I will update this story later tonight, but I thought this comment by Kevin Kavanaugh was dead on, and it has verified all my suspicions I have had of Munson;
Kavanaugh said Munson’s difficulties became a hindrance. “To me, his relationship with the council was always a strained one. I attribute that to either not having the leadership skills or not wanting to deal with it. He’s a nice guy, but he never took the time or invested in making sure people were on board. When you don’t do that, you’ve got people questioning you all the time and fighting you.”
This also has chapped my hide for a long time;
In February 2006, the council chairman asked for a legal opinion on whether Munson had violated the law (Phillips to the Falls). The next day, Munson stunned the city, saying he had become a distraction and would not run again. With Munson a lame duck, councilors dropped their pursuit of a legal opinion and the field for mayor swelled to 10 candidates.
Gerald Beninga, another councilor, saw it otherwise. There was no majority for an investigation, he said last week. “I don’t know that we even considered a vote on that.”
Of course you didn’t, because you are a bunch of gutless weasels who look out for each other. Birds of a feather. Boy, if Munson would have gotten investigated, then, just maybe, the rest of us will. The rubberstamp council prevails again.
God, what an awful article. I’m so sick of this “Munson loves this city” facade. Does that mean that anybody who has ever opposed him doesn’t? And enough with the Minervas incident!!!
I was floored by this:
“When he’d get frustrated and didn’t know the right words to say, then he’d start pounding on the table,” said former councilor Kevin Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh said Munson never talked to him that way, but he said he saw the mayor upbraid others in his office more than once.
“I’m very patient until I lose it,” Munson said last week. “Whoever’s on the receiving end, I don’t care who it is. When they do things that are out of line, I’m going to jump on that. I tell them, ‘Don’t go there.’ Then the tone gets sharper. Then they know the conversation is over.”
Wow. Problem solved Mr. Mayor! With Janklovian precision!
Did you finish reading your copy of Palin’s book yet?
I just offended an Argus writer by a twitter asking who paid for today’s Munson blowjob.
Here’s the responses I received:
in what has largely been a good 8 years for SF, story looking back at mayor is likely to reflect that. Issues were (con’t)
addressed and I can guarantee no one was “paid.” Not john walker, an outstanding journalist, and not @argusleader. Geesh.
Scott-
Paid for by everyone who still subscribes to the Argus Leader, in other words.
Apparently someone likes your blog posts about Munson, L3wis: http://www.twitter.com/siouxfallsnow
The sad thing is that’s their most entertaining “tweet”.
I used to work with this person that was the nicest person in the world, but she fucked up all the time and would get a free pass, because she was ‘nice’ She used to infuriate me but every time she would fuck up, I was blamed and would have to fix her mistakes which made my job ten times harder.
My point? I don’t care if Munson shits Chocolate candies and hands them out to kids. He was a nice guy, but he refused to listen to the citizens, councilors and other leaders in our community. He also was dishonest.
He likes to point out the NEGATIVITY of people like me who hold public officials feet to the fire, but I find it extremely NEGATIVE when you ignore the people who elect you and are dishonest in the way you run the city.
Did they take the article off their website?
Nope. Follow the link.
With Janklovian precision!
LMFAO!
I think you just coined my new favorite saying.
Ironically Dave and Bill are best buds. Go figure.
Scott:
“I’m so sick of this “Munson loves this cityâ€
If you’ve ever met Munson and spent any amount of time with him, you’d see that’s just who he is. Just like if someone were to describe you, they’d probably include “serious audiophile” or “well versed music critic” at or near the top of the story.
I thought it was a fair piece, it highlighted his successes and failures. Didn’t really suger coat either.
Dave & Bill might have had a friendly working relationship, but to put Munson in Janklow’s league as an “arm twister” is laughable.
Scott, sounds like you get what Munson WAS about. ‘NEXT’ mayor will be an improvement, can’t help it. ‘A GOOD THING GOING’, Munson’s departure.
He’ll be a valuable witness in state court when ‘The Class’ sues to revoke Home Rule.
He should hang out. Creme pies in his face while walking downtown will be very entertaining.
I tried to read the Argus propaganda in Sunday’s paper. It was hard to read around the puke I uncontrollably dispelled. I’m sure many other citizens left tears on the page. The Argus/City alignment is not free speech.
I’m so glad I cancelled my Argus subscription. Nonetheless, it’s interesting fiction when there’s nothing else to read in the waiting room.
Sorry, I don’t respect someone who beats up drunks and hides behind his KING status to skirt assault charges. I grew up in a worse neighborhood, many of us have or are. Cowardly, he’s used his secret police (code enforcer) to torment citizens who speak up against his tyranny.
” but to put Munson in Janklow’s league as an “arm twister†is laughable.”
More like taking a nap while the city department heads have their way.
This piece is just the tip of the iceberg. I can guarantee the next mayor is going to have a few surprises.
L3wis;
“He likes to point out the NEGATIVITY of people like me”
Just curious, have you ever actually wrote or uttered a positive word about the guy?
Also, which is it..is he a “nice guy” who got a pass or an angry prick in the same mold as Janklow?
You seem to want it both ways. Didn’t you scold Obama a little bit ago for not giving the Republicans’ the middle finger? Yet Dave does the same thing to some Councilors (who wanted his job, no less) and he should be run out of town on a rail. My bet is you’ll change right back if Kermit wins.
If you’re looking for truth. Find it at this site, soon others.
Reinstall Democracy. Fight Home Rule with civil disobedience and an organized resistance.
Sy,
There’s serious subject matter here. ‘Pull a Munson’ (usually a Jodi master bait) and divert to Events Center, Potholes, Janklow, or Kermit.
“Just curious, have you ever actually wrote or uttered a positive word about the guy?”
You are starting to sound like him a bit. Revealing the truth about someone should never be considered ‘Positive or Negative’ just the ‘truth’.
If I had to find something else ‘positive’ about Dave, besides being a ‘nice guy’ I guess I would have to say this about him;
– I will give him credit for getting the ball rolling on an Events Center, even though that ball continues to be kicked in the street
– I will give him credit for revitalizing DT, even though I think it has more to do with private business then anything. While Phillips to the Falls is a nice addition, I still think that all could have been done privately with the public sector providing support in tax breaks and deregulation instead of tax dollars. I still don’t think it is fair that DT property owners get handouts for facades, but as a person who bought a 121 year old house in DT I had to take out a low-interest loan to improve my property. I think the facade program is a great idea, but it should be setup like the community development program, a loan.
– As for capital improvements, I think some stuff he added is worthwhile, but I also think they could be done cheaper with the same results. This is why the voters turned down a rec center and a indoor pool. They want these things, but know that Munson doesn’t have the record of doing them fiscally responsible. Why buy a Cadillac when a Toyota will do?
While Dave likes to pat himself on the back for getting this stuff done, he quickly forgets who paid for these things. Has he ever thanked the taxpayers of Sioux Falls once for helping to fund these projects? Nope. He seems to want to take the credit. It’s not hard spending other people.
But Sy, are there any candidates running for any local office who doesn’t “love” this city? What many of us find laughable is that our local media can’t do a story on Munson without that opening. The implicit message is that his opponents don’t feel the same way about our community. Does Peterson hate Sioux Falls? How about Vernon? Or Staggers? Of course not.
And enough about the Minerva’s incident! It was referenced at least three times in that Chamber of Commerce-ish puff piece. Great, he surprised a drunk and took him down. That’s our Dave! Try not have Dave’s title and do the same thing. You won’t be judged a hero.
Anybody can beat up a drunk.
The Argus reporter deserves an award for making a bully’s minute and career of corruption into almost 3 pages of Lawrence & Shiller deceptive advertising. The city has a budget for public notices, Munson used the rest of it here.
Scott-
He loves this city so much he squandered taxpayer’s dollars for 8 years to build ‘stuff’.