Pictured: Dallas Roskamp is sworn in by Judge Terry Vajgrt at the Pipestone County Board meeting last week Tuesday.

By Jill Fennema

Last week Tuesday, Pipestone County held their organizational meeting for 2021. The very first item on the agenda was to swear in the new board members. Luke Johnson and Chris Hollingsworth, who were reelected in November took the oath of office first. After that, Dallas Roskamp, the newly elected county commissioner representing District 3 (the Edgerton area), was sworn in. The ceremony was performed by District Court Judge Terry Vajgrt.

Luke Johnson was chosen as the board chairman for 2021 and Les Nath was chosen as the vice chairman.

The board then proceeded to the regular organizational needs for the new year, choosing banks and the official newspaper for the year. Pipestone County Star will serve as the first legal newspaper this year and the Edgerton Enterprise as the second.

County board meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday mornings of each month. The hospital board meetings will be held on the 4th Tuesdays, at 1 p.m. This remains unchanged from previous years.

The board then went through the committee assignments for the year, many of which remained unchanged. Dallas Roskamp took Bruce Kooiman’s position on many committees, including the Pipestone County Planning/Zoning Commission. Other local members of the planning commission include Dave Hulstein and Barry Rieck

Roskamp will also serve on the fair board, the SW Drug Task Force, the Plum Creek Library Board, and several other committees.

In other routine matters, the board approved using the county website to advertise road projects. The lease agreement with the Pipestone County Extension office was extended through 2025. The rent is set at two payments of $4,950 in 2021. Each year after that the rent is increased by $150 per year.

The Pipestone County Board of Equalization meeting date was set for Monday, June 14, at 7 p.m.

After their meeting, Roskamp was given a tour of the courthouse and was introduced to the county employees and officials.