STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis Council Monday night selected councilor Angela Wilkerson to serve out the remainder of former Mayor Mark Carstensen’s term.
Wilkerson was one of seven initial candidates who expressed interest in the position. Before interviews of the candidates were conducted, three candidates, Aaron Jordan, Tony Dargatz and Steve Shuck, all withdrew their names.
Because the Sturgis City Council consists of eight members, five votes were needed to fill the vacancy. Wilkerson received 5 votes with Rod Bradley picking up 2 votes and Jim Thompson 1 vote.
Before the hearing to select a new mayor, local attorney Eric Davis asked the council to hold an election so the people of Sturgis could select a person to fill out the remainder of Carstensen’s term.
In order for that happen, however, the city would need to pass an ordinance to allow for a special election to happen. At the moment, the city does not have such an ordinance.
Furthermore, Sturgis City Attorney Mark Marshall says such an election could not be part of the upcoming April municipal election because there was not enough time to meet the statutory requirements to have the mayor’s position on the ballot.
However, Davis wants the council to pass that ordinance. He asked council members to inform the selected mayor that would they serve in an interim basis until an ordinance could be passed and a special election held.
The council took no comment or action on his request.
Carstensen’s term expires in 2025 and the next mayoral election will be in April of next year. That leaves little time for a possible petition to force the city’s hand to pass two readings of an ordinance and to schedule a special election.
