South Dakota county government fixture will retire with historic distinction
Longtime Lincoln County commissioner, Sioux Falls metro powerbroker won’t seek reelection after 28 years in office
CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Schmidt’s public service tenure as a state record for longest serving county commissioner. The Dakota Scout strives for accuracy and deeply regrets the error.
After nearly three decades shaping one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties, an infamous South Dakota political leader is hanging up a historic public service career.
Lincoln County Commissioner Jim Schmidt told The Dakota Scout this week that he will not seek re-election, choosing instead to step away from public service when his term expires later this year.
And with it, the Lennox native who’s served on the commission for 28 years will take with him the distinction of being among the longest-serving county commissioner in state history, according to publicly available historical records.
