Minutes of Regular Meeting of Southern Black Hills Water System Board
Crazy Horse Monument
Thursday, January 23, 2025
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Southern Black Hills Water System was held at the Crazy Horse Monument on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Chairman Wick called the meeting to order at approximately 1:00 p.m.
[Note: The Paramount Point / Spring Creek Acres project is herein abbreviated as PP/SCA].
ROLL CALL – Board Members present were Wick, Baird, Beard, Krump, Nase, Smith, and Zolnowsky; Baker was absent. Others in attendance were counsel Talbot Wieczorek, and members/observers Van Capansky, Sharon Dickson, Craig Lafolette, Doug Musser, Rick and Karen Allen, Jay and Joni Strahm, Mike and Kim Rutherford, and Greg and Sandy Richter. Manager Don Peterson was unable to attend due to an ongoing water service issue.
Chairman Wick introduced Steve Kowalski, who lives just north of the Argyle service area and has accepted an invitation to be appointed to the Board replacing Don Krauss. Motion by Krump, 2nd by Beard to appoint Kowalski to the Board; motion passed unanimously.
AGENDA – Motion by Baird, 2nd by Krump to approve the agenda; motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS - One member had not received the email response to his email question due to his change of email address. Another member noted that the meeting time was not posted on the website; it is on both the list of meetings and agenda page but not on the placeholder minutes page. There were queries about when full water service would be restored. [An IRIS announcement that the problem was fixed came out at 2:10.]
MINUTES - Motion by Beard, 2nd by Baird to approve the minutes of the December 23, 2024 meeting. Motion passed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Wick presented the treasurer’s report for December 2024. The report was reviewed by the board members. The check sequence ending December 31 was check #4575 and beginning January 1 was check #4576. Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to postpone approval of the treasurer’s report to the February meeting and transfer $15,000 from the regular checking into the RD account; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Smith, 2nd by Krump to approve the payment for completed work for the PP/SCA Project B by Flatland in the amount of $794,701.54; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Smith, 2nd by Krump to approve the payment for completed work for the PP/SCA Project A by RCS Construction in the amount of $379,518.84; motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS –
Managers’ Report
Since the manager was not present, there was no manager’s report.
Wick had attended the South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems Technical Conference in Pierre January 14-16 and gave a short presentation on highlights of the conference.
NEW BUSINESS -
Wieczorek presented the process for election of Board officers. Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to retain the existing slate of officers (Wick: Chairman, Smith Co-Chairman, Baird: Treasurer, Zolnowsky: Secretary); motion passed unanimously.
Wieczorek distributed signature pages and collected signatures for the Code of Ethics Pledge, Conflicts of Interest Statement, and Confidentiality Agreement required annually of Board members.
EXECUTIVE SESSION -
Motion by Beard, 2nd by Baird to enter into Executive Session at 1:27; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to move out of Executive Session at 1:45; motion passed unanimously.
Motion arising out of Executive Session: motion by Smith, 2nd by Beard to direct management to seek additional funding for the PP/SCA project to replenish reserves used to pay for early planning for the project; motion passed unanimously.
UPCOMING MEETINGS -
The next meeting of the Southern Black Hills System Board will be Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Crazy Horse Monument in Custer. Future board meetings will be March 27.
ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business, the chair declared the meeting adjourned at 1:47.
Crazy Horse Monument
Thursday, January 23, 2025
The Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Southern Black Hills Water System was held at the Crazy Horse Monument on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Chairman Wick called the meeting to order at approximately 1:00 p.m.
[Note: The Paramount Point / Spring Creek Acres project is herein abbreviated as PP/SCA].
ROLL CALL – Board Members present were Wick, Baird, Beard, Krump, Nase, Smith, and Zolnowsky; Baker was absent. Others in attendance were counsel Talbot Wieczorek, and members/observers Van Capansky, Sharon Dickson, Craig Lafolette, Doug Musser, Rick and Karen Allen, Jay and Joni Strahm, Mike and Kim Rutherford, and Greg and Sandy Richter. Manager Don Peterson was unable to attend due to an ongoing water service issue.
Chairman Wick introduced Steve Kowalski, who lives just north of the Argyle service area and has accepted an invitation to be appointed to the Board replacing Don Krauss. Motion by Krump, 2nd by Beard to appoint Kowalski to the Board; motion passed unanimously.
AGENDA – Motion by Baird, 2nd by Krump to approve the agenda; motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS - One member had not received the email response to his email question due to his change of email address. Another member noted that the meeting time was not posted on the website; it is on both the list of meetings and agenda page but not on the placeholder minutes page. There were queries about when full water service would be restored. [An IRIS announcement that the problem was fixed came out at 2:10.]
MINUTES - Motion by Beard, 2nd by Baird to approve the minutes of the December 23, 2024 meeting. Motion passed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Wick presented the treasurer’s report for December 2024. The report was reviewed by the board members. The check sequence ending December 31 was check #4575 and beginning January 1 was check #4576. Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to postpone approval of the treasurer’s report to the February meeting and transfer $15,000 from the regular checking into the RD account; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Smith, 2nd by Krump to approve the payment for completed work for the PP/SCA Project B by Flatland in the amount of $794,701.54; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Smith, 2nd by Krump to approve the payment for completed work for the PP/SCA Project A by RCS Construction in the amount of $379,518.84; motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS –
Managers’ Report
Since the manager was not present, there was no manager’s report.
Wick had attended the South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems Technical Conference in Pierre January 14-16 and gave a short presentation on highlights of the conference.
NEW BUSINESS -
Wieczorek presented the process for election of Board officers. Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to retain the existing slate of officers (Wick: Chairman, Smith Co-Chairman, Baird: Treasurer, Zolnowsky: Secretary); motion passed unanimously.
Wieczorek distributed signature pages and collected signatures for the Code of Ethics Pledge, Conflicts of Interest Statement, and Confidentiality Agreement required annually of Board members.
EXECUTIVE SESSION -
Motion by Beard, 2nd by Baird to enter into Executive Session at 1:27; motion passed unanimously.
Motion by Beard, 2nd by Krump to move out of Executive Session at 1:45; motion passed unanimously.
Motion arising out of Executive Session: motion by Smith, 2nd by Beard to direct management to seek additional funding for the PP/SCA project to replenish reserves used to pay for early planning for the project; motion passed unanimously.
UPCOMING MEETINGS -
The next meeting of the Southern Black Hills System Board will be Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Crazy Horse Monument in Custer. Future board meetings will be March 27.
ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business, the chair declared the meeting adjourned at 1:47.
