Codington County Approves New Jail Construction Payment and Temporary Treasurer’s Office Closure

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Codington County Commissioners took action on two key administrative and infrastructure items, approving a payment for the new jail project and authorizing the temporary closure of the Treasurer’s Office for necessary renovations.

The Commission decided to pay an estimated claim for the new jail facility, choosing to do so before the year concludes. Auditor Brenda Hanten provided details indicating that the estimated payment amounts to $1,037,120. This payment covers work completed by several companies, including Beckenhauer, Tegra, Architect Inc., and GeoTech.

The commissioners agreed to submit and pay these claims in December 2025, consistent with the county’s policy of paying contractors as their work is finished. Currently, the county's jail building fund has more than $3.7 million available.

Treasurer Carol Maloney explained to the Board that her office would need to be temporarily closed to carry out essential upgrades to the facility. She informed them that the closure would take place on Wednesday, December 10th, and Thursday, December 11th, 2025. The reason for this closure is to allow crews to complete the installation of new carpet, which involves removing the old material, cleaning up the glue, and laying down the new carpet in sections.

Maloney reassured everyone that December is typically a quieter month, since most private property taxes are already paid and there are no vehicle renewals scheduled during this period. She also mentioned that public services will still be available for many transactions—vehicle renewals, for example, can continue online via the 605 Drive system and self-service terminals.

Regarding staffing during the closure, she said that employees will be scheduled using a mix of vacation time and temporary reassignment. Additionally, new employees without accrued leave will be assigned to assist the Director of Equalization with wetland projects.

The Commissioners approved the closure, recognizing the necessity of the project to update the facility.