Sioux Falls City Councilor Kiley may get the boot due to his relationship with the executive branch

Trust me, the councilors have been discussing this for awhile, and Kiley may get a May surprise;

In Kiley’s case, it’s his relationship with City Hall that shows signs of hurting his ascent on a council that’s increasingly asserting its independence from the mayor.

“Are you working for us or the mayor?” Councilor Greg Neitzert asked Monday during a discussion on whether to overturn the mayor’s veto of a Council measure to require the Parks Board to post recordings of its meetings on the city website. “This vote, in my mind, is going to answer that question.”

Neitzert in an interview hinted that the Council could deviate from the traditional power transfer order when deciding who next to hand the gavel to in May.

“I want somebody who is going to represent the Council and our best interest. My vote will be predicated on that thought,” Neitzert said. “Are they going to stand up for the Council? Are they going to be open with us? Are you a little too cozy with the mayor’s office at the expense of the council?”

I’ve told councilors to change it up a bit and pick two new leaders (Chair and Vice-Chair). Ideally, I would like to see Erickson as Chair and Selberg as Vice-Chair, but any arrangement that doesn’t involve Kiley would be preferable. Of course, he is painting a different picture;

“If I cast a vote based on what I think could be political fallout … even if it may impact my opportunity to one day serve as chairman of the City Council, the only person I would be serving would be myself,” he said. “The day I base a decision or vote on an election is the day I should resign. That day will never come.”

That’s unfortunate.