Broadcaster Press 9 June 28, 2016 www.broadcasteronline.com Conflicts-disclosure law affects most of S.D. Board of Education By Bob Mercer State Capitol Bureau PIERRE – Four members on the state Board of Education filed waiver requests regarding South Dakota’s new conflicts of interest law. They are Sue Aguilar of Sioux Falls, Kelly Duncan of Aberdeen, Glenna Fouberg of Aberdeen and Don Kirkegaard of Sturgis. A fifth member, Julie Mathiesen of Sturgis, resigned this month because, she said in her letter to the governor, complying with the law would have been too complex. She is head of the Technology In Education organization that works with school districts throughout South Dakota. A sixth member, Stacy Phelps of Rapid City, resigned last year. Phelps and two other people were indicted this year on state criminal charges regarding the GEAR UP program. GEAR UP is a federally funded program administered through the state Department of Education and the Mid Central Educational Cooperative at Platte. It is intended to help Native American students and their families know what is needed for further education after high school graduation. A state audit found financial problems. The GEAR UP scandal triggered South Dakota’s new conflicts law for members of state boards and commissions. The conflicts law also covers people in leadership positions in K-12 education organizations. The state Board of Regents and Black Hills State University now administer GEAR UP under a contract with the state Department of Education. The state Board of Education has nine members. A majority have situations they felt should be disclosed. Sue Aguilar requested a waiver “out of an abundance of caution” because her husband serves on the board for Lutheran Social Services. The organization receives grant funding for literacy work from the state Department of Labor and Regulation. Aguilar said she has nothing to do with those contracts and their household doesn’t benefit from them. Kelly Duncan currently is dean of education for Northern State University. She had been a long-time consultant on education projects in South Dakota and received payments from state government and from other organizations including Mid Central. In her waiver request Duncan said her university work could fall within the subject matter of the state board. She said in her waiver request she would disclose a potential conflict of interest and abstain from the vote. Glenna Fouberg said she sometimes fills in at Northern State University to monitor administration of Praxis tests used for teacher certification. A retired teacher, Fouberg said she doesn’t have a formal Book 61 contract and might be paid $40 to $100 per month when she temporarily works. “I do things like making sure the test-takers get their comSudoku the area is secure. puters set up and Book 61: Answers I do not score the that #5 tests,” she wrote in her waiver request. Fouberg further explained: “This is not a conflict with my role as a Board of Education member, and it is in the public interest for NSU to have someone to do this so these test-takers can get their Praxis test done. “Because it is a contract with the State (NSU) which is potentially within the subject matter of the Board of Education, I am seeking a waiver for this work going forward.” Don Kirkegaard requested waivers for two reasons in his role as Meade school district superintendent. He highlighted five major amounts of funding the district receives through the state Department of Education. “Neither Meade School District nor myself are receiving any special benefit in regard to these funds because all school districts apply for the same,” Kirkegaard wrote. “The purpose of all these funds is to provide services to students, so they are obviously in the public interest. The South Dakota Board of Education has no oversight of this funding,” he continued. Kirkegaard also disclosed his employment contract as superintendent. “The (state) Board of Education has no oversight of funds received by the district from the (state) Department of Education,” he wrote. “The Meade School District Board of Education determines whether to renew my contract and terms of my contract, in the public interest of the students and citizens of the district.” The new conflicts-disclosure affects 22 state boards and commissions. Bobbi Rank, the lawyer for the state Department of Education, provided a 10-page memorandum about the new law to the state Board of Education members. The memo included this summary of the new law: “The Disclosure Laws prohibit a Board Member from contracting with the State, or from deriving a direct benefit from a contract or transaction with the State, if the contract or transaction is within the jurisdiction or relates to the subject matter of the Member’s Board. “The Disclosure Laws also prohibit a Board Member from contracting with, or deriving a direct benefit from, a contract with a political subdivision of the State if the political subdivision administers or executes similar subject matter programs as the Member’s Board.” Waivers can be granted if the board decides the “transaction and terms of the contract are fair and reasonable and not contrary to the public interest.” The waiver requests are public documents. bpp b Since 1934 3 4 3 Townships Prepare 9 8Ask To 2 1 For Bridge And Culvert Aid 7 6 5 4 4 8 5 ties have completed inventories of their small bridges and cul9 8 verts and the rest should be finished in the next month so a Sudoku #3 7 request for funding can be made 2to5the state 9Transportation 3 7 1 6 4 2 8 Commission, a spokesman said1Thursday. 9 7 3 1 7 9 8 4 3 5 Dick Howard, a former secretary of transportation who now 7 8 said he’s 6 4 2 9 represents towns and townships, 5 3 1 been working with 6 4 2 8 7 5 9 state Department of Transportation staff as part of a task force 4 5 4 governments 6 on what could be done to assist the7 small local 1 25 9 6 8 7 4 6 2 1 9 1 9 4 5 6 8 2 8 7 3 3 P Fill the puzzle so that every row, every column, and every section contain the numbers 1-9 without repeating a number. Sudoku #6 Sudoku #1 6 3 7 1 8 4 5 9 2 1 4 8 5 9 2 6 7 3 5 2 9 6 3 7 1 8 4 4 8 1 2 7 6 3 5 9 9 5 6 4 1 3 7 2 8 2 7 3 9 5 8 4 6 1 9 2 By Bob Mercer. State Capitol 3Bureau7 6 1 8 4 5 8 6 4 3 2 5 9 1 7 7 1 5 8 4 2 3 6 PIERRE – Township officers in 28 of South9Dakota’s 66 coun- 8 B roadcaster ress BChallenging Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad roadcaster Press Since 1934 2 p Broadcaster 7 b4 Press 1 7 5 8 5 1 2 6 Intermediate Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad 9 bp Broadcaster Press 3 7 Sudoku #2 9 2 3 4 6 6 4 7 9 8 1 5 8 3 2 7 1 2 8 5 Since 1934 3 7 1 5 9 4 9 6 8 3 8 6 9 2 5 5 1 4 6 7 7 3 2 1 4 Since 1934 3 7 6 4 2 3 9 8 9 6 4 3 4 9 2 8 6 5 7 1 4 1 7 8 2 3 6 9 5 6 4 4 9 Sudoku #4 8 6 7 9 3 1 2 7 7 6 3 8 4 5 92 2 1 3 5 4 6 7 2 4 5 8 1 6 9 5 3 1 2 6 8 4 8 6 9 7 21 2 9 5 6 8 7 4 4 5 8 5 8 3 5 1 1 2 8 9 5 7 7 1 3 9 4 3 2 7 9 3 1 5 3 on their creek and river crossings. 2 © 2008 KrazyDad.com © 2008 KrazyDad.com 4 1 8 7 2 5 9 Grant pro3 CHALLENGING 7 1 4 2 9 6 8 5 CH BOOK 61 #6 The state’s new $9 million Bridge6 Improvement 3 8 7 9 3 5 4 2 6 1 7 9 2 3 5 6 4 8 gram serves counties and cities but doesn’t reach1 the townLast Tuesday’s ships level. Sudoku #5 Sudoku Solution #6 Howard told the state commission Thursday the informal 5 4 8 3 6 2 9 5 1 2 6 4 9 8 7 3 task force wants the inventory1 to show 7the commission the Sudoku #7 Sudoku #8 8 4 6 3 7 1 2 9 8 9 3 2 1 7 6 4 5 need for assistance and to develop a process 5for distributing 8 use.9 5 4 6 1 7 3 2 6 4 7 3 5 8 2 1 9 money to counties for township 8 2 5 9 2 completed 1 3 5 7 3 8 4 2 6 5 2 1 © 2008 KrazyDad.com 9 The inventory was supposed to be 4 3 8 7 6 by June 17. 3 8 6 7 9 1 4 5 2 1 6 9 8 2 5 4 3 7 Howard said the proposal and inventory would be presented 4 Check next Tuesday’s paper for 3 1 2 6 8 4 7 1 27 5 9 9 1 4 2 5 1 7 3 9 6 8 July 28 at the commission’s next full3meeting. 3 1 7 2 6 9 5 4 8 3 8 1 9 6 4 7 5 2 the solution to today’s puzzle. He said Transportation Secretary Darin8Bergquist6 and mem2 9 4 2 5 4 7 8 1 3 9 6 7 1 5 3 2 7 8 5 bers of the DOT staff have been cooperative. 2 3 5 9 4 8 6 1 7 9 7 6 5 3 2 1 8 4 INT BOOK 61 #6 In another bridge item, the state commission voted 7-1 9 5 8 5 9 7 against reconsidering a Sioux Sudoku #8 Falls application for a $1.2 Sudoku4 #78 5 1 9 7 6 2 3 5 7 2 1 9 on a qualifying 7 6 3 5 7 2 6 4 1 8 3 4 9 2 6 8 6 4 1 87 5 4 million BIG award. 9 3 9 The commission passed 1 8 6 7 9 3 5 2 4 4 8 5 7 2 3 6 6 51 9 3 1 2 6 4 9 84 2 6 8 over the Sioux Falls applica- 8 1 9Ca3 E7 a5 8 6 2 ll th n 4 7 for tion two months ago because 7 3 5or 6 mie 2 ta8 s 9 1 Ja 4 includes utility & manufacturing rebates 8 2 6 9 3 4 1 7 5 e il o 9 1 it didn’t follow DOT’s require- 4 6 c2mplete d8 7 3 5 9 1 4 13 7 8 5 6 2 3 9 & have 5 ment that bids be let through 2 7 1 5 3 9 6 4 8 7 3 5 4 1 8 9 6 2 DOT. Sioux Falls let the bid 5 9 3 49 6 2 1 7 6 1 8 8 9 to pay for it! 9 4 1 2 4 3 5 8 75 6 locally. The project now is 6 4 8 1 2 7 3 5 9 6 8 2 5 7 9 3 4 1 underway. 3 2 4 8 8 su do ku Save up to By Nikki Prosch SDSU Extension Any dog owner knows how emotionally rewarding being a pet parent can be. Dogs won’t hold a grudge for not playing with their favorite toy and they will continually show unconditional love through the worst days. While dog care can vary greatly depending on the breed, age, and personality of the dog, one aspect every 4-legged friend needs in their day, like their owner, is exercise. Similar to a cooped up child, a cooped up dog could drive any person a little crazy. While the amount of physical activity each dog needs varies, the importance of getting in a daily walk/run remains crucial. While dog owners may not always “want” to go for a walk, the added motivation from your pet is very beneficial. In fact, being an adult dog owner means you are much more likely to go out and get regular physical activity, such as walking, compared to individuals not owning dogs. Additionally, research has shown that dog-owners experience lower mental stress, increased feelings of safety, and enhanced social interactions. The positive influence from a dog can range from one individual, to the entire family. Taking a dog out for a walk or run can be a bonding experience between the owner and his/her dog or it can be a complete family event. Similar to adult dog owners, children who grow up with a family dog have also seen added physical activity benefits. This added exercise is commonly found in families that make walking their dog a common family outing. In a world where obesity is a growing issue, finding new ways to get people engaged in exercise is a must. A dog will not laugh at you for being out of shape, but instead will love you more for the experience and company they gain from their regular walk or run. 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