COLUMN
DIRECTOR’S NOTES YVONNE TAYLOR
We are home from our district meeting tour, and so grateful to all of you who hosted us and attended these meetings! We had a great round of meetings and as always return to Pierre amazed at the talent and dedication we find in our cities. This year was especially sweet as it was the first time we’ve met in person in two years. The district meeting tour is always a wrap-up of the recent legislative session. It was very exciting to go on the road with good news for a change! Massive investments will be made through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) for water and sewer, and we hope in workforce housing. As this is written, we don’t know if the Governor will sign the bill allocating $150 million in general funds and $50 million in federal ARPA funds for infrastructure for workforce housing – But we are sure hoping she does. We have other signs of hope this spring. The Senate has become a very normal place to do business – it is full of good legislators. In the House, we are so grateful that the last election sent in a great crop of new representatives. But some remaining dysfunction seems to have gotten public attention that has driven
4
more people to run. So here is your annual reminder: Elections matter. The last one made a huge difference in your Legislature – and more good changes are likely to happen if you look at who is running and choose not the ones that tell you what is easy to hear, but the ones who are thoughtful and tell you the harder truths. But the biggest point of hope for South Dakota remains in local government. Through storms, snow, flooding, and drought, it is city officials stepping up and getting the job done. It is our city people out there clearing streets, getting water and sewer systems back online, communicating with their citizens and working through the real problems of each day. It is our city people who years ago had the foresight to develop plans, storm water systems, and invest in equipment and personnel to deal with problems and prevent and mitigate damage as much as possible while keeping citizens safe. One phrase someone said that keeps running through my mind lately is, “Would you rather make a point, or make a difference?” We are so proud to be able to work for you – your answer is always, “We’d rather make a difference.” Thank you for that, and for being the people who are on the ground, making a difference every day for South Dakota. Until next month, we are always available at 1-800-658-3633 or yvonne@ sdmunicipalleague.org. ■
S O U T H D A K O TA M U N I C I PA L I T I E S | A p r i l 2 0 2 2
