Rapid City and Pennington County leadership offered their take on local affairs heading into 2026.
The speeches were hosted at Elevate Rapid City, the local chamber of commerce, and featured mayor Jason Salamun and county commission chair Ron Weifenbach.
Salamun said there are reasons to be happy with the current state of Rapid City life.
“The people are what make Rapid City a special place," Salamun said. "That’s real Rapid City, and I've got tell you it is a special place. We’re on the map.”
Salamun also cited several publications featuring Rapid City in their rankings. Namely, CNN naming it a top 10 best town to visit, WalletHub naming it the 33rd happiest city in America, and HGTV placing it on their list for up-and-coming small cities.
Salamun used the acronym SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats – to deliver his address.
“Let’s talk about our strengths for Rapid City right now," Salamun said. "One of them is a diversified economy. We have a great relationship with the state – GOED – with the state, they do a great job. There’s a lot that comes in here, and it’s not just the city that makes economic development work in a diversified economy. It’s you.”
Salamun cited substance abuse as a key threat for the community looking forward, which he describes as a driver of chronic homelessness.
Alongside that, Weifenbach said affordability and costs must be considered moving into the new year.
“Obviously a shortfall is rising costs, personnel costs," Weifenbach said. "Everyone knows that COVID took a big hit. In our budget, we’re prioritizing the employees we have. We’re not trying to eliminate positions, but we’re not going hire more people.”
At the same time, Weifenbach said the relationships between communities and the county are stronger than ever.
