STURGIS – The Sturgis City Council will meet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, in the council chambers at Sturgis City Hall, 1040 Harley-Davidson Way, Sturgis.

The work session, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will focus on the city’s transit ordinance. Discussion topics will include pedicabs, Uber, Lyft and taxis.

A work session is intended as an opportunity for the council to receive background information, ask questions and allow for more informal discussion, so that the council is able to make a more informed decision at a future meeting. Public participation is not allowed during a work session; however, the public is encouraged to attend. Public comment will be allowed following the work session under the section titled: “NON-AGENDA MATTERS THAT MAY COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL”.

Also, at the meeting on Tuesday, the council will hear from the city’s Finance Officer about the November sales tax numbers. Sales in the month of November 2023 were 1.04% higher than November of 2022. Sales for the first 11 months of 2023 were 4.873% higher than the same time period in 2023.

But the city had budgeted a higher increase for sales tax in 2023 than what has been recorded, so the total sales tax from January through November provides a deficit in the city’s general fund of $26,520.07 in 2023.

The city’s tourism tax, or Triple B (Bed, Board and Booze), sales in November were 16.42% lower than November of 2022. Sales for the first 11 months of 2023 were 12.10% higher than the same time period in 2022. Because of that, the current trend would provide a surplus in the city’s BBB (Tourism) Fund of $53,679 in 2023. Tourism BBB Sales Tax is charged for all alcohol, hotel, restaurant, and similar sales.

The council will be asked at the meeting Monday to consider a 5-year lease of Woodle Field to the Meade School District. Although the City of Sturgis owns the Woodle Field property, the Meade 46-1 School District has leased the property from the City for years. The School District also owns and maintains the various buildings and structures on the property as well as the fields. As such, both the City and the School District desire to clarify their rights and obligations concerning the Woodle Field area.

In 2020, a formal lease was approved. The current lease expired Dec. 31, 2023. The School District, as required by the current lease, formally notified the city that they would like to renew the lease.

The council also will consider approving a plat for the Southside Addition. In April of 2022, the city of Sturgis purchased the property in southwest Sturgis from Dave Richards. The parcel will be split into two sections. One will be 20.6 acres and the other 48.5 acres. The smaller parcel will be retained by the city and the second possibly sold to a developer.

Also at the meeting Tuesday, the council will honor John Rasch, the cemetery sexton at Bear Butte Cemetery, upon his retirement from the city after 34 years of dedicated service.

You can find the agenda for tonight’s meeting here: City Council - Jan 16 2024 - Agenda - Pdf (civicweb.net)