Box Elder

The investigations division is excited to welcome Sergeant Joshua Campbell as the new leader. He replaces Sergeant Duane Peyrot who is retiring after 29 years in law enforcement. Congratulations to both of you on these new chapters in your lives!

On July 20, 2021, Nicole Schneider, was appointed & sworn in as the Chief Finance Officer of Box Elder.  Her commitment to the city and the accuracy of the financials has been outstanding.   We are excited to report 0 findings during the 2020 audit review for the third consecutive year! 

We have since moved right into preparing the 2022 Budget.  As we were collaborating and meeting with City departments and members of Council, it became apparent that road improvements are being asked for by you, the residents!   On July 20^th, Resolution 21-17 was approved by City Council to focus on road improvements throughout the City and Finance worked diligently to provide a feasible financing plan for these needed improvements (Resolution 21-18).

Box Elder preparing for B-21 with new subdivision

Ellsworth and the surrounding region will be undertaking big changes and growth in the next decade, with the coming arrival of the B-21 bomber. Box Elder is getting ahead of the growth with what’s being called “a city within a city.”

Alpha Land Company has big plans for the 1,400 acres in the southwest corner of Box Elder. The Alpha and Omega Subdivision is located between the west side of Radar Hill Road to the Northern Lights development on the Rapid City Border. The company’s plans would allow for the population of Box Elder to double in the coming years.

The company’s plans would allow for the population of Box Elder to double in the coming years.

The Wastewater Department has been working hard supporting the Water Department on the Radar Hill Rd. water main project. Because of the size and scope of the project the team assisted with the new tie-ins and connections to the new line. Additionally, the team has been assisting with the water main breaks that have plagued Line Rd. area in recent weeks.

Welcome to the Box Elder Police Department Officer Grove!

Tom Grove joined the BEPD on September 1, 2021. Tom was born and raised in the Black Hills and graduated from Western Dakota Tech with an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement Technology in May of 2016. Tom migrated to the eastern side of the state in September of 2017 having accepted a position with the Gregory Police Department. Tom is excited to have found his way back to his home turf and the City of Box Elder.

Tom is a big fan of many sports including baseball, basketball, and football. He enjoys just about anything outdoors such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping.

Tom said he is known for being taller than he looks in his photos so; keep an eye out and a hand up for a waive to the new guy in town!

This month, our Box Elder Streets Department has been working on many tasks within the community. The team along with our Parks Department addressed a safety issue at the newly opened Seager/N. Elk Vale intersection. The project was a success and it has restored proper sight distance for vehicle traffic at the intersection. The department also continued their sign maintenance, street patchwork, and city property cleanups. Finally, they directed and stocked over 8000 tons of reclaimed material from the I-90 service road removal. This acquired material can now be used throughout the city for future street repairs or projects.

The Box Elder Police Department would like to congratulate Officer Carter Smith for being recognized as the Officer of the year by the American Legion, Post 315 Box Elder.

Officer Smith is a valued member of the BEPD and we are proud of his accomplishments and contributions to our community mission.

Box Elder will be working hard on cracking down on Nuisance issues 2020-2021

The Box Elder Code Enforcement Division in cooperation with the Public Works department will be cracking down on nuisance issues as the City works towards the goals of their City beautification plans.

We're continuing to work with other City Clerks in South Dakota and region directors on organizing a Municipal Clerk Association for South Dakota.  We are also continuing our work on completing the City Council videos that are found within the webpage and adding the very convenient timestamps which will enable you to skip directly to a specific topic during the meeting.  We're currently working the meetings from 2020 and once those are complete, we will begin 2018 and work backwards through the years.  Additionally, the meetings are now categorized by year.

Community and Economic Development works to make the City of Box Elder a vibrant community that attracts families, business, and industry to a growing City that is innovative and progressive.  We are looking to provide opportunities for all community members to live, work and play.

The Parks Department partnered with the Black Hills Youth Football League and held the first-ever cleanup day. This combined effort provides a new space to host the upcoming 2021 season. It was a great turnout that saw over 50 volunteers and 3 city staff members willing to help see this get started. The Parks Department hopes to continue building this relationship and is excited to see what comes next.

There are not any news updates regarding munipical elections.  There will not be any upcoming municipal election in the 2022 year (unless there is a vacancy created).  Thank you to everyone who voted in the municipal election on June 8th!

Box Elder GIS creating maps to document years of undocumented Public Works infrastructure

GIS staff provides mapping services, data, and technical support to all City Department and to the public.  GIS is developing databases for the streets, water and sewer systems, parks, and other public features.  GIS staff works with both Meade and Pennington Counties GIS department to provide accurate data and mapping.

During the past month, the Water Department has successfully abandoned over 4,000 feet of old cement water main along Radar Hill Rd. This section of pipe has been a source of over 20 breaks/service outages in recent years. By eliminating this section of water main, residents in the area of Radar Hill Road should see a drastic reduction in service interruptions moving forward.

Recently while performing a water shut off to a home that was being vacated, Mike discovered that the family had a dead battery in there moving truck. Rather than shutting the water off and leaving, Mike went the extra mile and assisted with the battery change. This small act of kindness speaks volumes about Mike and the way he operates. A great example of how Box Elder Public Works personnel supports their community. Well Done Mike!  

Welcome to the Box Elder Police Department Officer Grove!

Tom Grove joined the BEPD on September 1, 2021. Tom was born and raised in the Black Hills and graduated from Western Dakota Tech with an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement Technology in May of 2016. Tom migrated to the eastern side of the state in September of 2017 having accepted a position with the Gregory Police Department. Tom is excited to have found his way back to his home turf and the City of Box Elder.

Tom is a big fan of many sports including baseball, basketball, and football. He enjoys just about anything outdoors such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping.

Tom said he is known for being taller than he looks in his photos so; keep an eye out and a hand up for a waive to the new guy in town!