Mayor eliminates community relations liaison position

RAPID CITY – The Rapid City Community Relations Commission (CRC) is facing significant changes as Mayor Jason Salamun announced plans several weeks ago to eliminate the CRC coordinator position and restructure its operations. The Commission met with the mayor during a lengthy discussion on the afternoon of August 12, 2025.

The proposed changes would maintain the commission itself but dramatically reduce its scope, focusing primarily on conflict resolution and discriminatory dispute mediation as those situations arise while stepping back from community education initiatives that have been a cornerstone of the CRC’s work in recent years. CRC Coordinator Lafawn Janis said those initiatives included building community awareness of cultural diversity, offering educational forums and helping the community have courageous conversations in order to heal relationships and have understanding of each other.

“I understand where the mayor is coming from,” said Commission Chair Lloyd LaCroix, “but I also know from this group that one of your biggest concerns is the education piece and the training.”

Salamun said the restructuring stems from budget constraints. “I was looking at the budget and I am not certain that there is enough work to justify a full-time position with the funding that we have.” The full-time position, which includes benefits and taxes, costs the city over $100,000 annually.

Salamun also said there are some portions of the education aspect that are good but said it’s not a role he thinks government should take. “I think this commission serves an important function, really being a place where objective community members like you can help settle discriminatory disputes, resolve conflicts that might exist in our community. Some of this stuff is about treating people with respect, no matter your background, but didn’t agree with other aspects of the education portion.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s the government’s role to do all the education that you would want to do,” the mayor stated during the meeting.

The mayor emphasized that the decision was not about eliminating the commission entirely but rather refocusing its mission. “I see the Community Relations Commission as important and your work as commissioners, important to still work towards resolving conflict, settling discriminatory disputes and those sorts of things,” he said.

Under the proposed changes, administrative support would shift to the city attorney’s office and would have a much smaller budget, with commissioners continuing to receive staff liaison support when needed. City Attorney Joel Landeen explained that his office would provide the administrative and staff support to review a complaint and gather information in support of the commission.

Currently, the commission has $2,000 dollar in it’s account. Commissioners asked that the money be transferred back to them. Landeen agreed saying that the money had been transferred to the from the Mniluzahan Okolakiciapi Ambassadors (MOA) when the MOA merged with the then Human Rights Commission (HRC). In 2020, the Human Relations Commission Task Force was formed and charged with examining the current state of the HRC and making recommendations for the future to better serve the city. According to the CRC website, just as the many iterations of human relations efforts that had come before it, the task force had a strong desire to help address race relations in Rapid City but understood that the HRC wasn’t accomplishing its mission due to low community response. They reached out to MOA and the partnership began.

The proposed changes have sparked debate about who should handle community education on issues of discrimination and racial equity. The mayor argued that such work is “better left to nonprofits or consultants or trainers in our community” rather than city government. Salamun said some people will think it’s alright, but others will question why their tax money is being spent this way. He also said other committees don’t have a liaison, for instance the Sustainability Committee.

Salamun said government shouldn’t be telling people which values they should hold. “You’re going to have a lot of disagreement with what you’re teaching because that may not be someone else’s values.” He suggested that private organizations could fill the educational void.

However, commissioners expressed concerns about the impact of reducing the city’s role in community education, particularly given Rapid City’s complex history with racial relations and the ongoing challenges faced by the Native American community.

Commissioner Walt Swan said tensions remain high. “The problems go back, and nothing has really changed lately except the definition of what you can call me.” He recalled an incident last year when some patrons at the carnival were not allowed entry because their t-shirts, which had the NDN Collective logo, were deemed offensive. “When you hear the story behind why they were wearing them, they were given those shirts for community service. Service to this community.

The discussion revealed deep concerns about the implications of scaling back the commission’s work, particularly in a community with a significant Native American population and a history of racial tensions. One speaker reflected on the historical injustices in Rapid City and the importance of education in preventing regression.

Commissioner Becky Drury suggested that the education piece could be held at the Journey Museum. The Museum recently completed a merger with the Black Hills Historical Society. Swan noted that there have been issues with the Journey Museum and the historical exhibits and the repatriation of Native American artifacts.

“The lack of education and history in understanding the impact of past injustices, leading to regression,” noted Swan, highlighting concerns that reduced educational efforts could harm community progress.

Commissioners also discussed the challenge of being perceived as politically motivated when addressing systemic issues. One participant noted the difficulty of “educating community members about systemic racism and discrimination” while maintaining credibility as an impartial body.

Despite the cuts, the mayor assured commissioners that their work would continue. All current commissioners, most of whom were appointed by the current mayor, would remain in their roles. The commission would continue holding regular meetings and maintain its core function of helping resolve conflicts and discriminatory disputes when they arise.

The restructuring would align the CRC more closely with other city commissions and committees in terms of budget and staffing support. Cases would continue to come through the city attorney’s office, which would determine whether issues are appropriate for CRC intervention.

Commissioners expressed skepticism about the city’s commitment to addressing racial equity and discrimination. Former commissioner Paula Long Fox shared personal experiences of feeling devalued in the community and advocated for prioritizing the needs of marginalized populations. The discussion also touched on the importance of maintaining trust and credibility within communities that have historically faced discrimination.

As the city moves toward finalizing its 2026 budget, the fate of the CRC’s current structure remains in flux. While the commission will continue to exist, its reduced capacity raises questions about how effectively it can address the complex racial and social dynamics in Rapid City.

The mayor has indicated willingness to work with commissioners. However, the transition represents a significant shift in how Rapid City approaches community relations and equity work.

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)

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