Sturgis Mayor's Chief Administrative Team members reinstated
Sturgis Public Works Director Rick Bush and Police Chief Geody VanDewater have been reinstated on the Mayor's Chief Administrative Team by the Sturgis City Council.
On Oct. 8, the two had asked to be removed from then-Mayor Angela Wilkerson's administrative team. She resigned as mayor on Monday, Oct. 21.
Kevin Forrester, who is a councilor representing Ward 4, and president of the Sturgis City Council, assumed the duties of mayor upon her departure.
Among the duties is to formulate and pass a 2025 budget before Dec. 31.
"They have agreed to rejoin the administration team, and I can tell you I certainly appreciate that because we are in a timeline that we are having a heavy lift," Forrester said at the Nov. 4 Sturgis City Council meeting. "Having them not only running our departments but helping provide input on our internal affairs is important."
Council member Jim Thompson told Forrester he thought it was a great idea and thanked him for facilitating it.
After the departure of Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie in April of 2023, the city operated with a six-member transition team. Then, when voters approved a change in the form of government for the city of Sturgis in May, the transition team was pared down to just three which included Bush, VanDewater and former Director of Administrative Services Lisa Katzenstein.
Katzenstein left in September to take a job with Black Hills Energy. That left Bush and VanDewater as the only members of the administrative team.
On Monday, the council voted unanimously for the two to be reinstated at their former stipend to assist Acting Mayor Forrester in the operation of the city.
Our best Rapid City staff photos and video of October 2024A collection of some of our best photos from October of 2024.
Scenes from the Wednesday, Oct. 2 Freshman Impact simulated drunk driving car crash. Scenes from Wednesday Oct. 2 Freshman Impact simulated drunk driving car crash. Rapid City Central junior running back Brayden Jackson (24) fights past defenders for a chunk of yardage during the first half of the Friday, ... BHSU redshirt senior Doodle Quinones (26) celebrates after recovering a muffed punt during the fourth quarter of the 139th Black Hills Brawl b... Philip senior quarterback Talan Haynes (12) prepares to chuck the football deep during the first half of a Friday, Oct. 4 contest between the ... Left to right: Barb Schuch, Michele Freed, Kimmy Hayes, Dianne Ellwein, Caran Smith, Apryl Ghents, Lisa Ficek, Ruth Patterson, Stephanie Schon... Rapid City Christian junior Joaquin Petrik (5) attempts to block a kick from Belle Fourche freshman defender Brahnson Brink (2) during the fir... Philip junior running back Tyce Gropper (2) collects a pass during the first half of the Friday, Oct. 4 matchup between the Scotties and Hill ... Spearfish junior Adelyn Bouman (3) throws down the hammer past St. Thomas More senior Alexa Scherr during Tuesday's contest between the Sparta... Spearfish junior goalkeeper Ryder Allbright stops a Rapid City Stevens shot on goal during a matchup between the Spartans and Raiders, held th... Joe Guttierez of Pennington County Juvenile Services poses with his white BHSU helmet, a memento of his time as a Yellow Jacket. Bennett County eighth grader Peyson O'Neill goes up for a kill during the Lakota Nation Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Summit Arena at Th... St. Thomas More freshman outside hitter Lauren Poeppel (12) and Philip sophomore Kale Peterson (10) battle at the net during the first set of ... South Dakota Mines fifth-year quarterback Jake Martinelli (12) fires a pass down the field during the first half of the 139th Black Hills Braw... A local climber tackles a route at Wrinkled Rock near Keystone. Bennett County freshman Reagan O'Neill goes airborne before hammering down a kill during the Lakota Nation Invitational, held on Saturday, Oct... A local climber tackles a route at Wrinkled Rock near Keystone. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
