This is the kind of person that is up for re-election;
A Sioux Falls board that oversees more than $1.6 million in revenue will see a dramatic change in membership after Mayor Mike Huether declined to reappoint six of its nine members.
The Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau Business Improvement District oversees a $2 per night hotel fee that is used to promote Sioux Falls and bring visitors to the city. The City Council created the board in 2010 after hotel owners petitioned for its creation. The mayor appoints its members, which include hotel and industry representatives.
The board generated controversy last year when emails revealed that the mayor’s wife, Cindy Huether, was trying to find out if, legally, the Community Indoor Tennis Center, of which she’s a board member, could access BID money in its push for a new indoor tennis facility. Most BID board members and the founders of the BID argued the money could only be used to promote the city, and not for capital projects that included a new tennis facility.
But in an email obtained by the Argus Leader, Cindy Huether told members of the Community Indoor Tennis Center that: “I know three BID Board members that would be totally in favor of using money for these types of projects.â€
The three members reappointed to the board were: Lee Howell, Shailesh Patel and Mark Wahlstrom.
Cindy Huether did not immediately reply to an email asking if those were the three BID members she referenced.
The article speaks for itself. Though I am sure the people not re-appointed were not too disappointed. I remember when I used to be a volunteer columnist for a popular SF magazine (still in print), and the publisher ‘fired’ me, because I called her out on censoring a by-line to a photo in one of my article spreads. I just laughed and said, “So you are firing me from volunteering my time?”
This is sick & wrong! I cannot believe this man is in the position that he is in. Sioux Falls needs to STAND UP and get rid of him!! He is egotistical & self serving to the detriment of our city!
What is happening to this mayor? Has he become so bold in this elected position to think he can do anything, control everything, and bully everyone and smooth it all over with that silky tongue of his? This isn’t the first board he has done this to, by the way. His arrogance knows no boundaries.
Honestly, I don’t have a particular axe to grind with the Mayor. But this kind of info is a damning indictment of the ethics it illustrates. It is beyond comprehension that people in positions of power don’t keep front & center a guiding ethos of going to great lengths to avoid ANY appearance of impropriety in their affairs, or the affairs of their family members or business associates.
Elevation to a position of authority – whether by vote or promotion – demands behavior in accordance with a higher standard of integrity. Perhaps this is small potatoes and pales in comparison to other alleged impropriety to date in this Mayor’s term – I’m dunno. But to THIS voter, this is a stain on his reputation that won’t launder out.
Ellis’ blog post is PURE speculation based on what will most likely prove coincidences.
totally.
yeah…..pure coincidence……that’s the ticket! it will also be pure co-inky-dink when the bed tax goes to pay for the indoor tennis courts.
Not reappointing 6 (out of 9 members) all who were against using BID money for the Indoor tennis facility backed by the mayor’s wife? Now how can THAT be a coincidence?
It has been my experience that Jonathon Ellis does his homework.
It is one of the numerous times the mayor has boldly gotten rid of people who don’t see things his way!
This brings to mind a phrase: What goes around, comes around. Let us hope.
I suppose the sweeping changes to para transit and SAM will be officially announced shortly after the election. All just a coincidence to be sure.
Anon: “It is one of the numerous times the mayor has boldly gotten rid of people who don’t see things his way!”
Of course – why wouldn’t he? No offense, but that is what administrations do… they hire and appoint people that support their vision while getting rid of those that don’t. These board members are appointed by the Mayor and serve at his pleasure, so it stands to reason he would stack the deck in his favor wouldn’t it?
Any politician will do the same. Maybe for different reasons, or maybe due to personal preference or even a grudge… but it happens at all levels, and don’t think for a second this type of activity would stop if Heuther isn’t re-elected.
In fact, we have seen the same when the Council opted to terminate Debra Owen and hire someone to replace her that more closely aligned with their vision of what a city clerk should do (which from what I can tell is to remain in the shadows while never saying or doing anything that could be percieved as challenging the council).
So in short this isn’t shocking, although if the three that are left standing are the same three that were in support of his (or his wife’s) vision, it would seem it was done out of spite, which again wouldn’t be the first time a politician made a decision based upon how badly his or her feelings were hurt. However it would be great if the names can be confirmed one way or another so we know for sure.
Optomisticaly, there’s 6 dismissed board members and their families voting for Jamison. Again, the mayor invokes absolute power. Unravel strong mayor charter and restore democracy. Councilors need power and any big expenditure must be presented to voters. Tennis has become racketeering. Pun intended.
Might as well just cut the group down to 3 members permanently, since routinely throwing out a super-majority looks rather suspect, or ridiculous.
Mayor Huether’s retributions are real.
There are plenty of people who have had personal experience with this over the past four years, including city employees.
It is part of the reason this guy won the first time around, he had NO political history. Now he does, and NO ONE goes into the voting booth with you.