Here are the video clips of Jefferey Schmitt telling a commission member he is ‘out of order’ and the city attorney telling him he is not. And you wonder why the SON people are so frustrated with the process (sorry about the quality, this is the best way I can splice the video)
(click on links to view)
links do not work
Links work fine from here
Links don’t work, but I saw this exchange. Every citizen of Sioux Falls needs to see this clip prior to voting on Shape Places next spring. Jeff Schmitt has stooped to a pretty low level here. We should all be thanking this neighborhood and its residents for referring those zoning ordinances. This guy doesn’t need anymore power in this city than he already has…and even that should be in question right now.
I apologize, they are MP4’s and may only work on a MAC or if you have Quicktime installed. I notice they do not work on my PC.
GG – I have noticed that many of the directors have gotten alot of Bravado lately. Remember when Turbak told Jamison that he wouldn’t answer his question because he didn’t think it was important enough. The directors may work at the pleasure of the mayor, but they get paid from the taxpayers and we are their customers, and the council must answer to the citizens. This constant pissing match between the mayor and the council is silly. I saw it with Munson also. The problem is the way the city charter defines the power structure, it pretty much deems the council powerless and the mayor king.
I remember watching this and cringing. That said, and someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Jeff Schmitt has no authority in this exchange. He’s not a parliamentarian, just a guy who is misunderstanding legislative procedure.
Thinking a motion is untimely or would be better considered at another point in time doesn’t make it out of order. This is why procedure is best left to those who are actually responsible for understanding it.
Download VLC for Windows and you can play any video file.
It’s these ongoing feuds the council has with the directors and their assistants that really make me wonder why none of them has tried to change the charter to a city manager that answers to the council type format. I think Huether has demonstrated why we need to dump the strong mayor format.
As long as department heads can ignore the council or flat out tell them no, there will never be true transparency in this city’s government.
The Charter needs to be recalled.