Town Hall · Spearfish

Spearfish, SD town hall & government

Spearfish spent $38.9 million in the year to December 31, 2024, about $3,014 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Spearfish's government.

Meetings

Coming up at Spearfish's town hall

  • Sep 30Wed · 4:15 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Study SessionCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 5Mon · 5:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council MeetingCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 5Mon · 5:30 pm
    City CouncilSpecial City Council MeetingCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 6Tue · 4:00 pm
    Planning CommissionPlanning Commission MeetingCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 14Wed · 4:15 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Study SessionCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 15Thu · 7:30 am
    Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Advisory BoardPark, Recreation, and Forestry Advisory Board MeetingCity Hall, 625 N 5th St Meeting page ↗

Recent meetings

Official listings from Spearfish's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.

Town budget

Where Spearfish's money goes

Spent
$38.9 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$3,014
typical South Dakota cities: $2,666
Long-term debt
$36.6 million
$2,834 per resident
Parks & libraries
$10.2 million26%
Roads & transportation
$7.7 million20%
Sewer & trash
$6.9 million18%
Police
$3.6 million9%
Water & other utilities
$2.7 million7%
Administration & buildings
$2.3 million6%
Interest on debt
$1.3 million3%
Fire
$992,0003%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$494,0001%
Other
$2.8 million7%

Where the money comes from

  • Sales taxes 35%
  • Fees & charges 21%
  • Interest, fines & other 19%
  • Utility sales 10%
  • Property taxes 10%
  • From the state 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From other local governments 1%
  • From the federal government <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Spearfish

Full-time staff
109
66 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$78,600
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
20
and 3 full-time firefighters
Police
29 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
22 full-time15 part
Fire
3 full-time36 part
Roads & transportation
14 full-time
Sewer & trash
12 full-time2 part
Administration & buildings
7 full-time8 part
Water & other utilities
7 full-time2 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
1 full-time
Health & welfare
1 full-time
Housing & development
0 full-time1 part
Other
13 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Spearfish School District 40-2

Spearfish's K–12 school district, shared with St. Onge. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$10,621
South Dakota: $13,040
Students
2,387
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$14.6 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from South Dakota districts overall: 50% local, 31% state, 19% federal

  • Local 63%
  • State 27%
  • Federal 9%

Of the $10,621 per pupil, $6,873 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Spearfish pay

Typical tax bill
$3,183
a year · South Dakota typical $2,724
Effective rate
0.92%
of home value · South Dakota 1.06%
Typical home value
$346,200
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Spearfish's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofspearfish.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Spearfish →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Spearfish

Spearfish is represented in Congress by Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds and Representative Dusty Johnson. Larry Rhoden is governor.

All of Spearfish's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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