Misused public fundsOversight & ethics enforcement
South Dakota attorney general opinion says school districts cannot bypass local bidding on construction; Warner board ends sports-complex contract
Confidence: Confirmed · 3 sourcesWarner · Oct 13, 2026
Subject of this story
Warner School District 6-5
Also named
Oversight
South Dakota Attorney General's Office
What happened
South Dakota Attorney General Official Opinion 26-03, issued June 25, 2026, concludes that school districts cannot use out-of-state cooperative purchasing arrangements to bypass competitive bidding for construction projects costing $100,000 or more, and that taxpayers can generally bring equitable actions to challenge unlawful, void school contracts. After the opinion, the Warner School District board voted on July 15, 2026 to terminate its contract with Mammoth Sports Construction for work at its athletic complex and to open bidding for the remaining work. The Aberdeen Insider reported that a judge was asked to stop further payments to the contractor.
Sources (3)
South Dakota Attorney General Official Opinion 26-03No, South Dakota school districts cannot use out-of-state cooperative purchasing arrangements to bypass local competitive bidding requirements for construction projects costing $100,000 or more.
Warner School District 7.15.26 Evening Special Meeting Minuteswe are terminating the contract with Mammoth Sports Construction and moving forward with opening the bidding process for remaining work on the athletic complex.
Aberdeen InsiderA judge has been asked to prevent the Warner School District from making more payments to Mammoth Sports Construction.
Response
Warner School District 6-5
Statement given
Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.
What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.