SIOUX FALLS – One of the backers of a proposal to make changes in the structure of government in Minnehaha County seemed to have a change of hear on Tuesday when more than 200 people showed up at the County Commission meeting.

Commissioner Joe Kippley said as the meeting was about to close, and after the speakers and crowd had left, that he would be willing to take out or delay the most controversial part of the plan.

That is the idea of combining the offices of auditor, register of deeds and treasurer into a newly established county finance office, which would be led by an appointed finance officer selected to provide professional and efficient fiscal leadership for the county.

He said he based his thoughts on comments made at the meeting by fellow commissioners, former commissioners and residents that more education on the proposed change should take place.

The plan would also create the position of county manager to oversee more day-to-day operations and assist the commissioners in running the growing county of more than 200,000 people.

Screenshot / City of Sioux Falls via Facebook

“This is the most full-time, part-time job I’ve had in my life,” Kippley said.

Yet, he said he understood the concern about having the three elected positions eliminated on Jan. 1 if the move for a home rule charter would be voted on and approved in November.

Perhaps, he said, it could be delayed until 2026.

“I’m open to change,” he said about the draft proposal that was done with the help of the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Kippley, who along with Commission Chairman Dean Karsky, brought up the proposal, added he would still like to see the plan voted on by all county residents.

There could still be a decision made in August by the commissioners to put the entire plan to vote in November, but Commissioners Jean Bender and Jen Bleyenberg said they hadn’t had any time to examine the plan and thought there should be more of an educational aspect before it was decided or even a task force formed to come up with a more complete plan.

Commissioner Gerald Beninga said he thought an educational effort with residents was needed before any vote was taken.

Contributed

“We have a responsibility to get all the facts out there,” he said.

About 20 county residents addressed the commissioners, some of whom thought it was an unwise plan to get rid of elected officials including controversial County Auditor Leah Anderson, who has continually questioned election processes in the county and has doubts about voting machine accuracy. On the other side there were several residents who supported the effort and noted that the City of Sioux Falls has been operating under a home rule charter since 1993 and it has worked well.

About half of the speakers who addressed the commission were opposed to the idea.

Some of those comments included:

• Register of Deeds Amanda Halsay.  She was against the plan and said if the public was unhappy with the job the elected officials were doing there are proper channels  in state law to remove them.
• Jonathan Yokers: “It was stated that eliminating three elected positions would have the purpose of creating a more effective, efficient government. I’m sure it would do this but at the cost of checks and balances designed to keep the government more accountable and transparent.”
• Chris Larson: “The two sponsors of this have made sure to say it has nothing to do with removing Leah Anderson as the auditor.  Well, we don’t believe you.” He threatened a class action lawsuit if the decision was made to eliminate the elected positions.
• Gary Meyer: “It’s all about Leah, I think they just threw in the other two to make it look better.” 
• Megan Tschetter: She said keeping the three elected offices separate is for a reason. She said the commissioners were “abusing their authority” and to let the people decide.

The other half were speakers who were in support of the home rule charter.

Some of those comments included:

• Deb Peters: She said the home rule charter form of government dates back to the 1890s and that South Dakota voters approved allowing such charters in 1962. “It’s not a new concept,” she said, adding that it was gaining traction in the state with more counties going to such a form of government.
• Jessie Schmidt: “Counties are strapped for cash and creating more efficiency has to happen.”
• Rick Kiley:  The former Sioux Falls City Council member said the home rule charter would allow the county to implement ordinances, but nothing the state disallows.  This would allow counties to address issues that are unique to the counties, he said. Having a county manager, he added, would provide faster response times by the county when it comes to personnel issues, citizen concerns and emergencies such as flooding and ice and snow storms.
• Cindy Heiberger:  The former county commissioner said she was on a task force that took the home rule charter to the voters in 2002, where it failed by a 1 percent margin. She believes it would be a “great benefit” to the county, but questioned some of the terms in the current plan. She said the current elected officials should be allowed to finish their terms. “I don’t think it’s fair,” she said about the wording to have the offices eliminated on Jan. 1 if voters approved the measure. “But I think there are ways to figure it out.”
• Mark Willadsen: He said Sioux Falls adopted the home rule charter on Sept,.13, 1994, and “I feel it has served the city well.”  He said a number of other cities, including Brookings, Watertown and Pierre, have adopted home rule charters . He said it’s a management tool that allows the county to operate more efficiently. “It’s time to become more efficient in today’s world,” he said.
• Tom Dempster:  “One thing everybody has said today is the fundamental belief to let all the people vote.”  He encouraged a countywide vote by the people on the proposed plan.