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Yankton County commissioners vote hiring freeze as state funding pressures mount
Summary
Commissioners approved a hiring freeze and directed department heads to justify any necessary hires amid concerns about state revenue proposals, rising costs, and declining general fund balances.
YANKTON — Yankton County commissioners voted to implement a hiring freeze after hearing projections of constrained state support and rising county costs, and they instructed department heads to request commission approval before filling vacant positions deemed essential.
Commissioners Dan and Don led the discussion, telling colleagues the county must act now to avoid deeper cuts later. "We have to start planning now on what we're going to do to hold the line," Commissioner Dan said, citing rising costs for fuel, equipment and wages and a short-term decline in state support. Don said the commission had begun an action plan and a close analysis of 2023–24 flows to guide budget choices.
Commissioner Dan and Don both referenced pending state legislation they said would limit growth in property tax revenue and increase fiscal pressure on counties. Dan pointed to a draft Senate proposal, cited in the meeting as "Senate Bill 216A," as one reason the county needs to prepare for limited state assistance.
Commissioner Dan proposed a hiring freeze that would prevent filling budgeted but currently vacant positions unless a department head makes a case to the commission. "If there's a sheriff deputy that resigns and that one really needs to be hired, I would expect that they would come in and justify the position to us and we'd approve it," Dan said. The motion to implement a hiring freeze passed on a motion by Don, second by Dan; commissioners voted "aye" and the motion carried.
Commissioners emphasized the hiring freeze was intended as a fiscal-control measure rather than a permanent elimination of positions. They directed staff to meet with department heads, explain the definition and process for the freeze, and prepare data for a budget review that could inform 2025 decisions.
During the discussion a commissioner provided five years of year-end general fund balances to illustrate the trend: 2019 $4.6 million; 2020 $4.9 million; 2021 $9.3 million; 2022 $10.0 million; 2023 $8.6 million; and 2024 $5.6 million. Commissioners described the 2021–22 increase as driven by one-time federal COVID-related funds and said that money has now been spent.
The commission also approved a motion to postpone further action on the county IT position and to return the IT discussion to the March 4 meeting so commissioners can consider whether to hire, retain an employee, or issue a request for proposals for contracted IT services.
The hiring-freeze motion carried; commissioners directed staff to begin a focused budget review and to meet with department heads about any requests to fill positions.
