January
· Hill City holiday business down due to December storms
· A group from Hill City and Custer meet at Mount Rushmore for their annual Jan. 1 breakfast
· Joe Harris says he was optimistic that Hill City would weather current ‘depression’
· Open Stage begins open mic entertainment nights at Chute Rooster starting Jan. 9
· Gin’s Court is dedicated Jan. 7. Packed house sees basketball and wrestling events throughout day
· Keystone has ‘clash of the garbage cans’ controversy over who gets to use what and when
· Jennifer Fox, 44, pleads guilty to embezzling over $100,000 during her employment as a bookkeeper for the Hill City ambulance and fire districts
· Greenpeace activists who hung a banner from Mount Rushmore appear in court and are given slap on the wrist with only one receiving jail time. All pleaded guilty to the offense of trespassing on the memorial
· Arisbet Escalante is named Boys and Girls Club of the Black Hills Student of the Year and will compete for the state title in Pierre
· The Prevailer goes online with local stories and videos posted on website
· Pine beetle damage sets off alarms in Black Hills National Forest and preserves around Mount Rushmore and Harney Peak
· Dr. Terry Graber goes on missionary trip to Haiti and is detained with his group to provide medical attention for the victims in Haiti following a devastating earthquake
· Annual fireworks cancelled at Mount Rushmore due to “unacceptable risk” for wildfire over July 4 holiday
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
By Carol Walker
The sewer fund received a needed boost as the Hill City Council voted unanimously to approve the supplemental budget ordinance, which allowed $100,000 to be moved from the general fund to the sewer fund to fully cover the costs incurred for the year 2010.
“Are we going to reactivate the water-sewer rate committee again? We shouldn’t have to augment the sewer fund each year,” asked Councilman Dave Gray.
Brett McMacken, city administrator, suggested the committee be called together after he has an opportunity at a staff level to pinpoint what the issues really are. He went on to explain some of the things, which have been addressed. He said in the first year the heating system was inefficient and it didn’t heat the lower level. It was augmented with an electric system.
“One of the core problems has been the air exchange rate. There has to be a regular cycle of air vented out, which means warm air is vented out and cooler air vented in. They can’t maneuver it much more than they already have,” said McMacken.
He also said the bird balls on top of the ponds stabilize the water temperature, which also helps. At this point they don’t have much more that they can do. In short, things affecting costs at the plant are increased use and cost of chemicals, the infiltration system, sewer abatements, Black Hills Power rate increase and leaks, which are being fixed, at Allen Gulch and Sunset Creek Estates.
McMacken reported that a leak in the waterline south of Tracy Park was fixed. A 30-40 yard section of galvanized pipes in that area will all eventually need to be replaced.
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
By Bev Pechan
I have always liked small towns and the people in them. Sure, it is hard to keep a secret in one, but if there is someone out there who could really use a helping hand, the grapevine will be busy and more often than not, some person or group will be checking to see what they can do to make things better.
It’s not like the stresses of a big city, where someone may shoot you over a parking spot or mug you at your doorway. Neighbors who are non-metro have learned to look out for each other for the most part, and farmers and ranchers have long known the importance of hospitality to those caught in blizzards, mired in mud or trying to round up stray animals.
It was refreshing to read recently that young families are moving back to Lemmon to raise their children in a safer environment and that they are willing to forego a lot of conveniences to make it happen. In other places, rural schools are consolidating or closing and church congregations have moved away, but ask an elder who has grown up with calves and lambs for playmates about what they remember best about their lives, and it will not be the many gadgets they have since come to rely on.
The Hill City boys started the Lakota Nation Invitational (LNI) with a thrilling 72-69 win over the No. 6 ranked team Little Wound. Justin Klein led the Rangers with 34 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds. Derek Skillingstad contributed 14 points as Hill City was able to hold off the Mustangs late game rally.
On Thursday night the Rangers faced Red Cloud who was the No. 2 ranked team in the tournament. The Crusaders wore Hill City down en route to a 88-45 win. Derek Skillingstad had 17 points and Justin Klein had 12.
On Friday, the Rangers faced Cheyenne-Eagle Butte. Hill City jumped out to a 21-3 lead, but CEB got hot and Hill City ran out of gas down the stretch. Klein and Skillingstad each had 23 points.
In the final day of the LNI, the Rangers matched up with the defending class “B” state champion White River Tigers. Trailing 15 at halftime the Rangers battled back and cut the lead to six points with six minutes to go in the game. In the end White River was too much as they won 67-47.
By Jason Ferguson
While social issues such as abortion and smoking have been the headline-grabbing issues of recent South Dakota state legislative sessisons, District 30 representatives to the state say the main focus of this year’s session will be all about the budget.
Revenue projects for 2010 are down, and a growing chasm between what the state is making and what it is spending continues to grow, leaving legislators staring at what is expected to be anywhere from a $20 to $100 million budget deficit for the fiscal year 2012 budget. It is expected that the legislature will need to find at least $39 million in additional general revenue to balance the 2012 budget if no cuts are made, no programs are added and no pay raises are given.
While stimulus money and reserves have been used to balance the budget in recent years, the reserves in the state budget have been whittled down to around $40 million, and with Republicans gaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the days of federal stimulus packages could be drawing to a close.
Add it all up, and District 30 representatives say the time is now to make serious, deep—and probably painful—cuts into the state’s budget.
“It’s not going to be any fun, that’s for sure,” said Rep. Mike Verchio (R-Hill City), now entering his third year as a representative. “We can’t continue to kick the can down the road or spend a lot of our reserves to balance the budget again. It’s the same drum I have been beating the past two years. We have needs, and we have wants. We need to make sure we get as much money into needs as possible.”
Rep. Lance Russell (R-Hot Springs) echoed those sentiments, saying under Gov. Mike Rounds, the state has spent more money than it has made seven of eight years, gradually creeping the state toward the budget deficit it is now facing.
“We have to make adjustments to the amount we are spending,” he said. “We are spending too much money. This didn’t occur overnight. As far as I’m concerned, we need to have a correction. We have to make sure we’re on the road to fiscal sanity.”
Many lawmakers approved of across-the-board cuts a year ago, which Rounds balked at. However, for this year’s budget, Rounds directed all of his state department heads to dig into their budget and see what could be eliminated, and is proposing 10 percent across-the-board cuts. Intially, according to the Mitchell Daily Republic, state government departments, agencies and offices submitted budget requests seeking a total increase of $63.3 million in general funds for the 2012 budget.
“I’m glad he has come to the realization we need the department heads (to scrutinize their budgets),” Russell said. “They are in the best position to determine the wants and needs in a department. I’m hopeful when he lays out his budget, there will be a 10 percent cut in government.”
While Russell is on board with across-the-board cuts, Verchio does not support them. He argues that doing so punishes those departments that are already doing a good job and aren’t wasting taxpayer money. Rather, Verchio said legislators and department heads need to dig deep into each budget and service individually to find where cuts could and should be made.
“We need to balance the budget. It would be nice to break even,” he said. “I think all of us, for one reason or another, are going to make our consituents upset with us because we cut things near and dear to their hearts.
“Wants are good valuable programs when we have the money to support it. Sometimes when a want is in effect for two or three years, it becomes that interest group’s need.”
First year senator Bruce Rampelberg also points to the budget as the elephant in the room this year. He said he may be in favor of spending some reserves to balance the budget if signs point to an economy on the rebound, but added it’s looking more and more like cuts will need to be made, as the national economy continues to sag.
“My suspicion is we won’t see much improvement in the national economy. There will be a lot of shared pain,” he said. “The budget drives everything. Everything is driven by the forecast (of money received) from taxes. It’s going to be a really interesting session.”
Although Rounds will give the initial budget address, the legislature will work with a new governor, when Governor-Elect Dennis Daugaard takes over in the new year. Daugaard has said he expects next year’s budget to involve significant spending cuts to deal with an anticipated large deficit. The budget will also have about $37 million in leftover federal stimulus money.
The governor of South Dakota is required to present a budget in December every year, and Rounds will fulfill that requirement in a Dec. 7 speech to next year’s Legislature.
However, Daugaard will have to present his own budget address after he becomes governor in January, and then work to get a budget passed.
District 30 lawmakers are anxious to work with Daugaard. Verchio said he believes Daugaard will have more of an open communication line with the legislature than Rounds has had.
“I’m looking forward to more of a give and take between the executive branch and the legislation,” Verchio said. “It won’t be as insulated as it was with Gov. Rounds.”
“I have a positive outlook on what he is going to do. I think he is serious about getting the budget under control, and I think he is open to changing a lot of policies that concern people in our area, such as the open fields doctrine,” Russell said. “He also says he won’t raise taxes. I think that’s a very good thing. In a recession period, the last thing we want to do is raise taxes on people we are essentially cutting services for.”
Taxes could become a sticking point of the session, as revenues continue to decline as the cost of services go up. Verchio said he expects there will be a renewed push on transporation taxes, such as a gas tax increase, new licensing fees and an excise tax on new vehicles. All such fees were brought forward during the last session, but were dismissed. Verchio said he will continue to be against such fees, but admits that doesn’t mean they won’t come to pass.
“You never know what the circumstances might bring,” he said. “I don’t know if you can honestly make the pledge of no new taxes. It certainly would be my last resort.”
Complicating matters is that some areas of the budget can’t be cut. Part of taking the federal stimulus funds the state received was that a continuing commitment would be made to spend money on those programs. Other areas, such as corrections, are touchy because of the perception that public safety could be compromised if it is cut.
Rounds has said repeatedly education and social programs, such as Medicaid, compromise about 85 percent of the general fund budget. While revenue has stayed stagnant or even decreased, the combined expenses just for the cost of the Medicaid program and education will have increased more than $100 million by July of 2011, he said. Education is not expected to receive much, if any, of an increase in this year’s budget, much to the chagrin of local school district officials.
So while it’s unclear just how much of a budget deficit there will be, or how that deficit will be dealt with, it’s clear that social issues will take a back seat to the looming budget crisis hanging over the state. Those who represent District 30 say it will be a tough process, and feedback is welcome as they work through it.
“I appreciate all the communication we have had the past two years,” Russell said. “It has helped me a great deal in making decisions that are tough to make.”
“Have patience with us. We’re going to make every one of you mad over something,” Verchio said. “I encourage people to start contacting me right now so I can start working on things.”
“I believe most people in District 30 share my beliefts about less government and less taxes,” Rampelberg said. “It’s my intention to represent that to the best of my ability. Also, to listen to people’s thoughts and ideas and make a judgment call with the best information I can get. I have no personal agenda. I want to be considered a good, strong representative of the people of District 30.”
The 86th South Dakota Legislative session begins Jan. 11 and lasts until March 11. Legislators will return to Pierre March 28 to consider possible vetoes and any other last minute issues.
By Carol Walker
They drove to Hill City from several states just to nail up sheetrock, cook food for a few days and then return home again. The selfless efforts of the 20 men and three women who delivered an early Christmas gift left the members of the Little White Church awestruck, with hearts full of gratitude.
The common denominator in the project was Phil Tepley, a man from Bemidji, Minn., who came to the Black Hills for the summer to mine for gold, which he uses to supplement a ministry called Mission U.S. and Canada. During the course of the summer he visited the Little White Church several times, and before returning to Bemidji in the fall, he decided he wanted to do something to help with the addition on the church.
For many years the Little White Church members have realized their need for a bigger and more accessible social room, but a few years ago the congregation decided to move ahead to meet that need. The addition, in progress, includes a social room, kitchen, library, nursery and additional classroom space. A few contracters have been hired to do part of the work, but much of it has been volunteer labor.
“Phil called later on in the fall and said his ministry would like to buy all the sheetrock and gather a crew to put it up. He even said they would bring all their own food. It was a huge gift to us, a real illustration of what the Bible says about setting aside your own interests for the interests of others,” said Ron Walker, pastor of the church.
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Department notified the Prevailer Monday morning that former Hill City resident, Joseph Steven Wallace, 29, was apprehended in Brookings and taken into custody.
Wallace had been living in the Hill City area and a felony arrest warrant was issued. Wallace is charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, four counts of third-degree burglary and grand theft reportedly from residences in Hill City and other locations. No word of a court date has been received.
By Bev Pechan
Finance officer Vanessa Row announced at last Wednesday’s town board meeting that she has received word from Howard and Audrey Shaff, formerly of Keystone, that a portion of New York’s World Trade Center has been selected to be relocated as a permanent memorial in Keystone. The souvenir is ready to be loaded at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and will be coordinated between the Shaffs and Duane Pankratz, Keystone, regarding insurance and delivery. It will also need to be insured for liability when it reaches Keystone, Row said.
Keystone’s Christmas lights are showing their age, maintenance worker Todd Taylor told city officials. Taylor said that the banner uptown has lights that are out already. Trustee David Cofoid replied that he would like to city budget for new lights in the 2012 budget. “Some were purchased in about 2004 with the ambulance service,” he added.
Board president Sandi McLain commented on Keystone’s remaining garbage cans uptown and suggested they also be removed, as businesses were again using them instead of removing their own trash in personal containers.”We were going to hold some in some areas, but people are misusing them. They’re not tourists, so they will be pulled from those areas,” she stated.
The second reading of Keystone’s controversial building permit ordinance amendment was read and passed, with continuing discussion and argument over the matter. Cal Loock, who is alleged to have moved a building onto property without getting the proper permit, was ordered by city attorney Mitch Johnson at the previous meeting to “take the building back to where he got it by Dec. 15.”
Loock appeared at the meeting with a letter from Ron Friesen, his brother-in-law attorney who reportedly also has an interest in Loock’s venture. The correspondence, which was directed to attorney Johnson, listed several comparisons he wished to have considered and which Johnson said he could perhaps agree with, reopening dialogue.
From the audience, several comments were raised. Sean McNulty, a contractor, expressed frustration with the latest indecision over several points in contention and argued, “If you’re going to have rules, stick with them and treat everybody the same.” McNulty added that if there were rules, someone was also needed to enforce them, to which Cofoid countered that inspectors make “about $56,000 a year,” which he indicated was not doable for a small town like Keystone. McNulty also questioned the current requirements for contractors’ licenses. Row responded by telling him that these funds go to the Department of Revenue and have nothing to do with the city.
Discussion returned to the Loock-Talley issue and attorney Johnson suggested that with two weeks remaining, a special open meeting be arranged for both parties to meet in public to try to work out their differences. The date was set for Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the Keystone Community Center, beginning at 7 p.m.
By Carol Walker
The newly formed “Save Our Black Hills” Coalition is interested in doing whatever it takes to slow the spread of the mountain pine beetle infestation in the Black Hills. After an organizational meeting in mid-November at Crazy Horse, where state and federal forestry officials, representatives from the timber industry and private landowners spoke, the “Save Our Black Hills” Coalition formed a steering committee of about 10 people. That committee met last week at the Hill City Visitor Information Center to discuss the next step.
Discussion fell along similar lines with the Crazy Horse brainstorming session including public awareness/ education, government agencies making the beetle problem a priority, legislative action and funding.
“We need accurate, consistent information that is easily understandable to people,” said Darcie Henegar, organizer for the coalition.
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
By Bev Pechan
The rich heritage of Mexico’s observance of Navidad (the Nativity) and a feast and celebration to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, are both times for sharing religious faith and giving thanks, say members of Hill City’s Hispanic community.
On Saturday, Dec. 11, Hispanic parishioners of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church are inviting all Hill City residents to join them at a special mass to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe at 6 p.m. Following the service, a traditional meal will be served at the Boys and Girls Club as an outstretched hand of friendship to their neighbors within the community.
Julie Brockamp is new to Hill City. She belongs to Sisters of the Presentation, an order of Catholic sisters located in Dubuque, Iowa, and arrived in March from Bolivia, where she worked with native families for a number of years. She has also served in other parts of South Dakota. In Hill City, Julie is employed in the school district as an ESL instructor and volunteers at St. Rose of Lima, helping Hispanic families to transition to their surroundings.
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
By Carol Walker
It turns out meter pits are not an outdated method of reading residents’ water meters; it is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation, promoting public safety. Art Anderson, public works director, informed the council of this mandatory requirement at the last city council meeting on Monday, Nov. 22.
At a previous council meeting it was stated that in some towns, meters connected to a radio transmitter enabling remote collection of data replaces the meter pit system. According to Anderson, this is not a valid comparison. The pits are installed to protect the water supply.
“After 9-11 the EPA made it mandatory because they thought terrorists could pollute the municipal water supply. The meter pit allows room for back flow,” said Anderson.
Full story available only in print version of Hill City Prevailer. To subscribe, call (605) 574-2538
