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Commission confirms board and committee liaisons; public urges broader rotation
Summary
The commission reviewed and approved its slate of board and committee liaisons. Multiple public commenters said the county relies on the same commissioners for many external boards and urged rotation and broader participation.
The Lincoln County Commission reviewed its list of board and committee appointments and approved the slate during the Jan. 6 meeting.
Commissioners confirmed roles including airport liaison, solid waste planning board representative, emergency management designees, juvenile board membership, planning and zoning assignments and the school police liaison. Chair and vice-chair customs and longstanding practices for some appointments were noted; several commissioners volunteered to remain in place as alternates on certain boards.
Public commenters raised concerns that the same commissioners hold numerous liaison roles at regional organizations. Linda Montgomery told the commission she believed Lincoln County "is at risk" of no change because the same people repeatedly serve on multiple boards and that she wanted to see other commissioners get training and participate. Commissioner responses noted that some positions are elected statewide or by region (for example, seats on the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners are tied to district representation) and that staffing and historical practice affect appointments.
The commission voted to approve the board and committee appointments. Staff said they would contact external organizations (for example, the Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance) to confirm whether those organizations continued to expect an ex‑officio commissioner on their boards.
