Just because you used to work for a healthcare provider, doesn’t mean you can call the whaabulance whenever you want.
I knew it would only be a matter of time before one of the council candidates would have a public hissy fit over much to do about nothing, just never expected it to be John Paulson. I mean, this is the candidate who has been attending council meetings lately and usually uses the time to take naps. He must be getting public service advice from De Knudson (ironically he probably is).
Today the CVB had a membership meeting(?). CVB director Teri Ellis Schmidt invited council candidate Theresa Stehly to attend and gave her permission to speak during public input towards the end of the meeting. Theresa was unaware if there would be other candidates there, but appreciated the opportunity given to her by Teri to speak about her candidacy. John Paulson was the only other candidate to show.
Theresa went up at public input, introduced herself, talked about her community service (pushing for boulevard ordinance changes – snowgates), her endorsement from Kermit and his support of the CVB, etc. No bomb throwing of any kind.
Then John Paulson stands up and says, “That was out of line. I have nothing to say after that.”
She must have woken him up from his nap talking about actual policy and issues.
Smug Paulson thought all his corporate cronies would make him a shoe-in to win the At-Large council seat when he announced last fall – whether Kermit ran or not. Clearly, Stehly has ROCKED HIS WORLD with her candidacy. She’s proving there’s huge support for a Councilor who represents the common man – you know, actual PEOPLE, not just “projects”. Not every taxpayer is a business owner, contractor, developer, VP, manager, lawyer, doctor, etc. There are plenty of local taxpayers who are rank & file wage earners. Their tax dollars are as green as anyone’s, and they live throughout Sioux Falls. They’re as entitled to a proponent on our City Council as the plutocrats are.
John Paulson is on the very important Planning Commission that decides whether a given piece of property changes from residential to commercial, single family to townhomes etc. It decides what gets torn down. Are these meetings open to the public? Looks like they typically last about half an hour to decide peoples’ fates for or against the Corporations. (see Commission minutes)