Aug. 2, 2021

Longtime city official Kevin Smith is coming back to city government.

Smith will serve as assistant director of planning and development services under director Jeff Eckhoff.

He previously spent six years as operations manager at engineering and consulting firm AE2S, or Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc. That followed more than two decades with the city of Sioux Falls in roles that included assistant director of the planning and public works departments.

Since Smith’s departure, the planning department has expanded to include functions such as community development and housing. The added responsibilities combined with what’s on track to be another record building year drove the need for an assistant director, Eckhoff said.

Smith “will oversee the staff and the day-to-day operations, and from my standpoint one of the big wins, because of his obvious experience, is that six years with AE2S and the whole private side really rounds him out and his perspective, and it helps the way we interact with the development community and the community at large to see things from the other side of the table,” Eckhoff said.

The move felt like the right one at the right time, Smith said.

“I have a passion for planning, and when this opportunity arose, I just couldn’t let it go by. That being said, I loved working for AE2S. That experience on the private side … was one more opportunity to see the work through a different lens,” he said.

In returning to city government, Smith said he sees opportunities to help support the city’s growth.

“I also see opportunities within the housing sector and transportation and a regional approach to the challenges that Sioux Falls and the communities around us face, so to be part of that was really attractive to me.”

Smith’s first day is today. Housing will be among his initial priorities, Eckhoff agreed.

“Housing is top of the list, and going along with that is just really the rate of growth we’re experiencing right now – throwing Kevin in to make sure we get ahead of this and that our planners are thinking strategically together. He’s got this great, unique background to work with the other departments in a collaborative manner to oversee the growth.”