Council declares Powerlifting Day, approves 12-Month CD for DOC Funds

The Lennox City Council met Monday March 23. 

Mayor Danny Fergen started the meeting with a Mayoral Proclamation for the Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team. 

The Resolution read as follows: “MAYORAL PROCLAMATION City of Lennox, Lincoln County, South Dakota OFFICE OF THE MAYOR WHEREAS, the 2026 Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team competed at the South Dakota State Powerlifting Tournament; and WHEREAS, the 2026 Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team competed against 255 of the state’s strongest lifters; and WHEREAS, the 2026 Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team represented the entire Lennox community with their appreciation for sportsmanship and competition; and WHEREAS, the 2026 Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team acquired four individual boys titles, three individual girls titles, and took first place in both girls and boys overall, NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Danny Fergen, Mayor of Lennox, South Dakota, proclaim March 23, 2026 Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Day. I encourage all residents to congratulate the Lennox Oriole Powerlifting Team for their outstanding season.”

In continued business, the city staff have requested that the ability to construct septic systems with city limits be prohibited. City Administrator, Nate Vander Plaats reported this is the second reading of the ordinance approved at the March 9 meeting with no changes being made since that time. With no discussion the motion carried unanimously.

Vander Plaats also continued discussions on the DOC Funds deposit. 

“At the last meeting you requested current money market CD rates for our local banks. The information has been requested and was provided to you separately, protecting it under SDCL 1-271.6 and to protect the integrity of a possible formal RFP. First Interstate Bank was asked to not be considered with a CD without managing the full banking relationship. So if we were doing our regular banking there, then they consider doing the CD, but without having significant sums of money there, they can’t offer anything significant,” Vander Plaats told the board, suggesting taking a few weeks to look over the rates. 

“To me, a six month CD looks to be probably the best path current,” said President Chad Swier. 

“Six months gets us to September, the new council is seated in December, so I guess I could go either way. I want to make sure that we’re not being penalized if we do decide to do something with the funds before the CD matures, but 12 months from now, that’s three months into the next council’s term and they’re in a new fiscal year and will have probably budgeted for something if that decision comes to light. So I could go either way, personally, I think either the six or the 12 month look appetizing,” Alderman Lauren VanDriel said. 

Motion to take the DOC funds from the money market account funds to a 12 month CD at Security Bank was made by Swier, seconded by Bill Daugherty, motion carried. 

In new business, the City’s auditors have completed their audit of the City’s 2025 financial statements. 

“This audit covers January through December of the fiscal year 2024 and reports on whether the financial statements are accurate, among other requirements. Two findings were issued, and are exactly what we expected Those findings are Internal Control Deficiency: Segregation of duties, that’s noted each year and then a Material Violation of Laws, Rules, and Regulations violation with spending exceeded that is authorized by the city council. All that refers to is our failure to pass a supplemental budget until we are in FY25 and we expected that due to the rapid unexpected departure of finance officer in 2024 which delayed the supplemental until 2025,” Vander Plaats said. 

Motion was made to accept the FY2024 audit; it was approved unanimously.