Joel A. Arends

Moved to add conditions to a cattle feedlot expansion near a church, including a $50,000 environmental damage bond and limits on spreading manure. The motion failed 2-3.

April 5, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Asked a legislative property tax task force to send criminal fines to counties instead of schools. He also urged letting local governments post legal notices on their own websites instead of paying newspapers.

June 25, 2025Supports Government Efficiency

Source: keloland.com

Moved to cut the cost-of-living raise for county workers from 3% to 1.56% and step raises from 2.5% to 1%. The motion failed 2-3.

September 8, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to remove about $3.5 million for a Western Avenue roundabout from the county road budget. After a first vote failed, his second motion passed 3-2.

September 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: keloland.com

Moved to cut county commissioners' own salaries by 5%. The motion failed 2-3, and he voted against a 2.8% raise that passed 3-2.

January 6, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to cut county grants to local nonprofits, listed as Other Economic Assistance, to $25,000 in the 2026 budget. The motion failed 2-3.

September 2, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Said the state's new property tax law (SB 216) did not go far enough to protect homeowners. He blamed unwise local spending and opposed $63,000 for extra State's Attorney office space.

March 12, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: keloland.com

Proposed a 6% raise for the police union workers for the rest of 2022 instead of 10%. His motion failed 2-3, and he voted no on the 10% raise, which passed 4-1.

July 5, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Voted against a 9.25% raise for county workers in the police union (Fraternal Order of Police). It failed 1-4. He also voted against a 10% raise for other county staff, which passed 3-2.

June 28, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to cut the 2022 county budget, including $1,136,000 from roads and bridges and $88,014 from the State's Attorney's office. Both cuts passed 4-1.

September 7, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Voted for a property tax increase of 30 cents per $1,000 of value for three years to pay for county roads and bridges. The board approved it 5-0.

July 6, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to cancel the county's $1.4 million land purchase for a new jail site. The motion failed 2-3. He also voted against the budget change that paid for the land.

September 22, 2020Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to keep county commissioners' pay flat for 2020, give other elected officials a 2% raise, and raise the sheriff's pay to market rate. It passed 3-2. He also voted against a 6% raise that failed.

August 6, 2019Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Recommended that a dairy expanding its milk plant pay $25,000 a year to each of two townships to fix roads. He voted for the permit with that condition, which passed 4-1.

July 23, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: keloland.com

Voted for a property tax increase of 30 cents per $1,000 of value for three years to pay for county roads and bridges. The board approved it 5-0.

July 6, 2021Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Proposed a one-year pause on big data centers and a ban on secrecy agreements for development at a joint meeting with the Sioux Falls City Council. The pause failed.

August 25, 2026

Source: keloland.com

Moved for a one-year pause on building data centers in Lincoln County. The motion failed because no other commissioner seconded it.

February 24, 2026

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to name the Dakota Scout, Tea Weekly, and Lennox Independent as the county's official newspapers for legal notices. The motion passed 4-1.

January 7, 2025

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Was one of three commissioners who attended a 2023 open house for the Summit carbon pipeline. The state Open Meetings Commission then found the county commission broke public notice law.

November 18, 2024

Source: keloland.com

Proposed a resolution urging the governor to build the new state prison on land the county set aside for industry. It failed 2-3.

January 23, 2024

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to have the county file a court brief supporting landowners suing the state over its plan for a new prison in Lincoln County. The motion passed 3-1.

December 26, 2023

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Made a motion to remove Lincoln County's ballot drop box. The motion failed because no other commissioner seconded it.

April 5, 2022

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Moved to switch Lincoln County to at-large commissioners elected by the whole county instead of by district. The motion failed 2-3.

February 1, 2022

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Voted against declaring a local COVID-19 emergency in Lincoln County. He then voted for an amended version that lasted until April 15, 2020, when the board would review it.

March 17, 2020

Source: lincolncosd.api.civicclerk.com

Led Veterans for a Strong America when it hosted and endorsed Donald Trump at a ticketed speech aboard the USS Iowa. He appeared with Trump at the event.

September 15, 2015

Source: militarytimes.com

Chaired Veterans for a Strong America, which lost its tax-exempt status because it did not file tax returns three years in a row. He said the group was appealing.

August 10, 2015

Source: militarytimes.com