Sanitary District Powers Include Contracting for Garbage Pick-up

While looking up some information on sanitary district powers, I came upon this really interesting 1980 opinion from Attorney General Mark Meierhenry that says South Dakota sanitary districts can contract for collection of solid waste... i.e., garbage!

South Dakota Codified Law authorizes sanitary districts "to construct and operate storm and sanitary sewers and sewage and solid waste disposal plants and systems" (SDCL 34A-5-26). In my tenure on the board, I've never paid much attention to the "solid waste" portion of that clause. The folks up at Lake Poinsett did, however. Evidently the development association wanted to hand over responsibilty for contracting garbage hauling to the sanitary district. Their attorney checked with Pierre, and Pierre said go for it.

Now the idea of collecting garbage through the sanitary district has never come up, at least not in meetings I've attended. But if a central sewer is unrealistic, perhaps trash pickup is a beneficial service the district could offer. Anyone interested?

FY2010: Zero Taxes? Spend the Reserve? What Do You Think?

At our next meeting—Wednesday, August 19, 6:30 p.m., Madison Public Library—I will put forward for consideration a budget proposal for fiscal year 2010. The budget proposes a $4000 reduction in operating expenses. It also proposes reducing the tax levy to zero and funding operations by spending down the reserve.

As of our May meeting, our budget reserve stood at a little over $19,000 ($10,000 of which is in a CD; the rest is in our checking account). At the proposed level of spending, those reserves could sustain district operations for ten years without any levying any taxes from Lake Herman residents.

What do you think? Is a zero tax levy reasonable? If the district should maintain or even increase its tax levy, for what purposes should we use that money? Your input is welcome, here online and at the August 19 meeting.