STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis City Council on Monday night approved up to 1,300 COVID-19 tests to be available for residents following this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The plan follows the city’s approval to participate in this year’s rally – albeit with no city sponsored activities. The council was between a rock and a hard place since a complete cancellation of an event that is bigger than just Sturgis itself is nearly impossible. Area campgrounds are moving forward as normal with the rally and motorcycle enthusiasts were bound to show up anyway.
Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie says the city began developing ideas to protect its residents when it made the decision to continue with the rally during its meeting June 15.
Ainslie explains the process.
“We are going to have it mandatory for all city employees and make sure that everyone is clear if they are asymptomatic. And then we are going to be talking to all the front line employers in Sturgis, like the restaurants and gas stations, motels, those sorts of places, and we are going to offer them vouchers for any of their employees to get tested on a first come, first served basis.”
Ainslie says there will be approximately 550 tests available for residents of Sturgis.
“Like the others, these will be on a first come, first served basis when we actually do the testing, which would be the week of August 17.”
Ainslie says they will also have approximately 200 tests available for the Meade 46-1 School District and county.
Ainslie says the city plans to spend $195,000 for the tests, $150 each, and eventually require a supplemental appropriation from the city’s general fund. However, the city may be eligible for reimbursement through the CARES Act funding.
Ainslie said the city has been allocated $1.54 million through the CARES Act.
This year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally runs August 7 through the 16th.
For more information on the mass testing plan, visit the City of Sturgis website at www.sturgis-sd.gov
