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Union County commissioners approve counsel appointment, election agreements, cybersecurity MOU, personnel changes and claims
Summary
At its Jan. 20 meeting the Union County Board of Commissioners approved Combined Election Agreements with nearby cities and school districts, appointed attorney Chris White to represent the county, approved a cybersecurity testing MOU with Dakota State University, authorized routine claims and personnel actions including a new part-time jailer and a pay correction for a promoted deputy jailer.
The Union County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 approved a series of routine administrative and personnel actions, including combined election agreements, the appointment of legal counsel, a cybersecurity testing memorandum and several personnel and claims authorizations.
Commissioners voted to allow several municipalities and school districts — North Sioux City, Jefferson, Alcester, Alcester–Hudson School District and Dakota Valley School District — to combine their local elections with Union County. The motion for the Combined Election Agreements was made by Commissioner Michael Dailey and seconded by Commissioner Robert Ballard; minutes state the motion carried (vote tallies not provided).
The board appointed Attorney Chris White of Klass Law Firm to represent Union County in correspondence and negotiations; the appointment was moved by Commissioner Peggy Ustad and seconded by Commissioner Dailey and recorded as carried. Minutes do not record an alternative candidate or vote count.
EMA Director Westcott reported the county email domain switched from .org to .gov on Jan. 12, 2026. The board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Dakota State University to perform cybersecurity testing of the county server, firewall and software; motion by Ustad, seconded by Dailey; carried.
Sheriff Prouty briefed the board on overtime policy changes, proposing a threshold change from 85+ to 80+ hours per two-week period to qualify for overtime. The board accepted the proposed policy changes and requested Sheriff Prouty present a written revised policy. Separately, the board approved a retroactive pay correction for FT Chief Deputy Jailer Austin Miller, whose May 2025 promotion should have included an additional $1.00 per hour. The motion to correct pay was moved by Commissioner Dailey and seconded by Commissioner Kimmel; the minutes record the motion as carried.
Welfare Director Steckelberg presented Indigent Case 25-IRR-019. The board approved county payment of funeral expenses with a county burial request cap not to exceed $2,000.
The board audited and approved a list of claims and authorized warrants, including a $74,880.00 purchase from Axon Enterprise, Inc., and other routine operational expenditures. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Ustad to approve the claims; carried.
Personnel actions included approval of a part-time jailer hire: Parker Britton, starting Jan. 20, 2026, at $20.25 per hour. The meeting adjourned at 12:42 p.m. until Feb. 3, 2026. Several items were discussed in executive session for personnel and legal matters under SDCL 1-25-2(1) and 1-25-2(3); the minutes record the sessions but do not disclose discussion details.
