Clay County commissioners approve appointments, set fees and bank depositories, and pass election resolutions

The Clay County Board of Commissioners approved a package of appointments, county fees, bank depositories and procedural items during its regular meeting.

The commissioners approved a series of reappointments and new appointments to boards and committees, designated official newspapers and foreclosure sale locations, set building and sheriff’s office fees, adopted the state mileage and meal rates, and passed two resolutions establishing election precincts/polling places and election official fees for 2025.

Why it matters: The actions set administrative and financial rules the county will use through the year — from where legal notices will be published to what the county will charge for permits and inmate services. Some decisions also establish who represents the county on regional boards and who will handle ongoing county programs.

Most votes were passed by voice with no extended debate. Highlights include reappointments to standing boards, designation of the Plain Talk and the New Era as official newspapers, designation of the courthouse front door and the post office front door as foreclosure sale locations (with the sheriff allowed discretion), and designation of a list of banks as official county depositories. The commission set the county burial allowance at $1,900 and established a per-meeting allowance of $25 plus mileage for board members.

The board also approved sheriff/jail fee rates the agenda listed as: out-of-county boarding at $80 or per contract, Clay County inmates with work release $20 per day, sentenced Clay County inmates $15 per day, adult electronic GPS monitoring $20 per day and juvenile electronic GPS monitoring $10 per day. Other sheriff-office charges approved included fingerprinting at $15 (two cards), mugshots $8, UA testing $10, accident reports $2 per page and civil-process printing at $2 per page.

Commissioners adopted Robert’s Rules of Order for governing proceedings and approved a motion to hold regular commissioner meetings on the first, second and last Tuesday of each month. They approved county insurance and worker-compensation coverage maintained through the South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance and the SDML workers’ compensation program.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt Robert’s Rules of Order — motion passed (mover/second recorded on the agenda). - Reappointments and appointments to county boards and advisory committees (multiple motions) — motions passed. Appointees included reappointments and new placements to the highway superintendent, management director, fair board, executive board, public safety board and multiple advisory bodies; motions passed by voice vote. - Designate official newspapers (Plain Talk and New Era) — motion passed. - Designate foreclosure sale locations (courthouse front door; post office front door, sheriff’s discretion on location) — motion passed. - Designate banks as county depositories (multiple banks listed on agenda) — motion passed. - Set county burial allowance at $1,900 — motion passed. - Adopt state board of finance mileage and meal rates — motion passed. - Set board allowance/per diem at $25 per meeting plus mileage — motion passed. - Set building permit fee at $75; 911 new sign fee $75 with pole, $25 without pole; zoning appeals $100 — motion passed. - Approve sheriff/jail fee schedule (rates listed above) — motion passed. - Adopt schedule to hold commissioner meetings first, second and last Tuesday — motion passed. - Approve county liability insurance and workers compensation through SDPA and SDML — motion passed. - Intent motion to cover election workers and sheriff’s reserve deputies on workers compensation — motion passed. - Resolution 2025-01 (establishing election precincts and polling places for 2025) — motion passed by roll call. - Resolution 2025-02 (setting election official fees for 2025) — motion passed by roll call.

Ending: The commission closed the regular session after an executive-session period for legal/contract matters and adjourned. Several administrative items approved at the meeting will take effect according to county policy or the specific schedules adopted by the county auditor and department heads.