President’s Report

As many of you may have already heard, I have made the difficult decision to not seek re-election for Mayor of Pierre this June.

After spending 18 years as an elected official on the City Commission, the last nine as mayor, I’ve decided it’s time for someone else to take on the role. In many regards, my tenure in local government is coming to a natural conclusion. Long-standing initiatives are wrapping up nicely, and many of the goals I set as mayor have been realized. This is an opportune time for a hand-off.

Regrettably, my role as President of the Municipal League Board of Directors isn’t aligning ideally with the closure of my mayoral career. When my final term as mayor ends on June 30, so will my term as President of the Board. Effective July 1, First Vice President Mike Wendland will complete the remainder of my term before beginning his term as Board President in October. As Municipal League members, I know you all understand the importance of local government work. I hope local government employees also understand that it’s a privilege to serve our communities. After all, we have the ability to very directly and profoundly impact the daily lives of our constituents. It’s a role I never took for granted, and one I hope you won’t either.

I look forward to my remaining four months with the Executive Board, and I know that when I depart in June I’ll be leaving you in the very capable hands of Mike Wendland.

My commitment to public service is as strong as ever. I will continue to serve in Governor Daugaard’s cabinet as the Commissioner of the South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources, and I am looking forward to new opportunities to serve the citizens of South Dakota. Until then, I have work to do, and I look forward to seeing you at the district meetings!

Laurie Gill President