Rapid City Journal, Rapid City, May 10
Executive sessions erode trust in county government
Executive sessions should arouse suspicion. Elected officials meeting behind closed doors with no obligation to report or document discussions can only raise questions.
It is especially troublesome when elected boards do this routinely as does the Pennington County Commission, which since 2016 has held executive sessions after more than 60 percent of scheduled meetings, which are twice a month. They have become so routine county staff now lists them on every agenda without even a vague reference to the need for secrecy.
Three commissioners - Lloyd LaCroix, Deb Hadcock and Ron Buskerud - cited employee turnover, property deals, construction projects and legal issues to justify the rash of executive sessions, according to a story by Journal reporter Samuel Blackstone. Two commissioners - George Ferebee and Mark DiSanto - declined to return calls, which suggests an indifference to concerns that executive sessions are being abused.
State law only encourages public boards to list reasons for an executive session but does require a motion be made and a vote taken before it can be held. Once in executive session, boards should only discuss personnel issues, litigation, employee contract negotiations, marketing strategies for publicly owned businesses, and issues regarding students, which mostly applies to school boards. But, of course, it’s impossible to know if that is the case unless they decide to disclose, which rarely, if ever, happens.
There is no requirement that minutes be taken or the meeting be recorded to discourage violations of the state’s Open Meetings Law, which makes allegations difficult to prove as Ferebee learned after he lodged a complaint against the state Water Management Board for an executive session held in 2016. Ferebee claimed the deliberations were illegal and that inaccurate minutes were kept.
In rejecting his arguments, the Open Meetings Commission that consists of five state’s attorneys decided to “construe the word deliberation broadly.” Even if someone does prevail with a complaint, a public reprimand is the only penalty.
In the era of President Trump, it is becoming popular to distrust the federal government and for good reasons. The federal bureaucracy is so large, distant and virtually impenetrable that it is difficult if not impossible to hold decision-makers accountable. The same can be said of locally elected officials who take advantage of executive sessions.
State law, however, does not require them to discuss personnel issues, legal matters, and development and marketing strategies in private - that is their choice. Since little hope exists that state lawmakers will narrow the reasons a public board can meet in secret or require them to record those meetings, it is up to taxpayers to call for change. You can do that by calling the county commission at 394-2171 and demanding more transparency.
Government works best for the public when it is held accountable, which can’t happen when elected officials choose to avoid scrutiny.
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Madison Daily Leader, Madison, May 9
Will heavy runoff contribute to flooding?
We find ourselves thinking more about weather in Montana than we used to.
Extreme water levels on the Missouri River in the last decade are the cause. Heavy winter and spring moisture in Montana, the head of the Missouri, causes the river to swell as it passes through South Dakota. Heavy moisture in 2011 caused substantial flooding damage along the river all the way to St. Louis, where it merges with the Mississippi River.
Light moisture, on the other hand, causes the river level to drop, which reduces hydropower production at the dams. That raised the price of electricity purchased by the City of Madison, which buys more than half of its power from Missouri River dams.
Before the Flood Control Act of 1928, the river’s flows were even more extreme, causing widespread erosion and flooding in high years, and even changing its course. But the Act authorized construction of dams that would temper the flows and also provide electricity for a growing region.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for managing flows on behalf of a number of constituents, such as irrigation, wildlife habitat, barge traffic, recreation and electricity production. It’s been a challenge, both in trying to forecast water flows and trying to satisfy constituents who have different goals.
This year, western Montana braces for its highest waters in decades. That will lead to heavy flows in the Missouri in May and June, or even beyond.
The Corps has increased the “service level” at least three times in the last two months based on actual and forecasted precipitation in Montana and South Dakota. The Corps adjusts the flows at the dam, trying to accommodate the heavier inflows.
Could we anticipate flooding like 2011? The Corps has indicated some certain conditions are different from seven years ago, primarily that the soils in the basin are not saturated as they were then. In other words, dry soils will absorb the moisture, rather than shedding it into creeks, streams and rivers that lead to the Missouri.
We also think the experience of the 2011 flood has contributed to the knowledge base of the Corps, helping it to manage the flows better. At this time of year, the Corps focuses completely on flood control, rather than other priorities.
Weather conditions and forecasts can change quickly, but we are confident that the Missouri River will not experience flooding anywhere close to the levels of 2011.
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The Daily Republic, Mitchell, May 7
Hisses and cheers
CHEERS to all the weekend graduates from Mitchell Technical Institute and Dakota Wesleyan University. You will be entering a job market sorely in need of your skills and capabilities. The commitment you demonstrated in pursuing associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees will serve you well as you step forward to meet challenges in South Dakota and the nation. Congratulations also go to the graduates’ families.
HISSES go to the political complications that could derail congressional efforts to approve a new farm bill before winter. The House could take up an ag committee recommendation by mid-May that contains proposals for big changes in the food stamp program. Regardless of the merits of those proposals, they will complicate farm bill passage in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow majority and 60 votes will likely be necessary for approval. Democrats appear poised to fight the food program changes, setting up a showdown. As Sen. John Thune noted during a visit to Mitchell on Thursday, the ag community faces plenty of current worries from low commodity prices, low farm income and looming threats of tariffs. There is a sense of urgency for the timely passage of this farm bill, Thune noted. Hopefully, the spirit of compromise will prevail, ensuring farmers and ranchers receive the support they need.
CHEERS to a promising outlook for Mitchell’s summer tourist season. Inquiries to the state from family vacation planners have increased and website traffic to the Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau is up. Last year’s construction on Burr Street had little effect on tourism numbers, so city officials have few worries related to this year’s projects on Burr and Sanborn Boulevard. Tourism is an important element of Mitchell’s prosperity.
HISSES to the continuing slow progress made in providing broadband services to rural America. As noted recently by Stephen Berry, president and CEO of the Competitive Carriers Association, while 4 percent of urban America lacks access to fast internet, roughly 40 percent of rural America lacks it. Like it or not, the internet will be an increasing part of business, education and information transfer. Rural Americans, especially the children, cannot afford to be left behind in that revolution.
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