[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpg0fu7cdkw[/youtube]
12/01/2015
Rex Rolfing all of a sudden wanted to change the city of Sioux Falls employment succession rule known as Bumpback a few weeks back. With a simple question by Dean Karsky & some chuckling from City Attorney Fiddle Faddle, the plan all fell apart.
(Image: Alexandra Szameit)
This is former city finance officer Manfred Szameit and Kenny Anderson Sr. mucking it up. They met working as dry cleaning delivery drivers and later worked together in city government. Kenny was a city commissioner at the time.
Last night while councilor Hat-Hater Rex Rolfing was rambling about his bump back ordinance (that he didn’t even understand while having a Dick Kelly moment) some interesting statements came from Fire Chief Sideras’ mouth;
Both Sioux Falls Fire Rescue Chief Jim Sideras and Police Chief Matt Burns said it would have a “chilling effect†or worse on civil servants weighing the pros and cons of accepting a promotion.
“I would have to go through potentially two mayors, three mayors. Do I want to put my family at risk if things didn’t work out?†Sideras said, referring to the factors a candidate for his position would have to consider without a bump back clause. “There isn’t another fire department in town. There isn’t another police department in town.â€
Maybe you should have thought of those concerns before you fired and prosecuted a mentally ill assistant fire chief. Instead of helping Patrick Warren with his mental illness and allowing him to continue his job with treatment and a possible demotion, you threw the book at him and fired him with no recourse. I don’t believe Jim is concerned one ioata about his fellow fire department directors, this is about kissing the mayor’s ass and how he looks and if he can secure some more investors for his lakefront resort in Charles Mix county.
It seems the state’s largest municipal government lobbying group is at it again, trying to squeeze water out of a rock;
Taylor said she’ll likely propose a bill in 2016 that would allow cities and towns to collect a penny sales tax to finance infrastructure projects.
Under the proposal, each city’s officials could choose what projects need public funding and at what cost. Voters would then decide whether to increase the city’s sales tax by one cent temporarily to fund a bond for those projects. Once the project was fully funded, the sales tax would cease.
What part don’t they understand? Not only has the state legislature and voters rejected sales tax hikes, they really aren’t necessary to begin with. First off, ending the sales tax after a project is completed is one of the most hilarious things I have ever heard of. Just look at the 7th penny tax we have in Sioux Falls, used to pay down the Pavilion bonds. Well, the Pavilion has been paid off for quite awhile, guess what, we are still paying the tax (basically because the contractors did such a piss poor job on the building, we are spending millions each year in maintenance costs).
As for the whining about 100 year old pipes, I would suggest that the citizens of these towns elect intelligent people to lead them through creative prioritizing when it comes to budgeting, instead sticking their hands out while burying their heads in the sand. There are several Federal and State programs that can assist in these projects, in fact, the city of Sioux Falls borrows millions from the state each year for projects.
Just like funding education, this is about putting together a reasonable budget that takes care of the actual needs of citizenry instead of corporate welfare.
I don’t believe for a second this is about 100 year old pipes, this is about another money grab. The Municipal League needs to knock this shit off and drop the matter once and for all, and get back to finding ways municipal government can actually serve us prudently instead of bleeding us recklessly.
A few months ago I spoke during public testimony about handing out free condoms. Then I got a friendly call from the health director, Jill Franken that there is distribution sites in Sioux Falls. Here is the map and the listing of those sites.
While I am all for having distribution sites at bars (hookup spots). I find some places that are glaringly missing; other health clinics. Besides the taxpayer funded Falls Community Health, I’m curious why no Sanford or Avera clinics or hospitals are listed? What about community centers? Public Parks? Rec centers? Heck, Planned Parenthood isn’t even listed (but I am sure you can get them there). It seems two of our city’s largest employers don’t want to get involved with the politics of STD’s and condoms. That’s too bad, since prevention is the key to good health. But hey, after enjoying a delicious micro-brew at Monk’s, you can get a free condom and get jiggy.
BIGS SPORTS BAR & BILLIARDS
3110 W. 12th St.
Sioux Falls, SD
(605) 275-2447
BOTTOMS UP
25989 482nd Ave
Brandon, SD
(605) 582-2938
MONKS HOUSE OF ALE REPUTE
420 E. 8th St
Sioux Falls, SD
(605) 338-2328
FALLS COMMUNITY HEALTH
521 N Main Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-8717
CROW BAR CASINO & LOUNGE
2805 S Minnesota Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 332-2981
SCARLETT O’HARA’S
3201 S. Carolyn Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
(605) 362-8911
OLIVIA’S ADULT SUPERCENTER
27094 Katie Road
Tea, SD
(605) 213-3000
THE PHOENIX LOUNGE
321 E. Willow St.
Harrisburg, SD
(605) 743-2800
l3wis