County tallying hail damage [The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.]

July 05--Two months afterward, Davison County is still wrapping up details from the May 5 hail storm. Auditor Susan Kiepke told the county commissioners during their regular Tuesday meeting at the courthouse that 14 county vehicles and one trailer were damaged in the storm, but they are considered repairable.

Three Sheriff's Office vehicles, due to age and extensive damage, were totaled.

Kiepke said Claims Associates, the county's insurer, has estimated the county's net vehicle losses at $71,395. Kiepke did not have current information on damage to county buildings.

Sheriff Dave Miles recommended junking the department's damaged 2001 Ford Expedition and putting the $4,475 adjustment toward a replacement. Miles said the Expedition needs $1,500 in transmission work that would have to be done before it could be sold. The county will keep the two other vehicles, but they will not be repaired.

The May 5 hail storm also affected the Central Electric Cooperative Building at 1420 N. Main St. The county has tentatively set Aug. 1 as the closing date for its $575,000 purchase of the building, which will be converted to space for the commissioners and county nurses.

But before that can happen, the commissioners must decide if they want to take an insurance settlement of more than $100,000 for roof damage, or have <org>Central Electric repair all damage before the county takes possession.

Commission Chairman John Claggett directed Maintenance Supervisor Mark Ruml to closely investigate the extent of the damage and to secure roof replacement bids from contractors.

Commissioner Gerald Weiss favors getting the building fixed before the county takes possession.

"I'd hate to take the money and run and leave the building set there all beat up," he said.

Homeland Security appointments

Commissioners appointed county Emergency Management Director Jim Montgomery and Jail Administrator Don Radel as county representatives to the Region 6 Homeland Security Review Committee. Their job will be to help review and prioritize area requests for homeland security grant funds and pass the requests on to the regional committee.

Counties and cities in Region 6 have until the end of August to submit applications for Homeland Security funds. State Homeland Security Director James Carpenter said Region 6 will have $232,806 available this year.

Region 6 includes the counties of: Davison, Brookings, Kingsbury, Beadle, Sanborn, Miner, Hanson, Hutchinson, Bon Homme and Yankton.

Money can be used for items such as video monitoring systems, computer security and public warning systems.

Other business

--Highway Superintendent Rusty Weinberg said Civil Design, a Brookings-based civil engineering firm, has completed its inspection of the county's bridges and will submit its report later this month. Preliminary reports indicate there are no new major problems, Weinberg said, but several spans will require minor repairs. By law, bridges 20 feet or longer must inspected every other year.

--Weinberg also announced two upcoming closings to County Highway 41: On July 9, Highway 41 will be closed for the day between 395th and 396th avenues; on July 23, the same stretch of road will be closed for the installation of a box culvert. The road will remain closed until September.

--Commissioners noted that the South Dakota Department of Transportation will hold a 7 p.m.July 19 public hearing at the Mitchell Technical Institute Technology Center on the 2013 State Transportation Improvement Program. The meeting seeks public input on upcoming highway projects.

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