VIEWPOINT: Stop dumping on Lincoln County

Guest Op-Ed by Jerry Mundt

I’ve heard many arguments for and against the proposed South Dakota State Prison site to be in Lincoln County off 278th Avenue one mile west of Highway 11. I agree with the opposition and  few, if any, state arguments.

My family and I moved back to the Canton area in 1990 from the Denver metro area. I worked as a deputy sheriff/special investigations detective/ and DEA task force agent. We moved back to the Canton area (My wife grew up in Canton, and I was a Canton police officer from 1981-1983). I started with the Sioux Falls Police Department in 1990 and we moved to Lincoln County as I did not want to raise our children in the city. 

We were able to find a rural location near Harrisburg and Canton to provide that atmosphere for our kids. I worked for SFPD for over 25 years in patrol, as a detective sergeant in narcotics, arson, weapons and alcohol investigations.  I retired eight years ago. We’ve lived in our home on Highway 11 for 32 years.