IL’s service will be at Miller Funeral Home, downtown, 5:30pm on Sunday, September 20, 2015.
When a fellow South DaCola foot soldier goes, it is never easy. I.L. passed away peacefully this past Saturday in hospice at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls. He had stage four pancreatic cancer that quickly spread.
I.L. was well known to be gaveled by the past two mayors at Carnegie Town Hall. His last gaveling was when he asked the mayor, “When are you going to follow Roberts Rule of Order?” I remember chuckling at the notion of our Mayor following rules.
I.L. was most famous for his SD Supreme Court case in which he got the Red Light cameras shut off in Sioux Falls because they were unconstitutional. I believe state law now prohibits there use.
I.L. taught me one thing about addressing the city council, stand up for what you believe in and don’t be scared. He attended most city council meetings with enough cash to bail himself out if he were to be arrested while testifying at public input. It almost happened a few times. Folklore is that when the silly guard rail was put in last year at the council chambers it was because of I.L. When we told him this, he just got a big grin on his face. I never feared the man. He spoke for what he believed in, and I admired him for it. Sometimes words scare people, especially when those words are true. I wouldn’t doubt I.L. got into with St. Peter before they let him in.
A tentative service will be this Sunday at Miller Funeral Home. I will keep you posted. I.L. was of Catholic and Jewish decent.
Ellis also wrote a nice piece about I.L.
http://www.argusleader.com/story/blogs/jonathanellis/2015/09/14/city-watchdog-loses-cancer-fight/72275816/
I will miss this citizen’s voice in the people’s town hall.
The Ellis Argus article is an appropriate tribute. IL was one of a kind. Yes, he worried about being arrested at city council public input. What’s also true is he was sometimes followed home. Our city is not democracy. For IL and others, I shall continue to look for means to expose the mayor and change back to freedom guarranteed by state and federal constitutions.
Some have been falsely arrested. People without a criminal record were printed and held in an orange jumpsuit. Bail is set at one cent so that someone must come bail you out.
You’ll die fighting city hall. As a patriotic combat veteran; Give me liberty or give me death.