PIERRE – A South Dakota governor leaves office, and potentially 967 state employees could be looking for different jobs.
Realistically, that number will be far smaller. Many top state positions, though, will see different faces.
Most of these changes will be determined during the transition period after the recent election and when South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem, officially takes office in approximately six weeks.
January 4 will be the last work day for some state employees, and January 5 will be the first day for Noem-appointed others.
“Her team is going to have to make a lot of decisions about personnel. The transition period is short, and there is a lot to do. I am sure Kristi Noem’s transition team will have to prioritize,” said Tony Venhuizen, Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s chief of staff.
Venhuizen has been designated by the Daugaard administration to serve as liaison to the Noem transition team.
Venhuizen’s job is also up for re-appointment.
“I served on both transition teams when Mike Rounds (2002 transition team) and when Dennis Daugaard (2010 transition team) came into the governor’s office. I was working on both of their campaigns; and they won,” Venhuizen said. “We (transition teams for the new governor) try to make things as easy as possible.”
“You win the election, take a day or two to decompress, then start the transition of new personnel for the upcoming term. Noem’s team is on the right track,” Venhuizen said.
Of the 13,152 state employees, 12,564 people work in some fashion for the executive branch. The executive branch is under the governor, who is in charge of enforcing the laws. The legislative branch makes the law of the South Dakota people, and the courts of the judicial branch interpret the law.
Of those state employees in the executive branch, there are 7,328 people who report to the governor. The number of personnel reporting to other elected officials is 251. There are 4,977 state employees under the oversight of the Board of Regents (college education).
Of the 7,326 positions under the governor’s overview, 6,339 are Civil Service, and the remaining 987 are exempt.
The Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to exempt employees from federal and state overtime requirements. An employee is exempt if determined to be an executive, an administrative or professional employee. Though impractical, potentially a new governor could replace all of 987 exempt positions in the executive branch of the South Dakota state government.
Noem’s transition team, chaired by Matt McCaulley, also includes Herb Jones, Steve Westra, Liza Clark, Noem’s college-age daughter Kennedy Noem, and Lieutenant Governor-elect Larry Rhoden. Beth Hollatz will serve as the transition team’s inauguration coordinator. Megan Goltz will serve as the governor-elect’s scheduler.
“Some of the current key state employees are planning to leave, anyway, at the end of this administration’s term. Some are looking forward to retirement. Some are ready to move on to other things. Some had different career opportunities that came to them,” Venhuizen said. “Beyond that, it is up to the new administration.”
“I am sure Noem’s transition team will fill those key positions as fast as they can. But, you want to get the right person for that job,” Venhuizen said.
A governor chooses their own heads of the governor’s staff. That is a given for any boss, chief executive officer, or head of a company.
For the head positions of the 22 South Dakota cabinet agencies and commissions, the new governor technically makes recommendations. Before becoming official, those individual appointments must be confirmed by the South Dakota Senate.
“The Senate takes it seriously,” Venhuizen said. He added, “I have not experienced any difficulties in the transition positions being confirmed.”
“South Dakota is fortunate to have been served by many who understand the job is not about them, but about producing real results for the people of our state,” said Kristin Wileman, spokesperson for Noem’s transition team. “Kristi is committed to carrying on the tradition and installing a service-first administration. One that is ready to do more good with fewer taxpayer dollars.
“Alongside her efforts to identify and retain high-performing staff, Kristi has launched a statewide talent search to ensure we attract the best and brightest to all levels of state government. Interested applicants will have the opportunity to submit a resume on the transition website we expect to launch this week. The transition team is working diligently to ensure a seamless transition that ensures Kristi is ready to govern on Day One,” Wileman said.
“Certainly during the transition period, there is a lot of cooperation between the outgoing and incoming people,” Venhuizen. He added that, beyond that transition time period, it is hard to say about the cooperative work by outgoing/incoming heads, and ultimate taking over of the positions by the new people.
Pam Roberts, now retired, had been in state government since 1978 and survived the transitions of governors with Bill Janklow through Dennis Daugaard. She has been on several transition teams, even chairing one.
“Major changes may be needed, but at the end of the day, the transition teams are often so impressed with the quality of people and their dedication to the people of South Dakota, especially when the same party takes over,” Roberts said.
Since before her time, “It was, way back, when about the whole government would move out and move in. But, that isn’t really the case anymore.”
Noem will most likely replace most, if not all, of the governor’s office staff, currently 13 positions. She will also, most likely, replace many of the secretaries and commissioners heading the 22 South Dakota agencies and commissions.
Capitol Bureau reporter Del Bartels can be reached at del.bartels@capjournal.com.
