STURGIS, S.D.(KBHB) – The Sturgis City Council has paused the search to fill the vacant city manager position after its leading candidates withdrew from the selection process.

Sturgis first opened the city manager position on Tuesday, May 2, and will reopen the search again as soon after the South Dakota Supreme Court makes a decision concerning the city’s employment of a city manager.

Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen says the candidates felt it wasn’t the right opportunity at this time and thanked us for considering them.

Carstensen says the mayor and council will now discuss their next steps in the process.

After serving as Sturgis City Manager for 11 years, Daniel Ainslie left in April. The council then set out to fill the vacant position. They narrowed the search to seven candidates, interviewed all those candidates and again narrowed the field to two.

The city council had planned to bring in the final two candidates to meet with the mayor and council, city staff, community leaders and a group of residents in mid-September.

Carstensen says it was at that point the two finalists withdrew their names from consideration.

The city manager is the city’s top appointed executive and responsible for carrying out the policies and programs determined by the elected Sturgis City Council. The powers and duties of the city manager are defined by state and local law, and are outlined in the city’s job description.