Codington County approves Hamlin County MOU for veteran services; VSO announces retirement and transition plan

Codington County commissioners on Tuesday authorized an intercounty memorandum of understanding for veteran services with neighboring Hamlin County, accepted the retirement notice of Veteran Service Officer Todd Rose and approved a transition plan that promotes Deputy Jay Roberts to veteran service director effective Aug. 1, 2025.

Why this matters: the MOU preserves shared veteran services between Codington and Hamlin counties for 2025 and establishes the reimbursement arrangement; the retirement and personnel steps provide an explicit transition timeline to maintain services, including an overlap period for training and continuity.

Commissioners authorized the chair to sign a one-year MOU with Hamlin County for 2025; the agreement will be sent to the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs so Codington County can submit reimbursement bills as it did the prior year. Commissioner Johnson moved to approve the MOU; Commissioner Gable seconded and the motion carried.

Veteran Service Officer Todd Rose presented the monthly VSO report earlier in the meeting. Rose reported 98 open claims and 105 pending actions with the VA for the month of May and 38 claims completed year to date; the office handled retro payments of $155,363 for May and about $480,000 year to date. Rose also described transporting veterans to VA appointments using the county DAV van when coordinated with VA social workers and noted a veterans event scheduled July 19 at the South Dakota National Guard Bernie Edwards Readiness Center on Highway 20.

On personnel, the board approved a revised deputy VSO job description that removed obsolete administrative specialist duties and adjusted the physical demands language; the job still requires candidates to be able to obtain and hold a National Agency Check and Inquiries (security) clearance to perform VA-related functions, the board was told. The board then authorized posting the deputy VSO position at pay grade 40, step 1, "starting at $28.65 an hour," with an anticipated application closing date of June 27 and a target hiring decision around July 11, 2025. The timeline discussed would allow the new deputy to start Aug. 1, 2025, and provide about two months of overlap with Todd Rose for training; Rose said he planned to remain involved on a part-time basis through January before retiring effective Oct. 1, 2025.

Later in the meeting the board approved a personnel action promoting Jay Roberts from deputy VSO to veteran service director, effective Aug. 1, 2025. The personnel item listed the promotion at "pay grade 55 step 1 34 74" in the meeting record; commissioners approved the action by voice vote.

Commissioners and staff emphasized continuity of services during the transition and confirmed the county will forward the executed MOU to the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs and submit related reimbursement claims.