Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun discussed proposed data center regulations, public safety efforts and ongoing city initiatives during the latest episode of “Meeting With the Mayor,” along with updates on community events and city staff development.

One of the episode’s main topics was Rapid City’s effort to establish regulations for data centers. Salamun said the city is considering rules that would divide facilities into three categories, with hyperscale data centers prohibited, large-scale facilities requiring a conditional use permit and smaller-scale operations allowed under different standards. He said protecting local resources remains his primary concern. “My big thing is to protect our resources, especially our water,” Salamun said.

Salamun said roughly 200 people attended a city open house Wednesday to provide feedback on the proposed rules. He praised both city staff and residents for keeping the discussion civil despite strong opinions surrounding data center development. “I really want to just commend our team for putting on a meeting like that in such a way that even though there’s strong opinions, it was peaceful,” Salamun said. The proposal is expected to return to the Planning Commission before eventually reaching the City Council.

The mayor also discussed a recent public safety meeting involving Rapid City, Pennington County, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County and state officials. The meeting came amid mourning for a Minnehaha County sheriff’s deputy who died after being shot. Salamun said Rapid City law enforcement planned to support the department, including sending an honor guard to the funeral. “It’s a sobering reminder … of what our public safety folks, our law enforcement officers have to deal with on a day in, day out basis,” he said.

Salamun also highlighted a city employee development event centered on “momentum through change.” Speakers included city staff from the streets, fire and police departments, with Salamun saying the goal was to invest in employees and improve service to residents. “What you do matters,” he told city workers. “Whether it’s a big thing, a small thing, it all counts as part of making the city a better place.”

The episode also touched on visiting German students through Rapid City’s sister city program, the Black Hills Brawl and a Fork Real Community Cafe fundraiser.