[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnmyaKXK-KQ[/youtube]
Sometimes we have to be reminded how messy democracy is. Sometimes our leaders get to feel the burn of polite citizen outrage. Tuesday January 19, 2016 Sioux Falls City Council Public Input was just one of those sometimes.
We will be posting the results of the public’s polite pressure in another of our next video. To say the public showed up and expressed their views would be an understatement. The public showed up and helped the panel know how important agendas are for the process.
We also learned a great deal about the proposed rental car “tax” and how it’s introduction is taking away a funding source being held in reserve for a potential airport parking ramp.
Another little bit of inconvenience exposed in this session were the Open Meetings violations the Council was party to the week before. The Council was called into Executive Session to privately discuss marketing and campaign strategy for the rental car “tax”. City Attorney David Pfeifle was in the room for this discussion and did not stop it. What good is a city attorney if the person is part of the questionably legal activity? Hmmmm…..
The speakers were as eloquent and on point as we have ever heard. Speaking truth to power is important and these speakers did. This group did not complain, did not offend, did not insult and Tim Stanga did point out to the panel why people are not eager to be part of their group. It was Tim at his best, bravo. Bravo also to Dan Letellier, John Matthius, Kendal Zoeller, Liz Muilenburg, Greg Neitzert, Duane Riggy, Michael Wyland, and David Zokaites for showing up on a cold January night to bring democracy to the Council.
Cameraman Bruce finished out the Public Input by reminding the room we are messy democracy. We want to be part of the process. We all showed up because we care and don’t care if the Council tires of us coming. It’s the job they all ran for so suck it up and accept our participation.
An amazing meeting and only a tip of the work to be done.