2012

Has a local business owner gotten special treatment from the city zoning office and planning commission

You be the judge, watch this video of the latest Planning Commission meeting (Item # 16, FF 10:00)

Quadir has had his permit deferred for 3 months because he never showed up to the meetings, meantime he sold and repaired cars there since March without a permit. The Zoning office has allowed him to continue WITHOUT a permit. If you watch the video, Quadir pleads ignorance, even though he admits living here for 37 years.

What I don’t understand is why has the city allowed him to run his business without Planning Commission approval? Finally Jeff Schmidt intervenes and says he has to STOP doing business until he gets his permit. But why has it taken so long for this intervention?

I guess I am wondering if this is unusual to allow someone to run a business without a permit for this amount of time? It is a question of fairness to other business owners.


What is going on at the Multi-Cultural center’s sandwich kitchen?

‘THE WOMAN’ Executive Director of Sioux Falls Multi-Cultural Center Christy Nicolaisen (KELO-TV screenshot)

Watch public input at Tuesday’s SF City Council meeting (FF: 6:30)

Apparently Daniel Brooks (Granny’s Golden Oven) has been evicted from the MCC’s kitchen where he was contracted to make sandwiches for events. Daniel has had his own set of problems in the past. When he ran for city council it came out that he had some financial problems, he has also lost two locations of his restaurant. While I don’t know all the details of his eviction, his testimony by his family is disheartening (and quite disgusting), and I would love to hear the other side of the story. I would hate to hear that the director of a facility that promotes diversity is discriminating against people.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Brooks once and I found him to be a very respectful pleasant gentleman.

If anyone has more information, I would love to hear it.

Public School consolidation in a growing city?

(Image: KELO-TV Screenshot)

Am I the only one that finds it a bit strange we are consolidating schools in a city that is growing? And trying to eliminate schools in the core of the city?

The debate is about the future of their children.  But Sioux Falls parents are learning more about the possibility of three different elementary schools closing. The district held a public input meeting Monday night to discuss some options on the table. But some in the crowd felt the clash came down to community versus money.

I live very close to Longfellow. And this doesn’t surprise me one bit;

It was a full meeting room packed with dozens of citizens arguing about everything from class sizes to technology. But some felt the discussion was a bit one-sided.

“I wasn’t left with the impression, though, that it was to hear our opinions so much as to try and reassure us that our opinions weren’t correct,” Baumgartner said.

Apparently Baumgartner has never experienced Dictator Homan. She WILL do what she wants to and doesn’t give a rat’s ass what you think. They hold these meetings to bring the ‘appearance’ that they care. If they really cared they would keep the schools open, or better yet, rebuild them entirely. The school district spends millions each year in administrative costs, they have the money for bricks and mortar, don’t let them tell you they don’t. That is why I am a big advocate of building the public indoor pool at a HS.

I found this little tidbit interesting in the article;

Monday was just a public input meeting with no decisions being made. In fact, there’ll be another meeting on September 24. During the session, Baumgartner also asked about a rumor that’s been floating around of whether Sanford Health has contacted the district to purchase the Jefferson property. Superintendent Pam Homan flatly denied it. We attempted to contact someone at Sanford, but no official returned our calls.

Wouldn’t surprise me one single bit.

I also want to remind everyone that there are two seats up this Spring for school board. I believe it is Doug Morrison and Julie Westra. Would love to see SEVERAL candidates running against them. I have heard of 3 possibilities already and would love to see more.