STURGIS – The Sturgis City Council has planned a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the city council chambers, 1040 Harley-Davidson Way, Sturgis. 

The only agenda item for the evening is an executive session focused on personnel matters.

Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen said he and the council are working on putting together a top-notch transition team to determine the best path forward in light of the recent announcement by Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie that he will be taking a new job in Rapid City.

With the recent court cases concerning the city manager still in litigation, it will be important to consider the question of hiring either a city manager or a city administrator.

The Sturgis City Council and the mayor plan to discuss just that in open session at the Tuesday, Feb. 21, city council meeting. 

“We welcome all suggestions. We know that a city manager or administrator will serve our community well, but we want to know what the residents want,” the mayor said.

Carstensen said Ainslie has done a phenomenal job of putting the city in a great financial position moving forward.

“From past experience, we know we need a professional guiding the day-to-day business of our community,” Carstensen said.  

The mayor explained it in everyday terms.

“When you have an electrical problem, you call a professional. The same is true in our case. Just as you are probably not comfortable in fixing an electrical problem, we feel a professional manager or administrator would be appropriate to lead our city,” he said.

The transition team will make sure that priorities set for this year will continue to be addressed in the interim, Carstensen said.

“Please know that we are working on the best path forward for the future of the city of Sturgis,” he said.