This meeting of the Rapid City City Council, originally recorded as occurring on August 17, 2026, covered a range of topics including beautification, water infrastructure, sidewalk requirements, reasonable accommodation for disabilities, alcohol-related litter, and a naming rights agreement with Sanford Health. Numerous public comments were heard, and several ordinances were passed.
Note: The transcript indicates the meeting was held on Monday, August 17, 2026, but the user specifies the meeting date as August 18, 2026.
Good evening and welcome to the City Council meeting for Monday, August seventeenth, twenty twenty-six. We will begin with a roll call and determination accord. Next we'll have an invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Followed by the pledge if you are able and willing, would you please rise on the United States of America and see the republic for which it stands under God in this room with liberty and justice for all thank you. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Next, we'll have general public comment. This is the time for members of the public to discuss or express concerns to the council on any issue not on the agenda. Action will not be taken at the meeting on any issue, not on the agenda, except by placement on the agenda by unanimous vote of the council members present. I do have a handful of general public comments here. We will begin with Sandra Lashley, followed by William Wagner. Hi. My name is Sandra Lashley. This talk is about curb appeal. I hope that I'm speaking to the choir. Imagine walking into a council meeting and seeing a bouquet of flowers on a table. Instantly, everyone feels different. We want Rapid City to feel different to residents and visitors. It's more than just about flowers, though. Curb appeal is what makes a business or a community welcoming, impressive, and even interesting. Who isn't awed by beautiful trees, clean, well-marked roadways, and well-maintained streetscapes and green spaces? Attractive landscaping, tidiness or artwork around buildings, by doorways and roads, create a curiosity, admiration, and a positive feeling about a business or a community. The outside should reflect the inside. Here's a quote by Alice Waters. Beauty is the language of care. The beautification committee is made up of volunteers and has existed for more than 25 years. We meet under the umbrella of the Parks Department and Community Development. We have functioned mostly as a talking group, giving input to those two departments. We would like to do more. Small projects. We would like to develop a logo, create literature to be given out at community events, give flowers away to children, and create a business front door award. Other projects enhance the streetscapes in the community. Dream projects enhance the entrances to Rapid City on the interstate. To even begin to beautify Rapid City, the revision of the zoning codes and the landscape ordinance are essential and should begin immediately. A landlord ordinance should also be added. Neat and tidy is the first step to beautifying. We also believe that every city project should always include a beautification discussion plan and a plan for maintenance. We are requesting a small operating budget of perhaps $2,500 annually for the small projects. Bigger projects could be funded from a percent in art or in this case a percent in beautification dollars. A percentage of building permits or a portion of the bed board and beverage tax. An annual budget would allow us to make real progress. If you agree with the concept of curb appeal, we would sincerely ask you to consider funding our committee to work with the parks department and community development to seriously help develop beautification projects. Thank you, ma'am. Beautification should be. Water is held for the people with domestic use protected by law. Rapid City's budget must prioritize repairing feline infrastructure before committing capacity to major corporate developments, status centers, or industrial operations. I'm also putting the city on notice regarding NDAs and public participation. South Dakota Codified Law 1-27-1.23 prohibits political subdivisions from making civil settlements confidential. A private NDA creates no public record exemption without explicit statutory authority.