SECOG

05/29/2026

Join us in congratulating Sean Hegyi on his new position at the City of Harrisburg as the Community Development Director. We look forward to working with him in his new role!

05/12/2026

🎉 Happy 1-Year Anniversary! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Nick Palmer and Rhea Willson on celebrating one year with SECOG! We are grateful for your dedication, hard work, and the positive impact you make for our team and SECOG’s members every day. Thank you for all that you do! ⭐👏

05/02/2026

✅ Farm Bill Passes the House

On April 30, the U.S. House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by a vote of 224–200. This is the farthest a farm bill has advanced in Congress since the last reauthorization in 2018.

The bill would:
🌱 Extend most Rural Development programs (Title VI) through FY 2031
📶 Provide $350 million per year for the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program
🚨 Codify the Circuit Rider Program, including disaster recovery support
💼 Reauthorize the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program

The Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet released its version or a timeline. Passage in the Senate will require 60 bipartisan votes, with expected debate over nutrition funding and conservation policy.

Thanks to our friends at NADO for the update!

05/01/2026

Please join us in wishing Levi a happy birthday. We hope you had a wonderful day! 🎉

04/28/2026

Join us this afternoon at the Brandon Golf Course for an in-person open house to learn more about the SECOG Safe Streets for All project. Share your feedback on roadway safety concerns in your community.

Date and Time:

Apr 28, 2026, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location:

Brandon Golf Course
2100 E Aspen Blvd, Brandon, SD, USA

For more information on the SECOG Safe Streets for All project, please visit the following link: https://engage.hei.mysocialpinpoint.com/secog-ss4a

04/16/2026

SECOG is seeking a talented professional to join our planning team! Please find the Planner I job description on our website here:

https://www.secog.org/about_us/jobopenings.php

03/16/2026

Our President & CEO, Lynne Keller Forbes, attended the NADO Washington Policy Conference March 8-11th. She was able to meet with the SD Delegation, including U.S. Senator Mike Rounds.

Good meeting with David Reiss, Executive Director at Central South Dakota Enhancement District and Lynne Keller Forbes, Executive Director at Southeast Council of Governments. We talked about how to strengthen community development in South Dakota.

03/06/2026

It’s Employee Appreciation Day! 🎉

Today, we celebrate the incredible team working behind the scenes to turn ideas into meaningful impact every single day. Your dedication, talent, and commitment to our mission do not go unnoticed.

We are grateful for all that you do — and we’re truly fortunate to have you on our team! 👏✨

02/26/2026

Congratulations to City of Vermillion - Municipal Government and Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company on being named the SD Community of the Year by Governor Rhoden at last night's South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development banquet. Well done!

02/06/2026

Safer streets start with community input. We’re launching a Regional Safe Streets for All Plan to improve safety for people walking, biking, driving, and rolling throughout our communities.

Visit the project website to take a 10–15 minute survey and use the interactive map to drop pins where you experience safety concerns: https://engage.hei.mysocialpinpoint.com/secog-ss4a

Your feedback will directly help identify priorities and guide future safety improvements. Please share and help us make streets safer for everyone.