STURGIS, S.D. – As the city of Sturgis wraps up 2019, City Manager Daniel Ainslie says they are closing the books on what has been a really good year.
He says construction valuations continue to rise.
“Our total construction valuation is probably the third highest it’s ever been. We are getting close to $20 million dollars. If you look back at the decade 2002 to 2010 we averaged about four and a half million a year so new construction is about four times as fast as it had been since the previous decade.”
As for sales tax, Ainslie says “it’s been up quite well and I think we are seeing a 4.5 percent increase so far. Well have to see what the next couple of months bring, but it has been very strong, and that’s been good.”
However, flooding in 2019 hit Sturgis hard, and Ainslie says repairing damaged infrastructure will continue into 2020.
Ainslie says despite the tremendous amount of rain damaging infrastructure, it was a very green summer, and that kept wildfires at bay.
He’s looking forward to another successful 2020 – highlighted by the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August.
