2016
This is about citizen rights
Former Rep. Manny Steele writes a letter about Tuesday’s vote;
The only fair way to know was to give the citizens an opportunity to vote.
The only council members true to the citizens at the Tuesday night council meeting were Theresa Stehly and Pat Starr. They honored their commitment to the people.
The other three: Greg Neitzert, Kristine Erickson and Marshall Selberg, who first voted for the people to have a vote, turned against the people and threw them under the bus.
The reasons given to flip flop were weak at best, and a real cop-out. They gave up and surrendered to the mayor when the citizens really needed them.
I am, as many others, extremely disappointed in them.
Yes, this was an ‘advisory vote’ but it would have shown some solidarity amongst the councilors who fought for this repeal to begin with.
A very suspicious Executive Session
Just another Sioux Falls city council executive session
Every Friday afternoon I peruse the upcoming council agenda and meetings for Tuesday. Next Tuesday’s informational meeting has a ‘very curious’ executive session;
As stated this could be about an elected official (mayor or city councilor) or a about a city employee (specifically a city council employee since they are being asked to be a part of this). I have no idea which it is, but have my guesses. So I will says this.
If it is a city public employee, it should be held in executive session. They have special rights when it comes to reprimands and termination. I didn’t write the rules, but they are what they are.
If it is a city councilor (considered a part-time public employee) or the mayor (a salaried full-time employee) there is absolutely NO reason to put this in executive session. Elected officials should be held to a higher standard, and the public has the right to know if they are acting unethically, and equally the elected official should have the right to face their accusers in a public forum and tell their side of the story to the public, the ones who hired them.
If, and that’s a big If, it is an elected official, I encourage them to request the bloodletting in a public forum.
What do I think? I find it very peculiar that a sitting city councilor can sit on the executive board of the Chamber and not have a conflict of interest, or a sitting mayor plastering his name on a building that received $500K of tax payer money being AOK, but if a city councilor may be involved with promoting citizen led initiatives they are considered ‘unethical’.
What’s that saying about throwing the first stone?
I don’t know a lot, but I do know that elected officials are afforded the same 1st amendment constitutional rights as regular citizens. I also know that the oath they take is to uphold the US Constitution above the state constitution and city charter.
Tuesday is either going to be very interesting if this is an elected official, or very boring if an assistant city clerk is taken to task behind closed doors for taking too long of a break (next time they need to hide in the back alley of the old Ming Wah with the parking meter attendants).
What do you think? If it is an elected official, do you agree that it should be a public hearing?
South DaCola video interviews open invitation
Any candidate running for the Minnehaha County Commission OR local legislative races that would like to have a video interview featured on South DaCola before the November election is welcome to contact me;
The interviews would last between 20-40 minutes and be posted on my site and my youtube channel. These will be individual candidate interviews so NO opponent to face in a debate or forum. There will also be no prepared questions by me (host) so it will be an opportunity for the candidate to make a pitch for themselves.
Thanks, Scott
The SON neighborhood warned us of retail sprawl
Lora was right about something
The wise folks in our Sioux Falls planning office ignored the drainage issues. Remember a few short days ago and my analogy of Sioux Falls as a pancake? Believe it or not, it is one the few tidbits I remember from a mayoral forum Lora Hubbel was in when mayor Munson was running. She warned Sioux Falls citizens of the ‘flatlands’ we live on. Well at least Lora has that conspiracy theory tied up. Now if we can just get that five foot branch to pull the trigger.
These are the images of flooding around the new Walmart and Schulte dealership on 85th street. As mayor Huether said tonight on Stormland TV, this is a 350 year flood. Where does he get this stuff?
Sorry kids, we had a simple rainstorm today, this should not be happening in a ‘well planned’ city.
I have more this weekend about the backdoor deals made since Wallyworld was built to turn this whole neighborhood into a lake.
Click to enlarge