County Administration Updates Jail Construction, Navigates Rain Delays as County Preps for Tax Deed Auction

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Codington County Board of Commissioners navigated an administrative agenda on Tuesday, ranging from updates on the highly anticipated new jail build to declaring surplus property for a summer tax deed auction.

Commissioner Lee Gabel provided a brief update on the county’s ongoing jail construction project during the “Old Business” segment of the meeting. The project has faced slight setbacks due to recent severe weather.

“There was some delay in getting back in because of the rain making the site muddy, bringing some of the heavy slabs—or the big panels—onto the site and erecting them,” Gabel explained. Despite losing an estimated week to two weeks due to wet conditions, Gabel assured the board that crews have “started erecting area A, so that’s the main housing unit on the north side,” and noted that overall completion and budget timelines remain on track for mid-next year.

Financially, the county is preparing to offload surplus property. The Board unanimously approved a motion to set a Tax Deed Auction for July 7, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The property in question consists of Lots 26, 27, and 28 in Block 2 in the Town of Vera (now known as Kampeska), which had a tax deed issued to Codington County in December 2025. Shawna Constant, Jacki Manning, and Steve Molengraaf were appointed as property appraisers ahead of the sale.

In a positive update for county personnel, Commissioner Myron Johnson shared encouraging news regarding the South Dakota State Retirement system. Following his attendance at a state retirement board meeting, Johnson reported that the fund remains robust.

“It’s always fun to report that the fund is still 100% funded,” Johnson shared, noting that the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is set at 1.56% and could potentially rise due to recent strong market performance.

The board also took time to approve several personnel changes, including the hiring of Brandon Fieber as a Deputy Sheriff and Joseph Steffen as a part-time Correctional Officer, alongside standard annual step increases for other county employees.

The meeting concluded following an executive Session regarding personnel issues and legal counsel consultation, with no subsequent action taken. The Board also noted that all County Offices will be closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.