First District News

First District Association of Local Governments
First District Governing Board Officers
Dave Forrette ·····························································Chairman
Grant County At-Large Representative
Brenda Hanten·················································· Vice Chairperson
Codington County Commissioner
Gene Hexom ······························································ Secretary
Lake County At-Large Representative
Todd A. Kays ·················································· Executive Director
This publication is financed in part through a grant from the
Economic Development Administration.
First District Association of Local Governments
Phone: (605) 882-5115 or
1-800-981-9092
Fax: (605) 882-5049
Page 4
Upcoming dates…
December 24 (12:00
Noon) Office Closed
December 25—Office
Closed
January 7—First District Governing Body
Meeting, DeSmet, 3:30 p.m.
January 12—2016 SD Legislative Session
Opens
January 15—Deadline for Assistance to
Firefighters & EMS Grant Applications
May 1—Deadline for Hazard Mitigation
Grant Applications (Disaster 4233)
April 30, July 31, Oct. 31, Jan 31—
Deadlines for Local Infrastructure
Improvement Program
April 30, July 31, Oct. 31, & Jan 31—
Deadlines for Economic Development
Partnership Program
April 1, July 1, Oct. 1, & Jan. 1—
Deadlines for State Revolving Fund (SRF)
Applications
April 1, July 1, Oct. 1, & Feb. 1 —
Deadlines for State Water Plan (SWP)
Applications
April 1 & October 1—Deadlines for
CDBG Applications
Web: www.1stdistrict.org
First District News
124 1st Avenue NW l PO Box 1207 l Watertown, South Dakota 57201-6207
Phone: (605) 882-5115 l FAX: (605) 882-5049
June 2015
December 2015
Sisseton Courier Benefits from IRP Fund
Inside this issue:
Sisseton Courier
Benefits from IRP Fund
1
Thank You for Your
Support
1
Sylvia contacted Dacotah Bank in Sisseton for financial assistance to construct a new building for
the Sisseton Courier. Dacotah Bank partnered with First District Development Company’s IRP
fund to provide a financing package with attractive terms and rates.
MY THOUGHTS…
Todd A. Kays,
2
Executive Director
Funds Awarded
Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program Funding
2
New construction was necessary for the Sisseton Courier, as their existing building was
dilapidated and literally falling to the ground. Since the existing building was beyond repair, the
new building was imperative for the business to continue. The old structure had been pieced
together and added onto over the years, with the main portion being built over 100 years ago. The
newly constructed building is located on the same property as the previous building, and is
roughly the same size but with much more efficient use of space. Once the new structure was
completed on the north side of the property, the old building was torn down and replaced with a
parking lot.
First District wishes Sylvia and the Sisseton Courier many more years of success while they
enjoy their fresh new accommodations.
3
Deadline—Assistance to
Firefighters & EMS
Grant Program
Applications
3
Annual DOT Roadway
Update Getting
Underway
3
First District Governing
Body to Tour DeSmet
Community Center
3
Upcoming Dates
The Sisseton Courier is a weekly newspaper with a commercial print shop for all printing needs,
as well as carrying a large line of major brands of office supplies, office equipment, and office
furniture. Founded in 1892, the first addition of the Sisseton Courier, which was named the
Sisseton Standard at that time, was printed on May 28, 1892. Sylvia Deutsch, current owner of
the business, works alongside her sons, Kevin and Jason, with four additional employees to
handle the newspaper circulation and custom printing requests.
4
Thank You for Your Continued Support
and
Best Wishes for the Holiday Season
and a
Happy New Year
First District Association
Todd Kays
Greg Maag
Darin Stein
Amy Arnold
Jan McNamara
Luke Muller
Ted Haeder
Ryan Hartley
Jackie Erickson
First District Development Company
Paula Hulscher
Amy Waite
Katie DeBoer
Andrea Tesch
WATERTOWN SD 57201-6207
124 1ST AVE NW / PO BOX 1207
First District Association of Local Governments
My thoughts. . .
By: Todd A. Kays,
Executive Director
This last year I had about 14,000 miles worth of windshield time
to think about the First District and where we are going as an
organization. When you have that much time your mind begins to
wander around...thinking about new opportunities...how to build a
better mousetrap...are we missing something...you know, the
“what ifs.” While I realize that the staff and myself are always
thinking about the what ifs, I also know that sometimes the easiest
way to see where you are going is to look in the rear view mirror
and see where you have been. This helps in focusing on what has
worked in the past and tailoring it to meet the needs of our
membership into the future.
Throughout Fiscal Year 2015 (Oct 1 to Sept 30), the First District
was involved in over 175 specific projects in areas of planning,
GIS, grant writing/project administration, small business finance
and other government and economic development activities
In 2015 the Planning Department (Luke and Todd) provided
planning and policy development assistance in areas of:
 Comprehensive Land Use Plans (3)
 Zoning Ordinances and Maps (5)
 Hazard Mitigation Plans (1)
 County Site Analyses (15)
 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plans (1)
 Human Resource Policies (2)
 The South Dakota County Commissioners Association Wage
and Benefit Survey
 Attended multiple planning commission meetings
 Served as Codington County Zoning Officer
 Answered countless number of technical support questions
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) continues to be an
important, inter-related component of all the services that the First
District provides. First District uses GIS in policy analysis/
research, map making, grant applications, etc. In addition to
providing the above information to First District staff, the GIS
Department (Ryan, Darin, Amy, Jackie) also develops and/or
maintains the following data sets.
 Address Range data for 66 counties
 Road Centerline data for 27 counties
 E-911 data for 13 counties
 Parcel data maintenance for 5 counties and 2 municipalities
 Parcel data development for 2 counties and 1 community
GIS staff also webhosts GIS data sets for eight counties and two
communities and further provides GIS training for all First District
members.
One of the most common areas of assistance the First District
provides to its members is identifying, acquiring, and
administering public funding sources for local government
projects. Such projects range from sewer and water infrastructure,
Page 2
to community facilities like community centers or fire halls. During the
past 12 months, the Project Development Department (Ted and Greg)
assisted our membership in securing $20.3 million for community and
economic development projects ($11.3 million in Loans, $9 million in
Grants). That generated an impressive return of $83.40 for every $1 in
combined dues investment by our local government members.
Finally, our sister organization—The First District Development
Company (FDDC)—had a very successful year in 2015. Paula
Hulscher and her staff (Amy, Katie, Andrea) assisted 13 private
businesses obtain $7.3 million in public loan funds. These funds were
leveraged with private funds to result in $20.3 million in total project
investment resulting in 93 jobs being saved or created.
Looking back, I can honestly say that 2015 was a pretty good year and
our successes provide a decent map to address the First District’s “what
ifs” for 2016.
Finally, I need to take this opportunity thank the staff for their hard
work throughout the year. I am very grateful and proud of our team as
they continue to provide a wide variety of services to our members
with complete professionalism. The bond that connects the First
District staff to our local government members is their dedication to
service. First District’s two Economic Development Officers (Ted and
Greg) have a combined total of 34 years of service to the First District;
our three full-time and one part-time GIS personnel (Ryan, Darin, Amy
and Jackie) have been with the First District for a combined 69
years; our Planner (Luke)—7 years. First District Development
Company staff (Paula, Amy, Katie, Andrea) have a combined total of
38 years of business lending experience. Regarding administration,
while I have been with the District for nearly 23 years, the staff
member that best exemplifies duty to service is our Office Manager Jan
McNamara who has been with the First District for 42 years.
Also on behalf of the entire First District staff, we want to thank the
membership for their continued support. It truly has been a privilege
serving you, and we look forward to a prosperous new year.
Merry Christmas!! I look forward to seeing you at the Governing Body
meeting in January.
First District Association of Local Governments
Page 3
Notice of Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program Funding for Disaster 4233
Annual dot roadway update
getting underway
Since 1995, the South Dakota Department of
Transportation (SDDOT) in cooperation with the South
Dakota Planning and Development Districts has been
collecting city, county, township and federal roadway
information using Global Positioning System (GPS)
technology. This information is utilized by the SDDOT for
several purposes, including reporting mileage to the
Federal Highway Administration and county auditors, as
If you are interested in finding out more about the eligibility of
well as creating county and city maps.
South Dakota received a Presidential Disaster Declaration as a
result of June 2016 statewide severe storms, tornadoes, straightline winds, and flooding. Subsequently, approximately $440,000
of funding is now available for local governments and certain
private non-profit organizations to apply for hazard mitigation
projects that will reduce the loss of life and property by
lessening the impacts of future disasters.
mitigation projects or applying for these funds, please contact
Greg or Ted at the First District. The deadline for application Annually, on behalf of the SDDOT, First District staff
submittal is May 1, 2016.
Assistance to Firefighters and EMS Grant Program
FEMA has announced the application
deadline for the Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program. The
program funds activities such as
purchasing firefighting equipment,
personal protection equipment, training, firefighting vehicles,
and firefighter/first responder safety projects. The application
deadline is January 15, 2016.
contact individuals with jurisdiction over roads and ask for
assistance in updating any changes in an effort to keep this
roadway information current.
The assistance of county, city and township officials is
critical to the accuracy and overall success of the SDDOT
public road inventory, and we believe that we will all
benefit through this multi-agency cooperation.
Staff is available to assist individual fire departments with their
applications. Appointments for application assistance can be
made by calling 882-5115 and asking for Ted Haeder or Greg
Maag. If departments would like staff to come to their
community for assistance, they must provide a location having a
computer with Internet access.
Funds Awarded
First District Governing Body to Tour
Grant County—Hazard Mitigation Grant Program—Safe Room—
$135,938
City of Bryant—Hazard Mitigation Grant Program—Electric Line
Burying Project—$401,344
City of Lake Preston—Hazard Mitigation Grant Program—Safe
Room—$105,240
Wilmot Care Center—USDA Rural Development Community
Facilities (CF) Program—$1,777,000 Loan
Town of Henry—SDDOT Community Access Grant—$49,500
Lake Madison Sanitary District—SDDENR Consolidated Water
Facilities Construction Program (CWFCP) - $428,000
The Governing Body of the First District Association of Local Governments will
meet in DeSmet on Thursday, January 7, 2016. At 3:30 p.m. board members will
tour the DeSmet Community Center, which is located at 705 Wilder Lane on the
west side of town, just off Hwy. 14. In addition to providing information
regarding current economic development efforts in the DeSmet area, Rita
Anderson will provide an overview of the unique approach that the City of
DeSmet used in developing the Community Center. Following the tour, the
business meeting will convene at the Community Center.
DeSmet Community Center January 7th