Lincoln County leaders begin budget talks, weigh funding for crisis care, meals, and transit

The Lincoln County Commission met Tuesday, June 3 in the Lincoln County Boardroom hearing agenda items including change orders, initial budget discussions, and funding requests. 

Highway Superintendent Terry Fluit requested the commission consider a motion to approve a change order for structure 42-244-255, PCN 09M1 in the amount of $12,574.12. 

“This is the Hudson Bridge, they are almost done with this, probably in a couple of weeks, but the first item they need to have is a granular material. It’s unsuitable for compaction at the end of the bridges and the embankment so we need to bring in some different back fill,” Fluit said. 

Commissioner Betty Otten asked if the material was not taken into consideration when the project was first bid. Fluit responded to Otten by explaining that they didn’t know what materials would be needed until they got to that point as they have been adding one to three feet asphalt each year since it was built in 2006 on the South Dakota side and as it continues to settle, Fluit wants to stick better materials to prevent the erosion from happening. Motion by Joel Arends, second by Otten, motion carried.

Auditor Sheri Lund was present for board discussion and presentation of the initial budget. 

“The County needs two things to operate, first and foremost, they need the cash, and they must have the available budget when they are spending. Budgets are not a perfect science and as we have seen they have been supplements done to increase the budget authority. The department heads and the commissioners should have been working together since May 16 to review the numbers, so none of these numbers should be surprising,” Lund said. 

Five new positions have been requested for the year, various cost of living increases, increases for non-bargaining unit options, health insurance increases, new vehicle costs, and more contribute to the increase in cost. Budget requests for this year total $24,364,778 with around $19 million coming from tax revenue. Lund reports that taxes from 2019 to 2025 have increased by 45 percent as Lincoln County has not had growth under four percent since that time. Lund asked the commission which department heads they would like to have come present information on the budget increases. 

“I’d like to hear from departments that want new FTE’s, new vehicles, new equipment, major projects, it creates a kind of transparency I think folks are looking for,” Arends responded. 

Lund thanked the commission for clarification and will have department heads plan for commission meetings.

Assistant Commission Administrative Assistant, Paul Anderson was present to introduce Sydney Bartunek and Nicole Olvera of The Compass Center who are requesting $45,000 in 2025 and $55,000 in 2026. 

“In this team approach, we are focused on three teams, adult services, youth services, and family services and prevention education. We have moved into a crisis care model whereas previously we have supported victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse through crisis care and long-term healing. Whereas now, we are really focused in on that crisis care,” Bartunek said. 

Bartunek reports that about 14 percent of their clients are from Lincoln County and are asking Lincoln County to cover four percent of their overall revenue. Commissioner Arends asked how many people were helped from Lincoln County to make up that 14 percent. Bartunek stated it was 162. The commission thanked the pair for sharing their information.

Anderson returned to introduce Andera Irwin and Kaylene Goehring from the Rural Office of Community Services (ROCS) which is requesting both transit and dining requests. Requests for transit in 2025 was $12,000 and 2026 will be $15,000. In 2025 Dining requested $6,019 and in 2026 requested $4,620. 

“In 2024 there were anywhere from 813 to over 1,000 meals per month and we are on about that same trend for 2025. In May, we had 842 meals that were served. We do not make anybody pay, we ask a suggested donation of $5 for anybody over 60 and anyone under the age of 60 are asked to pay $8,” Goehring said. 

Goehring reported all events take place at the Senior Center, and although the previous cook retired in April, they are working to find a new one as new changes are coming down from the state on operations and procedures. Irwin noted on the transit side finding drivers to get residents out of town for their doctors appointments and other various needs is their largest struggle and they have hired another part-time driver to help with those needs. 

Last year ROCS provided 14,668 rides in Lincoln County and currently this year are already over 11,000 rides. 

Otten questioned the reduction in the meal portion of the budget request. 

“Last year for us was a 16-month year because they wanted change my fiscal year from June to May and get caught up to change from October to September,” Goehring responded. The Commission thanked the team for coming.

Bryce Healy of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance (SMGA) was present to give a presentation on the organization and request the same $7,500 in funding in 2026 that was requested in 2025. 

“We have what we call enhanced development contracts in two and possibly three communities of Harrisburg, Lennox, and soon to be Tea, where our staff spends a little more time working with those communities on their economic development activities,” he said. 

In Lincoln County, SMGA has been expanding housing opportunities in Lennox, Canton, and Harrisburg, four new retail businesses in Lennox, and over half a million dollars in homeowner improvements. 

“I want to make sure that you know that any economic development work that SMGA entertains and takes on in Lincoln County is always cognizant of the land use map and the local county and zoning ordinances,” Healy continued.