Regional jail in Brown County a prime topic at legislative candidate forum; most support idea

Candidates in three local legislative district races were asked their thoughts on the potential of a regional jail in Brown County.

The topic was one of a handful of issues discussed during a candidate forum Saturday at the Barnett Center at Northern State University.

Most of those running for office to represent districts 1, 3 and 23 said they favor the regional jail concept, but they also want to see the results of a legislative study planned for this summer.

Each legislative district has two House members and one senator.

Here are some takeaways from the forum.

District 3

All District 3 candidates are from Aberdeen.

Senate candidates include Rachel Dix, 29, home ownership coordinator for Home Are Possible and executive officer of the Aberdeen Homeowners Association, and Al Novstrup, 67, a local businessman who has owned multiple businesses in Aberdeen and beyond.

Both are Republicans and the top vote getter in the June 7 primary will be unopposed in the November election.

Emily Meier, 25, a server and Northern State University student, is the sole Democrat running for House. Republican candidates include Carl Perry, 69, a retired businessman and member of Hub City Capital; Kaleb Weis, 38, who does some heating, ventilation and air condition system work, but is also a father and operator of a hobby farm; Richard Rylance, 66, a retired bank executive; and Brandei Schaefbauer, 48, a former real estate broker who has more recently been a stay-at-home mom.

The top two vote getters in the GOP primary will advance to the general election and be on the ballot with Meier.

The regional jail idea was, not surprisingly, a topic of discussion.

"If we were only going to build one in the state, it might not be the right spot," Weis said about placing a regional jail in Aberdeen.

If the idea were to build three, however, Weis said Aberdeen would a logical site and it would benefit Aberdeen and the entire region.

Schaefbauer said she's still learning about the topic, but with the current Brown County Jail at capacity, she agrees something needs to be done. She said if the summer study supports it, she'll look into it.

"If we were going to do a regional jail, I'd want to make sure it's cost-effective, safe for the community and we need to bee prepared for what might happen in the future for what might be legalized," she said.

Perry said the answer to the regional jail question will come with the summer study, which he supported. That study, he said, will look at a variety of aspects of corrections, including the state prison and whether it makes sense to rebuild that or to create smaller programs and funnel state prisoners into those spaces.

Rylance said Aberdeen would be a good place for a regional jail because having inmates close to their families makes sense. But, he said, if the state recommends it, the next step will be a funding request before the Legislature. That would mean building coalitions and convincing others it's the right idea.

Dix also supports the idea of a regional jail in Aberdeen, but advocated for making that facility something more than just a place to house inmates.

"Let's look at what we can do for work release, reintegration and make it so they're not sleeping their sentence away," she said. "With a new jail, there will be outlets for that."

Novstrup said what he's learned so far supports the idea for a regional jail in Aberdeen. Brown County already has a facility that will work for it and will be both safe and secure, he said. In addition to a jail being safe and economical, Novstrup said, vocational training is important.

"It isn't about building a prison, it's about not having repeat customers," he said.

Meier said she doesn't know if Aberdeen is the right place, but good legislation and smart decisions come from looking at topics like these. The decision needs to be data-driven, she said.

"Before we build, we need to look at where there is the most need," Meier said.

The candidates were asked how they would vote on Constitutional Amendment C in the June primary. The measure would require 60% of the voters to approve ballot measures that would increase taxes or propose spending more than $10 million over a five-year period. Each of the Republican candidates said the favor the amendment.

Meier said she opposes the measure citing misleading advertising.

"It's not about raising taxes, it's about spending money," she said. "If voters want to spend $10 million, they should do that with a 50% majority. The Legislature does that all the time."

Novstrup said he feels requiring 60% approval from voters is a more appropriate threshold since approval from two-thirds of the Legislature is needed for tax increases. Dix also agreed the bar should be higher for raising taxes, and Perry said he supports the proposal because it would make it harder to raise taxes.

Rylance also supports the measure, which, he said, only applies to the conditions listed in the amendment. Other ballot measures would only require a simple majority, he said,

Schaefbauer said she supports the measure since it affects not just her money, but other people's money, too.

Weis said he backs the idea, pointing to his record on voting to reduce taxes.

"We are a constitutional republic. To change our constitution is hard, and it should be equally difficult to spend our money.

District 1

In District 1, Joe Donnell, 43, of Sisseton, director and founder of Warrior Circle, and Michael Rohl, 31, of Aberdeen, director of operations for HayJon Inc. and general manager of Rohly’s Bar, are seeking the Republican nomination for Senate.

Independent candidate Susan Wismer, 66, of Britton, a certified public accountant, will face the winner of the GOP primary in the general election. She initially filed a nominating petition as a Democrat, but it was decertified due to a date issue. She then re-filed as an independent. Wismer previously represented District 1 in the Senate.

The House race features two Democrats and two Republicans. They are Jennifer Healy Keintz, D-Eden, a real estate broker; Steven McCleerey, D-Sisseton, a local farmer and former legislator; Logan Manhart, 23, R-Bath, who works with the family business, Wolfsong Apartments; and Tamara St. John, 55, R-Sisseton, who works in the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Historic Preservation Office.

All four candidates will be on the November ballot with the top two vote getters earning terms in Pierre.

Manhart and St. John were only House candidates to attend the forum.

Manhart said he supports the idea of a regional jail, but believes the summer study will provide a lot of the necessary details. As for whether it should be in Aberdeen, he said that would take regional support.

St. John supports the regional jail idea.

"The goal in the end is to have people return to a life where they have jobs and the ability to support themselves in the community. I can see benefits of a regional facility. I believe this will be a good place," she said of Aberdeen.

Rohl agrees.

"The real way we can benefit is to find synergies," he said, noting that Roberts County officials work with the tribe and North Dakota to house offenders.

Rohl said with 60% of prison inmates being either medium-security or low-level offenders, a better option is keeping them closer to home.

"It will save the state millions of dollars, and it will help evolve the system to something better," he said.

Wismer said a prior judicial reform measure was approved as a way of keeping people out of prison with the promise of state funding that was never fulfilled. The result was a "degradation of services" because the state didn't provide money to help with addiction recovery.

She said she's seen Marshall County give up on seeking voter approval for a new jail. That means the county is sending its inmates elsewhere. Wismer said her concern is preventing the state from shifting its expenses to local taxpayers.

Donnell said the summer study is needed to collect more information. The entire corrections process needs to be looked at to see if it's functioning properly, he said.

With his nonprofit organization Warrior Circle, Donnell said he works with people who have been incarcerated. Getting them back into society means changing their mindset, he said.

McCleerey provided a statement in which he outlined the top issues he's hearing about. Those include the need for water resources, infrastructure, Medicaid expansion and competition with border states, per his statement.

Candidates were also asked if the state could do something about high gas prices.

Manhart and St. John suggested lowering the state sales tax. St. John said she supported an effort to reduce the sales tax on groceries.

Rohl said an infusion of federal funding is the reason for higher gas prices. Instead of temporary tax relief, he suggested investing in projects that will help create sustainable energy and energy independence. He said the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines are ways to do that.

Wismer disagreed. Oil prices aren't a result of additional federal spending, rather supply and demand, she said. And the oil pipelines wouldn't have helped with energy independence since the oil would have been exported. She said the support should go to ethanol and educating people on its benefits.

Lowering taxes would reduce revenue, and the state would have to balance the budget with less money, Wismer said.

District 23

In District 23, two Republicans are running for the Senate seat. They are Bryan Breitling, 53, of Miller, administrator of Hand County Memorial hospital, and Spencer Gosch, 38, of Glenham, fifth-generation farmer/rancher and radio announcer. Both are current legislators.

The winner of the Republican primary will be unopposed in November.

House candidates are Brandon Black, 32, of Aberdeen, a deputy sheriff for Brown County; Gregory Brooks, 30, of Aberdeen, an officer with the Aberdeen Police Department; Scott Moore, 58, of Ipswich, general manager and of FEM Electric Association; and James Wangsness, 51, of Miller, a fourth-generation farmer.

The top two vote getters on June 7 will be unopposed in November.

Gosch said having a regional jail in Aberdeen is a "no-brainer." Not only is it in a central area, he said, but Aberdeen has the population to support the necessary workforce. But, he said, the Legislature needs to its due diligence and collect all the facts.

Black said a regional jail makes sense and would benefit the region. He said Brown County already gets calls from North Dakota and Minnesota facilities are looking for more room for their inmates.

Breitling said several bills were proposed this year with respect to county jails. That led to discussion about county responsibility and if there is a better way to fund them. Now, he said, there is $84 million set aside in a fund to help with county jails.

"The timing is very important," he said. "Now we have a summer study."

Brooks also supports a regional jail in Aberdeen and pointed to the federal courthouse in Aberdeen as one reason.

"We will have extra income with federal prisoners," he said.

While he favors the idea, Brooks said there are still questions that need to be answered.

Wangsness said Aberdeen is a logical place for a regional jail, especially with other jails closing, like the one in Walworth County.

He said that if recreational marijuana is legalized, crime could increase. Not because of use itself, he said, but because of the crime committed when people are using marijuana.

Moore said the first step is completing the study, but building in Aberdeen makes sense.

Faulk County has seen a new jail yield benefits, Moore said, but he also saw Ipswich struggle to gain voter approval to covert the old hospital into a jail.

"I would support it because they got the building bought," Moore said of Brown County. "But expand that to smaller communities with empty buildings. We need the facilities."

A carbon dioxide sequestration pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions was also raised as a topic. None of the District 23 candidates favor the idea.

Giving a private, for-profit company the authority to use eminent domain to access private land along the proposed pipeline route was particularly unpopular.

"Your land shouldn't just be taken by a private organization, we've got laws to protect that," Gosch said.

He also expressed concern about the proposed depth of the pipeline being just 4 feet and what would happen if it were hit by agriculture equipment.

Black and Brooks also voiced their opposition to the use of eminent domain by Summit Carbon Solutions.

Instead of addressing eminent domain, Breitling noted legislation passed during the 2022 session that gives landowners more flexibility and rights when it comes to easements and requires annual payments to landowners instead of lump-sum payments.

Wangness, who spent time as a county commissioner and has dealt with a variety of projects like wind turbines, said the carbon dioxide pipeline might benefit local ethanol plants, but there isn't a benefit to local landowners or South Dakota in general.

"If this were to go through, there needs to be more benefit for it at the end," he said.

Moore prefaced his comments with a disclosure that FEM Energy has an agreement to provide electricity for Summit. As such, he said, the board of directors has taken a neutral position. But he said he personally opposes the project and the use of eminent domain by Summit.

In his profession, he said, if an easement can't be granted, infrastructure is placed in the right of way. That's why he struggles with the use of eminent domain.

"As for carbon capture, Basin Electric has been doing it for 20 years," he said. "This process will take it and pump it into the ground. Let's find a solution to capture it and put it into a product."

The forum was sponsored by the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters. Recordings can be found at Dakota Broadcasting and Hub City Radio.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Legislative candidates generally support regional jail concept