STURGIS, S.D. – After much discussion and public comment, the Sturgis City Council approved first reading of its 2024 budget at a special meeting Thursday.
The Council failed to pass first reading of the budget at its regular meeting Monday which meant they must schedule a special meeting to address the budget. State law requires that there must be five days between the first and second readings of the budget. And, the city’s budget request must be to the county auditor by Oct. 1.
A second reading is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27.
The city needed to make cuts to balance its 2024 budget. Finance Officer Fay Bueno proposed cuts on Monday, but some council members didn’t believe they had a full understanding of those cuts so asked to table the first reading of the ordinance.
Among the cuts is $150,000 to the equipment replacement budget.
Council members expressed concerns that $150,000 was a large amount to be cutting from the equipment replacement fund. The cost of equipment continues to rise and the lack of funding could strap future councils with those higher costs, council member Kevin Forrester said.
So, the council found additional cuts totaling $100,000 to lessen the amount that would need to be taken from equipment replacement.
They included:
- $10,000 – Human Resources (Leadership training)
- $50,000 – Outside marketing (Rally & Events)
- $10,000 – Overtime of non-essential employees.
- $25,000 – Engineer (wages and taxes on wages by not filling that position)
- $5,000 – Training and Travel (across most departments)
The 2024 Sturgis budget totals about $31.8 million.
The council voted 7-1 to pass the first reading of the budget.
