation of the work done regarding the ordinance regulating pipelines.

Sarah Koob, Sioux Falls, spoke about concerns regarding a venue in Sioux Falls.

COMMISSIONER LIAISON REPORTS

Commissioner Kippley spoke about the recent meeting of the Planning Commission.

Commissioner Bleyenberg spoke about a recent meeting with the Museum and the number of outreach programs that they are undertaking.

Commissioner Karsky spoke about upcoming meetings involving The Link and the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.

MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bleyenberg, to enter into Executive Session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1), (3), (4), and (6) at 11:23 a.m. 4 ayes.

Commissioner Kippley recused himself from the executive session at 11:38 a.m. without returning.

Vice-Chair Karsky declared the executive session concluded at 11:50 a.m.

MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Bleyenberg, at adjourn at 11:51 a.m. 3 ayes.

The Commission adjourned until 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 24th, 2023.

APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION:

Jean Bender

Chair

ATTEST:

Kym Christiansen

Commission Recorder

Published at the total approximate cost of $284.36 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com. 11-2-23-1tc

Minutes of the Minnehaha County Commissioners Joint session with the Sioux Falls City Council for Oct. 24, 2023

THE MINNEHAHA COUNTY COMMISSION CONVENED AT 5:00 PM on October 24, 2023, pursuant to adjournment on October 24, 2023. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT WERE: Beninga, Bleyenberg, Karsky, and Kippley. Commissioner Bender was absent. Also present were Kym Christiansen, Commission Recorder, and Eric Bogue, Chief Civil Deputy State's Attorney.

City Council members present were: Barranco, Cole, Jensen, Merkouris, Neitzert, Selberg, Soehl, Starr. Mayor TenHaken was absent.

Vice-Chair Karsky called the meeting to order.

MOTION by Bleyenberg, seconded by Beninga, to approve the agenda.

MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Beninga, to amend the agenda by placing agenda item 2 before agenda item 1. 4 ayes. The City concurred.

MOTION to approve the amended agenda. 4 ayes. The City concurred.

JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT

Mike Gramlick, Interim Metro Communications Director, spoke about the proposed joint powers agreement for emergency communications and the advantages that the agreement will provide.

Mike Milstead, Minnehaha County Sheriff, spoke about the work that was done to create the proposed joint powers agreement and how it is the right thing to do.

MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Bleyenberg, to approve the Joint Powers Agreement for Emergency Communications.

MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Kippley, to amend the first sentence of section 4.3 of the proposed joint powers agreement by deleting the clause ",at the direction of the Metro Board," which appears after "The Manager". By roll call vote: 4 ayes. The City concurred.

MOTION to approve the joint powers agreement as amended. 4 ayes. The City concurred.

TEXT AMENDMENT

Scott Anderson, Planning Director, was present for the public hearing and gave the second reading to consider revisions to the Revised Joint Zoning Ordinance for Minnehaha County and the City of Sioux Falls related to Vacation Home Rental/Short Term Rental as a conditional use in seven (7) zoning districts in the Joint City/County Zoning Ordinance and adds a definition for Vacation Home Rental/Short Term Rental to the Zoning Ordinance. Vacation Home Rentals/Short Term Rentals continue to present themselves throughout the county and the proposed ordinance amendment attempts to provide a fair framework on how the use can be accommodated. A previous ordinance amendment attempted to address this use through the permitted special use process. The process would have allowed the use to occur when specific criteria were met. The permitted special use track was approved by the Joint Planning Commission but was remanded back to the Joint Planning Commission following the August 22, 2023, Minnehaha County Commission/City of Sioux Falls Council meeting and direction was given to staff at the meeting to have the regulation of Vacation Home Rentals/Short Term Rental administered through a conditional use permit process. The elected officials indicated that the ability to recall and/or revoke a conditional use permit was necessary and not available through a permitted special use process. The Planning Commissions have heard from both concerned citizens and advocates of this use throughout the hearing process and two areas of concern have been discussed, including a registry and complaints procedures. The proposed text amendment would require that current owner and any manager information be kept by the current owner and any manager information be kept current at the Planning Department and at the rental property. The criteria proposed by staff is attempting to be fair to the applicant and surrounding neighborhood in order that the use can be compatible. The proposed ordinance sets guidelines for the number of occupants per bedroom and requires minimum parking requirements. In addition, the contact information of the owner/manager will be required to be posted on site and provided to the Planning Department for issues to be addressed by both renters and planning staff. This item was heard during the September 25, 2023, meeting of the Joint Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County Planning Commission and was recommended for approval.

Vice-Chair Karsky asked for public comments on the proposed ordinance amendment. The public comment was received from Tyler Childress.

MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bleyenberg, to adopt Ordinance Amendment #23-05. By roll call vote: 4 ayes. The City concurred.

OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Sarah Koob, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about concerns about the LGBTQ community and their opening of a venue.

Sierra Brousard, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about the LGBTQ community.

Thomas Warner, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about concerns with about the city sign ordinance.

MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Kippley, to adjourn at 5:35 p.m. 4 ayes. The City concurred.

The Commission adjourned until 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION:

Jean Bender

Chair

ATTEST:

Kym Christiansen

Commission Recorder

Published at the total approximate cost of $54.32 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com. 11-2-23-1tc

News for 11-2-23

News

Carrie Moritz

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November 1, 2023

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A family still has its home after a fire thanks to quick action from a neighbor and the Garretson Fire Department; a seven-month-long saga has finally been resolved for Mueller Pallets & Grinding west of Sioux Falls; we remember a popular Garretson Elementary teacher, Irene Croston, and see more photos from turn-of-the-century Sherman. Plus, trunk or treat, meat processing, and GHS journalism receives awards!

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Obituary: Jere Lewis, 75

Obituaries

Carrie Moritz

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November 1, 2023

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Jere Lewis, 75, of Falls City, NE, passed away October 27, 2023 at Omaha, NE. He was born March 16, 1948 at Falls City to Wayne and Dorothy (Gebhardt) Lewis.

He married Margaret Aleen Swegler on October 15, 1966 at Falls City and they were divorced in December of 1996.

Jere was raised in rural Verdon, NE and graduated from Dawson Verdon High School in 1966. He then attended Milford Technical College. He then worked various jobs, including at Western Electric for seven years until moving to Garretson, SD and becoming employed at EROS where he worked as a computer programmer. He moved back to Falls City in 1988 and was forced to retire due to the effects of Polio. He was a heart transplant recipient for the last 12 years.

Jere is survived by his children, Jason and his wife Sara of Greenwood, MO, Tom and his wife Stacie of Falls City, Becca Pamperl and her husband Vince of Columbia, MO, brother, Lowell of Cedar Rapids, IA and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Richard and a sister, Julie Estes.

A private family interment service will take place at Steele Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 2, 2023 from 6-8:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

News for 11-2-2023 (e-edition)

Carrie Moritz

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November 1, 2023

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A family still has its home after a fire thanks to quick action from a neighbor and the Garretson Fire Department; a seven-month-long saga has finally been resolved for Mueller Pallets & Grinding west of Sioux Falls; we remember a popular Garretson Elementary teacher, Irene Croston, and see more photos from turn-of-the-century Sherman. Plus, trunk or treat, meat processing, and GHS journalism receives awards!

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Halloween Brings Scary Traffic Safety Concerns

Carrie Moritz

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October 27, 2023

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Halloween Brings Scary Traffic Safety Concerns

AAA South Dakota reminds parents and motorists to make safety a priority this Halloween

SIOUX FALLS, SD – Oct. 25, 2023 – As Halloween approaches, AAA South Dakota reminds ghosts and goblins, trick-or-treaters, parents, and party goers too, of the dangerous traffic safety concerns associated with the holiday – increased pedestrian activity and drunk driving – both of which converge this weekend as Halloween activities begin ahead of the holiday itself on Tuesday, October 31.

graphic with jack o lantern and statement be smart, be safe, be seen

Halloween Dangers – Child Pedestrian Safety and Drunk Driving

A scare in good fun is expected on Halloween, but AAA warns, not when it comes to child pedestrian safety.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days of the year for pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
Deadly after dark – the nighttime fatality rate on U.S. roadways is three times higher than the daytime rate, and 76% of pedestrian fatalities occur at night, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
More than 40% of Halloween crash fatalities involve drunk drivers (NHTSA).

“With an increased risk of pedestrian crashes on Halloween night, AAA urges parents to take the time to make trick-or-treaters and their costumes safer and more visible to motorists,” said Shawn Steward, AAA South Dakota spokesman. “In addition, motorists must eliminate distractions, slow down and watch for children, as well as have a completely sober designated driver if drinking is part of a Halloween celebration.”

Halloween is a statistically dangerous night for drunk driving. Because of parties, trick-or-treating, and other festivities, Halloween night can be especially dangerous on our nation’s roads. According to NHTSA:

Between 2016 and 2020, there were 129 drunk-driving fatalities on Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31 – 5:59 a.m. November 1).
Adults between the ages of 21 and 34 had the highest percentage (68%) of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2020. During that same night, 11 pedestrians were killed in drunk-driving crashes.

“Halloween is a time to make happy memories, not tragic nightmares,” said Steward. “The only thing scarier than zombies and witches loose on the streets is an impaired driver.”

AAA South Dakota Halloween Safety Tips

Motorists

Eliminate distractions while driving, focus on the road and trick-or-treaters.
Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals, give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street.
Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and may cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.
Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys, taking extra care if you are backing up or turning.
Turn your headlights on to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.

Parents

Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and light in color to improve visibility.
Be bright at night – have trick-or-treaters use glow sticks or wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and on treat buckets.
Ensure disguises don’t obstruct vision and avoid full facemasks.
Create face masks that coordinate with costumes and won’t obstruct vision.
Ask an adult or older child to supervise children under age 12.
Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and to never to enter a stranger’s home or garage.
Review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.

Trick-or-Treaters

Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.
If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.
Watch for cars turning or backing up.
Cross streets only at the corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.
Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you.
Tell your parents where you are going.
Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries. Never shine flashlights into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Party Goers

Arrange a safe ride home and/or designate a driver before partaking in any festivities.
Always designate a sober driver.
If you are drunk, take a taxi or ride share service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
Before leaving for a party, load ride share apps or put numbers of local cab companies or your designated driver(s) into your phone.
Walking impaired can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.

About AAA

AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 64 million members nationwide and more than 100,000 members in South Dakota. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit www.AAA.com.

Follow Us on Twitter: @AAASDNews

‘Hope Squads’ empower students to tackle suicide prevention

Carrie Moritz

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October 26, 2023

0

‘Hope Squads’ empower students to tackle suicide prevention

By Stu Whitney

South Dakota News Watch

Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources available by calling or texting 988 or by chatting online at 988lifeline.org/chat.

A suicide prevention program for teens is gaining traction in South Dakota schools, empowering students to look after one another and break down stigmas about depression.

Hope Squad, which operates in 41 states and Canada, uses a simple but powerful premise. Students are asked to name three peers they would turn to if they were struggling emotionally. Those lists help educators choose team members, who are trained how to recognize signs of suicide contemplation and abuse, and when to get trusted adults involved.

Sometimes just having someone to talk to represents a breakthrough.

three people standing in front of banner saying hope squad — Flandreau Hope Squad advisers Chelsea Greenfield (left) and Kari Lena-Helling with Hope Squad founder Greg Hudnall at the 2022 American School Counselor Association Conference in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Submitted)

“I learned that it’s OK to be nervous,” said Kiley Westberry, a freshman Hope Squad member in Flandreau, which was the first South Dakota school district to adopt the program. “It’s OK to not be able to fix everything. Sometimes you need to get other people to help.”

Coordinated with mental health agencies and supported by recent state funding, the student-focused trend comes at a time of heightened concern about teen suicide on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 10-29 in South Dakota, according to South Dakota Department of Health data. The state had the sixth-highest age-adjusted suicide rate in the U.S. in 2021 (22.9 deaths per 100,000 individuals), compared to a national average of 14.1.

In the 2023 Legislature, House Bill 1079, sponsored by Republicans Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt of Sioux Falls and Sen. Sydney Davis of Burbank, appropriated $2 million to the Department of Health to provide grants to support mental health and suicide prevention programs tailored for youth, high school and college populations. Gov. Kristi Noem signed the bill into law March 23.

The issue is personal for Rehfeldt because of her own experience as a suicide loss survivor. Her uncle took his own life, and she witnessed the traumatic impact that tragedy had on her family.

“It really broke my dad,” said Rehfeldt, a registered nurse anesthetist at Sanford Health. “He’s worked through that a lot over the last five to 10 years, but I’ve seen how it really impacts families and individuals generationally.”

'Our world is a different place'

Rehfeldt envisions programs such as the Hope Squad providing young people with avenues to be more open about feelings of insecurity in a social media era when pressures and hopelessness can mount quickly.

“I think the first part is just recognizing that mental health doesn’t have to be taboo, and that it’s an important part of physical health,” said Rehfeldt. “Maybe 20 years ago, you didn’t talk about how you felt or how things were pressing on you, but we have to talk about those things with people we trust. I think our world is a different place.”

The first round of contracts, effective from Aug. 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024, provided $250,000 to the Helpline Center in Sioux Falls to purchase curriculum and implement, train and support Hope Squads at nine schools in South Dakota. There also will be suicide loss response planning and protocol development with K-12 schools. The Department of Health is leveraging federal funds as part of these contracts.

In addition, $390,000 went to supporting Peer2Peer, a mentoring program for college students administered by Lost & Found, a nonprofit suicide prevention organization in Sioux Falls.

A third grant for $192,000 went to Mountain Plains Evaluation in Salem, which will conduct an assessment that compiles and analyzes epidemiological data related to mortality, suicide ideation and mental health in South Dakota.

Hope Squads were already established in Flandreau, Platte-Geddes, Brandon Valley and Scotland using grant money from the Utah-based Cook Center for Human Connection.

Helpline Center CEO Janet Kittams said her organization has enrolled four schools in the Harrisburg district (three middle schools and the freshman academy) as well as Brookings and White River as part of the publicly funded program. They are working on adding more schools.

“Hope Squad offers a critical option for students to receive support through their peers,” said Kittams. “The more opportunities we can create for students to reach out for help, the more likely they are to seek that help.”

Hope Squad program started by Utah principal

The national Hope Squad program was created by former Utah high school principal Greg Hudnall, who said he reached a breaking point in 1997 after getting a phone call that one of his students had killed himself in a public park – one in a string of tragedies in the school district.

“That’s when I told myself, ‘I’m done. I can’t take any more of this,’” Hudnall told People Magazine in 2019. “I vowed that I would do everything I could to prevent it from ever happening again.”

Flandreau was one of 12 school districts chosen nationally as grant recipients in 2021, with the pandemic still causing loss of structure and sometimes family tragedy for South Dakota youth. The state’s 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System revealed that 21.5% of high school students said they considered suicide, while 12% said they had attempted it.

The crisis is particularly staggering for Native American youth, whose suicide rate is estimated by the South Dakota Department of Health to be 2.7 times higher than the white population. Flandreau High School, which has a Native enrollment of 30%, strives to reflect those demographics with its Hope Squad efforts.

“The program focuses on the protective factors of suicide prevention while creating more school connectedness,” said Flandreau school counselor Kari Lena-Helling, who supervises Hope Squads for grades 7-8 and grades 9-12.

'I've definitely felt a change'

Flandreau has 84 total students involved with four Hope Squads: grade 4, grades 5-6 (Junior Hope Squads), grades 7-8 and grades 9-12. The elementary school groups are focused more on anti-bullying messages and being a good friend, while the upper levels get more in depth about suicide prevention strategies.

youth standing with letters spelling out hope — Flandreau High School, which has a Native enrollment of 30%, strives to reflect those demographics with its Hope Squads. “The program focuses on suicide prevention while creating more school connectedness,” said school counselor Kari Lena-Helling (Photo: Submitted)

Students are chosen through peer nominations and discussions with principals and teachers, followed by training to recognize suicide/mental distress warning signs and QPR: question if they are thinking about suicide, persuade to get help, refer to a trusted adult. Confidentiality and the need to get adults involved in the process are paramount.

“We wanted to make sure the kids involved felt comfortable when it started,” said Chelsea Greenfield, who advises the younger grades. “I’ve definitely felt a change.”

One high school Hope Squad member came back after summer break and shared that a classmate was struggling with suicidal thoughts. Advisers were able to reach out to that student’s parents and suggest a mental health assessment, preventing a possible tragedy.

“I would say that every year we have students who struggle with suicidality and self-harm,” Lena-Helling said. “I think the difference is that kids are starting to get help for their peers sooner by recognizing warning signs, so you’re not seeing as many actual attempts.”

Giving counselors an assist

These student-involved efforts complement the work of school counselors, who are tasked with providing not just academic and vocational guidance but emotional support to students and families.

Forging that many personal connections is difficult, so schools are exploring ways to supplement traditional counseling with professional partnerships to make sure teens get the attention they need.

South Dakota has a ratio of about 365 students to every counselor, on par with neighboring states Iowa (370:1), Nebraska (369:1) and North Dakota (297:1). The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250:1.

In the Sioux Falls area, medical providers such as Avera Behavioral Health, Southeastern Behavioral Health and the Lutheran Social Services PATH program partner with school districts and take on referrals. The Helpline Center encourages students experiencing suicidal thoughts or needing emotional support to call or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For many students, though, it helps to have a guiding hand and familiar face in school hallways to counter feelings of hopelessness. Even if sharing those emotions feels uncomfortable at first.

'More kids are willing to talk'

Leah DeHaan, a 2023 graduate of Platte-Geddes High School, recalled her reaction when the school started a student-led Hope Squad through a Cook Center grant her junior year.

“I was skeptical,” DeHaan told News Watch in 2022. “As a teen who has suffered from mental health issues myself, I was concerned that it was just shifting responsibility off the adults and onto the students, like they were using students as makeshift therapists.”

She had a conversation with Platte-Geddes school counselor Sadie Hanson, who assuaged DeHaan’s concerns and told her that the fact that she voiced them made her a perfect candidate to serve on the Hope Squad.

DeHaan said she struggled with depression and anxiety in middle school and the beginning of high school. Her breakthrough came when talking candidly about what she was going through and being part of the team.

“Slowly we broke it down, and it became easier to discuss,” DeHaan said, “Now you see more kids around here willing to talk about their own struggles, the medications they need to take and how they plan to move forward.”

How to get mental health help and watch video series

Resources to get help for yourself or someone else who may be considering suicide:

The Helpline Center: People across the state can be connected to a crisis counselor 24/7 through the 988 Lifeline by call, text or chat.

Call: 988
Text: 988
Chat: 988lifeline.org/chat

Front Porch Coalition: 605-348-6692

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline/Indian Health Service hotline: 800-273-8255 (TALK)

Crisis Text Line: Text CONNECT to 741741

— This article was produced by South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit journalism organization located online at sdnewswatch.org.

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