STURGIS - The Sturgis City Council Tuesday will determine a succession plan for the position of an executive officer for the city.

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.

The council met in special session on Thursday and received a report from Sturgis City Attorney Mark Marshall concerning the process for considering a city manager or city administrator to serve as the city’s executive officer.

The mayor and council want to hear suggestions from the public concerning the two executive officer positions. They have scheduled an agenda item at the Tuesday, Feb. 21, council meeting to do just that.

“The council and mayor must determine whether the city is best served by a city manager or city administrator,” Marshall said in his report.

Marshall outlined the characteristics of a City Manager and a City Administrator.

City Manager

• Selected by and reports to the City Council
• May only be discharged by a majority of the City Council
• Position tends to be more stable because a majority of The City Council is needed to remove the manager from office, instead of the mayor acting alone
• Commands a slightly lower salary because of the greater stability of the office, and typically may be assigned more significant and complex range of duties (as outlined in SDCL ch. 9-10)

City Administrator

• Selected by and reports to the mayor
• May be discharged by the mayor acting alone, including during term of office
• Position tends to be less stable because the mayor alone may terminate the administrator.
• May command a higher salary due to the relative instability that comes from reporting to the mayor rather than to the entire City Council
• Typically, may be assigned a relatively less significant and less complex range of duties, (as outlined in SDCL ch. 9-10)
• Hiring would require substantial changes to the City of Sturgis ordinances and policy and procedures manual before the recruiting process could begin

South Dakota State law allows in case of the absence or disability of the city manager or in the case of his/her suspension, the governing body may designate a qualified administrative officer of the first- or second-class municipality to perform the duties of the manager during such absence, disability or suspension.

Marshall said it is his opinion that state law permits a committee comprised of administrative officers to perform the duties of a city manager in his/her absence. 

Marshall also said revisions would be necessary to city ordinances to allow the city council to hire a city administrator. Current city ordinances contemplate the employment of a city manager, he said. 

The plan for Tuesday’s City Council meeting is to discuss the two executive officer positions, said Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen. Once that information is gathered, the council will take a recess to develop a resolution to recruit for the hiring of an executive officer - specifically a city manager or city administrator, he said.

Marshall notes that the resolution, once adopted by the council, is referable by state law and a referendum petition must be filed with the city finance officer within 20 days after publication of the resolution.

Lastly, the City Council on Tuesday will appoint an interim management team in Ainslie’s absence.

You can find the full meeting agenda here: City of Sturgis - Meeting Information (civicweb.net)