Silence speaks volumes

RAPID CITY – Volunteers who have regularly offered free meals to the homeless and houseless every Friday at the bandshell in Rapid City for 6 years showed up last Friday to find a fence had been erected by the city. No one had been notified nor was there any information posted on the city’s websites or social media informing residents or the volunteers that facility use would be prohibited and that a fence would be erected.

Mayor Salamun, at a word-of-mouth press conference he held on Monday afternoon at city council chambers, said that city officials dropped the ball regarding the fencing that was erected around the bandshell but didn’t offer any reasons why except to say that is was a simple oversight.

About 60 people gathered for a vigil at the bandshell after which they attended the regular city council meeting.

The meeting was packed with people wanting to use the general comment period to speak about the issue. Among them, Oglala Sioux Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out, who reminded the council and mayor that he is also the Chairman of the Great Plains Region which represents 16 tribes in South Dakota and the surrounding states.

Star Comes Out said he came to speak about the concerns the tribe has with the City of Rapid City. “To the citizens of Rapid City and Sout Dakota, we are here to stay. We need to address the issues in Indian Country. I want to address the Council and tell them it’s time to start communicating. It’s time to start coming to the table. In the future, I would like for the tribes to have a seat at the table. We do have major events here in the city. We have the LNI (Lakota Nation Invitational) and a major powwow. We bring a lot of money to the city. We are taxpayers. We are citizens of South Dakota.” Star Comes Out said it all starts with communicating. “I’m looking forward to more meetings not only with the council and the mayor but also the police force. We need to work as one.”

Born and raised in Rapid City, Gabby DeMarce took her three minutes to speak about the opportunities of white privilege which allowed her to excel at every level of education, attend school out of state and earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. “I have always grown up with a roof over my head, food on the table, money to pay for basic needs and more. I come from privilege as I imagine many of you sitting in your council chairs have and still do. The benefit of living on stolen land of the Lako- ta people, from the generational wealth created through extraction of resources. From being of the proper race, class, culture and gender that our current policies serve. Being able to decide that a bolted fence blocking off a critical shelter in the middle of town is the right thing to do because it will never affect your comfort or mine. “

“The difference between us lies in our connection and commitment to our community or the lack thereof,” said DeMarce. “This council’s ongoing policy decisions and inability to accessibly, transparently and inclusively communicate those decisions with the public I believe is a strong reflection of your lack of true connection to the community at large. I hope you will understand my comment is a call in not a call out. Please join us at the at the bandshell this Friday at 4 to serve food with us and tell the community how the new fence will affect them this winter.”

“Don’t attribute to malice what can be attributed to incompetence,” said resident Eric Clayborn who thanked the mayor for admitting publicly to the lack of coordination. But he did say that there is a pattern, which may not be malicious but has led to a “lack of trust.” He noted the list of grievances read to the mayor during his impromptu press conference by Native Sun News Today Editor Ernestine Chasing Hawk as “patterns” that erode trust. “A pattern of limited dialogue, transparency or due services for our most vulnerable fortifies doubt and erodes trust in the community.”

Recently, Salamun spoke at the first of five events organized by local Christian pastors. Paula Zavitz resident of Ward 3 spoke of Christians living Christian values. “Once you’ve made a public announcement to follow Jesus, your actions can be judged by others. So, when I heard the title of the event that you headlined, ‘This City Belongs to Jesus,’ it seemed ironic to me in light of some of the decisions that this city council has made recently. In particular, allowing the Hope Center to close and most recently barricading the bandshell. Also, a disinterest in figuring out where our unhoused citizens will stay now that winter is approaching.”

Local business owner Andrea Adams who has a catering business on Mount Rushmore Road said it isn’t just the bandshell. She said she was threatened by the city a few months ago that they would shut down her business if she didn’t stop providing food for this population.

Resident Toni Diamond said it’s time for Rapid City to close this division. “How can we see each other as human beings? I am a transgender woman and I’m tired of living in a city where I don’t feel safe.”

After public comment, Salamun reiterated what he had said at the earlier press conference that the decision had been made “due to persistent health and safety concerns, to secure the bandshell when it is not in use. The panels went up and no communication went out. It was inappropriate. We should have had a communication plan in place before and during the panels going up and coordinating with the groups that may be affected. The city will do a better job of that. I’m disappointed and we did drop the ball there.”

As he further explained, it became clearer that the discussion to close the facility had begun well before Friday. “The Parks Department told me that multiple times a week they had to clean up from use: bodily fluids, blood, fecal matter, vandalism, camping and such. The Police Department provided data to me showing that in 2023 and 2024 there was a total of 777 calls for service including assault and intoxication. EMS had 134 calls for service which included medical attention.” He said people are using the facility as a restroom multiple times a week and that isn’t a place to serve food. “Upon hearing that I said let’s explore options to secure the bandshell when it’s not in use.” The fence will stay and Salamun is hoping there can be a retractable, locking fence.

He defended the action and said that they didn’t take any meals from anyone. “The issue wasn’t the weekly meals, it’s what’s happening between the meals. Groups looking to serve those in need are welcome to work with the Parks Department who will provide side access to the bandshell.” The fee to use the facility will be waived and Salamun encouraged people to schedule their activities with the Parks Department.

He said the city was being accused of not caring but he explained this action was taken because the city does care. “It’s because we care,” he stressed. “We care enough to say that we don’t want you to eat where the feces are. So, we have to keep people from using that. Now we have restrooms that are available.” He said there is a port-a-potty at Roosevelt Park, facilities at West Memorial Park and the facilities at Founder’s Park.

He said the issue of homelessness would have to be discussed at another time because the council was being asked to approve a respite care facility.

“The problem here in Rapid City,” said South Dakota native and concerned citizen Bill Knight, “is that we have equated ‘homeless equals Native’ and it has created such a problem. Just keep it simple, help the people who need help, give them the wrap-around services they need so they don’t fall back into whatever the issues are that they are dealing with and go from there. It has been done in other cities and other places around the world. Get them into a place, take care of their issues and don’t put a time limit on it.”

Council voted 6 to 3 in favor of the respite care facility.

Calls to Police Chief Don Hedrick and Mayor Jason Salamun by Native Sun News today were not returned by deadline.

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)

The post Silence speaks volumes first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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