Tag: City council
-
The 2027 Budget Brief: The Software Squeeze, Stagnant Fees, and Maxed Out Services – The Last Two Days of the Special Council
Rapid City SD –If the first half of Rapid City’s Special City Council Budget Sessions highlighted physical infrastructure and public safety, the final two days (July 29 and 30) exposed the hidden structural costs of running a modern municipality—and the massive revenues left on the table by outdated policies. Here is how the IT, Mayors’s…
-
The 2027 Budget Brief: Balancing the Thin Line and the Bottom Line – The First Two Special Council Sessions
Rapid City SD – The story of Rapid City’s proposed 2027 budget is a tale of two distinct ledgers. The first two days of the Special City Council Budget Sessions laid bare the growing pains of a rapidly expanding municipality. On one side, public safety departments are straining against historic call volumes and shifting workforce…
-
Why is Council President Tamang Revisiting a Two Year Old Ordinance Vote?
Editor’s note: This reporter commented on the Facebook thread referenced below. The Facebook Post Council President Stephen Tamang posted to Facebook this week about finding cheap vodka shooter bottles on a walk with his daughter — calling it a sign of a problem the city has let become normal, and noting that the council has,…
-
A Flock of Cameras: You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide from Private Surveillance in Rapid City
Rapid City SD – If you’ve driven through Rapid City recently, you’ve likely noticed high-tech cameras at the entrances of parking lots and local institutions. During Monday’s Special City Council budget meeting, Councilor Maher raised the issue of “surveillance pushback,” saying constituents have raised concerns about it. Police Chief Hedrick responded directly, addressing what he…
-
Tamang’ Own Zoning Violation Meets The Ordinance That Would Excuse It
Repost due to wp2shellThe Rule Was “Not Even a City Council Member Would Be Exempt.” His Own Colleagues Aren’t So Sure.Rapid City SD. – At the July 20, 2026 council meeting, Ordinance No. 6726 came up for its first reading — a measure that would hand a single city administrator the authority to waive zoning…
-
“No Data Center is Worth Our Water”, Mayor Salamun declares during Special Budget Council
Rapid City SD –Rapid City’s proposed 2027 budget is officially on the table. Clocking in at $312.3 million, the overall figure represents a 7.4% decrease from last year, driven largely by reductions in capital expenses. But while the top-line number may have shrunk, the internal shifts are massive, setting the stage for what Mayor Solomon…
-
The Healing Way TIF: A Pragmatic Solution or a $10 Million Interest Payment
Rapid City SD –The intersection of Catron Boulevard and Highway 16 is slated for a massive overhaul by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). While necessary, the project brings a major logistical headache: the closure of Tucker Street. To keep traffic moving and ensure emergency responders can reach Rapid City’s rapidly expanding southeast side,…
-
Tzadik’s Bankruptcy Is Closed. Rapid City’s Bill is Still Open
As the Florida-based landlord quietly exits Chapter 11, the city is left fronting over $125,000 for emergency demolitions while fighting to recoup half a million in unpaid utilities. Rapid City SD – Tzadik Management’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy closed quietly on June 26 — the same week the city, not the company, was still footing the…
-
The Samco Road Fire Sale: Inside the AG Zoning Rush Along Cement Plant Road
Rapid City SD – Six items on the Rapid City Planning Commission’s July 23, 2026, consent calendar ask the city to reclassify a combined stretch of commercial, industrial, and residential land — most of it clustered along Cement Plant Road, Krebs Drive, and the Commerce Road corridor — down to General Agricultural District. On paper,…
-
Rapid City 2027 Budget Hearings- Be Part of the Process
Special City Council Sessions, Council Chambers, City HallRapid City, SD | July 27–30, 2026 | Sessions begin 3:30 p.m. daily Source Document: All page numbers in the table and notes below refer to this document. Posted here for public reference; original presented to Rapid City Council, July 20, 2026. Day Time Department Presenter Budget Book…