Two weeks ago the Madison City Commission was looking for a new Veterans Service Officer, and a new Emergency Management Director. Now both positions have quickly been filled. 

At Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, commissioner Deb said John Anderson has agreed to stay on in the role of Veterans Service Officer, while also taking on the position of Emergency Management Director. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the County recognized more than two dozen individuals with Life Saving Awards. Those recognized were involved in the ice rescue on Brant Lake this January. Two individuals had been fishing on the lake and were driving a side-by-side toward the boat ramp when they broke through the ice in sub-zero temperatures. Both individuals were successfully rescued. 

Tuesday’s commission meeting also included the approval of a Local Infrastructure Improvement Grant. The $500,000 grant was awarded to Lake County to support reconstruction of County Road 17. The project will improve transportation infrastructure serving the Dakota Ethanol facility near Wentworth and accommodate increased commercial traffic generated by the company’s ongoing expansion.

Dakota Ethanol is expanding production capacity by 50 percent, increasing demand for South Dakota-grown corn while producing additional distiller grains that supply the state’s livestock industry with a valuable feed ingredient. The road improvements will help support the movement of agricultural commodities and strengthen infrastructure needed for continued growth in South Dakota’s corn and livestock sectors.