Sturgis Kitchen Table: Recent Episodes
Sturgis Kitchen Table
The Sturgis Kitchen Table was a three-episode podcast series for our friends and neighbors in Sturgis who intended to vote in the April 12, 2022 mayor and council candidate election but had not been paying very close attention to two leading issues--the City Manager petitions and the City's proposal to construct a lake for outdoor recreation. Now, we return for Season 2 to attempt to convince the Sturgis City Council to get the dispute over the form of government out of court and onto a ballot, which is where it belongs. As always, our goal is to get to the bottom of an issue as thoroughly, objectively, and reasonably as possible. Feel free to listen if you're interested and not if you're not.
In this episode, Eric Davis sits down with Francie Ruebel-Alberts, Aaron Jordan, and Kevin Forrester for a long-form discussion on the form of government ballot question the voters of Sturgis will decide at this Tuesday's municipal election. We begin with a brief and broad overview of municipal government, the nature of its corporate structure, and the division of the legislative and executive branches and how state law permits the executive function to vested in either an elected mayor or an appointed city manager. Then, with the benefit of that foundation, we turn to our roundtable discussion. We hope our conversation will help you cast a more informed vote. Polls will be open at the Sturgis Community Center on Tuesday, April 9th from 7AM to 7PM. Get out and vote!
In this episode, we have an update on the city manager petition lawsuit (Bohn v. Bueno) currently pending in Meade County Circuit Court; a discussion of the City Council's appointment of Sturgis's new mayor; an update on the successful attempt to refer the downtown flat track street race to a public vote; and some information about the upcoming municipal election on April 9th.
In this episode, we provide updates on the lawsuit over the city manager petitions, the referendum petitions circulating to refer the downtown street race to a public vote, and preview tonight's city council meeting, where the Sturgis City Council appears set to appoint the next mayor of Sturgis, but there could still be a special election to fill that vacancy. This episode has all the details.
In this episode, Eric Davis gives a summary of the February 20, 2024 meeting of the Sturgis City Council to include issues like the downtown street race, the new wastewater surcharge, and the mayoral vacancy.
On February 8, 2024, the South Dakota Supreme Court ended a 2-year legal battle between the City of Sturgis and its citizens. A unanimous Court ruled that a petition filed with the Sturgis City Finance Officer in December 2021 calling an election on the question of whether Sturgis should retain its City Manager form of government was valid, that the Finance Officer and City Council violated clear duties in refusing to schedule an election, and that the City must hold an election on this issue. In this episode, we discuss the history of the dispute and analyze the Court's opinion. You can read the Supreme Court's Opinion here.
In this episode, Eric Davis is back at the Sturgis Kitchen Table with one final petition update. The deadline to submit the petition to refer the resolution authorizing the City of Sturgis to hire a new city manager was last night, and the petitions were not submitted. After careful consideration and analysis of all the issues, we determined the petitions are not necessary to secure a public vote on this issue considering the pending status of several lawsuits. In this episode, we explain our rationale and a new lawsuit seeking a determination that Resolution 2023-20 and the resolution appointing a 7-member "interim Management team" are illegal and in excess of the authority granted to the City of Sturgis by state law. You can view the arguments and authority for that position here.The wheels of justice turn slowly, but the wait is almost over and an election on the issue of the Sturgis City Manager is on the horizon. We've decided to wait patiently for the South Dakota judicial system to resolve this dispute once and for all.
- Read the Application for Permission to Commence an Original Proceeding for a Writ of Prohibition
- Press Release
Happy Monday, Sturgis. It’s March 13th, and Eric Davis is back at the Sturgis Kitchen Table with a quick update on the petitions circulating around the community to reverse the Sturgis city council’s decision to hire a new city manager and to instead have a larger discussion and an election where the voters can decide the future of Sturgis city government are making their way around the community. If you haven’t signed one yet, you have this coming week through this weekend to get it done. In this episode, we'll tell you how to add your name to the petitions and how you can circulate your own petition to your family, friends and neighbors who are registered to vote in Sturgis. We still need to gather about 150 signatures this week, and with your help, we can get it done easy. Here's the details.
- View, download, and print a copy of the referendum petition
- View, download, and print a copy of the initiative petition
- Review information from the SD Secretary of State's Office on how to circulate a municipal petition
In Episode 4, Eric Davis is back at the Sturgis Kitchen Table with a very quick update on the petitions circulating to refer the decision of whether Sturgis should continue to operate under the city manager form of government to a vote of the people. The petitions to call an election on that question are out and circulating, and the deadline is March 20th. In this episode, we'll tell you how you can add your name to the petitions and then circulate your own petition to your family, friends, and coworkers registered to vote in Sturgis. We intend to call an election on this issue and then to spend the weeks leading up to that election leading a conversation amongst ourselves and others in the community about the history of this issue, the major differences between the two forms of government being considered for Sturgis, and the various pros and cons of each to help you get informed, spread the word, and cast an informed vote at the upcoming election.
- View, download, and print a copy of the referendum petition
- View, download, and print a copy of the initiative petition
- Review information from the SD Secretary of State's Office on how to circulate a municipal petition
In this episode, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Davis give a broad historical overview of how Sturgis hired its first city manager and came to operate under the city manager form of government in 2007. Then, we jump forward many years to discuss the petitions submitted in December 2021 seeking to call an election for the voters to reconsider their 2007 action and the associated pending lawsuits over those petitions. Then, we have a broad-level discussion about the two different forms of government being proposed for Sturgis and the pros and cons of the city manager form of government and the aldermanic form of government without a city manager and which might be right for Sturgis in 2023. Finally, we’ll update you on the petitions that are out circulating in the Sturgis community seeking to submit this issue to a vote of the citizens of Sturgis and how you can sign and circulate those petitions.
Below are links to documents or files referenced in today's episode:
- View, download, and print a copy of the referendum petition
- View, download, and print a copy of the initiative petition
- Review information from the SD Secretary of State's Office on how to circulate a municipal petition
- View the press release
The petitions necessary to refer the decision of Sturgis City Council to hire a new city manager and continue under the city manager form of government to a vote of the people are circulating around the community. To call this election, we need to gather at least 300 valid signatures in about 3 weeks. In this episode, we will talk about what the petitions call for, how you can add your name to the petition, and how you can circulate a petition to collect the signatures of your family, friends, and neighbors.
Below are links to documents or files referenced in today's episode:
- View, download, and print a copy of the referendum petition
- View, download, and print a copy of the initiative petition
- Review information from the SD Secretary of State's Office on how to circulate a municipal petition
- View the press release
Welcome back to Season 3 of the the Sturgis Kitchen Table! On February 21, 2023, the Sturgis City Council passed a resolution purporting to authorize the City to hire a new city manager following the resignation of long-time City Manager Daniel Ainslie. Over a year ago, a valid petition bearing the signatures of nearly 900 registered voters was submitted to call an election on whether Sturgis should keep the city manager form of government the voters created in 2007, or go back to the aldermanic form of government without a city manager. The City refused to hold the election called by that petition, and the petition circulators filed a lawsuit to force the City's hand. That lawsuit is currently pending before the South Dakota Supreme Court and an election may still be ordered. On February 22nd, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Davis announced the circulation of a referendum petition to prevent the City from hiring a new city manager until the voters have their say. Follow Season 3 of the Sturgis Kitchen Table for all the details.
Below are links to documents or files referenced in today's episode:
- View, download, and print a copy of the referendum petition
- View, download, and print a copy of the initiative petition
- Review information from the SD Secretary of State's Office on how to circulate a municipal petition
- View the press release
Enjoy this full version of our Sturgis Kitchen Table theme song entitled "In the Loop" composed by our dear friend, Philippe Meunier. Thanks, Philippe!
The candidate elections have been decided, but the lawsuit attempting to force the Sturgis City Council to hold an election on the city manager form of government continues. In this episode we call on the Sturgis mayor and council members to drop the City's defense in this lawsuit and agree to hold an election on the question of whether Sturgis should keep the city manager form of government or go back to the strong-mayor form of government. This issue needs to get out of the courtroom and onto a ballot.
If we at the Sturgis Kitchen Table can persuade the city to hold let its citizens vote, then Season Two of this podcast is going to be very short. However, if the City refuses to let the people vote on this issue, then we'll follow the lawsuit and try to explain the concepts, and arguments, and the status in layman terms for the benefit of any of our friends and neighbors who want to listen.
Welcome to Season Two of the Sturgis Kitchen Table. We hope you find it informative.
Download or listen to our theme song, "In the Loop" composed by Philippe Meunier.
In the final episode of the Sturgis Kitchen Table, we get you up-to-speed on the City's purchase of the Richards' property as the location to construct a $12.6 million Lakeside Adventure Project. In addition, we'll update you on a follow-up lawsuit just filed concerning the city manager form of government and whether the voters have the ability to eliminate the office of city manager.
In the second episode of the Sturgis Kitchen Table, we dive head-first into a shallow lake by studying all the publicly available information we can find about the proposed $12 million Sturgis Lakeside Adventure Park. What do we know about this proposed project? What don't we know? Strap on your life vest, because we're jumping in the deep end.
Want to learn more?
- LAKESIDE ADVENTURE PARK AQUATICS COMMITTEE PROPOSAL March 24, 2021
- LAKESIDE ADVENTURE PARK AQUATICS COMMITTEE FINAL REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL May 3, 2021 - Lakeside Aquatic landing page on City of Sturgis website
In this first episode of the Sturgis Kitchen Table, we give a brief overview of the aldermanic form of government, explain how the office of City Manager was created in Sturgis, break down the recent effort to eliminate the office of City Manager by public vote, and the go through the details of the resulting lawsuit.
Learn more:
- Overview of Municipal Government in South Dakota (South Dakota Municipal League publication)
- 2021 Elected Officials’ Orientation Packet - Aldermanic with City Manager Form (South Dakota Municipal League publication)