[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6135335,"mediaKeyId","5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a","parentId",5673475,"title","Council briefed on workplace conduct training; city manager and attorney back exploring third-party reporting hotline","audioSeconds",794,"startMs",4672000,"endMs",5466000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a&start=4672&end=5466","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a/thumbnail_4672000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6135335/South-Dakota/Council-briefed-on-workplace-conduct-training-city-manager-and-attorney-back-exploring-third-party-reporting-hotline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6135335-c1eb387c6bd679182f99df1aa823851e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594074&Signature=aIzKAyxsFbp1aylYzoF6FYtU2NmSkZ9ATnZA6GGFhqPnYuYt1jG7Tbk9vgfq6i0MYOQBD~Ufw-n2nAsva34pgfKVxTOwhFut8MZ5cXCM0SULJ2DyKLBBzOHTda-KkU888PxynNhnBwCup3PcZflyT8GaoLu56uVka3lFBbYolCY6L1UhsAnlwNRMnU0Ll-ypboSUUuDh7HBSfB44r4bx0aPIzuIvWkBONMyBSXcML8diocF93diP~Zst~J1O0XKzV-8kGf070rEMKQY0dL7rpZyQco1GKXYwqobH7AkaWVh2iJzgoYaVb7NMyM3PP0WFFE~Kd~2t4f2YR9w6pNfAuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Watertown, SD","date","2025-08-26T10:48:09Z","article","The city attorney provided a briefing on workplace conduct and harassment rules for elected officials and staff and recommended proactive measures to reduce legal exposure and improve reporting. She said that even informal interactions with staff can create a hostile work environment and that officials should remain professional in their communications.

Why it matters: Lisa said municipal actors can create legal liability for the city through inappropriate conduct or by creating a hostile work environment. She described forms of prohibited conduct, including discriminatory or sexual harassment, public criticism of staff that creates a hostile workplace and interfering in staff investigations or permitting decisions.

Independent reporting: The city manager raised the possibility of an independent third-party hotline or reporting mechanism for sensitive complaints, especially those involving the city manager. \"I think a small investment in a third party service to ensure that we have a true anonymous... ethics reporting hotline is the right thing,\" he said. Several council members voiced support for exploring that option and consulting the South Dakota Municipal League about service providers.

Discussion vs. decision: The briefing included policy options and an express preference to explore third-party reporting; the council did not adopt a vendor or a specific reporting mechanism during the meeting.

Ending: Staff said they will examine third-party options and the municipal league's offerings and will return with recommendations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Watertown Council Work Session Meeting 8/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","City officials discussed harassment and workplace conduct expectations for elected officials and staff and supported exploring an independent third-party reporting mechanism or hotline for sensitive complaints involving the city manager or other staff.","taxTitle","City of Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota","taxId",64127,"location","South Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6135340,"Attorney and manager set expectations for council contacts with staff and use of committees",1841,2913000,4754000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a&start=2913&end=4754","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a/thumbnail_2913000.jpg","/articles/6135340/South-Dakota/Attorney-and-manager-set-expectations-for-council-contacts-with-staff-and-use-of-committees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6135340-46187d7f099db02a3ce9763cdef50d52/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594074&Signature=OLKvcb~ERW3kRI38-LyMOTlEkOR5O3IZfT5UBQ7Vg4uEa0yXNiRM1ula97CKGzTCvG9dExaLZirG0HJ2yBb-3o~g1ZgG0cwIixpJ~bJqhEbSnn0wcYC1aLo6N3Ye9rVsHUdIOVNFBOfyhBeMN0uepbQ7EOsmcnjEBXN8CiPeOd13fvg5~R6CMM24K~evKE9UlXiRXyR5uRsu0f6sYur7qE-vpN0GnVC3Nh~0-bDLcXc0434CerSOPkT60NVd0u7nzNijT-ipuXJ7fLde0AXT-3HiQtgsqdPJuSHGwq8C-fZQWvNW2UPpOhLiW38w6gjmRV2v3ubeqOyGjHlSHALKJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Attorney Lisa and City Manager Alan Steger urged council members to route administrative requests through the city manager while reserving direct staff contact for simple inquiries. \"If your intent truly is just an inquiry and it's a relatively simple answer, feel free to ask,\" Steger said, adding that he will ask staff to involve the manager if a request requires research or judgment.

Why it matters: The guidance aims to protect staff from being put on the spot and to preserve the city manager's role as the city's chief administrator. Lisa warned that repeated direct intervention by council members can undermine administrative processes and create stress for employees who must reconcile the council member's informal direction with the manager's instructions.

Lisa reviewed common examples: council members may meet with citizens and ask staff factual questions, may serve as subject-matter liaisons for committees, and may participate in working groups. But she said negotiating contracts and handling personnel matters properly belong to the city manager and to HR. She recommended creating governance policies to clarify when the mayor or a small working group should handle ministerial tasks versus when full-council motions are appropriate.

Practical steps discussed included:
- Cohort meetings: Steger proposed small, focused one-on-one or two-on-one meetings to concentrate council attention on specific objective categories and reduce repetitive outreach.
- Committee rules: Attorney reviewed that standing committees are permanent and ad hoc committees should be time-limited and generally open to the public.

Discussion vs. decision: The council did not adopt new rules at the briefing. Steger said he will propose an approach for cohort meetings and that staff will work to standardize how requests that require significant staff time are escalated.

Ending: Steger emphasized that clearer communication protocols will reduce staff burden and suggested the council identify which members will form cohorts for specific objective areas.","The attorney reviewed when council members should contact staff directly, the city manager's responsibility for administration and constraints on council involvement in personnel and contract negotiations; staff suggested cohort meetings to focus council engagement.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6135345,"City manager and attorney outline steps to improve budget transparency after citizen concerns",532,3712000,4244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a&start=3712&end=4244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a/thumbnail_3712000.jpg","/articles/6135345/South-Dakota/City-manager-and-attorney-outline-steps-to-improve-budget-transparency-after-citizen-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6135345-83f6d4bc05a62c6950ac6715d49e4415/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594074&Signature=JVmfKYYnmWS~l6Zw5m5CYY0g5tXlbzD4ztUOBAKAk2gTh26b72qHuaJjrYczMuKkOcZETJg89jsl1~j5zfBlFDXWlt4a8QWhTZAOCDn0bDEh0Ub2QCrdkuPdIvCm-4ZJaAvDuCn1EdL61L40~yw2UZ4egbbwa-b7lzVPXbi2X2~Cz8SBcVMEUocf93EOoiHHOPQ~wU-ZLPSriBwCzKmDABGqSvHHh4LYLGg3pKlc~YTxK9wz4epiRRK7Q~FZSRSy81lrCETp6MXrLDmlNNOONXD6BAJiITafqhOl5y8-duz69QrpKCWpP0IYRekwaAYtuMqUTCYT5GIl5eOlcpzf~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Alan Steger told the council he plans to show more detailed budget transfers and fund-balance targets to improve public clarity about midyear spending. \"I would have preferred to have done that as a budget transfer,\" Steger said of a recent budget supplement. \"By doing it as a transfer, then we can show you exactly where we are going to underspend to cover the items where we need to overspend.\"

Why it matters: Several council members and the attorney said citizen complaints in recent years focused on travel and certain equipment purchases that were legally within department authority but created public skepticism. Lisa recommended clearer budget presentation requirements and policies on how staff explain recommendations, including pros and cons and alternatives when capital or discretionary spending is proposed.

Specific points discussed included:
- Budget supplements vs. transfers: Steger said transfers better trace where funds are moved and increase transparency about offsets.
- Fund-balance targets: The city manager said he and the finance director are examining five-year financial plans and target fund balances tied to the council's strategic vision.
- Procurement thresholds: The attorney reviewed that procurement and bidding rules set by ordinance and procurement policies allow staff to purchase under specified dollar thresholds without separate council approval.
- Travel and training: Both Steger and Lisa said the council may direct staff to adopt clearer travel policies and reporting if members want more oversight; they cautioned against micromanaging routine administrative decisions.

Discussion vs. decision: The council did not make formal budget changes during the briefing. Staff said they will present revised presentation formats and fund-balance metrics during upcoming detailed budget reviews.

Ending: Steger said detailed budget reviews with department staff are underway and that staff will propose reporting formats to help the council and public track transfers and supplements.","City Manager Alan Steger and the city attorney discussed recent public concerns about travel, vehicle purchases and budget supplements and said staff will present more detailed budget transfers and fund-balance plans in upcoming reviews.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6135349,"Attorney recommends routine conflict-of-interest self-assessments at council start",0,2042000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a&start=2042&end=2042","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a/thumbnail_2042000.jpg","/articles/6135349/South-Dakota/Attorney-recommends-routine-conflict-of-interest-self-assessments-at-council-start","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6135349-c661b603535146fe2d19bdf849f9f769/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594074&Signature=KxbI0Z6BjBU1x8knk4vr~-f3vH1yszRPgpf3QyF7sTqyVe2iWxpG1uUTLW8t9-7tDXWpF6iy~8ekIUbsfy~trDnVuLtaNcFwG-TILEwNJuYwX4M3YJo0qvplWd9UnzGzAQhN~ibt07hEx9IjlF~SvELK94E1SdQY6mcj05skh2zkLA~mngvWd5xyNbuBPGt0e1ntLYapDN6nkND52w0jdCnMn6CAhjc4rk-QM7XA-ut8wc1dKziBfotaDFvLkoqoDb6SQYB9y5~fBAh4WLtwB1SNDrlToR6VXGuFSn8cIBd9oqeS19SRMFpykOfay-jSWYno5bbtX1OoelDxac4J8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Attorney Lisa recommended the council add a short, agenda-start item asking members to disclose any conflicts of interest on items before the council. \"I would like to have it on the city council agenda that there is some sort of right at the beginning, a self assessment of anything that's on the agenda,\" she told the council.

Why it matters: Lisa said courts give weight to formal in-meeting disclosures and that an upfront practice would promote transparency and reduce contested conflicts later. She described the suggested practice as a simple prompt: if a member feels a conflict exists they state it and recuse; if not, the meeting proceeds.

She also reviewed appearance rules for council members who testify before quasi-judicial boards such as the planning commission or board of adjustment. Lisa said members may participate as private citizens when they are directly affected but should avoid trying to influence decisions before those bodies if they are acting in their council role. \"You just wanna be careful of that versus when you are directly affected,\" she said, citing past situations involving development decisions.

Discussion vs. decision: The item was a staff recommendation and informational; the council did not adopt a new agenda procedure during the briefing.

Ending: Lisa said she would propose language for the agenda item to help the council consider formal adoption.","The city attorney recommended adding a brief, agenda-start self-assessment for conflicts of interest so council members declare recusals up front; she reviewed examples and cautioned about council members appearing before quasi-judicial city bodies.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6135354,"City attorney summarizes home-rule charter, hierarchy of laws and mayor's duties",423,569000,992000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a&start=569&end=992","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5673475-047c13761ddfdde2796a0ab25dd5ae3a/thumbnail_569000.jpg","/articles/6135354/South-Dakota/City-attorney-summarizes-home-rule-charter-hierarchy-of-laws-and-mayors-duties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6135354-8ad1cbd367fd68e29d13ff7dff4d5836/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594074&Signature=W1zGrb38otAFYUTyy7LVOUFPQAqrux3X6XIyFqsfyIayoMAi9OHKTjnicr37kZLAAL~FzyngO1OwUcfaitCrRJUBQClcaepLBVcZ6izkkzq42xvNGP19pGCqKsSggpM37etyXxIclUXXpyCV57FID9yPSiKEf-DNTm4Pkksy2EM51zR7VecKd0obbS7MYu8~yV9CxLKk3v3aPfrZcUZGYr93y50it42h~viw9LMiXJWk6ZMP9Um0If6sfeEaxSgzP~5eB-kChOkVJ09R7FPUfbY435IyGI8dtVq7sHArkruPYjy8Xb8RI~JGCXl4iggN909PctnsM~zPp-Uz0Ruv9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Attorney Lisa told the Watertown City Council on Oct. 5 that the Home Rule Charter sits at the top of the local legal hierarchy and that matters not addressed by the charter fall to state statute, then city ordinance and then administrative policy. \"Under, state law, your home rule charter is actually what is in the hierarchy and precedence is above state statute,\" Lisa said during a presentation broadcast on Facebook, YouTube and GovTV.

She said the charter assigns administrative responsibility to the city manager and directs the council to avoid direct involvement in management except through oversight of the city manager. \"Under our current home rule charter, the council is to avoid direct involvement in management and administrative matters. Those are assigned to the city manager,\" she said.

Why it matters: The explanation clarifies limits on the council's powers and the pathway residents must use to challenge local laws. Lisa also reviewed the initiative and referendum processes allowed under state statute and how petition thresholds are tied to turnout in the last gubernatorial election. She said petition-signature requirements in Watertown are verified by the finance office and estimated that an initiative or referendum previously would have required about 1,600'1,800 verified signatures, though she offered to confirm the exact number.

The attorney reviewed the mayor's formal functions under the charter: presiding over meetings, representing the city in intergovernmental relations, voting as a council member and appointing advisory boards and commissions with council advice and consent. She said the charter allows council to assign additional powers to the mayor by ordinance but that the charter itself cannot be overridden by ordinance.

On executive sessions and rules of order, Lisa said municipal practice must reconcile the charter language with state law and parliamentary rules. When a council member asked whether a vote may be taken in executive session if the charter appears to allow it, Lisa answered that state statute generally controls and that the council should avoid actions that conflict with state law. She offered to provide a written follow-up clarifying the interplay among the charter, state statute and Robert's Rules of Order.

Discussion vs. decision: The presentation was informational; no policy changes were proposed or adopted during the briefing.

Ending: The city attorney encouraged council members to raise specific charter questions for follow-up memos and said the staff would supply additional citations on request.","At a council briefing, the city attorney explained how Watertown's Home Rule Charter, state statute and city ordinances interact, outlined limits on council administrative action, and reviewed the mayor's formal duties.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council briefed on workplace conduct training; city manager and attorney back exploring third-party reporting hotline

Attorney and manager set expectations for council contacts with staff and use of committees

City manager and attorney outline steps to improve budget transparency after citizen concerns

Attorney recommends routine conflict-of-interest self-assessments at council start

City attorney summarizes home-rule charter, hierarchy of laws and mayor's duties