Fall River County Commissioners serve ‘at-large’ and do not represent specific districts.
Commissioners:
Joe Allen, 13013 Fall River Rd., Hot Springs, SD 57747 Phone: 605-745-1890
Les Cope, 14160 Shirk Creek Rd., Oelrichs, SD 57763 Cell phone: 605-441-4960 Home phone: 605-535-6910
Joe Falkenburg, 12786 Hot Brook Canyon Rd, Hot Springs, SD 57747 Phone: 307-259-2583
Deb Russell, 14130 E. Oral Rd., Oral, SD 57766 Phone: 605-424-2135
Sandra Wahlert, 14071 E. Howl Rd., Oral, SD 57766 Phone: 605-424-2124
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Joe Falkenburg – 2025 Chairman
Term: 2022-2026
Joe Falkenburg has been a resident of Fall River County since 1985. Joe Falkenburg has served as a County Commissioner for several years. Joe currently serves as the Chairman of the Fall River County Commissioners, is on the County Weed and Pest Board, and the Extension Board.
Joe is a Rancher in the Southwest corner of Fall River County. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science, a Masters and a PhD.
Joe has five children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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Deb Russell – 2025 Vice Chair
Term: 2022-2026
Deb Russell- 2020 Vice- Chair has been a Fall River County resident since 1972 and has served as a county Commissioner for the several years. Deb serves as Vice-Chair of the Fall River County Commissioners, is on the Black Hills Council of Local Government Advisory Board, and serves on the Prairie Hills Transit Board on behalf of Fall River. In the past, Deb has served 15 years on the Hot Springs School Board and one year as president, on the Associated School Boards of South Dakota. Deb has been awarded School Board member of the Year for South Dakota.
Deb is a retired farmer and formerly was a Foster Grandparent Program Coordinator. Deb is a member of the Sandstone Singers and is involved with Prairie View United Methodist Church.
Deb lives with her husband, Gene, and has 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
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Joe Allen
Term: 2025-2028
Joe Allen currently serves as the commission representative to: the L.E.P.C. Board and Juvenile Detention Board.
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Sandra Wahlert
Term: 2025-2028
Sandra Wahlert is the newest member of the Fall River County Commission. Sandra and her husband moved to South Dakota in 2002 after she graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in veterinary medicine. She has practiced in the Black Hills since June of 2002 and started her own practice, Barnyard Veterinary, in 2003. After 22 years of private practice, she felt a call to enter into government and thus began her journey to run for one of the five at large commissioner positions.
She became involved with the Fall River County GOP several years ago and is starting her third year as chairwoman which has allowed her the privilege of meeting wonderful, conservative people from all over the state. She enjoys being a homeschool mom and keeping up with a daughter that is active in 4-H, FFA, and the Hot Springs High School Claybusters Trapshooting Team. Her spare time is spent helping her family care for their menagerie of animals and gardens at their small acreage near Oral, Sleepy Hollow Farm.
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Les Cope
Term: 2025-2028
