Sturgis city manager opts for new Rapid City job

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Daniel Ainslie, the Sturgis city manager for 11 years, is resigning to become Rapid City’s director of finance.

The Sturgis City Council accepted Ainslie’s resignation at Monday’s council meeting. In a release announcing his move, Ainslie said he will meet with the mayor and council to set up a transition plan to keep disruptions to a minimum. No timeline was given.

Mayor Mark Carstensen says Sturgis has come a long way since it hired Ainslie, who he credits for a lot of progress.

“During his time as city manager, Daniel has stabilized the community’s finances, led the charge to add and rehabilitate significant infrastructure as well as spearheaded residential and commercial growth. We will be hard-pressed to replace him,” Carstensen explained.

Ainslie’s tenure as the Sturgis city manager was not without controversy.

Last year, several municipal election candidates filed a lawsuit against the city and Ainslie, claiming the 2007 vote to change to a city manager form of government was not valid and that Ainslie was not legally the city manager. This, despite the fact Ainslie had been in the job for a decade. A judge tossed that lawsuit.

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