Five Rapid City Council seats turn over Monday, July 6, as the winners of the June 2 municipal election take their oaths of office for new three-year terms:
- Ward 1: Josh Biberdorf retains his seat, defeating Murray Lee 71%–29%.
- Ward 2: Lindsey Seachris retains her seat, defeating Christopher Vanderhoof 54%–46%.
- Ward 3: Kevin Maher retains his seat, defeating Andrea Schafer 58%–42%. (Maher previously served as Council President for the 2024–25 term.)
- Ward 4: John Roberts retains his seat, defeating Valeriah Big Eagle 52%–44%.
- Ward 5: Laura Armstrong returns to the Council after previously serving, securing her seat by defeating Pat Roseland. She secured 56.4% of the vote to Roseland’s 43.6%. She replaces outgoing Council President Rod Pettigrew, who did not seek reelection. (Armstrong ran for mayor in 2023, losing to Jason Salamun by just 269 votes out of over 15,000 cast.)
They join five members continuing their terms from last year: Stephen Tamang (Ward 1, current Council Vice President), Bill Evans (Ward 2), Greg Strommen (Ward 3), Lance Lehmann (Ward 4), and Callie Meyer (Ward 5). All ten will be seated for Monday’s meeting.
Beyond the Dais: The Actual Power of an Alderman
Rapid City operates under an Aldermanic (strong-mayor) form of government. Each of the five wards elects two aldermen to staggered three-year terms, meaning half the Council turns over every year. Together with the Mayor, these ten aldermen make up the Common Council—the city’s legislative backbone.
- The Legislative Role: Aldermen introduce, debate, and vote on ordinances and resolutions. This includes zoning changes, budget items, municipal contracts, and code amendments.
- The Committee Grind: Most of the substantive review happens well before the full Council votes. The heavy lifting takes place in the Public Works Committee (Tuesdays) and the Legal & Finance Committee (Wednesdays) ahead of the Monday Council meeting.
- Ward Representation: Each alderman is tasked with representing the specific interests of their ward’s residents, while simultaneously weighing in on citywide matters.
First Order of Business: Who Holds the Gavel?
Immediately after Monday’s oaths, the Council’s first order of business is electing a President and Vice President for the coming year.
- The Presiding Officer: The Mayor presides by default. If the Mayor is absent, or steps down to join the debate, the Council President takes over. If both are unavailable, the Vice President steps in.
- Acting Mayor Authority: Under state law (SDCL § 9-8-7), the Council President becomes Acting Mayor with full mayoral powers during any absence, temporary disability, or vacancy in the Mayor’s office.
- Committee Assignments: Per Council Rules Chapter 6, standing and temporary committees are established and appointed by the Council as a collective body, not solely by the President.
The Real Stakes: Rubber Stamps or Hard Questions?
The Mayor’s office holds real, largely unchecked power in a few specific arenas—most notably, the unilateral authority to remove appointed department heads without Council approval.
The Council’s power, however, runs in the exact opposite direction: absolutely nothing moves without them. Budgets require two readings. Ordinances demand two votes. Zoning changes, contracts, and TIF districts—all of it must survive committee scrutiny and a full Council vote before becoming law.
That structure means the Council’s actual power isn’t about any single person holding the presidency. It’s about whether ten people show up ready to ask hard questions, or ten people show up ready to wave things through. A Council that does its homework can propel a city forward. A Council that doesn’t can let almost anything slide—or, just as easily, grind the gears of government to a complete halt.
Monday isn’t just about who takes an oath or who ends up in the President’s chair. It’s the first real test of whether this specific ten-person body—a mix of familiar faces and freshly re-seated veterans—will hold the line. Rapid City will find out soon enough.
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