S3E1: Referendum!

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