Updated Oct. 28, 2026
County commissions and city councils in Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, Custer and Fall River counties set budgets and tax levies, approve contracts, decide plats, rezonings and annexations, and run roads, water systems and public safety. All of them meet in public, and South Dakota law requires nearly every official meeting to include time for public comment. Below is who sits on each board, when and where it meets and how to be heard. Several county commission seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the winners take office in January.
For the decisions coming up each week, read the Sunday Black Hills look-ahead.
What South Dakota law guarantees
South Dakota's open meeting law, chapter 1-25 of the state's codified laws, covers county commissions, city councils and their committees. Under SDCL 1-25-1, "an official meeting of a public body is open to the public unless a specific law is cited by the public body to close the official meeting to the public."
- Public comment. The same section says a public body "shall reserve at every official meeting a period for public comment." The board can limit the time for each topic and the total time, but not so far that there is no comment at all. Meetings held only for an executive session, a swearing-in, an inauguration or an annual report are the exceptions.
- Agendas posted in advance. Under SDCL 1-25-1.1, the agenda must be posted for at least 24 continuous hours immediately before a meeting at the county or city's main office, and on its website if it has one. Under a 2026 law, SDCL 1-25-1.7, agendas since July 1 must list every item to be considered, described in enough detail to reasonably inform the public.
- Limits on closed sessions. A board can go into executive session only by majority vote, for reasons the law lists, such as personnel matters, consulting a lawyer or contract negotiations. The motion must cite the reason, the discussion must stay on it, and any official action must be taken in an open meeting.
- Meetings by email or phone. A quorum discussing official business by email, text or a virtual platform counts as a meeting. Meetings may be held by teleconference, with at least one place where the public can listen and take part.
- Minutes. Draft minutes must be available for inspection within 10 business days of a meeting, unless a recording is posted on the board's website within five business days. Cities must publish minutes within 12 business days.
- Complaints. A violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor. A complaint goes to local law enforcement and the state's attorney, who can prosecute, close it or send it to the state Open Meetings Commission, a panel of five prosecutors that issues a public reprimand when it finds a violation.
- Public records. SDCL 1-27-1 opens public records to inspection and copying during regular business hours. If an informal request is turned down, you can make a written request to the records officer, who must respond within 10 business days under SDCL 1-27-37.
The attorney general and the South Dakota NewsMedia Association publish a plain-language guide to the open meeting law, updated for 2026.
How to be heard
Agendas post a few days before each meeting at the links below. To speak on an item that is on the agenda, come to the meeting; public hearings are set aside for comment on plats, rezonings, licenses and ordinances. For anything else, use the public comment period. A board generally does not act on a new topic the same day, but it can place it on a later agenda. You can also call or write the county or city office to ask that an item be added to a future agenda; deadlines vary, and each board's rule is below.
Pennington County
Pennington County Commission
- Members: Ron Weifenbach, chair, District 2; Ron Rossknecht, vice chair, District 1; Deb Hadcock, District 3; Jerry Derr, District 4; Gary Drewes, District 5. Rossknecht and Drewes are not on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the District 1 and 5 seats change hands in January.
- Meets: 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, in the Commission Chambers of the County Administration Building, 900 Concourse Drive, Rapid City. The meeting after Election Day moves to Wednesday, Nov. 4. Agendas, packets and minutes are on the county's meetings portal; agendas post the Thursday before. The Planning Commission is on the same portal.
- Watch: live and recorded on the commission's YouTube channel.
- To comment: speaker request forms are at the back of the chambers. "Items from the Public" covers county matters not on the agenda, and the board sets time limits for each topic.
- Contact: Commission office, 605-394-2171. Commissioners' emails are on the county's commission page.
Rapid City Common Council
- Members: Mayor Jason Salamun. Council Members Stephen Tamang and Josh Biberdorf (Ward 1), Lindsey Seachris and Bill Evans (Ward 2), Kevin Maher and Greg Strommen (Ward 3), John B. Roberts and Lance Lehmann (Ward 4), and Callie Meyer and Laura Armstrong (Ward 5). Contact details are on the city's council contact sheet.
- Meets: 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 300 Sixth St. Most items first go through the Public Works Committee (12:30 p.m. the Tuesday before council) or the Legal and Finance Committee (12:30 p.m. the Wednesday before council), which also meet in the chambers and take comment. Agendas are on the city's council agendas page.
- To comment: general public comment on topics not on the agenda, three minutes per speaker, plus comment periods on agenda items before the council votes.
- Contact: Office of the Mayor and City Council, 605-394-4110.
Box Elder City Council
- Members: Mayor Larry Larson. Council Members Kirk Beauchamp and John Talich (Ward 1), Patrick Schubert Sr. and Michael Knight, council president (Ward 2), and Rick Davis, vice president, and Steven Bixel (Ward 3).
- Meets: 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays in the council chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 420 Villa Drive. The Finance, Legal and Public Safety Committee and the Public Works and Planning and Zoning Committee meet earlier the same evening. Agendas, minutes and video are on the city's meetings page.
- To comment: public comment on matters not on the agenda, three minutes per speaker. The council takes no action on those matters unless it adds them to the agenda by a two-thirds vote or unanimous consent.
- Contact: City Clerk, 605-923-1404, ext. 1213, cityclerk@boxeldersd.gov.
Meade County
Meade County Commission
- Members: Gary Deering, chair, District 1; Doreen Allison Creed, vice chair, District 2; Talbot Wieczorek, District 3; Earl Severn, District 4; Richard Liggett, District 5. Deering and Wieczorek are not on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the District 1 and 3 seats change hands in January.
- Meets: 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays in the Commission Meeting Room on the second floor of the Erskine Office Building, 1300 Sherman St., Sturgis. Agendas and minutes are on the county's BoardDocs site.
- Watch: on the county's YouTube channel.
- To comment: "Opportunity for Public Comment" comes near the start of each agenda.
- Contact: county offices, 605-347-3818, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Commissioners' phone numbers are on the county's commission page.
Sturgis City Council
- Members: Mayor Rod Bradley. Council Members Alex Usera and Terry Keszler (Ward 1), Tony Dargatz and Ruth Nichols (Ward 2), Mark Chaplin and Jim Thompson (Ward 3), and Terry Jensen and Jesse Blakeman (Ward 4).
- Meets: 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1040 Harley-Davidson Way. Agendas and packets are on the city's meetings portal.
- Watch: on the city's Facebook page and the PIOSturgis YouTube channel.
- To comment: "Non-agenda matters" comes early in each meeting; keep comments to three minutes or less. To place an item on the agenda, use the request form on the city's portal at least 15 days ahead.
- Contact: Finance Office, 605-347-4422.
Lawrence County
Lawrence County Commission
- Members: Eric Jennings, chairman; Richard Tysdal; Robert Ewing; Timm Comer; Brandon Flanagan. Commissioners are elected countywide. Three seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot, and Jennings is the only incumbent on it.
- Meets: 8 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays in the Administrative Annex at the Lawrence County Courthouse, 90 Sherman St., Deadwood, with a GoToMeeting link on each agenda. Agendas, minutes and video links are in the county's Agenda Center.
- To comment: "Items from the Public" comes later in the meeting, three minutes per speaker, for discussion only.
- Contact: 605-722-4167.
Spearfish City Council
- Members: Mayor John Senden. Council Members Jamie Hafner and Dean Myers (Ward 1), Larry Klarenbeek and Scott Hourigan (Ward 2), and Ana Rath and Pam Jacobs (Ward 3).
- Meets: 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 625 N. Fifth St., with a Zoom link on each agenda. Study sessions are held on other weekdays at 4:15 p.m. Agendas and minutes are on the city's meetings portal.
- To comment: public comment comes near the start of each meeting. The council cannot act on topics that are not on the agenda; to ask it to take up a new item, fill out a Citizen Request Form.
- Contact: Mayor and city administrator, 605-642-1354; City Hall, 605-642-1325.
Deadwood City Commission
- Members: Mayor Charlie Struble-Mook. Commissioners Charles Eagleson, Michael Johnson, Mark Speirs and Sharon Martinisko.
- Meets: 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at City Hall, 102 Sherman St., or the Tuesday after a Monday holiday. Budget work sessions and special meetings are listed with agendas on the city's meetings portal.
- To comment: public comments are welcome, but the commission takes no action on them. To have the commission vote on an item, call the Finance Office by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before the meeting.
- Contact: Finance Office, 605-578-2600.
Lead City Commission
- Members: Mayor Dustin Heupel. Commissioners Dory Hanson, Roger Thomas, Valerie Meiners and Dustin Schumacher.
- Meets: 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at City Hall, 801 W. Main St. Agendas post by 5 p.m. the Friday before on the city's agendas page, and items are due by 4 p.m. that Friday.
- To comment: "Items from Visitors" is on each agenda.
- Contact: City Hall, 605-584-1401.
Custer County
Custer County Commission
- Members: Jim Lintz, chairman; Mark Hartman, vice chairman; Mike Linde; Craig Hindle; Michael Busskohl. Three seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
- Meets: 8 a.m. on Wednesdays, usually every other week, in the Commission Meeting Room, 420 Mount Rushmore Road, Custer. The next meeting is Thursday, Nov. 5. Agendas are on the county's agendas page.
- To comment: each agenda includes "Public Comment," a time for members of the public to express concerns or discuss issues relevant to the county.
- Contact: 605-673-8100.
Custer City Council
- Members: Mayor Robert Brown. Council Members Jeannie Fischer and Dixie Whittaker (Ward 1), Nina Nielsen and Julie Jenniges (Ward 2), and Monica McGowan and Peg Ryan (Ward 3).
- Meets: 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays in the Council Chambers, 622 Crook St. Agendas, packets, minutes and recordings are on the city's meetings page.
- To comment: the city takes written concerns and comments through a form on its mayor and council page.
- Contact: City Hall, 605-673-4824.
Hill City Common Council
- Members: Mayor Tana Nichols. Council Members Justin Thiry and Ethan Walker, vice president (Ward 1), and Dennis Siebert and Lori Miner, president (Ward 2).
- Meets: 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays at City Hall, 243 Deerfield Road, or the next evening after a Monday holiday. Packets, which include the agenda, post the Friday before; links are on the city's agendas, minutes and recordings page.
- Contact: City Hall, 605-574-2300, cityhall@hillcitysd.org.
Fall River County
Fall River County Commission
- Members: Joe Falkenburg, chairman; Deb Russell, vice chair; Joe Allen; Les Cope; Sandra Wahlert. Commissioners are elected countywide. The seats held by Falkenburg and Russell are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
- Meets: 9 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays in the second-floor courtroom of the Fall River County Courthouse, 906 N. River St., Hot Springs; check each agenda for the room. Agendas, packets and minutes are on the county's meetings page.
- Watch: on the county's Facebook page.
- To comment: each agenda sets a time for public comment. To be added to the agenda, contact the auditor; agenda drafts are finalized at 4 p.m. the Monday before the meeting, and items added later are heard for information only.
- Contact: Auditor's office, 605-745-5130.
Hot Springs City Council
- Members: Mayor Bob Nelson. Council Members Larry Pratt and Craig Romey (Ward 1), Bill Lukens and Dave Burris (Ward 2), Johnny Huddleston and Linda Varvel (Ward 3), and Debra Johnston and Gary Telkamp (Ward 4). Phone numbers and emails are on the city's city council page.
- Meets: 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at the Mueller Civic Center, 801 S. Sixth St. Agendas, packets and minutes are on the city's agendas page.
- To comment: "Communications from the Public" is on each agenda, five minutes per speaker.
- Contact: City Hall, 605-745-3135; the mayor at extension 206.
Edgemont's mayor and city council meet at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays at City Hall. The Fall River County Herald-Star covers Edgemont, Hot Springs and the county.