Kirk Chaffee for District 29 – Vote for Proven Experience, Solid Values
Proven Experience
Real estate appraiser, property manager, family run business partner including Western Land Brokers, McFarland Auction Service, Oasis, Gunner’s and Fireside Bar along with managing every aspect of a large family ranch.
Director of Equalization and Planning for Meade County (31 years of service)
Sturgis Area Economic Development Corporation (SEDC): Board member and property committee member.
City of Sturgis: Working group for City Manager selection.
Black Hills Association of County Commissioners and Elected Officials: Officer-secretary (requested to serve in role as a proven leader rather than County Commissioner holding the office). Coordinate local government issues and streamline meeting procedures, while working with commissioners and elected officials.
I-90 corridor (Rapid City-Sturgis): Economic, infrastructure development and planning committee member coordinating with South Dakota Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.
Black Hills Vision ‘Saving Ellsworth’ B team: Congressional, State, County and City working together to keep Ellsworth Airforce Base off the closure list.
BLM Firewise: Develop and manage program set up defensible fire zone for homes that border or near National Forest Service property (I90 corridor Sturgis-Rapid) to safe guard residences from wildfires dangers.
On several instances I represented Meade County before Federal Agencies. I was instrumental in obtaining Coordinating Agency Status with the Federal Govt.
Meade County Natural Resource committee: past chairman.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Belle Fourche management plan committee member.
Black Hills National Forest: Public input committee member advocating open roads and public access within the National Forest boundaries.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Former flood plain administrator (data collection and valuations of property damage for federal relief on wild fire and storm disasters in the Piedmont area).
Metro Planning Organization (MPO): Committee member (transportation and community infrastructure focus). Other members include; South Dakota Highway Department, Federal Highway, Pennington County, Meade County, Rapid City, Summerset, Piedmont and Box Elder.
Great Plains Fire Safety Council: previous member.
Department of Environment and Natural Resource: Committee member drafting regulations for small community water systems.
Lobbyist (past registered) and Testify: advocating local government issues for 28 years and invited speaker before legislative committees of various county process issues. Testified many times before the legislature with focus on property rights issues as well as taxation matters.
South Dakota Association of Assessing Officers and Department of Revenue: considered expert in field and tasked with teaching ‘Advanced Beginners’ class on Ag Production.
Ag Land Assessment Oversight Task Force: appointed by both the Senate and the House as a member (10 years). Prior to that member of the working committee, including Kristi Nome, Larry Rhoden and others that originally set the framework for Production valuations away from the escalating market system helping to create and review proposed legislation, provide practical and technical advice on the production based assessments and lobbying both the committee’s position as well as that of Meade County. In the past have lobbied as a proponent on “actual use” basis of assessing.
State Convention of South Dakota Association of County Commissioners and County Officials: 2014 Master of Ceremonies.
Directly involved with leadership role in Meade County across: agriculture, business development, growth and taxation issues, subdivision of property, road and water districts.
Mediation and Consensus Building: Vast experience with South Dakota Department of Revenue, SD legislature, townships, municipal issues and road, water and sewer projects.
2nd Amendment supporter. Although I believe the 2nd Amendment already provides me the freedom to possess and carry firearms, I also possess a South Dakota Enhanced Concealed Carry Permit.
Personal, religious, and political beliefs define me as a Pro-Life supporter with endangerment and criminal exceptions.
“Pro” property rights advocate.
Will work to limit government oversight to the business of providing essential services.
Desire to model respect, civility and fairness to all and for all.