Post by Logan on Mar 7, 2016 5:40:01 GMT -6
IMLAY, S.D. — A resident of a township in southwestern South Dakota is challenging the family occupying all township offices in court.
The Rapid City Journal reports the four members of the Whitcher family are elected and appointed to all township offices when residents gather for their annual meeting year after year. There were only two other resident voters in the township at last count, including Doug Albertson.
Imlay is just south of Badlands National Park, about 50 miles north of Wounded Knee.
Albertson, manager of the Conata Ranch, complained when the Whitchers charged him $1,500 for replacing two cattle guards on a township road through one of his pastures. He and his lawyer have asked a judge to nullify the $1,500 invoice and the Whitchers' threat to remove the cattle guards.
The newspaper says the Whitchers declined to be interviewed. Two of them testified Wednesday in a bench trial, denying doing anything improper or illegal.
Read more: www.capjournal.com/news/rancher-challenging-family-s-dominance-of-sd-township-government/article_6ba830ea-e3f1-11e5-9cce-638dcad374b5.html
The Rapid City Journal reports the four members of the Whitcher family are elected and appointed to all township offices when residents gather for their annual meeting year after year. There were only two other resident voters in the township at last count, including Doug Albertson.
Imlay is just south of Badlands National Park, about 50 miles north of Wounded Knee.
Albertson, manager of the Conata Ranch, complained when the Whitchers charged him $1,500 for replacing two cattle guards on a township road through one of his pastures. He and his lawyer have asked a judge to nullify the $1,500 invoice and the Whitchers' threat to remove the cattle guards.
The newspaper says the Whitchers declined to be interviewed. Two of them testified Wednesday in a bench trial, denying doing anything improper or illegal.
Read more: www.capjournal.com/news/rancher-challenging-family-s-dominance-of-sd-township-government/article_6ba830ea-e3f1-11e5-9cce-638dcad374b5.html