By Aberdeen Insider - February 12, 2026 in BROWN COUNTY COMMISSION
NOTICE OF FEBRUARY 3, 2026 – GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
Meeting called to order by Chairman Sutton at 8:45 A.M. in the Commission Chambers, Courthouse Annex, Brown County, SD. Present were Commissioners Dennert, Dinger, Gage, and Sutton. Commissioner Wiese was absent. Commissioner Gage led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Moved by Commissioner Gage, seconded by Dinger to approve the agenda. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Scott Campbell, City of Frederick Chairman spoke to the second reading of the wind farm ordinance stating a lot of people would like to see that pass and spends a lot of time at the lake where he built the home and would hate to see a wind tower right at my back door and would knock the resale value in half. The town of Frederick passed an ordinance last spring for protection to a half mile. Commissioner Sutton stated that after the first reading some people voiced concerns, so Planning and Zoning relooked at the Ordinance. The updated Ordinance will be on the Brown County website February 3, 2026, for two weeks. The second reading and possible adoption will be on February 17, 2026. Scott asked if they put in a permit to do this before that time, is there any protection right now to the set back? Scott Bader said we have an existing wind ordinance now but will not be the same as the new ordinance. Commissioner Sutton said he believes there is a two-mile limit around a municipality in our current ordinance so that would give some protection. Scott Campbell also commented on how they never talked to the Frederick City Council.
ORDINANCE #318–SECOND READING/POSSIBLE ADOPTION: Moved by Commissioner Dinger, seconded by Dennert to adopt Ordinance #318. Applicant Marilyn Thum to rezone from Agriculture Preservation District (AG-P) to Mini-Agriculture District (M-AG) to bring this parcel into compliance for its future use. Description of property: Proposed Lot l, “Hitchcock First Addition” in the NWI/4 NEI/4 and the NEI/4 NWI/4 of Section t 7-Tl2IN-R60W of the 5th P.M., Brown County. South Dakota (40751 l44th Street, Bates Twp.). All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
ORDINANCE #319–SECOND READING/POSSIBLE ADOPTION: Moved by Commissioner Gage, seconded by Dinger to adopt Ordinance #319. Applicant Larson Land Limited Partnership to rezone from Agriculture Preservation District (AG-P) to Mini-Agriculture District (M-AG) to bring this parcel into compliance for its future use. Description of property: Proposed Lot 3, “Larson-Wockenfuss Addition” in S l/2 of Section 29 and N l/2 of Section 32-TI25N-R62W of the 5th P.M., Brown County, South Dakota (approx. 39518 l23rd Street, Columbia Twp.). All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
ORDINANCE #320–SECOND READING/POSSIBLE ADOPTION: Moved by Commissioner Dinger, seconded by Dennert to adopt Ordinance #320. Applicant Chad Pray to rezone from Agriculture Preservation District (AG-P) to Mini-Agriculture District (M-AG) to bring this parcel into compliance for its future use. Description of property: Proposed Lot l, *MB Bellikka Addition” in the SEI/4 of section 30-Tl23NR63W of the 5th P.M., Brown County, South Dakota (approx.1285l 389th Avenue, Ordway Twp.). All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
POLICY FOR CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS FILED TO RECALCULATE & ABATE TAXES (PURSUANT TO SDCL 10-6A-4)
Commissioner Gage brought the following Resolution:
RESOLUTION #2026-12
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A POLICY FOR CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS FILED PURSUANT TO SDCL 10-6A-4 TO RECALCULATE AND ABATE TAXES
WHEREAS, SDCL Chapter 10-6A allows for a freeze on assessments of dwellings of disabled and senior citizens.
WHEREAS, SDCL 10-6A-4 permits “a person failing to comply with the April first deadline for the previous year but otherwise qualifying for the real property tax assessment freeze provided under this chapter, may petition the board of county commissioners to recalculate the taxes based on the valuation the person would have received under this program and abate the difference in taxes.”
WHEREAS, the board of county commissioners has discretion in acting on said petition.
WHEREAS, the Counties desire to establish a policy for equal treatment of petitions made pursuant to SDCL 10-6A-4
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the policy of the Brown County Board of Commissioners shall be to approve qualifying petitions to recalculate and abate prior year taxes pursuant to SDCL 10-6A-4 if the petitioner had applied for and was granted a prior real property tax assessment freeze on the same single-family dwelling in the year prior to the year applicable to the petition.
Dated at Aberdeen, South Dakota, this 3rd day of February, 2026
Seconded by Commissioner Dinger.
Roll call vote: Commissioner Dennert-aye; Dinger-aye; Gage-aye; Sutton-aye; Wiese-absent. Resolution adopted.
MINUTES: Moved by Commissioner Dennert, seconded by Gage to approve the General Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2026. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
CLAIMS: Moved by Commissioner Dinger, seconded by Gage to approve the following Claims: Professional Fees: American Engineering Testing, Inc $25,397.20; Central Service Corp $20.00; CenturyLink-Lumen $154.93; Cogley Law Office, Prof LLC $2,179.00; Helms & Associates $1,090.00; Kuck Law Office $10,367.30; Kylee Boomsma $721.20; Lenling Law Office, Prof. LLC $2,312.50; North Star Solutions, LLC $1,029.00; SD Dept of Transportation $4,702.66; SDACES $30.00; Women’s Professional Rodeo Association $200.00; Yankton County Treasurer $181.25. Publishing: Glacial Lakes and Prairie Tourism Association $335.00; Groton Daily Independent $276.55; McQuillen Creative Group, Inc $129.74. Repairs & Maintenance: Amazon Capital Services, Inc $98.66; Convergint Technologies LLC $16,758.09; EcoLab Pest Elimination Division $303.58; Geffdog Designs $79.10; Graham Tire Inc $778.80; Hoven Auto Repair, Inc $1,854.07; Hub City Roofing Inc $170.00; Kramp Enterprise and Investment $132.65; Lawson Products, Inc $130.67; Montgomery’s Furniture Inc $9,517.88; Motorola Solutions, Inc $47,018.49; Olson’s Pest Technicians $455.00; Pantorium Cleaners Inc $32.00; Precision Kiosk Technologies $3,000.00; Sewer Duck, Inc $325.00. Supplies & Materials: Amazon Capital Services, Inc $2,441.55; Century Business Products $234.98; Cole Paper Inc $1,052.02; Farm Power Mfg. $95.00; Fastenal Company $688.65; FedEx $59.93; Geffdog Designs $1,483.75; Great Western Tire $4,083.37; Kuck Law Office $315.23; Lawson Products, Inc $1,696.43; Menards $252.71; Midstates Group 2,582.70; Performance Oil $560.88; Sewer Duck, Inc $671.50; Shop 4-H/National 4-H Council $320.95. Travel & Conference: Aleigha Allison $19.00; CGI, LLC $2,177.70; City of Groton $194.40; Jon Lemke $75.00; Keith Baker $75.00; Kristin Barstad $2,014.41; Lenling Law Office, Prof. LLC $120.00; Lynn Heupel $329.50; Northeast South Dakota Family Violence Prevention Conference $1,500.00; Scott Kolb $19.00; Wes Graff $75.00. Utilities: AT&T Mobility $185.07; CenturyLink $498.30; Montana-Dakota Utilities Co $48.49; Northwestern Energy $146.18; T-Mobile USA Inc $1,045.47; Town of Frederick $77.00. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
SHERIFF REPORT FOR DEC. 2025: Moved by Commissioner Gage, seconded by Dinger to acknowledge and approve the Sheriff Report from December 2025. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS: None
EXECUTIVE SESSION: None
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Commissioner Dinger, seconded by Dennert to adjourn the Brown County Commission at 8:54 a.m. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
Erin Kumpf, Chief Deputy Auditor
Published once on February 12, 2026, at the total approximate cost of $79.56 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com and www.aberdeeninsider.com