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Record of Proceedings

Spearfish City Council Study Session - December 10, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, December 10, 2025
BodySpearfish, South Dakota
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, December 10, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 41:20

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:02

Good good afternoon, everyone.

0:04

Uh welcome to this afternoon's study session preparing for next week's uh city council meeting.

Unassigned speaker

0:09

Uh

Speaker 1

0:10

we have an agenda that's before us.

0:12

Um

Unassigned speaker

0:13

I

Speaker 1

0:13

don't have any changes.

0:14

Is there a motion for us to approve that as presented, please?

Speaker 2

0:20

Move to approve.

Speaker 1

0:23

Second.

0:24

We have a motion and a second.

Unassigned speaker

0:26

Uh

Speaker 1

0:26

all in favor.

Unassigned speaker

0:28

I

Speaker 1

0:29

hold.

0:30

Oh, sorry, Scott.

0:32

I know that was an eye for yes, I'm sure.

0:34

Sorry, I didn't uh wait for the delay on Zoom.

0:36

We'll move on to the next item.

0:38

Item two review the city council agenda as we've got it currently.

Unassigned speaker

0:42

Uh

Speaker 1

0:42

there might be some changes by Friday, but uh we'll just uh kind of roll through that.

0:48

Um see after the there's a consent agenda uh number eight.

0:56

I think uh items from visitor

Speaker 3

1:01

I can touch on that, Mayor, if you'd like.

1:03

Sure.

1:04

Um just the Spearfish Community Foundation, they came to the park board last month to present their 2026 project ideas, um, got the support of the board, and they're gonna they want to do the same thing at the council.

1:13

They want to just show what they have on tap for 26 with improving the community, so be uh a shorter presentation.

1:19

Uh shouldn't need any action, but more of just an informational uh item.

Speaker 1

1:24

Okay, very good.

Unassigned speaker

1:26

Uh

Speaker 1

1:26

then on uh finance, we've got uh three, four items, I guess, there that Michelle will probably be handling for us.

1:33

Uh second reading of ordinance 1411.

1:37

Um hold a public hearing.

1:40

Uh item B is hold a public hearing

Unassigned speaker

1:43

for

Speaker 1

1:43

an application from Jennifer Ames of Solomon and Soul Sanctuary.

1:49

Um item C is first reading of ordinance 1413 and ordinance amending the revised ordinances of

Unassigned speaker

1:56

the

Speaker 1

1:56

city of Spearfish.

1:57

Um David, do you have any comments on that particular item?

Unassigned speaker

2:02

At

Speaker 1

2:02

all.

2:03

Not to put you on the spot.

Speaker 4

2:04

But I apologize.

2:07

I was just looking because I've actually got some city attorney items that apparently did not make the agenda.

2:13

So I'll touch on those in just a second.

2:15

But for clarity, what was the

Speaker 1

2:17

question here?

2:18

Yeah, item C under finance, uh first reading of ordinance 1413.

2:23

Um I I

Speaker 4

2:27

don't know that the uh details, but I do know this is really designed to comply with the uh recent statutory changes, uh moving election days.

2:38

So this is all uh the uh item C, um item D as well.

Unassigned speaker

2:45

I

Speaker 4

2:45

wanted to say there was one other one,

Unassigned speaker

2:47

but

Speaker 4

2:48

um all of the changes in the ordinance and the agreement are all aligned designed to align us with the statutory requirements for holding elections in June.

Speaker 1

2:57

Okay, thank you.

2:58

Thank

Unassigned speaker

2:59

you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Workforce Development███████████████████████████████████35%
Public Works████████████████16%
Procedural████████████12%
Land Development█████████9%
Fiscal Sustainability███████7%
Public Engagement███████7%
Snow Removal Operations██████6%
Zoning Regulations█████5%
Elections███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Spearfish City Council Study Session Summary - December 10, 2025

The Spearfish City Council held a study session on December 10, 2025, at 4:15 PM in the City Council Chambers. The session focused on reviewing the upcoming regular City Council agenda for December 15, receiving a presentation on the city's workers' compensation safety performance, and discussing departmental updates.

Consent Calendar

  • The study session agenda was approved unanimously on a motion by Councilmember Klarenbeek, seconded by Councilmember Myers.

Discussion Items

Review of December 15 City Council Agenda

  • City staff reviewed the draft agenda for the December 15 meeting. The City Attorney noted he will add several items, including a lease extension with SEDC for the Atlas building, an amendment to the Shipwright Investments purchase agreement for the McLaughlin Sawmill property, a real estate agreement for the sale of a sawmill lot to Jayhawk Holdings (Camp Canine), and a sign removal agreement.
  • A presentation from the Spearfish Community Foundation on its 2026 projects is scheduled.
  • Finance items include ordinance readings related to aligning city elections with statutory requirements to be held in June alongside school and county elections.
  • Public Works items include a resolution of support for a Grant Street Bridge rehabilitation grant application and a $12,000 contract with Interseat Engineering to update plans for the campground waterline project.
  • Council discussed the snow removal committee's report, which includes seven options with associated cost estimates. The Council discussed having a town hall or a dedicated study session to gather public input before formalizing any recommendations.
  • The Council directed staff to merge the year-end special session and the regular study session into a single meeting on Tuesday, December 30.

Workers' Compensation Safety Presentation

  • Brad Wilson, administrator of the South Dakota Municipal League Workers' Compensation Fund, presented the city's 2025 safety data. Finance Officer DeNeui left the meeting during this presentation at 4:34 p.m.
  • Wilson highlighted that the city's experience modifier has improved from a high of 1.26 (26% surcharge) in 2019 to 0.65 (35% discount) for 2026, the lowest among all 525 members in the fund pool.
  • The number of recorded injuries dropped from over 30 per year to under 20. The city's 10-year average loss ratio is 25%, significantly better than the 58% average for similar municipalities and 59% for counties.
  • Wilson stated that the cumulative savings from the reduced modifier over the last eight years is over half a million dollars. If the modifier had remained at its peak, the city would owe an additional $163,000 for its 2026 coverage.
  • Spearfish received the Platinum and Gold safety awards for 2025. Wilson attributed the success to a comprehensive cultural change involving leadership, department heads, safety staff, and employee buy-in.
  • Councilmember Scott praised the results as proof of a great team effort. Staff member Tyler expressed appreciation for the council's support and the culture of safety.

Departmental Discussion

  • Public Works Director McMahon provided an update on the chip seal project on Main Street and Colorado Boulevard, acknowledging numerous complaints. He stated the project has not been accepted. Performance issues will be monitored through the winter, and a remediation plan will be developed in the spring. Remaining work includes a patch near Great Western Tire and curb/gutter replacements.
  • City Administrator Falcon announced the sale of a sawmill lot to Jayhawk Holdings (Camp Canine), a dog training and daycare facility, which is expected to employ 12 or more people.

Key Outcomes

  • The draft agenda for the December 15 council meeting was reviewed with several items noted as additions by the City Attorney.
  • The City Council directed staff to combine the year-end meetings into a single session on December 30.
  • Council indicated a desire for a public engagement process (town hall or study session) on snow removal before formalizing recommendations from the committee.
  • No public comments were received during the public comment period.
  • The meeting was adjourned at 4:56 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Good good afternoon, everyone. Uh welcome to this afternoon's study session preparing for next week's uh city council meeting. Uh we have an agenda that's before us. Um I don't have any changes. Is there a motion for us to approve that as presented, please? Move to approve. Second. We have a motion and a second. Uh all in favor. I hold. Oh, sorry, Scott. I know that was an eye for yes, I'm sure. Sorry, I didn't uh wait for the delay on Zoom. We'll move on to the next item. Item two review the city council agenda as we've got it currently. Uh there might be some changes by Friday, but uh we'll just uh kind of roll through that. Um see after the there's a consent agenda uh number eight. I think uh items from visitor I can touch on that, Mayor, if you'd like. Sure. Um just the Spearfish Community Foundation, they came to the park board last month to present their 2026 project ideas, um, got the support of the board, and they're gonna they want to do the same thing at the council. They want to just show what they have on tap for 26 with improving the community, so be uh a shorter presentation. Uh shouldn't need any action, but more of just an informational uh item. Okay, very good. Uh then on uh finance, we've got uh three, four items, I guess, there that Michelle will probably be handling for us. Uh second reading of ordinance 1411. Um hold a public hearing. Uh item B is hold a public hearing for an application from Jennifer Ames of Solomon and Soul Sanctuary. Um item C is first reading of ordinance 1413 and ordinance amending the revised ordinances of the city of Spearfish. Um David, do you have any comments on that particular item? At all. Not to put you on the spot. But I apologize. I was just looking because I've actually got some city attorney items that apparently did not make the agenda. So I'll touch on those in just a second. But for clarity, what was the question here? Yeah, item C under finance, uh first reading of ordinance 1413.

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