Spearfish City Council Regular Session - May 4, 2026

The Spearfish City Council met in regular session on Monday, May 4, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 625 5th Street, Spearfish. Mayor John Senden presided. Council members present were Hafner, Hourigan, Klarenbeek, and Rath; Jacob and Myers were absent. Staff present included Interim City Attorney Ashley McDonald, Finance Officer Michelle DeNeui, Public Works Director Adam McMahon, Community Development Director Peter Wysocki, Police Chief Smith, and Recreation Facility Superintendent Rauterkus. The council amended the agenda to add an update on the chip seal project under departmental discussion, then approved the amended agenda. No conflicts of interest were declared. The meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the April 15, 2026 City Council study session.
• Approved the minutes of the April 20, 2026 City Council regular session.
• Approved a Temporary Construction Easement on Lot 9R, Block 6, Evans Addition for the Spearfish Creek Stabilization Project #2339A.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A public comment period was held from 5:35 to 5:45 p.m. John Dale (239 West Jackson Boulevard) raised health concerns about electromagnetic fields (EMF/RF), saying approximately 13% of his home, including his daughter's room, is unsafe and asking the city to address a smart meter and nearby emitter. He said his family does not consent to being used as an experiment.
• Doug Markworth (1912 Cowboy Lane) asked whether department heads had been told they could not answer public questions without first going through the mayor. Mayor Senden denied the claim.
• Duke Zieglmeier (2720 Coral Drive) expressed gratitude for the community, city leadership, road plowing, and city staff.
• Jeremy Smith (287 Evans Lane), during the TIF discussion, asked that the item be tabled and opposed approval. He argued that rents based on 80% of the state median income of $102,000 would still be above the Spearfish area median income of about $66,000, leaving local renters cost-burdened. He also noted a statute citation typo in Resolution 2026-13 and raised concerns about similar structures used for TIF 9.
• Chuck Aman (1409 Gateway Court) asked during the chip seal update whether the repair work would cost the city extra. Public Works Director McMahon confirmed it is under warranty at no additional cost.

Items from Visitors and Proclamations

• High Plains Western Heritage Center: Outgoing Executive Director Karla Scovell introduced new Executive Director Juliet Main, thanked the city and community for decades of support, and presented the city with a framed signed print by artist Mick B. Harrison.
• Mayor Senden proclaimed May 3-9, 2026 as National Small Business Week in Spearfish. Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Black Hills State University, and the South Dakota Center for Enterprise Opportunity spoke in support.
• Mayor Senden proclaimed May 3-9, 2026 as National Travel and Tourism Week. Visit Spearfish Executive Director Misty Caldwell noted Visit Spearfish supported 54 events bringing 60,000 people in 2024 and 61 events bringing over 90,000 people in 2025, with event costs averaging 59 cents per person in 2024 and 53 cents in 2025.

Discussion Items

• Added and Adjusted Wages: The council approved budgeted wage additions for Parks Maintenance Forestry Tech at $26.95 per hour, Lead Rubble Site Operator at $26.29 per hour, and Police Officer at $34.50 per hour by a 4-0 roll-call vote.
• TIF District Ten (Pines at Elkhorn Ridge): The council adopted Resolution 2026-04 establishing the boundary for Tax Increment Financing District Ten and Resolution 2026-13 approving the project plan for the Pines at Elkhorn Ridge affordable housing development. Staff described the project as a 98-unit multifamily development on about seven acres. The developer, HME Vice President Lane Warzeka, stated the project would not move forward without TIF assistance. The applicant seeks about $2 million in TIF reimbursement; eligible costs are nearly $3.9 million; the maximum tax increment revenue authorized is $2,051,432; and rents will be capped for 10 years at 80% of state median income. Both resolutions were adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 1426: The council approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 1426, amending City Code chapters on the Council on the Arts and Humanities and Art in Public Places, by a 4-0 roll-call vote.
• Finance: The council approved 2026-27 beer/malt beverage license renewals for 43 businesses; approved the preliminary 2025 financial statements as required by the South Dakota Department of Legislative Audit; and approved the first reading of Ordinance 1418 supplementing the 2026 Appropriations Ordinance No. 1408. Finance Officer DeNeui noted the preliminary statements are unaudited and an on-site audit will occur the week of Memorial Day.
• Public Works: The council awarded the 2026 Crosswalks, Stop Bars and Turn Arrows project to BH Striping, LLC for $55,886.30; approved Change Order 1 for the Rainbow Road Box Culvert Project with an increase of $4,840.00 to realign an overflow outfall; approved a Foth Engineering proposal for the Yukon Water Main Replacement Project for $88,881; approved a Foth Engineering proposal for a Water System Master Plan for $205,926; and approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 1427 changing the Black Hills Airport Task Force to an airport advisory board. Each public works action passed by a 4-0 roll-call vote.
• Bills: The council approved the May 4, 2026 bill list totaling $799,737.29, including a $329,025.00 Rec Center bond payment that is about half of the total; and approved April 2026 salary expense, bank fees, and credit card fees, with a reported grand total of $1,126,031.50.
• Publication of Wages: The city published added and adjusted wages under SDCL 6-1-10, including two replacement positions and 19 seasonal hires at rates ranging from $15.50 to $19.00 per hour. No council action was required.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda amended and approved unanimously.
• Consent calendar approved unanimously.
• All substantive motions passed with the four attending council members voting aye, with several listed above as 4-0 roll-call votes.
• TIF District Ten was established and its project plan approved; the developer said the project would not proceed without it.
• Chip seal update: Staff could not negotiate a change order with Dakota Asphalt for a downtown mill and overlay within state bid limits, so the city will select a design consultant and bid the project, with completion expected in fall 2026 or spring 2027. The Grant Street to Highway 14 chip seal repair remains on schedule for the second half of May and will be completed before the first Downtown Friday Night event on June 12.
• Department announcements: Planning Commission meeting set for May 5 at 4:00 p.m.; Pine Bark Beetle Meeting at the Rec Center on May 11 at 6:30 p.m. with SDSU's Dr. John Ball and USDA Forest Service entomologist Kurt Allen; Spearfish retained Tree City USA and earned the Growth Award for 2026; special event permits reached 55 by April 29, compared with 34 last year.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.