The Meade County Commission on Tuesday, Oct. 27, started the process of forming two new taxing ambulance districts that would cover most of the county outside its towns, and set public hearings on both for Nov. 24. The same day, the Lawrence County Commission approved 2027 ambulance agreements with Spearfish and the Monument Health Lead-Deadwood hospital. In Pennington County, the Planning Commission voted to schedule a hearing on revoking the permit for a utility-scale solar project that county planners say has not been built.
Meade County
Meade County Commission
At its Oct. 27 meeting in Sturgis, the commission adopted Resolution 2026-24, proposing an East Ambulance District, and Resolution 2026-23, proposing a South Central Ambulance District, by voice vote. It then set public hearings on both for Nov. 24 at 10 a.m. A deputy state's attorney told commissioners the two districts, together with the existing Rural Meade and Piedmont ambulance districts, would place all of the county outside municipalities in an ambulance taxing district. A town can join only by passing its own resolution. He said the South Central area has about 5,000 registered voters and the East area a little over 1,000, or 285 without Faith.
Adopting the resolutions does not create the districts. If commissioners approve a district after its hearing, voters in that area must decide on it in an election within 60 days. Each approved district would have its own board, which would set a levy and contract with ambulance services. Chair Gary Deering said Rapid City's ambulance service has told the county it will stop serving Meade County areas unless it receives money, and another commissioner said Rapid City wants an answer by Dec. 31. Chief Deputy Auditor Teresa Curran asked whether the timeline could be pushed back, noting the auditor's office has no auditor.
Deering also addressed questions about the auditor's resignation, which he said the commission approved on a consent agenda. He said there was "nothing to hide" and that the commission would have a plan to fill the office. During public comment, two Meade County residents said the county's vote tabulators are not secure and urged commissioners not to certify the Nov. 3 results. Those claims are unverified. A Sturgis resident spoke in support of the tabulators and the auditor's staff.
In other business, the commission:
- Approved Resolutions 2026-25 and 2026-26, removing two county structures from the National Bridge Inventory so they can be replaced with culverts, one of them a 72-inch corrugated pipe.
- Approved 2027 health insurance premiums and set a Nov. 24 hearing on a medical cannabis dispensary's 2027 renewal, both on the consent agenda.
Coming up: The commission will consider the proposed East and South Central ambulance districts at public hearings at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the Erskine Office Building, 1300 Sherman St., Sturgis.
Lawrence County
Lawrence County Commission
Four of five commissioners met Oct. 27 in Deadwood. Commissioner Brandon Flanagan was absent. Every motion passed 4-0 unless noted, according to the draft minutes.
- Ambulance: The commission approved the 2027 Spearfish Ambulance Agreement and the 2027 Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital Ambulance Agreement. The minutes do not list dollar amounts.
- Roads: It approved a $22,376.88 increase to Western Construction's contract for the 2026 mill and overlay on Nemo Road, based on the quantities actually used. Separately, it denied a private approach permit on Nemo Road. On Highway Superintendent John Bey's advice, it also told him not to sign one plat as highway authority until an unapproved approach on the property is resolved.
- Development: For Deer Mountain Village, the commission approved a memorandum of understanding and a $427,168 letter of credit with KR Deer Mountain Club 2021 LLC, plus preliminary and final plats for lots there.
- Budget: After a hearing with no public comment, it adopted a $26,000 supplemental budget: $15,000 for mentally handicapped services and $11,000 for burial expenses, as the budget lines are named.
- Jail and dispatch: Sheriff Brian Dean put 2026 revenue from housing federal prisoners at about $1,993,000. He said the county must pay Central Square $204,289.19 before the end of the year. The money will come through the E-911 supplies budget, and the E-911 board will repay it.
Sitting as the Board of Adjustment, commissioners rejected a Boulder Canyon property owner's request for setback variances for a garage addition. The vote was 2-2: Richard Tysdal and Robert Ewing voted yes, and Timm Comer and Chair Eric Jennings voted no. A variance needs two-thirds of the members. The board also reviewed H&S Sand and Gravel's conditional use permit for a gravel pit. It set another review in 12 months that will include the operator's dust control plan, and it closed two complaints a resident filed this month.
Coming up: At its 8 a.m. meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 90 Sherman St., Deadwood, the commission will consider a temporary burn ban ordinance on first reading. It will also hold a new first reading of its ordinance on utility work in county rights-of-way at 8:30 a.m., after asking for a change to the surety bond wording. At 9 a.m. it will consider on second reading a rezoning from A-1 to A-2 along Colorado Boulevard for a limited subdivision.
Pennington County
Pennington County Planning Commission
Meeting Oct. 26, the Planning Commission voted 6-0 to schedule a revocation hearing on Yarotek LLC's conditional use permit for a utility-scale solar energy system. That hearing will be before the Board of Adjustment on Nov. 17. The county's planning director said the applicant had not built the permitted project within two years of approval, as the permit's conditions require. In the same consent vote, the commission ended Yarotek's companion permit for a wind energy system at the company's request, according to the meeting agenda and meeting video.
Also by 6-0 votes, the commission recommended rezoning four tracts near New Underwood from agriculture to rural residential, and it voted for an off-premise sign permit for Rapid Creek West LLC on Highway 44 with 10 conditions. A senior planner said the New Underwood lots were platted through the city without the county rezoning they needed. The owner said the land has since been replatted into three lots of more than 3 acres each.
Coming up: The Board of Commissioners will consider the Planning Commission's recommendations at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the County Administration Building, 900 Concourse Drive, Rapid City. Its regular meeting moves that day because of the election. At 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, the Rapid City Common Council will consider items that its Public Works and Legal and Finance committees took up Oct. 27 and 28. The council agenda includes accepting a $7.125 million National Scenic Byways grant for Skyline Drive and a 2027 contract to provide ambulance service to Box Elder. It also includes the second reading of a $6,131,686.58 supplemental appropriation. The city Planning Commission will consider proposed data center rules on Thursday, Nov. 5, and public comment is open through Nov. 2, KOTA reported Oct. 30.
