Rebuilding trust in Buffalo Gap

The recent special review by the South Dakota Department of Legislative Audit has laid bare a troubling chapter in Buffalo Gap’s history. Our former finance officer misused and failed to properly account for Town funds, resulting in $131,061 in unsupported, unapproved, and inappropriate expenditures and payments. In addition, the town must now pay over $25,000 from our general fund to cover the cost of the auditor general’s review.
This did not happen in a vacuum. It occurred under the oversight of the previous board of trustees. Those board members swore an oath to protect the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, the Town of Buffalo Gap and its residents but failed to provide the necessary checks and balances. There was a clear lack of transparency from both prior boards and the former finance officer. I do not condone this behavior — it was wrong, and it has harmed our small community.
To understand the real impact, consider what those funds could have accomplished:
• The Town received a $1 million drinking water construction loan, with 75 percent forgiven as a grant. Residents still had the monthly burden of a $12 surcharge to repay the remaining $278,000. The embezzled money could have either reduced or eliminated that burden.
• The Community Center Committee has worked tirelessly raising funds for windows, doors and HVAC upgrades to create a space for community breakfasts, celebrations of life, family events and revenue-generating rentals. Those stolen dollars could have transformed the center into a modern, state-of-the-art facility.
• Our park desperately needs attention. Last year, the Park Committee had to fundraise $3,000 just to install a basketball court, while volunteers selflessly removed dilapidated equipment because there were no funds available. The embezzled amount could have created a modern park and recreation area for our citizens and the neighboring rural community.
Small towns across South Dakota too often fall prey to situations where a single finance officer effectively “runs the town,” manipulating records and leaving a trail of debt and distrust for elected officials and citizens to clean up. Buffalo Gap is unfortunately another example.
This board of trustees are determined to do better. Our priority is to rebuild public trust by implementing stronger policies and procedures to safeguard the town’s assets. We are committed to full transparency and ensuring every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely and only on legitimate town needs. We are also pursuing options with legal counsel to recover the misused funds.
However, addressing individual failures is not enough. I respectfully propose that the South Dakota Legislature review the governance and financial oversight of small municipalities with annual revenues under $150,000. In many cases, these towns lack the resources for proper internal controls. Serious consideration should be given to dissolving such municipalities and placing them under county government oversight. This would provide stronger professional financial management, greater accountability and better protection for residents’ tax dollars.
The citizens of Buffalo Gap deserve trustworthy, transparent local government. As the president of the board of trustees, I have sworn the same oath as our predecessors, and I am committed to honoring it. I encourage residents to engage directly with the board of trustees on financial matters rather than relying on rumors. Open communication is the foundation of trust.
Together, we can learn from this failure and build a stronger future for Buffalo Gap and other small communities across our state.