SDSU student researcher Michelle Wilson feels for mussels in the Belle Fourche River during a statewide survey of freshwater mussel species and their population sizes in 2014-2015. Photo: Courtesy Kaylee Faltys
Nestled in the silt, sand or fine gravel of South Dakota’s rivers and streams live some of the state’s least appreciated yet most ecologically important creatures — freshwater mussels.
Their names spark the imagination: Fatmucket, White Heelsplitter, Higgins Eye, Round Pigtoe, Giant Floater, Plain Pocketbook, Fawnsfoot.
Usually hidden beneath the water’s surface, mussels do the quiet work of filtering water in South Dakota’s rivers and streams, helping other aquatic species such as fish thrive. They are a natural food source for otters, ducks, herons and fish.
Many species of these critical members of freshwater ecosystems may be vanishing within South Dakota. Recent surveys of the state’s 14 major river basins — comprising the first comprehensive assessment of living mussel species and their population sizes in South Dakota rivers and streams — found only 17 of the 36 species once known to live in state waters, a 53% decline.
The decline of freshwater mussel populations in waterways in South Dakota and across North America is a major concern on several environmental levels.
Freshwater mussels are powerful filter feeders, consuming phytoplankton, algae and even bacteria from rivers and streams while also filtering out particles at rates measured in gallons per day. At least one mussel species can clear lake water of significant amounts of E. coli, a bacteria that can cause serious illness in humans. Research continues into their promising abilities to ‘treat’ manmade contaminants.
Experts say the reduction in mussel populations in South Dakota waterways is further evidence of largely poor water quality in a state where 78% of South Dakota stream-miles and 85% of lake acres are considered “impaired” in some way.
The Giant Floater is the most common freshwater mussel found in South Dakota waterways, but mussel species overall are on a decline. Photo: Julie Bolding
Freshwater mussels have been on the decline for two centuries — all for reasons related to the actions of man.
In the late 1800s and for several decades, mussels were harvested for their pearls and shells from South Dakota waters, including the Big Sioux and James rivers. Tuscan, located four miles southwest of Menno, was a center of mussel harvesting, according to a 2009 article in South Dakota Magazine.
Mussels were boiled to open their shells and remove the meat. While some people ate the mussel meat, often it was fed to pigs, or used as catfish bait if rotten. Boxcars filled with tons of shells were shipped by rail to Iowa factories to be made into iridescent buttons. Plastic replaced shell for buttons in the 1950s.
South Dakota’s mussel populations have yet to recover from that decimation.
After over-harvesting came land-use changes that altered water quality and stream bed stability, further harming mussel populations.
Accelerating land-use changes — often tied to expansion of agriculture — lead to soil runoff, sedimentation and non-point pollution from manure, fertilizer and pesticides. Water clouded with clay, silt and other particles, including algae, can affect the fish hosts mussels rely on to reproduce. Increased sediment smothers mussels. Pesticides can poison them. Fertilizer runoff causes excessive algae growth that depletes oxygen.
Thirty-six percent of tested water in South Dakota rivers and streams has excessive amounts of total suspended solids, according to the 2020 South Dakota Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment prepared by the state. Suspended solids, which can include soil particles, can increase turbidity and water temperatures, decrease oxygen levels and generally degrade conditions for fish and other aquatic life.
“Similar to previous reporting periods, nonsupport for fishery/aquatic life uses was caused primarily by total suspended solids from agricultural non-point sources and natural origin,” the report states. “Non-point source pollution is the most serious and pervasive threat to the water quality of South Dakota’s waters.”
The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Department of Game, Fish & Parks have worked for decades with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, farmers, ranchers and other organizations to improve water quality in South Dakota’s rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs.
Farming and ranching organizations say that their members are good stewards of the land on behalf of future generations, and that those who work the land are the “original environmentalists.” Many South Dakota landowners participate in conservation efforts, such as the reduction of sediment flowing from the Bad River basin into the Missouri River. But state data tell a story of high levels of agricultural pollution of surface waters. As of 2019, 78% of assessed stream-miles were impaired. E. coli, a bacteria living in livestock and wildlife feces, and total suspended solids, which often include materials from soil erosion, were the contaminants in first and second places.
After poor water quality come physical barriers. Thousands of impoundments on tributaries restrict the natural volume and velocity of water that mussels need to reproduce.
During 2014 and 2015, Kaylee Faltys and her research team waded in streams, feeling the muck for mussels with their bare hands at 202 sites within the 14 major river basins across the state.
After visiting the 202 sites, Faltys produced a grim tally: only 15 species of 36 anticipated species were found, 11 as live specimens and four in the form of recently used whole or half-shells. Of the 202 survey sites, only 91 total sites had live or empty-shell evidence of mussels. No evidence of mussels was found at 111 of the sites, more than half.
A silver lining appeared later in 2016, when Faltys and her colleagues separately assessed population sizes at the 44 locations with living mussels. A live Spike mussel and a half-shell of the Ellipse mussel were discovered, the first time each species has been found in South Dakota. Two additional known native species also were found in 2016: a Plain Pocketbook and a Fawnsfoot, bringing the study total to 17 out of 36.
“This stark decline in species richness may suggest that habitat conditions in South Dakotan streams and rivers are degrading, possibly due to a variety of factors such as land-use changes, impoundments, habitat destruction and host fish availability,” she said.
Chelsey Pasbrig, a GFP aquatic biologist, said in an email that her agency is concerned about the decline of freshwater mussel populations in South Dakota, and it is aware they are among the most endangered animals in North America.
“GFP has begun collaborations with other states to explore the option for augmenting populations with propagated individuals; however, this is in its infancy” she wrote.
Pasbrig added that no current mussel monitoring efforts are underway in South Dakota.
SIOUX FALLS – With state employees scheduled to get a 6% raise after the new budget just passed in Pierre, this week, the Minnehaha County Commission did even better by authorizing a 7% raise for county workers.
County Human Resources Director Carey Deaver explained that there had been many people leaving over the past year.
Just in 2021, the county lost 39% of its employees, she said.
Then the commissioners voted to also increase the contract with law enforcement by renegotiating the contract with the sheriff’s office and jail.
Since this group is union, under the Deputies’ Association, their contract and pay schedule is handled separately, but due to the other raises, the same pay increase was looked at there, as well.
So again, on a 5-0 vote, commissioners amended the 2022 deputies’ contact to allow for 7% raises starting April 2.
Commissioners first voted 5-0 to change the county employee manual to reflect this change. The 7% raise to the pay matrix was the heart of the change, but it also included changes to other aspects of the pay scale.
Fascinating facts about death
Minnehaha County Coroner Dr. Ken Snell (photo by Dave Baumeister)
In his annual briefing to the commission, Minnehaha County Coroner Dr. Ken Snell went over some of the numbers his office saw last year.
Snell reported that 822 Minnehaha County cases were reported to his office. In those, it was up to the coroner to rule as to the death, but not all of them would result in there being suspicions to warrant examinations.
Overall, Snell’s office had 172 examinations in 2021, 108 full autopsies and 64 external examinations.
An external examination may be all that is needed when law enforcement and the coroner’s office agree on a cause of death. If there is a question as to that cause, or the possibility exists of unknown circumstances, a full autopsy is done.
Snell said he was glad to say that there was a drop in the overall number of deaths referred to the county coroner and gave specific figures on what his office dealt with, including the top five seen: 36 drug-related deaths, 18 alcohol, 16 heart/cardiovascular, 15 gunshot wounds, and traffic deaths and respiratory deaths tied at 12 each.
He further detailed that 27 county deaths were ruled as suicides (compared to 31 suicides in 2020). Deaths by gunshot, hanging and drugs were the most common in that category.
Infant deaths, another category seen by the coroner’s office was also down, but Snell emphasized that any in this group was too many.
A total of six infant deaths were dealt with by coroner. Of those, three were caused by “bed sharing” – where the parent and child were sleeping on the same surface, two were classified as “undetermined” (SIDS), and one was listed as a homicide by traumatic head injury.
Because of the drop in cases in 2021, Snell said he was expecting an uptick in cases this year. Coupled with the current increase in costs, he told commissioners he may come back to them asking for more money for the 2023 budget year.
Letter deferred
Although at the March 15 meeting, commissioners said they would vote on the wording of a letter to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, at the urging of Deputy State’s Attorney Eric Bogue, they decided to again defer the matter until their next meeting on April 5.
Bogue suggested they do this in order to include more public comments along with any letter from the commission.
While they originally thought to have the letter done before the PUC met in Sioux Falls on Wednesday, March 23, Bogue pointed out that since the public comment period was open into April, there would be plenty of time for the county to gather more comments and send the letter after their next meeting.
Comments can also be sent by email to .
The next meeting of the county commission on April 5 will be held on the second floor of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
When President Joe Biden mentioned the term “burn pits” while discussing health benefits for military veterans during his State of the Union address March 1, many Americans heard of the issue for the first time.
Jerry Somset of Webster, S.D., has been. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease he believes is related to his exposure to burn pits while stationed with the National Guard in Iraq, but so far he has been denied any benefits from the Veterans Administration. Photo: Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch
Congress is crafting legislation to assist post-9/11 combat veterans exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits that contractors used to dispose of human waste, chemicals, munitions and other hazardous materials in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For Jerry Somsen of Webster, S.D., who grew up dreaming of being a soldier, and who helped command a South Dakota Army National Guard battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Biden’s words were merely a reminder that the wounds of war can linger, even when their origin is unclear.
The 54-year-old insurance executive started experiencing tremors in his hands a few years after returning from southern Iraq in 2005. The shaking soon spread to both sides of his body and down his legs. Last year, a doctor diagnosed Somsen with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive nervous system disorder, though Somsen has no family history with the disease.
Sitting at his dining room table on a recent evening with his wife Kari, a lawyer who works in Groton, Somsen’s hands shook noticeably as he recounted the neurological tests and other medical appointments that so far have not led to any disability coverage for his illness from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, which only recognizes certain conditions as linked to burn pit exposure.
“I didn’t have this when I went over there, and I came out knowing something was wrong,” said Somsen, a Castlewood native and South Dakota State graduate who retired after 23 years of National Guard service in 2009. “I guess you could say we signed up for it, but we didn’t sign up to not be protected once we got back.”
Somsen is one of 16 South Dakotans on a confidential registry of veterans self-reporting symptoms of burn pit exposure, ranging in severity from nasal congestion to lung cancer. The registry is maintained by Burn Pits 360, a non-profit advocacy group that has pushed the VA to develop its own data gathering effort after Congress passed legislation in 2013.
Further action in Washington will be determined through negotiations between a Democrat-favored measure in the House of Representatives and a more modest bipartisan measure that passed unanimously in the Senate. Veterans and their families continue to seek clarity on what the government can provide in terms of treatment and financial support.
“Most veterans understand that this needs to be an evidence-based process,” said U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, said in an interview with News Watch.
Johnson voted against the House bill but supports the Senate effort. “They understand that it takes some time to get the science figured out, but what they don’t like is when political fights or bureaucracy slows down the delivery of the science,” he said.
Back in Webster, as Somsen and his wife look through photographs of his 14 months in Kuwait and Iraq, they lament the frustration of seeing a once-healthy husband and father in the grip of a debilitating disease, with little relief in sight.
“We trust these (veterans) with our lives and with national security,” Kari Somsen said. “But when it comes to him saying, ‘Look I have this issue and I believe it came from Iraq,’ we need to make it so we trust these people a little bit more. They’re not lying. They need help.”
Called to serve in Iraq
Jerry Somsen grew up as one of seven children on a family farm outside Castlewood, about 40 miles north of Brookings. He joined five of his siblings in attending SDSU, but not before becoming fascinated with the pomp and precision of military service.
Jerry Somsen helped command a South Dakota Army National Guard battalion in Iraq from 2003-2005 and has experienced tremors and anxiety since his return. He and other soldiers believe they were exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits that contractors used to dispose of human waste, chemicals and munitions and other hazardous materials. Photo: Courtesy of Jerry Somsen
“My oldest brother, Lowell, was in the National Guard as an officer,” Somsen recalled. “I went to one of his drills at the armory in Mitchell and decided that I wanted to be that guy.”
Jerry entered the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at SDSU with basic training already completed, wanting to hit the ground running. By the time he graduated in 1990 with a degree in mathematics, he headed to Field Artillery Officers Basic School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where his math background helped him excel.
By the time he earned his master’s degree at SDSU in 1994, Somsen had three children and was going through a divorce while still a member of the National Guard but pondering his path. He took a job at Dakotah Incorporated in Webster in 1997 and met Kari through church, teasing her about her lines in an Easter pageant.
They were married in 2000 and added a daughter to a family that already included three girls. But any semblance of domestic bliss was staggered when Somsen showed up to work on Sept. 11, 2001 and saw the planes hit the World Trade Center.
He was in the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 147th Field Artillery. The 1st Battalion was called to action in 2003 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom but never deployed overseas from Fort Sill. “They weren’t needed,” said Somsen. “The war got over too fast.”
The 2nd Battalion deployed later that year with the mission of capturing and destroying enemy ammunition, with Somsen serving as executive officer, second in command. “We didn’t know what our mission was until we got there,” he said. “We pulled our stuff out of snowbanks in South Dakota and had it in Iraq within 36 days.”
They started in Kuwait and then staged at Camp Cedar in southern Iraq, escorting convoys in 130-degree heat, with Wall Drug bumper stickers on their vehicles. It didn’t take long to notice the thick layers of smoke that wafted through the compound from fire pits on the perimeter.
“From the first day we got there, there was smoke everywhere,” said Somsen. “If the wind was right, you’d walk to lunch in it. We just thought they were burning the trash.”
Soldiers slept in vacated Iraqi ammunition bunkers and were exposed to smoke when rockets and landmines were destroyed through demolition. Somsen spent much of his time at command base but traveled to visit these subordinate units.
Asked if it crossed his mind that the fumes were dangerous, he said, “To this day, I wish it would have. The protection of your soldiers is foremost in your mind, so we were more focused on the enemy threat and IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Looking back on it, every soldier in our battalion probably spent time in those burn pits or in some kind of smoke that wasn’t good for them.”
‘Can I live until I’m 80?’
Even before Somsen returned home from Iraq in February 2005, he felt like something was wrong. He had periods of nervousness or anxiety that didn’t exist before, though he managed to calm himself down.
The tremors in his right hand and side started after his return and worsened, making it difficult to hold the microphone when he gave a Veterans Day speech in Webster in November 2007. When he showed up at his old high school in Castlewood for a Memorial Day event six months later, he had to hide his hands behind the podium and later made the decision that his public speaking days were over.
Somsen, who was awarded the Bronze Star for his post-9/11 service, was aware of the perils of war. He knew that other veterans were more severely impacted by their time in Iraq, and that some had lost their lives. He downplayed what was happening to him, even to his family, and focused on his job in the Webster office of DakotaCare, where he has worked since 2007.
“On the way back from Iraq, I found out I was going to be battalion commander, which is what I’d been working for basically my whole life,” he said. “I still had a chance to make full colonel. If I mentioned anything (about the tremors), I was afraid that I’d be forced into a medical discharge.”
After trying to keep his command while tremors progressed to both sides of his body and down his legs, Somsen made the decision to retire in 2009 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. His next battlefield occurred back home and took the form of hospital corridors and exam rooms after applying for disability, joining a legion of fellow soldiers seeking relief from the government.
According to VA press secretary Terrence Hayes, the department is tracking claims for about 2.5 million veterans who were deployed to the Gulf War region from September 2001 to the present and were potentially exposed to various airborne hazards. Of those, about 1.6 million have filed a claim for disability compensation.
Diagnostic procedures, including a spinal tap and brain testing, led a neurologist to conclude in 2021 that Somsen had Parkinson’s disease. His assessment said the illness was “more likely than not related to his exposure during his time in Iraq, possible bringing symptoms out much earlier than would have otherwise presented. He has no other family risk factors.”
Contacted by South Dakota News Watch, Hayes said the VA’s position is that “no link has been established to date between these exposures and Parkinson’s Disease,” citing research from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Somsen, after years of trying to hide his ailment, is now in the uncomfortable position of having to prove it exists, with Kari as his main advocate. After seeing the most recent review of his disability claim rejected, they’re considering taking their case to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in Washington D.C.
In the meantime, Somsen shows up at work each day, stays active in the Webster community and keeps up with his daughters, the youngest of whom continued the family tradition by attending SDSU.
“It’s frustrating because I don’t know what the future holds,” he said. “Can I live until I’m 80? What if it’s not Parkinson’s and it’s something else? You realize that it could be more and more debilitating and you look around for answers, and they’re not easy to find.”
Congress explores funding options
In the summer of 2018, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, met with representatives of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to discuss potential legislative efforts to deliver support for injuries from burn pits and other toxic exposure.
Rounds, familiar with the issue as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, pushed for more research into health effects from burn pits and co-sponsored a successful 2021 bill that improved the level of care veterans exposed to toxic substances received during the pandemic.
The momentum continued earlier this year, when the Senate unanimously passed the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act, which would expand health care eligibility for post-9/11 combat veterans from five years after their discharge to 10 years while also providing a one-year application window for those who missed the initial deadline. The bill would also mandate education and training for VA personnel on toxic exposures and expand federal research in the field.
“This legislation is a small step in the right direction to help make certain that veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances get the access to care they deserve,” Rounds said in a statement. He described the $1 billion measure as the first step in a three-part plan.
The House bill, a sweeping proposal to expand treatment and benefits to all veterans with illnesses from service-related toxic exposures and expedite the VA claims process, passed by a vote of 256-174 two days after Biden’s State of the Union remarks.
The House bill, a sweeping proposal to expand treatment and benefits to all veterans with illnesses from service-related toxic exposures and expedite the VA claims process, passed by a vote of 256-174 two days after Biden’s State of the Union remarks. Johnson joined most Republicans in voting against the bill, decrying a price tag of about $300 billion over 10 years and accusing Democrats of political posturing with a bill that can’t pass the Senate and thus won’t become law.
“Sometimes political games get in the way of quick, important bipartisan victories,” Johnson said. “We could have passed the Senate bill out of the House with 400 votes, and we’d already be in the process of delivering this relief. It’s not a silver bullet, but it would move us in the right direction and veterans would be getting the help they need.”
Biden compared the situation to the aftermath of the Vietnam War, when more than 2 million veterans were potentially exposed to Agent Orange, a blend of herbicides the U.S. military sprayed over jungles to remove dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. The president said it took far too long to reach decisions on presumptive conditions for those affected, and is determined to now make the same mistake again.
With the president’s urging and legislative efforts under way, the expectation is that compromise between Senate and House bills is likely, providing more clarity on the disability status of post-9/11 veterans.
Somsen doesn’t expect Congress to forge the solution to his situation because of questions about his condition. He hopes further medical research can find a link between what’s happening to his body and the toxic exposures that occurred while he served his country.
At the very least, he is thankful that more attention is being paid to burn pits and soldiers who were potentially affected so they are not left to suffer in silence.
“Hopefully this will help a lot of people like me, who went over there healthy and are feeling pretty ragged right now,” he said.
In 2000-2001, Svitlana Klymenko traveled from Ukraine to Garretson and attended Garreton High School as a foreign exchange student. She was hosted by Steve and Kris Frerk, and well-liked by her classmates.
She recently evacuated from Ukraine with her young son in order to protect their lives, though her husband stayed behind to fight the Russian invasion.
To help her out financially, community member, friend, and former classmate Marissa Wollmann asked Garretson for donations via her Venmo account, @Marissa-Wollmann.
"They left on the evacuation train with a bag of food and two back packs and the hope they will reunite with her husband and her parents soon," Wollmann posted on Facebook.
Nancy Longhenry set up a fund at First Bank & Trust for further donations, asking that Svitlana's name be placed in the memo.
Klymenko told Dakota News Now that the support is helping her get through each day, and that any funds would also go towards friends to help them evacuate, as well as covering sleeping quarters and food.
The Garretson School Board had two meetings last week. The first was their regularly scheduled meeting on March 14, and then a closed-door meeting on March 17.
At the March 17 meeting there was only one topic of discussion, and they spent most of it in executive session. They convened at 6:15 p.m., immediately went into executive session and were out of executive session at 6:57 p.m. They then passed a unanimous motion to approve and adopt the Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law & Decision as prepared and presented by the Hearing Officer in the Chris Long matter. They adjourned by 6:59 p.m.
This means that the Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law & Decision will now go on to the State Department of Education for review, action and decision by that body.
One detail that was incorrect in last week's story was that the booing of Supt. Johnson by students actually happened in the school lunch room, during the school day rather than at a basketball game. Students were consequently disciplined for that behavior. One detail we did get correct, despite claims on social media to the contrary, was that board president Shannon Nordstrom did not join the meeting until most of the public session of the March 14 meeting was concluded. He arrived and joined the meeting at 7:46 p.m., as we stated clearly on page 3 of last week’s paper.
The following is the coverage of the March 14 meeting after the public commentaries were complete.
After the public commentaries of Oran Sorenson and Tana Clark, the board approved their claims and finance reports. Having no old business, they moved on to new business and the biggest piece of new business was the report from Infrastructure Design group on their speculative findings for the replacement of the track and turf at the school’s sports complex. Jessica Satiroff and Chad Hanisch joined the meeting via Zoom and presented their very large and detailed report to the board.
The short thrust of the project is to replace turf, track, and subgrade the soil to remove the dips and problems that have developed since its first installation. There are also plans to replace the scoreboard, add new bleachers to the visitor’s side and a new sidewalk to connect the visiting side with the main complex and concession area, as well as concrete repairs across the complex.
During the presentation, board member Ryan Longhenry asked many detailed questions and was very thorough throughout. His self-stated goal was to make sure the issues the field is having now won’t be issues in the future, and that the district gets the very best value for each dollar spent as possible.
“The last track and turf lasted a long time, longer than we had any right to expect, and I just want to make sure that we’re spending our money wisely and that we’ll get the most possible life we can out of the next one we build,” he said. “We need to make sure the issues we’ve had get fixed and so we’re not back here in just a few short years dealing with the same problems.”
The geology of the area has quite literally moved the track and field in a slight southerly direction over the years since it was installed.
Satiroff and Hanisch walked the board through all the details, and samples of new turf and track material were passed around the board table for the board members to put their hands on directly.
Satiroff and Hanisch presented several options to the board. The lowest cost estimate was $1.18 million dollars, the middle cost plan was at $1.5 million, and he highest-cost plan was $1.95 million. The plan Satiroff and Hanisch recommended was a hybrid, taking some elements from all three plans, and would cost an estimated $1.4 million dollars to enact.
Longhenry asked if these numbers were firm, to which Satiroff and Hanisch replied they were not hard numbers, just estimates from what current pricing looks like. The Board thanked Satiroff and Hanisch for the information and held off on making any decisions or sending out for bids until they could review the data further.
Next, the board approved the dates and prices for the school’s driver’s education program, setting the rates at $245 for Garretson School District students and $300 for non-district students.
The board then considered contracts for Anna Nelson and Marissa Waldner.
Supt. Guy Johnson said that after Nelson resigned, but before her last two weeks had completed, her circumstances changed and she asked if she could continue her employment. Johnson said that the district was happy to retain her as an employee and that to do so the board could do one of two things. Either rescind their previous motion to accept her resignation or have the district offer a new contract at the same rate to continue until the end of the school year. The voted to extend a new contract to Nelson and hire Waldner to fill the open position of Tina Reiter.
The board then selected representatives to attend each of the local equalization meetings being held by the various municipalities. They also selected Shannon Nordstrom and Kari Flanagan as the board representatives to negotiate with the Garretson Teacher’s Association for contracts for the next year. Two policy revisions regarding cash in the school building and instruction scheduling passed with unanimous motions as well.
Supt. Johnson then gave his reports to the board. The first was a legislative update. He was pleased to report that all the bills he and the Associated School Boards of South Dakota were concerned about had been either defeated or killed in committee.
Business Manager Jacob Schwietzer then gave a finance report to the board about what the current General Fund projections will be for this year.
In short, they’re good and the school will end the year slightly under budget, though their long-term projections are not as good as they will be deficit spending as time goes on.
Next Supt. Johnson spoke about the school calendar for next year. One item he wanted specifically to address was the 1:30 p.m. early release time and whether or not the practice would continue next year. He had heard some members of the community express their opinion that it was not necessary, but he had a different opinion and cited a staff survey on its effectiveness. He had Principal Teresa Hulscher speak to the board about the efficacy of this, and allowing it as a time for the student support process.
At the end of this report, board member Longhenry requested that the school survey the parents of the students who’ve benefited from this student support process and Supt. Johnson said he would happily gather that data.
Neither Johnson nor board member Rachel Hanisch had been able to attend their respective Prairie Lakes Cooperative meetings, so there was no news on that front.
Nordstrom, having just arrived in time for the executive session, joined the meeting. The board was in executive session from 7:48 p.m. to 10:56 p.m., after which time they voted to extend the administrative contracts of Teresa Hulscher and Guy Johnson by one year and to renew the contracts of Matt Schrank and Jacob Schweitzer for one year, with the specific terms to be determined at a later time. Motion carried. Nordstrom, Flanagan, and Hanisch voted yes. Longhenry voted no. Linneweber abstained.
What has transpired over the past couple months was not how I’d envisioned my tenure with the Garretson School District to come to an end.
It’s been a trying process for my family and myself and we appreciate the support received from everyone during this time. The only information I will share is that there was an incident involving students in May, which I learned about in August, after law enforcement was already involved.
While obviously unable to delve into any other specifics of the issue, it’s important for me to say that I gave my best effort to this school and community - every day. My family and I will transition into whatever is next, placing no blame and making no excuses.
Throughout this time, it’s been difficult to see the impacts that this situation has had in our community. Realizing that emotions run high at times like this, it’s also important to step back and remember that we still have choices to make.
Choices on how we are going to handle ourselves, how we are going to treat others and how we will model our handling of adversity for others. Adversity is a part of life for everyone. No matter how it is created, it’s something that we face every day.
We’ve often talked to our students and athletes about how to handle it. None of those lessons included spreading rumors or treating others disrespectfully. We have a finite number of opportunities to show our youth how to handle difficult situations. Let’s do the right thing, they deserve it.
I’d also like to take the opportunity to express the great appreciation I have for all the individuals – past and present - that I’ve had the privilege to work with in the Garretson School District for 14 years. Please continue to embrace the fact that you are all influential, impactful, and memorable people in the lives of students. These staff members have done everything that was ever asked of them – and more. They don’t have easy jobs and the work they do is not celebrated enough.
Every year it is more difficult to be a young person in our society which translates to more challenges in the classroom. Thank you all for patience and guidance of our youth - they are our future.
Garretson students past and present - thank you! Thank you for being involved in our school, thank you for being involved in your community. You have participated in city-wide clean ups after storms, concerts, contests, plays, meets, matches and games always representing our school in exemplary fashion. You’ve been mentors to younger students, role models for peers and examples for adults on how to handle things with grace and humility. You’ve allowed our community to experience state tournaments, national conventions or just simple acts of kindness that maybe only impacted one person. All are important and all are memorable. We have all learned something from each one of you and thank you for all you’ve done for myself and my family.
The possibilities and potential for Garretson and the school district are infinite. There are some important decisions for this district that need to be made in the future, but one thing is for certain, the Garretson community needs its school. Please try and separate yourself from your feelings and determine how you can make a positive impact on our school and community moving forward. My family and I wish nothing more than the future success of this school and this community. Thank you for the opportunity to be Blue Dragons.
The March 14, 2022 meeting of the Garretson City Council had several regular pieces of business along with the requests presented by the Garretson Pool Board, Fire Department, and Sioux Metro Growth Alliance (see full story in the March 17 issue of the Gazette). The Council also fielded a request from Combine owner LeRoy Austin to close Main and 3rd over Jesse James Days, a request for land in order to apply for grants for a dog park, and had a discussion on the branch pile.
Street Dance at Jesse James Days
Combine owner LeRoy Austin presented, stating that he and Gulch Bar & Grill owner Tracey Jellis will be hosting a street dance over Jesse James Days. They were requesting a closure of 3rd and Main along with part of the street to the south on Saturday evening, June 18.
"We want to do it right," he said, noting that the two businesses also plan to sell beer. He pointed out the intention was to only close half the block and the intersection, but if they were to need to increase that size, he'd be open to it.
Council member Bill Hoskins asked if a security plan was in place, and Austin replied that he had not yet contacted the Sheriff's office to develop one, but had plans to issue wrist bracelets based upon ages 18-20 and 21+. He also asked if there were other ordinances or laws that needed to be followed in order to put on this event, and said that he was hoping it could also act as a fundraiser for other businesses and groups such as the fire department.
The council stated that they would be ok with the event and the street closure, as long as the proper event insurance and licenses are obtained. The main concern was whether the owners had taken the possible popularity of the event into account, and if half a block was enough. With those concerns in the open, the council voted to allow the closure so the event can go ahead.
Land sought for dog park
Next up was Leslie Black, a newer resident in Garretson. She was hoping to write grants for a dog park in Garretson, a need that has been explored before but hasn't been pursued further.
She stated that a portion of land is required to be set aside by the city before any grants can be applied for, and was requesting the council grant her a parcel so she can move ahead. She and another dog park developer had explored a few areas of the JC Complex, starting with the corner of Dows and Center. This area is a popular request for that activity, but it is also under consideration for other projects, such as an expansion of the fire department facility.
Black did point out that a water source is a requirement, as is fencing. A source of electricity is encouraged. She also stated that a central location is ideal.
"You can build it as simple or as extravagant as you want," said Black. She said there were several grants available, not just for building but also for improvements and maintenance. She said she also had access to plans from other communities such as Beresford, and those would include materials lists.
Council member Greg Franka questioned Black about sizing, and she responded that Beresford has one dog park that is 50'x100'.
Mayor Greg Beaner responded that yes, a dog park is a desired commodity in town, and that it has been explored before. However, he said, he would prefer a recommendation come from the Park Board as to what the city should do. Hoskins concurred, and council member Jodi Gloe stated she can ensure Black meets with the board prior to the next meeting.
Mayor Greg Beaner then spoke to the board about the 5th Street bridge, which is now out for bids. The construction, which the city had hoped would occur as early as 2020, had been delayed several times due to state approval not being granted for the project plans until this past January. Because the delay is on the part of the state, they are willing to grant a one-year extension on the grant funding, which had initially required the project be completed by the end of 2022. It is hoped that the extension will allow the city to receive better bids for construction. The extension required a vote by the council to allow it.
"It's kind of a no-brainer," Beaner said about voting for the extension.
A new contract for Split Rock Park Campground was then presented by Mayor Beaner, who stated the city's lawyer had drawn it up. The contract set a rate for a park manager salary, and was set up more like a campground host rather than a lease. The mayor stated that even with these changes, Bruce Rekstad was still interested in being the manager.
Councilor and Park Board advisor Jodi Gloe pointed out that she was viewing it more like a city employee position than a contract, because it had job responsibilities and a set salary. She was concerned about having employee coverage of the campground during May, September, and October. She wanted the position to be classified as a salaried position with the city instead of a contract.
Beaner responded that Rekstad found May coverage fairly easy during the week, as the number of campers is lower at that time.
Gloe stated that September and October are also under that coverage, and wondered if perhaps the salary should be lowered so it could be split May-August for coverage by one person and September-October by another.
Councilor Dave Bonte recommended the Park Board make the decision on whether to split it, using the total amount budgeted for May through October. Gloe responded they can do that, and the motion was passed unanimously.
City employee Jessica Fueston then presented a fine that had been levied from the IRS for late payroll tax payments. She stated that during the fall of 2021, several payments had been late to the IRS and one had not been paid at all.
Mayor Beaner asked if all the late bills had been caught up on, and Fueston and City Finance Officer Paetyn Dreckman responded in the affirmative. The office has recently moved to a weekly invoicing system instead of monthly, and Mayor Beaner asked if that was going well. Dreckman said it was helping with ensuring all bills were paid on time.
Fueston later clarified to the Gazette that the late payments were not the fault of anyone currently employed with the city.
Branch pile changes
City maintenance supervisor Ryan Nussbaum spoke to the council, stating that the state wants the city to acquire a permit to compost instead of burning leaves and grasses with the branch pile. He was unsure as to why this was the case, and stated the only other course of action is to acquire a dumpster to be placed on city property where leaves and grasses can be placed.
When asked which he'd prefer, the compost permit or the dumpster, Nussbaum responded that he would prefer the dumpster. There would be a cost of approximately $500 to remove it 1-2 times per month.
Councilor Gloe asked if having a fine set if garbage or items other than grasses and leaves are left. The council also discussed potentially needing a camera system and fence.
When asked if composting was possible, Nussbaum pointed out that the permit would place other restrictions on the branch pile area, and it wasn't just the amount of time city employees would have to dedicate towards taking care of it.
The council agreed to change to the dumpster, and requested an ordinance be drafted for a fine to be levied if items other than grasses and leaves were dumped.
Nussbaum and Maintenance Supervisor Jordan Doane also suggested having the current pile leveled, and the council agreed.
Election to be held April 12
The council then set the time for the equalization meeting, which was held this past Tuesday, and the city election date.
Fueston updated the council on election petition results, which had seen Greg Beaner apply unopposed for a two-year term as mayor, Greg Franka unopposed for Ward 1, Dave Bonte unopposed for Ward 2, Bruce Brown unopposed for a one-year term in Ward 3, and two petitions filed for a two-year term in Ward 3 by Karen Stainbrook and Jacki Rotert.
The two, two-year term petitions mean an election will be held on April 12 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Legion for Ward 3 residents only.
A final piece of business was a first reading of Ordinance 679, which was requesting a re-zoning from commercial to industrial for Nachurs Alpine Solutions. They are intending to build a micro-nutrient plant to the north of their current facility, in a building that will have a construction cost upwards of $1 million and employ 2-3 more people.
Mayor Beaner, who was frustrated that a representative from the company was not in attendance to answer questions, said in the presentation that there would not be a smell or noise associated with this production, and that it would add approximately 2-3 trucks per week to the area.
Resident Bruce Brown was concerned about more truck traffic due to this new build, stating that during certain times, he cannot leave his property via Railroad Avenue due to trucks being backed up off Nachurs' property. Beaner responded that it should not add much, if any, more traffic at all.
Since this was a first reading, the council did not take any action, and Beaner stated that he will work to ensure there is a representative at the next meeting to answer questions.
The next regular meeting of the city council will be held on Monday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion.
Pastor Corey Scott is the new pastor on the block at Zion Lutheran Church here in Garretson.
“The call to ministry for me came at me in a roundabout way,” he said. “I grew up in Southeast South Dakota in Hudson. I got out of high school and didn’t know what I intended to do with my life. I’ve had a lot of jobs. Retail and grocery store work, manufacturing and sales are all things I’ve done. I have always been actively involved in church, and I’m also a boy scout troop leader too. It’s the kids that really started my desire to go into ministry. Working with them in a church setting started the itch I think. That started it. Both my wife and I also taught Sunday School at St. John in Sioux Falls and I got so involved that it led me to do other things and more, until my pastor sat me down and said, ‘Corey, you may want to think about the ministry yourself, because I think I might see a real calling there.’ And he was right.”
“I started at Sioux Falls Seminary after that, got my vicarage first and worked at Faith United,” he said. “Then my internship at SF Hope Lutheran. As of December of last year (2021) I was ready for my first official calling. Zion needed a new pastor, I applied, and well, apparently, they liked me because they called back right away and asked me when I could start. I said I’ll be there next Monday at the start of January. I was officially ordained right here at Zion and began my duties. Yes, this means that Zion is my first official calling. It’s great for me because Garretson isn’t far from Sioux Falls and I didn’t have to uproot my home and family. Also, I grew up in a town a lot like Garretson, and I like the small-town environment.”
“I suppose that I don’t have much in the way of pastoral experience, but what I do have is a lot of life experience,” he said. “It’s people that I love. I relate to other people and I want to help them as best I can. When I see them struggling and suffering, I want to reach out because I know and understand what it’s like to struggle and suffer. I love to share both joys and pain. Pastoral love is really important to me. Hospital and hospice care can be difficult, you often see people in the darkest places in their lives. But I wouldn’t miss it, to be there in that moment, when someone else needs you the most, that’s what God’s love truly is, to be their support in those dark moments. Having lived through pain myself, being that listening ear and the heart of compassion, it’s truly God's work.”
Pastor Scott says he’s still getting to know the Zion congregational family and the community at large, but he’s liked everything he’s seen so far.
“Everyone has been amazing, understanding and super friendly,” he said. “I can tell that I’m going to really enjoy it here. It’s been very fulfilling already, and we’re just getting started. The people here at Zion are exceptional. Jen Tremel is an amazing human being and I can’t say enough good about her and the work she does with the youth program. Kathy Winter is great too and we have a new Church Secretary as well, as Kathy Winterton has taken up Anita Dixon’s job.”
“I wanna tell everybody how privileged and blessed I feel getting the opportunity to be the new Pastor at Zion,” he said. “I’m just excited to see where God is leading us as a congregation and the good we will do together.”
Zion Lutheran has a new pastor and secretary, and we get to know Pastor Corey Scott, Rich Holzapfel has been hard at work with his grandson Finnlay on the train room in the museum, and we continue our coverage of last week's council and school board meetings. Plus, Prairie Rose Community Fund awarded nearly $40,000 in grants and scholarships to local organizations and students, and more!
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Zion Lutheran has a new pastor and secretary, and we get to know Pastor Corey Scott, Rich Holzapfel has been hard at work with his grandson Finnlay on the train room in the museum, and we continue our coverage of last week's council and school board meetings. Plus, Prairie Rose Community Fund awarded nearly $40,000 in grants and scholarships to local organizations and students, and more!
