Today is a sad day for open government in Sioux Falls. City Clerk Debra Owen was sacked. She was instrumental in letting the sunshine in on city government;
During her time as clerk, the council established an internal audit unit to review city expenditures, posted public documents on the city’s website, including campaign finance reports, and began streaming Web meetings on the city’s Web site. Those meetings also are archived.
I don’t know all of the details, and no one is commenting. But some suspect it has to do with the human resources office and the upcoming EC vote. Whatever, it was back-handed and cowardly.
How well do I know Debra?
Debra has always been my point man (woman) when I needed any public information, she would point me in the right direction. But Debra never stepped over the line. NEVER. She was always professional and tried her best to keep her opinion out of it. She also never told me what I should or should not do, she also NEVER questioned my intentions. There is one thing that Debra understood above everything; We live in a free country, and the best way to keep it free is by letting in the sunshine.
She will be sorely missed, and I wish her the best of luck.
I won’t name the employee, because that is not what is important here. BUT, I will say they are invaluable to city government, and without them most citizens would be virtually in the dark when it comes to council action without their due diligence.
That being said, the rumor is a few councilors and the mayor’s office are at the heart of trying to get this person terminated. In fact they spent almost 3 hours in executive session last night after the council meeting discussing the issue. City attorney Gail Eiesland and HR director Bill O’Toole laid out their case against them. Which doesn’t surprise me, since they both have been questioned on legalities by this certain someone in the past about city business.
Doesn’t Killing the Messenger ever get old?