RAPID CITY, SD — As Rapid City enters into election season, more and more citizens are throwing their hats into the proverbial ring in a bid to secure one of the five wards for the next three years. Among those individuals is one Andrea Schaefer, former owner of Barefoot Dance Studio and current owner of Blissed Alternative, a downtown boutique clothing store, whose goals are simple: to be a voice for the voiceless in the city.

“I want to be there asking questions for the more vulnerable in our community, or people who maybe feel sidelined by city government,” said Schaefer in an interview with the Rapid City Post. This belief in the accessibility of her as an official forms the most defining pillar of her campaign, focusing on infrastructure, transportation, access to healthcare, and working with community leaders. “I think there’s other questions that need to be asked and answered. I’d love to see neighborhood advocates that we can get together with and talk to” said Schaefer, “the people I’ve been talking to who are on the ground. A common theme I’m seeing is that they have some pretty simple solutions, and they don’t need a ton of money, they just need someone to be listening and they need access to their city government. I would like to be that access“.

Schaefer, in her own account, has been busy for the past two weeks since announcing her campaign, working to understand current circumstances through talking with leaders, nonprofits, and city officials. “I’ve been like a sponge,” says Schaefer, “I’m sitting down having meetings daily with people in Rapid City who have pivotal roles, from former city council members to people who work in the transit system, to people who work in health services, to people who are feeding the homeless and just trying to learn and gain knowledge”.

A concern of Schaefer’s involved recent controversy over what the now-defunct Destination District TIF represented to Rapid City’s populace. Schaffer said that she felt the supporters of the District often conflated the Sports Complex and the Libertyland project, and that she felt this was deceptive and galvanized public discourse over the district further.

In addition to this, Schaefer had issues with the proposed district that were more pragmatic, however. “it felt like we were putting our energy and resources into building a little city within the city,” said Schaefer, who was clear that she felt TIFs in general were an essential tool to a city, but that she would rather see growth focused within the city, and toward smaller projects. “There are areas that could use infill development like East 5th, like the Uptown Mall, like East Omaha, and other areas in town where I think TIFs can be used and can benefit people that are already living in these neighborhoods. I think putting money into neighborhoods that already exist just has a rippling effect where more people can benefit from the investment that the city makes”. 

Schaefer additionally spoke in favor of smaller, more community-oriented projects which would serve to connect neighborhoods, expand Rapid City’s bike path, and beautify the city as a whole in a way that’s more directed by those affected by and facilitating infrastructural changes. Of particular note, Schaefer voiced interest in revisiting Rapid City’s 2016-26 Cultural Plan, aiming to focus more on issues of cultural diversity and support for the Arts.

Schafer encourages anyone with questions or concerns to contact her campaign website (aschaeferward3.com) or to text her at (605)388-7102. “I’m available to talk. It might sound trite, but I really do think those things can make a really big difference in our community”.