Kramer family speaks out about Sioux Falls Sanitation

Wednesday, we told you about Sioux Falls Sanitation customers being upset when their trash had not been picked up for almost a month. The same problem has affected people in southern South Dakota and northwest Iowa who use Independence Waste.

Kyle Kramer said that his father Peter Kramer has been painted as someone who has abandoned his businesses, his responsibilities and his wife. He wants to speak on behalf of him to let everyone know what’s been going on.

"She told people that he was lazy, that he retired," Son of Peter Kramer, Kyle Kramer said.

Peter Kramer's son Kyle Kramer said those statements aren't true. Kyle reached out to KSFY Wednesday after he saw reports of his father's business in the news again.

"I want people to know the truth. I want people to know that my father would have never let this happen," Kramer said.

In early 2017, Peter was diagnosed with an aggressive type of dementia leaving him mentally incompetent to the point where he couldn't manage the businesses.

Later in 2017, the family collectively decided to move him into assisted living in Florida where his son lives. That’s when Sioux Falls Sanitation and Independence Waste took a turn for the worst.

“We found out in 2018 that there were large sums of money that were being lost every month," Kramer said.

Peter owns half of the company with his business partner and wife Kay Kramer who he hasn't seen in years. November of 2017 was the last time he saw his wife and a functioning business.

"The line of communication it's absurd, it was obscene. She would not speak to us at all," Kramer said.

And to this day no one has been able to reach Kay. KSFY News went down to Hawarden, Iowa to talk with her, but nobody was home.

With Peter not getting any better Kyle and his sister Torrie tried to reach out on his behalf but they say Kay wouldn't share any information which created a legal battle.

Kyle said his father strongly believed in making a good first impression and setting the bar high.

"If it's OK I want to take the opportunity just to apologize on behalf of my dad. To the customers that didn't have their trash picked up and have dealt with just a complete lack of competency and a horrible tumultuous decline in service," Kramer said.

KSFY News asked Kyle if he knew if anyone who is owed money will ever get it back and he said he doesn't know right now.

The company will be sold and they're currently working out the details now.