The Lennox City Council met Monday, November 25 at Lennox City Hall. With all members present, the council heard agenda items including a mayoral proclamation, finance director position, and holding $10.5 million of funding.
Mayor Danny Fergen opened up the meeting with a mayoral proclamation for the Oriole football team.
“WHEREAS, the 2024 Lennox Oriole Football Team ended the season with a record of 10 wins and 2 losses; and WHEREAS, the 2024 Lennox Oriole Football Team competed at the South Dakota State Football Tournament; and WHEREAS, the 2024 Lennox Oriole Football Team represented the entire Lennox community with their appreciation for sportsmanship and competition; and WHEREAS, the 2024 Lennox Oriole Football Team won the Championship Game over Sioux Falls Christian High School, NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Danny Fergen, Mayor of Lennox, South Dakota, proclaim November 25, 2024 Lennox Oriole Football Day. I encourage all residents to congratulate the Lennox Oriole Football Team for their outstanding season,” read Mayor Fergen.
The Oriole football team stood with Mayor Fergen for a photo (pictured above) as he commended them on their representation of Lennox and their community in coming home with a State A Title for only the second time in school history.
In other business, discussion was held about the City of Lennox needing to advertise to fill the finance position recently vacated.
“We need to advertise and interview to fill the position recently vacated by Heidi Ihnen. The job description included in your packet was slightly revised to reflect a new job title for the position, changing it from what we would consider typical municipal language, Finance Officer, to a title familiar to a broader audience [Finance Director]. We’re hoping that helps us in attracting a larger recruiting pool, so I have two motions, one to approve the job description and the second to advertise and interview,” City Administrator, Nate Vander Plaats said.
The motion to approve the finance director’s job description was passed 5-1 with Lauren Van Driel abstaining. The motion to advertise and interview was passed 5-1 with Van Driel abstaining.
“Former Finance Officer, Denise Hanson, has agreed to help us out temporarily with training the interim finance officer and assisting on any key tasks,” Vander Plaats said. Vander Plaats noted that Hanson has already been helpful in offering assistance to the interim employee when needed.
Typically the City would treat such a relationship as a consultancy agreement, but in this case it is recommended to add Hanson back to the payroll. The motion to hire Denise Hanson as Interim Assistant Finance Officer for $40 per hour was passed 5-1 with Van Driel abstaining.
The city anticipates a receipt of $10.5 million within the next several weeks and must decide how to best care for those funds.
“With the agreement with the Department of Corrections fully executes, we anticipate the receipt of $10.5 million in the next several weeks. I need to decide how to best care for those funds until we need them, and I think it’s best to keep them in a segregated interest-bearing account. We do already have a certificate of deposit (CD) at First Premier State Bank, but I’d like to keep this separate since this is a separate use, separate source situation,” Vander Plaats said.
Vander Plaats asked the council what they thought their preference was on how long to take a CD out.
“The best payout in the least amount of time,” responded Daugherty.
The board agreed to have Vander Plaats check into rates and banks to find the best option.
The board then moved into Executive Session.
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