STURGIS – In addition to a long list of agenda items, the Sturgis City Council will convene its 2023-2024 council session as well as elect a new council president and vice president on Monday, May 1.

There were no city elections this year, so no new council members will be seated, but the board will still elect a council president and vice president as well as make committee appointments at its meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.

The current makeup of the council includes Mayor Mark Carstensen, as well as council members Mike Bachand and Angela Wilkerson, Ward 1; Tony Dargatz and Beka Zerbst, Ward 2; Preston Williams and Aaron Jordan, Ward 3; Dean Sigman and Kevin Forrester, Ward 4. Forrester is currently the president of the council and Bachand is vice-president. 

Among the other agenda items is consideration to approve an addendum to the current Professional Medical Services Agreement with Meade County Sheriff's Office. 

After negotiations between the Sturgis Ambulance Service and the Meade County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff had agreed to an $18,000 lump sum payment for the care and transport of Meade County inmates as provided by the ambulance service. The two entities determined that $18,000 will appropriately and adequately compensate for these services in an average year and was a fair amount for both parties. 

But after review by the Meade County Commission at its April 25 meeting, the county modified the proposed fees to $13,000 to stay within their 2023 budget of $100,000. 

Also on the Monday agenda, the council will be asked to approve renewals of retail on/off sale malt beverage and South Dakota wine licenses. There also will be a request for the transfer of two licenses within the city of Sturgis. 

One of the transfers is of a Retail On/Off Sale Malt Beverage License & SD Farm Wine from Red's Grill & Pub to Lybeck's Twenty-First Century Inc - Shenanigan's Casino - 935 Main St – B, Sturgis. The other transfer is of a Retail On/Off Sale Malt Beverage License & SD Farm Wine from Big Rig RV Park to Camp Big Rig RV Park in Sturgis. 

The council will also consider a request for a public hearing to be set for May 15 to consider road closures and road restrictions during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Also on the agenda is an issue raised by a group of citizens regarding a school bus stop along Highway 14A (Boulder Canyon Road) requiring children to cross the four-lane road when boarding and exiting the school bus. 

The citizens are requesting the city take action including creating a crosswalk, additional signage, and adding traffic control markings and devices in the area. But the city is limited in what it can do related to the school bus routes and traffic control/markings along Highway 14A, which is a state highway.

Here is a link to the agenda: City Council - May 01 2023 - Agenda - Pdf (civicweb.net)