Dave Baumeister | County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – Commissioner Dean Karsky took over the leadership position on the Minnehaha County Commission when he was selected as commission chairman at this week’s annual re-organization meeting.
Karsky, who served as vice-chair in 2019 and 2020, will be assisted by new Vice-Chairperson Cindy Heiberger.
And for the third year in a row, the commission went above and beyond state requirements and authorized four legal newspapers.
South Dakota state law requires that every county must publish its public notices in every newspaper in the county, but that same statute caps it at three papers.
Currently, only eight of South Dakota’s 66 counties have more than three papers, and seven of them only have four.
Minnehaha County has seven newspapers.
Three, the Brandon Valley Challenger, the Dell Rapids Journal and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader are all owned by national conglomerate Gannett Media.
The Minnehaha Messenger and the Dells City Journal are owned by New Century Press in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
And the Garretson Gazette and Brandon Valley Journal are independently owned by Garrick and Carrie Moritz and Jill Meier, respectively.
Commissioner Cindy Heiberger made the motion to approve four newspapers all owned by different entities: the Minnehaha Messenger, Garretson Gazette, Brandon Valley Journal and Argus Leader.
In taking this action, commissioners spoke highly of the local coverage and ownership by the papers.
“We are so well-represented by this group of newspapers,” Commissioner Jeff Barth said.
The vote was 5-0 to approve these four papers.
Minnehaha is the only county in the state that has legal publications in excess of what the state requires.
Other special business in the first meeting of 2021 included acknowledging the various non-elected department heads, as well as Dr. Kenneth Snell, as county coroner.
Commissioners also voted for a 2% increase in their own salaries, bringing them to $29,765.60 for the year.
Commission Administrator Carol Muller pointed out that unlike other county employees, the elected commissioners do not receive any benefits (insurance, retirement, etc.) for their work.
In the past, the person serving as chairperson received an extra $1,000 for filling that role, but last Tuesday, Barth moved that amount be increased to roughly $1,500 going forward, as, he said, the duties of the chair have greatly increased, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
This was unanimously approved by the commission.
Although she didn’t get the extra $500, outgoing Commission Chairperson Jean Bender did receive the kudos and thanks of the other commissioners for her hard work during 2020.
In other business, Bill Hoskins, the director of the Siouxland Heritage Museums briefed commissioners about the particular challenges of the county’s museums during the pandemic.
He explained that to deal with schools and others not having their usual tours, the staff has put together “virtual” tours and classes that people from all over can take advantage of remotely.
Heiberger added that the museums are still open for people to visit, and she suggested that anyone going through would find them enjoyable and interesting.
There will be no commission meeting next week, due to recent action has them slightly limiting their meeting times, but the next meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 9 a.m. in their meeting room on the second floor of the County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
All regular meetings have time designated for public input, and comments are always welcomed and encouraged.