Former Sioux Falls city attorney returning to City Hall

Pfeifle served as the lead attorney under Mike Huether

Former Sioux Falls City Attorney Dave Pfeifle is headed back to the city to resume the duties of his old post, Mayor Paul TenHaken announced Friday.

Pfeifle would fill a vacancy left by Stacy Kooistra, who departed to become chief operating officer and general counsel for the Dakota State University-Applied Research Corp.

“Bringing Dave back as the city attorney for Sioux Falls is a huge win for the office and the community,” TenHaken said in a release. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and experience that will be vital to continue the work of the City Attorney’s Office and protect the city of Sioux Falls.”

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Pfeifle served as city attorney under former Mayor Mike Huether from 2010 to 2017. Since then, he has been the executive director of the South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance, which is a risk-sharing pool for local governments.

His appointment is contingent upon the consent of the City Council, which will vote March 21.

“Dave’s background in public service will allow him to hit the ground running in this position,” City Council Chairman Curt Soehl said in the release. “His leadership and expertise in public service will bring so much value to the City Council and the city of Sioux Falls.”

A Sioux Falls native, Pfeifle is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law. He was a city attorney in Pierre, state’s attorney for Stanley County, a public defender in Lincoln County, and he has 16 years of private practice experience.

“I have enjoyed watching Mayor TenHaken continue to move the city of Sioux Falls in a positive direction and I look forward to helping him sustain that momentum,” Pfeifle said in the release. “I am honored and humbled to be asked to serve again in this capacity. I will work diligently to prove myself worthy of the mayor’s and the City Council’s confidence in me.”