By Ryder Heitz
BELLE FOURCHE—The Belle Fourche City Council met on Tuesday, February 18. During the Mayor’s Report, Randy Schmidt read the FFA Week Proclamation. Toi Lyn Flick and Nathan Schreier gave a presentation regarding the Belle Fourche Community Theatre, and provided a survey aimed at gathering feedback to support the ongoing improvement of the theatre.
The Chamber of Commerce reported that the Chamber has had a productive month, representing the community at the Governor’s Tourism Conference and confirming the Veterans Ride on August 3. New partnerships with BHSU and the development of a young professionals’ group are underway, while sponsorships for upcoming events like the Annual Banquet and Casino Night are being secured. Marketing efforts continue to grow, with new members joining and an online shop in development for local tourism.
CoNBA provided a recap regarding how the Center of the Nation Business Association allocated the funds granted by the city in 2024. The association secured additional sponsorships for the fireworks and adopted a more conservative approach towards the end of the year in anticipation of a smaller allocation for the current year. The association also voted to sponsor the Center of the Nation All Car Rally pending confirmation of available dates with the city, and plans to discuss how to organize the Easter egg hunt giving the ongoing work at the baseball diamonds.
The Library committee raised a concern regarding the impact of federal funding to the state and how it may affect small communities like Belle Fourche. Citizens are encouraged to reach out to their state representatives to express their concerns.
The Museum & Visitor Center reported that in January, the complex hosted 245 visitors from 8 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The “Marvelous Maps” Family Fun Day attracted 28 people, and the annual tea had 70 participants, with the 2025 tea scheduled for September 27. Ongoing construction issues include a crack in the addition wall, restroom door repairs, and kitchen cabinetry being fabricated. A plumber will fix the broken garbage disposal, and Haggerty’s Music Works provided sound system training for staff.
The Oath of Office was administered to the two newest patrol officers of the Belle Fourche Police Department: Dusty Merchen and Ryan Duprel.
The next City Council meeting will be March 3 at 6 p.m.
