Citizen Boards and Commissions
Welcome to the City of Sioux Falls' citizen board site! The City of Sioux Falls has established a variety of boards and commissions that gives you an opportunity to use your talents to benefit our community. Your service on a board or commission will allow you to provide important input on policies that shape our government and our city. There are more than 40 boards and commissions that advise the Mayor and City Council on a variety of issues. Most appointments are made by the Mayor with the consent and approval of the City Council.
Please take a moment to browse through the list. You may apply to a board or commission by clicking on the Apply Online link on the right hand side of the screen or you may download a PDF version also found on the right hand side of the screen. Your application will be kept on file for three years and will be considered every time there is an opening on the board or commission you chose on your application.
There are so many good things happening in Sioux Falls. Much of the credit goes to people just like you who are willing to donate their time and talents for the good of others. Thank you for your consideration!
Tammy Senger
Legal Administrative Assistant
City Hall, First Floor
224 West Ninth Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605-367-8880
signifies board vacancy
Number of Members
9
Special Qualifications
The board shall consist of nine members with seven members appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. The board shall be chaired by the Director of Planning and Development Services or their designee. One member shall be the Director of Public Works or their designee. The seven appointed members shall be a diverse mix of citizen representatives of the community including; three persons representing the bicycle subcommittee, the pedestrian subcommittee, and the PATH subcommittee. One member shall be appointed representing the development/real estate community. The remaining three members shall be appointed at-large and representing the values, needs, and concerns of all users of the city’s roadways and transportation network system, including people who walk, ride bicycles, use transit, drive, and use other mobility devices.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
All members of the Board shall reside within the territory of the city or the county.
Summary of Duties
Recommendation of the active transportation board is required as a part of official business before city council approval on the following items and as detailed in the advisory board bylaws. The board may provide letters of advocacy on the following matters pertaining to complete streets and active and accessible pedestrian transportation as detailed in the advisory board bylaws.
Number of Members
11
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
The board may advise the City of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County governing bodies regarding housing, housing services and the homeless population within the greater Sioux Falls area.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Each member of the airport authority board will give bond to the city.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Manages and operates the Sioux Falls Regional Airport under the authority provided in SDCL 50-6A.
Number of Members
11
Special Qualifications
Board consists of two members with experience in the hospitality industry, one member with experience in commercial development or commercial brokerage, one member with experience in banking and financial services, one member with experience in engineering, architecture or design services; one member with experience in marketing and communications, and five members serving at-large. Nonvoting ex-officio members include city staff liaisons from the Finance Department and Planning and Development Services, the CEO of Experience Sioux Falls, and the General Manager for the events center complex:
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
The board shall act as an advisory board to the mayor and city council on matters relating to the event center complex. Dues include advocating and providing public feedback for the use and management of the event center complex; Advising on future use, planning strategy, and development of the events center complex; and Advise on any long-term master plan for the events center complex and surrounding areas.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
No member of the board may be an officer or employee of the city or any other governmental unit, including a school district, or hold any political party office.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Regulates conflicts of interest of officers and employees of the City.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
The board of health is composed of 7 members shall be representative of the community so as to effectively carryout duties of the board. At least one member of the board shall be a member of the Falls Community Health Governing Board and one member from the REMSA Board. The <em>Public Health Director </em>shall be a nonvoting ex officio member of the Board of Health.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a registered voter of the City.
Summary of Duties
Exercises general supervision over the health of the city with full power to take all steps and use all measures necessary to promote the general cleanliness and healthfulness of the city and the general health and well-being of the people in the community served.
Number of Members
11
Special Qualifications
Membership must include the Mayor's designee and four other members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council, one County Commissioner and four other members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, and the president of the Siouxland Heritage Museums Alliance.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
All members of the Board shall reside within the territory of the city or the county.
Summary of Duties
Responsible to the City and County for the development and operations of a museum system composed of the Pettigrew Home and Museum and the Old Courthouse Museum and such other facilities brought into the joint museum system.
Number of Members
10
Special Qualifications
The Board includes at least two members who are professionals from the disciplines of history, architectural history, architecture, urban planning, American studies, American civilization, cultural geography, cultural anthropology, archaeology, or law. The Board also includes at least three members who are nonprofessional members and represent a demonstrated interest, experience, or knowledge in historic preservation.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Do not have to be a registered voter.
Summary of Duties
Serve in an advisory capacity, providing guidance and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on matters related to historic preservation and the City’s seven historical districts.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Presides over hearings on interpretations to the building, fire, housing and dilapidated building codes; determines the suitability of alternate materials or methods of construction; investigates and presides over hearings on licensing determinations.
Number of Members
6
Special Qualifications
At least three members should be owners or owners’ representatives of real property within the district, one of which is assessed the maximum amount; at least one member should be a district resident; at least one member should operate a business within the district.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
A minimum of three board members shall be registered voters within the city. Up to three members may serve without being registered voters of the city provided they have a vested or representative interest in the district as allowed by Section 30.025(h) of the revised ordinances.
Summary of Duties
Makes recommendations to the City Council for the establishment of plans for improvements in the business area and makes recommendations to the Council on matters related to assessment rates, renewal of assessments, district boundaries, and use of funds. This board serves as the official board of the Downtown Sioux Falls Business Improvement District.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
The commission may deliver a report to the city election authorities framing and proposing amendments to the Sioux Falls Home Rule Charter. The commission holds at least one public meeting each calendar year for the purpose of receiving recommendations from the public regarding revisions to the charter and to take action upon any matters before the commission relating to proposed charter revisions.
Number of Members
9
Special Qualifications
Board members include: Planning Director (who shall serve as chairperson); Public Works Director; Police Chief; Fire Chief; Parks and Recreation Director; Library Director; and three (3) representatives of the public at large. The three representatives of the public at large shall be appointed with staggered terms by the mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. The representatives of the public shall serve for a term of three years.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Advises the Mayor and City Council regarding the naming, renaming, or commemorative designation of city property, including building facilities and interior spaces thereof.
Number of Members
4
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Conducts hearings and renders decisions in response to appeals from civil service employees from action resulting in reduction, suspension, demotion, or discharge by City management. The Board has the power to administer oaths and the power to secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of papers relevant to the hearing if necessary.
Number of Members
9
Special Qualifications
Members shall include representatives of the disability community.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
The Disability Awareness and Accessibility Review Board is an extension of the Human Relations Commission. It acts as an advisory body to the Mayor, City Council, and the City ADA Coordinator on disability awareness and universal accessibility of City buildings, programs, and services. This board was created as a merger of two previous boards, the ADA Accessibility Review Board and the Disability Awareness Commission.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
The board will consist of <em>one representative</em> of licensed electrical contractors; <em>one representative</em> of local light and power companies other than municipal;<em> one representative </em>of licensed journeyman electricians; <em>one local representative</em> from the state approved electrical engineers; and <em>one member at-large</em>. The chief electrical inspector will be the ex-officio member.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Examines applicants for licensing and determines the suitability of alternate materials, methods of installation and provides for reasonable interpretations of this code, and licensing determinations of the Chief Building Official.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
The membership of the board will include: the Mayor, or a person designated to act on the Mayor’s behalf; two members who may or may not be members of the Council appointed by the Mayor with advice and consent of the Council to represent the Council; three members of the retirement and pension system selected by the membership, two of whom shall be general members elected by the general division members and one of whom shall be a police member elected by the police division members; one resident of the city who is not an official or employee of the city and whose membership on the board of trustees creates no conflict of interest.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Responsible for the administration, management, and proper operation of the employee’s retirement system.
Number of Members
11
Special Qualifications
<em>Six board members </em>shall be individuals who are served by the Falls Community Health and are representative of such patients in terms of demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and income; <em>Five board members </em>shall be individuals who are, by vocation and formal education and training, qualified health providers, or represent the community through their expertise in such areas as government, finance, legal affairs, trade unions, and other commercial, industrial, or social services within the community; No more than <em>three of the nonpatient members </em>of the board may be individuals who derive more than ten percent of their annual income from the health care industry.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Do not have to be a registered voter.
Summary of Duties
Evaluates the activities of the Community Health Center to ensure that it is operating in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
The membership of the board will include: the Mayor, or a person designated to act on the Mayor’s behalf; one member who may or may not be a member of the Council appointed by the Mayor with advice and consent of the Council to represent the Council; two members of the retirement and pension system selected by the membership; one resident of the city who is not an official or employee of the city and whose membership on the board of trustees creates no conflict of interest.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Responsible for the administration, management, and proper operation of the firefighters’ pension fund.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
The Mayor and City Council appoint the five members of the governing board for five-year staggered terms. The commission board elects its own chairperson and recruits and employs its management personnel and other employees.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Provides financial assistance for low-income public housing pursuant to the United States Housing Act of 1937. This board may also be referred to as the Public Housing Authority Board.
Number of Members
12
Special Qualifications
Due regard is given to representation of minorities on the Commission.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Promotes civil rights and enforces the law of equal opportunity for Sioux Falls residents in the areas of employment, housing, public services, public accommodations, financial institutions, insurance companies, labor organizations, and educational institutions in Sioux Falls.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
Board members will include a member-at-large; one person and a designated alternate representing Sioux Falls Public Works; Sioux Falls Planning and Building Services; Homebuilders Association of Sioux Falls; Sioux Falls Contractors Association; local engineering consultants; and local utility companies.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Advises the Mayor regarding fees and regulations relating to engineering design standards, subdivision and infrastructure construction requirements, excavation and grading, and subdivisions with the intent of recommending the elimination of unnecessary regulations and the adoption of only those regulations necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Sioux Falls.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Knowledge and experience in managing fixed income investments.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
To advise the Mayor on matters relating to the City’s short-term fixed income investment policy. The Board meets quarterly to review the City’s investments, ensure that the investments meet the criteria of the investment policy, and provide general guidance to the Finance team in managing the portfolio.
Number of Members
7 (4 Mayoral Appointments)
Special Qualifications
Appointments to the Library Board are made by the City Council and County Commission at their first regular meetings in January or whenever a vacancy occurs. Members of the board include four citizens appointed by Mayor and Council; one citizen appointed by the Minnehaha County Commission; one liaison from the Minnehaha County Commission; and the Library Director.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls. (Mayoral appointments only.)
Summary of Duties
Sets library-specific policies and provides citizen input and recommendations for administrative actions to the Library Director and to the governing bodies. Advocates for library services to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Members will be qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to mechanical design, construction, and maintenance.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official relative to the application and interpretation of the International Mechanical Code, the International Fuel Gas Code and Part V-Mechanical of the International Residential Code. Also determines the suitability of alternate materials or methods of installation and investigates and presides over hearings on licensing determinations.
Number of Members
13 (1 Mayoral Appointments)
Special Qualifications
See job description and expectations.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls. (Mayoral appointment only.)
Summary of Duties
To advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the leadership and general promotion of MCC so as to support the organization’s mission and needs.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
The Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Board is a seven-member board. Each member is appointed for a five-year term and is eligible for reappointment to a second consecutive five-year term. Members are appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. Officers are elected from the board and include the president, vice president, and secretary. Regular meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month, with a quorum of four board members being necessary for a meeting. Members shall not hold any elective office in the government of the city.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Initiate, review, and make recommendations for ordinances, policies, and rules governing the use of the city's public parks, swimming pools, and other facilities including the golf courses.
Number of Members
9
Special Qualifications
Knowledge or experience to act in matters pertaining to the development administration of a city plan, and who shall not hold any elective office in the city government.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Create and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the municipality, and consider and make recommendations on land use and zoning matters.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
A representative of the Public Works department, a mechanical engineer, two licensed master plumbers, and one licensed journeyman plumber who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to plumbing design, construction and maintenance, and the public health aspects of plumbing systems and the <em>Uniform Plumbing Code</em>.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the plumbing official and assistant director of building services relative to the application and interpretation of this code, licensing determinations, and to examine applicants for licensing.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Presides over hearings to decide appeals of orders, decisions, and determinations made by the property maintenance official relative to the applications of and interpretations to the <em>International Property Maintenance Code</em> and City Ordinance; determines the suitability of alternate materials or methods of construction; and reviews modifications or changes to the respective codes and submits recommendations to the City Council.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Provide sufficient, convenient, safe, and attractive parking for a vibrant downtown Sioux Falls.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
Members must represent private transportation, public transportation riders, advocates of the elderly and disabled, and representatives of the safety industry, school industry, and the general public.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Review and comment on charter bus procedures, operating and capital budgets, major service changes, monthly reports, service procedures, and fare changes.
Number of Members
9
Special Qualifications
Three members who own or manage a hotel in the city with 100 or more rooms; two members who own or manage a hotel in the city with 75 to 99 rooms; one member who owns or manages a hotel in the city with 40-75 rooms; two members of the CVB Advisory Council Executive Committee; and one member from the Sioux Falls business community at-large. These are two non-voting members including a member of the Sioux Falls City Council and the Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Contact board liaison.
Summary of Duties
Review and tentatively approve an annual budget prepared by the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) executive director for the use of the occupation tax collected by the BID for marketing and promotion of the visitor industry in the city of Sioux Falls.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Members of the Regional Emergency Medical Services authority must before entering upon official duties take and file in the City Clerk's Office the oath of office required from [for] appointive officers of the city.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Provide guidance and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on matters related to emergency medical services. Conduct quality assurance activities linking all the agencies that provide emergency medical services in Sioux Falls, including call taking, emergency medical dispatcher, law enforcement and fire first response, ambulance service, online medical control, and hospitals.
Number of Members
15
Special Qualifications
Five of the directors shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Sioux Falls and approved by the City Council; five of the directors shall be appointed by the superintendent of schools of the Sioux Falls School District and approved by the District School Board; one director shall be appointed by the South Dakota Board of Regents; one director shall be appointed by the executive director of the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau and shall be approved by the advisory council of such bureau; one director shall be the elected chairman of the board of directors of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce; one director shall be the chairman of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Sports and Recreation Committee; and one director shall be the executive director of the Sioux Falls Sports Authority.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls. (Mayoral appointments only.)
Summary of Duties
Recruit major sporting events to the Sioux Falls area. The organization attracts international, national, regional, and state sporting events by operating, leasing, enhancing, or owning sports facilities in the Sioux Falls area.
Number of Members
15
Special Qualifications
Three members must be City employees: the Landfill Manager, the Sustainability Coordinator, and the Environmental Manager; two members must be representatives of the garbage hauling/recycling industry; one member must be a representative of the South Dakota Multi-Housing Association; one member must be a representative of the business community who generates solid waste within the five county region served by the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill and who has no financial interest in the garbage/recycling industry; one member must be from the Minnehaha County Planning Office; three members must be citizens of the city of Sioux Falls who have no financial interest in the garbage/recycling industry. In addition, one member must be selected by each of the governing bodies of: Lake County, Lincoln County, McCook County, Turner County.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Contact board liaison.
Summary of Duties
Review the current waste stream of the users of the Sioux Falls landfill and investigate how the waste stream may vary in the future and analyze how current and future recycling efforts may impact on the waste stream.
Number of Members
7
Special Qualifications
Membership shall be a diverse mixture of citizens including: a member of the board of directors of the Sioux Falls Arts Council at the time of appointment and a practicing visual artist.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Support and encourage development of visual art for community buildings and spaces through its role as an advisory body to the Mayor, City Council, and other City government officials.
Number of Members
21 (3 Mayoral Appointees)
Special Qualifications
To understand and support the mission of the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science, Husby Performing Arts Center, Kirby Science Discovery Center, and Visual Arts Center.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls. (Mayoral appointments only.)
Summary of Duties
Educate, entertain, inspire and to enrich community by making arts and science part of our lives.
Number of Members
5
Special Qualifications
Persons with expert knowledge of construction, architecture, fine arts, engineering, landscape architecture, law, or practical experience in related land use areas.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls.
Summary of Duties
Conduct public meetings and make decisions based on their authority granted in state law and Zoning Ordinance.
Number of Members
14
Special Qualifications
One-seventh of the members of the board are Mayoral appointments.
Residency/Registered Voter Requirement
Must be a resident and registered voter of Sioux Falls. (Mayoral appointments only.)
Summary of Duties
To provide oversight of the operation, management, maintenance, planning, and development of the Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum, and to assist in fund-raising activities to ensure appropriate financial support of the Zoo.
