South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2011

Floodplain Floods

More on the Mo

l3wis 5Comments

The Sioux City Journal has a great piece on the floods;

“Because people are lulled into believing floods will never come, people began building right up to the river. I think the building of Dakota Dunes symbolizes that,” he said. “I think, again, they’re putting their faith in the Corps of Engineers and dams in South Dakota to protect their property.”

As the Missouri River has flooded in recent days, frustrated property owners have criticized the corps for its management of the river. Many want to know why the corps didn’t begin releasing water from reservoirs earlier when it knew there was above-average snowfall in the mountains.

Why? Well because government doesn’t like change;

Col. Bob Ruch, commander of the Corps of Engineers Omaha Division, said the corps follows a master manual to set reservoir releases during the fall and winter so that once spring arrives and the snow melts, there is enough room to hold the influx of water.

Imagine if private industry worked like that? There would be no innovation, no new technologies.

SF City Council Sioux Falls

More on the water rate increases

l3wis 8Comments

This is a flyer that will be handed out at today’s informational and council meeting.

Bread for the World chimes in;

2. A proposal to raise water rates.
Increases for sewer rates have already been approved. Now there is a significant rate increase (14% proposed for water).  Since 2006 water rates have already been increased 89%. This new proposal would mean a 115.6% total (cumulative) rate increase since 2006.
For example, a $10 water bill in 2006 would be $21.56 next year for the same amount of water used.
• Presentation at 4:00pm tomorrow (Monday) at the Informational Meeting about why the proposed increases.
• Public input allowed, early in the 7pm city council meeting: tomorrow (Monday) June 6.
• First reading at the 7pm city council meeting: Monday June 13. Public input allowed.
• Second reading (ie, the vote!), at the 7pm city council meeting: Monday June20. Public input allowed.

About the 4:00pm Informational Meetings:
They are located at Carnegie Town Hall, 235 W.10th St., same as the evening meeting of City Council. There are a few free parking spots on 10th St. Otherwise, ride the bus, or pay parking, or ask at the bank next door about their lot.
The public may come but there is no public input at that time. But I hear it is very good to be in the room for these, if you can, because (1) it shows an interest (2) you see not only the presentation, but the questions from the council to the presenters and their answers, (3) you have the same info the council has and you can make up your own mind.

The presentations can be found at this web address:
http://docs.siouxfalls.org/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1506&doctype=AGENDA
You find the item of interest in the agenda, click on it, and look on the right side for the pdf of the presentation.

About the 7:00pm City Council meetings:
They are located at Carnegie Town Hall, 235 W.10th St., the Carnegie Building. Parking is free at that time of day, but there is no bus service to get you home from the meeting.

There is time for public input near the beginning of each meeting. Anyone may speak on any topic for a max of 5 minutes. If your topic is something on the agenda, you may be asked to wait til it comes up during the meeting.

It would be really good to have people at any or all of these meetings. But if you cannot come here is
How to contact City Council:
If you cannot come, you could express your opinion to the city council members. (Please use your own words. A forwarded email does not have much impact.)
Here are their emails:
vbrown@siouxfalls.org, kandersonjr@siouxfalls.org, RRolfing@siouxfalls.org, saguilar@siouxfalls.org, jentenman@siouxfalls.org, gjamison@siouxfalls.org,dkarsky@siouxfalls.org, MErpenbach@siouxfalls.org, mhuether@siouxfalls.org

You could call them or write to council members at home, or leave messages at their city phone numbers, found here:   http://www.siouxfalls.org/Council/members

Thanks on behalf of so many people who are struggling in this economy.

Sioux Falls

Argue Endorser stretching the truth a bit . . . let’s give a real breakdown of the numbers

l3wis 2Comments

Here they go again on their soapbox, stretching the truth and manipulating facts;

Of residents who responded to the survey, 60 percent want an indoor aquatics center and 57 percent want a recreation center.

UPDATED: If you look at the ACTUAL numbers and ratios they tell a different story. Sixty percent of the respondents (555 people out of 6,000 contacted) want an indoor pool, and of those 555 that want an indoor pool, only 1 in 7 support it being taxpayer subsidized (79 people). Yup. The AL thinks we should build an indoor pool based on the opinions of 79 people. Oh, but the AL was nice enough to point this out;

residents indicate a willingness to pay user fees for those facilities.

That is a pipe dream. We know that while user fees will be charged, an indoor pool ran by the city will have to be subsidized. Bad idea. We already have private indoor pools in our city that charge user fees. The city needs to get out of the business of competing with private special interest groups on the backs of taxpayers that will never use these facilities. Maybe those 67 people that want an indoor pool can pool their money and build one themselves.

Isn’t that what America is all about?

Poetry The Ugly Table

The Ugly Table #45

l3wis 2Comments

PETTY

This was written on a receipt recently with $0 written in the gratuity line.

“My wife ordered mash potatoes not fries.”

First off, the order was put in correctly.

Secondly the EXPO put the wrong side on the plate, and I didn’t catch it.

And thirdly didn’t it occur to you at least once during my 7-8 table visits to mention this was a problem?

Not once?

Not even hint? Even to a manager?

You know like when I said, “Is everything okay, is your food alright?” Or the time I looked directly at your wife and said, “Is your burger okay.” and she said. “Yes.”

Nope, that would be too easy, because your cheap ass needed an excuse to stiff me on a measly $20 tab.

Ironically, your friend across the table tipped me 40% on his tab. I’m assuming because I got both of his sides right.

You truly are petty.

S. L. Ehrisman (c) 6/4/11

 

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