Salamun to be next Rapid City mayor

Jason Salamun appeared to have enough votes to be elected the 59th mayor of Rapid City Tuesday night.

Salamun unofficially took 32% of voters with 4,888 votes Tuesday, topping Laura Armstrong by only 269 votes.

The Air Force veteran and former banking executive moved to Rapid City from West Texas in 1989, and moved back with his wife, Gwyn, after his military service. He currently works as chief-of-staff and executive pastor at Fountain Springs Church. 

Salamun served on the Rapid City Council from 2016 to 2019, including as president from 2017 to 2018. He decided against re-election in 2018 but returned two years later. 

His mayoral campaign prioritized safer neighborhoods, and he previously told the Journal there “is no higher priority than the safety and security of the residents of Rapid City.”

Salamun told the Journal Tuesday night he is humbled and grateful he was elected to serve the people of Rapid City.

“Obviously, public safety is going to be significant…but you also just have to put the team together,” he said of his day-one priorities. “So, one of my big priorities is instituting a healthy culture within City Hall — that includes the leaders within City Hall, making sure it’s a great place to work, because if that team is healthy within the city, they will only better serve the city down the road.”

Unofficial results show Laura Armstrong came in second with 4,619 votes, Ron Weifenbach third with 2,999, Brad Estes fourth with 2,769, and Josh Lyle with 150.

Outgoing mayor Steve Allender became the 58th mayor of Rapid City in 2015 and is the second-longest continuously serving mayor in the city’s history. Art LaCroix served six two-year terms from 1975 to 1987. Jim Shaw served four two-year terms split between 1997 to 2001 and 2003 to 2007.

“I would like to congratulate all of the candidates for running good campaigns,” Allender said. “My congratulations go to Jason Salamun on his apparent victory tonight. I will welcome him into the Mayor’s Office to begin his transition as soon as he is ready. Rapid City will be in good hands.”

In 2016, the Rapid City Council approved extending the term of service for council members from two years to three years, which took effect in 2017, and the term of mayor from two years to four years, effective in 2019. Allender was elected to two two-year terms and then a four-year term.

The first mayor of Rapid City was John Richard Brennan, who served from 1882 to 1883. 

Josh Biberdorf, Kevin Maher and incumbent John Roberts won the most votes for City Council wards 1, 3 and 4, respectively. 

“Thanks to everybody that supported us,” Biberdorf told the Journal Tuesday night. “Thanks for everybody who believed in Christian, conservative values, and in our state motto that ‘Under God the People Rule.'”

Pat Jones, who was the incumbent for Ward 1 running for his second term, was the only incumbent who lost reelection. Jones said he was disappointed, but gave thanks to the people of Rapid City who supported him and said it wouldn’t be the last people heard from him.

“Probably stopping that trailer park from being built in the South Valley Drive area that was going to be built in the floodplain,” Jones said when asked what he thought his biggest triumph was. “And stopping some medical marijuana places from going into areas of Ward 1 that would have negatively impacted many of our residents.”

Roberts told the Journal Tuesday night he was happy to win, and thought the race would be closer than it was. Unofficial results with all precincts reporting show Roberts took 58% (1,061) of the vote, while his challenger, Valeriah Big Eagle, secured 42% (780).

“I think we need to work on getting the police department fully staffed, and then work on affordable housing,” Roberts said when asked what his early priorities would be in this term.

Walter Swan, Jr., and Christine Stephenson won their seats for Rapid City Area School District Area 4 and 5, respectively. Swan topped Amy Sazue unofficially by 19 votes. Stephenson led challenger Paul Lloyd by 737 votes.

The Rapid City Council will meet in a special session next Tuesday, June 13, at 12 p.m. to canvass the votes from the June 6 municipal election. South Dakota state law requires an official canvass within seven days of the election before votes can be certified.

In Hill City, Carl Doaty, Jr., and Ethan Walker each took 50% of the vote for Ward 1; unofficial results show a 1 vote difference, with Doaty taking 61 to Walker’s 60.

Lori Miner won a council seat for Ward 2, taking 43 votes, or 54%, against Gary Auch.

Voter turnout in Pennington County was just under 31%, with 15,686 out of 50,947 registered voters.