Lincoln County adopts multiple budget supplements, adds emergency management and juvenile-detention funding

LINCOLN COUNTY, S.D. — The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted May 6 to adopt a package of budget supplements that county staff said were needed to address reduced state reimbursements, higher legal-defense costs and newly awarded grants.

County Auditor Sherry Lund told the board the supplements include a $21,000 cash transfer for Emergency Management to cover a loss in the state reimbursement share, a $320,000 supplement to probation and juvenile-fee accounts, and additions to Highway Fund accounts and grant revenue to record recently awarded state and federal grants.

The supplements were presented during a public hearing held pursuant to SDCL 7-20-122. Lund said the $21,000 transfer was prompted when the state cut the Emergency Management pass-through from a previously expected amount to 35% of the emergency manager’s salary; the county had anticipated a higher share. Emergency Manager Harold Timmerman told the board the state office had "readjusted some things" after cuts at the federal level and that a staff member had left: "They've readjusted some things in the state office. ... if the state doesn't get the money they can't very well hand it out to the counties participating in the grant program."

On legal-defense costs, Lund said the county sought reimbursement through the Catastrophic Legal Relief Program (CLRP) for a single criminal case that generated $455,367 in legal expenses; the CLRP reimbursement for that case was $371,644, Lund said. Commissioners and members of the public also discussed a higher CLRP assessment applied to counties statewide; the board noted the assessment is administered through the South Dakota County Commissioners' program and that assessments vary year to year as the fund is replenished.

Resident Linda Montgomery criticized the frequency and size of supplements, saying she reviewed minutes and could not easily reconcile amounts. "I have bothered [Sherry] and she has been kind enough to answer some of my questions," Montgomery said during public comment, adding she continued to have questions about timing and whether some items could wait until the 2026 budget.

Lund said the highway-related supplements primarily record revenues the county had not previously included in the highway budget; one county official explained that an approximately $2.4 million increase in planned road-project authority will be largely offset by about $3.77 million in newly recorded state grant revenue and by other restricted balances already assigned for road work.

After discussion, the board moved and approved the supplements by roll call vote. Commissioner Arons, Commissioner Otten, Commissioner Schmidt, Commissioner Putnam and Commissioner Landy voted yes. The action carries forward revised spending authority but does not itself create new recurring programs; commissioners said some line items and long-term policy responses may be revisited during the 2026 budget process.

The supplements adopted at the hearing were presented as a set and approved together following public comment and staff explanation.