ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA: COUNTY OF THE MONTH

Towns in Campbell County:Artes, Herreid, Mound City, Pollock

County Seat: Mound City

Population: 1,604

Founded: 1873

Important Events:

An act of the 1873 Dakota Territory Legislature established Campbell County. Campbell County selected the settlement of LeGrace as its first county seat when it was officially organized in 1884. Four years later, the county seat was moved to Mound City.

The county is named after Hugh Campbell, a lawyer who worked for South Dakota's statehood. The present-day towns of Herreid, Pollock, and Artas were formed when the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault Saint Marie Railroad extended service into Campbell County in 1901.

Herreid the largest town in the county, was originally known as Campa, but early settlers decided to change it in favor of a more distinguished name. They changed the name to Herreid in honor of the fourth governor of the state, Charles Nelson Herreid (1857-1928), who was an avid sportsman and state historian. Herreid's term as Governor, beginning in 1901, coincided with the founding of the town and a time of resurging economic prosperity in the state.

Located in the Northwest corner of Campbell County, the town of Pollock also celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2001. The town is not finished celebrating birthdays yet, however. Pollock will also celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. A unique one-mile move south for the town in 1955 accounts for this unusual extra celebration. When the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers decided to build a dam on the Missouri River that would flood the original townsite and create Lake Oahe, the people of Pollock decided to move their town uphill. The town's motto, "A city built on a hill cannot be hid," was coined in the Pollock Pioneer following the decision to move the town, and remains the motto today.

Interesting Fact:

Long before Campbell County was officially founded, Lewis and Clark traveled through the area, making camp for the last time in South Dakota near the former townsites of LaGrace and Vanderbilt on October 13, 1804, before traveling further north along the Missouri River.

Tim's Work for Campbell County:

Missouri River Restoration and Health:

Through the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA), the South Dakota congressional delegation authorized the Missouri River Restoration Act. The Missouri River Restoration Act established the Missouri River Task Force to develop and implement plans to reduce Missouri River sediment. As a Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tim worked to appropriate approximately $2 million to be used by the task force for this function.

Heating Fuel for Low-Income Families:

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income people heat their homes during the harsh winter months. Tim Johnson has always been a strong supporter of this program, which helps so many of our state's elderly people, as well as working families, make it through the harsh winter months in the safety of a warm home. This past winter (2004-2005), Campbell County received $39,902 in LIHEAP funds, helping 126 households to pay their heating expenses. Tim Johnson will continue to work to ensure the elderly and less fortunate in Campbell County can continue to receive this funding.

Impact Aid:

Senator Johnson knows very well how important the federal Impact Aid program is to South Dakota school districts and the children they serve, and he has worked very hard to support the Impact Aid program. Tim is a founding co-chair of the Senate Impact Aid Caucus and one of eight Senate Coordinators for the Impact Aid Caucus, placing him in a key position to advance the interests of federally-impacted communities in South Dakota.

The Impact Aid program replaces school funding revenue that is lost because local communities cannot assess property taxes against property owned or controlled by the federal government, including military facilities, Indian reservations, and other government installations. In fiscal year 2005, South Dakota is projected to receive $41 million, including $104,706 for the Pollock School District.

Title I Funding for South Dakota Schools:

The Title I program directs federal dollars to helping disadvantaged children to help close the achievement gap between these students and their wealthier peers. Title I emphasizes high academic standards and accelerated learning in the core academic subjects. High poverty schools are encouraged to develop schoolwide programs aimed at raising the basic and academic performance of all students, not just those eligible for Title I.

Tim Johnson has always been a strong and vocal supporter of Title I education funding, and has consistently supported measures that would increase the federal commitment to this important program. He has worked hard to both increase the number of dollars available for Title I funding and to improve the formula, helping to ensure that Title I dollars are directed toward the school districts who need them most. For the 2004-2005 school year, the Herreid School District received $64,064.

Helping Local Industry:

Several years ago, Tim Johnson helped Mid-America cheese plant in Pollock resolve issues with the Environmental Protection Agency that threatened future plant operations.