April 2017

Do the Dems have someone besides Sutton for a candidate for governor

While the SDDP is embroiled in a Executive Board meeting as we speak (started at 7 PM and still going at 10 PM) There may be good news on the horizon for them after all.

It seems they have another person considering a run for Governor besides Sutton.

I won’t say who it is until closer to their announcement, that is IF they decide to do it, but let’s just say they come from a VERY public sector professional background and would be a fantastic opponent to Jackley/Noem or Huether. They would especially keep Jackley on his toes during the campaign. There uphill battle will be name recognition.

What I can tell from their political leanings is they would be a moderate Democrat with SOME progressive ideals for the state, especially when it comes to the drug problem ravishing our state and the mental health of our state.

Stay tuned!

2017 City Salaries; Engineering Department

The engineering department is one of the largest and most compensated of any in the city. They are mostly responsible for our roads, and traffic flow and pretty much anything relating to infrastructure. It actually surprised me of how many ACTUAL engineers work for the city considering they use a lot outside consultants, architects and engineers.

69 people work in the Engineering department

15 Civil Engineers

19 Engineering Techs

9 Traffic Techs

9 Principal Engineers

3 Temps

2 Real Estate Specialists

3 Administrative Assistants

2 Assistant City Engineers

7 Misc single positions and managers

$2.7 Million Management Salaries

$1.8 Million hourly Salaries

$4.5 million in total salaries with an average wage of $65,200 a year.

Most management makes between 70-100K while hourly employees make between 50-60K a year.

The Engineering department has the highest paid city employee, Director of Public Works, Mark Cotter $183,622.40 (Mark is probably one of the highest paid public municipal employees in the state of South Dakota).

It would be nice to see the numbers with what the department spends on outside assistance.

Here is the full doc: 2017-Wages

Pitchfork Flyer at Annex meeting was citizen’s idea

I guess a pitchfork flyer was being passed around at the annex meeting on Wednesday. I am assuming it was in response to the mayor’s comments on the B-N-B show on Tuesday that the citizens who attended the first annex meeting were trying to cause a ‘crap storm’ by bringing their ‘pitchforks and torches’ to which Greg and Mike had a good chuckle.

As I have been told, this was a CITIZEN’s idea that did not come from anyone on the city council, or for that matter from me or Cameraman Bruce. I had to quell those rumors, since it seems someone in the administration is spreading a little ‘crap’ themselves.

(I am trying to get a picture of the original flyer)

Jaber incident reveals our lack of gun restrictions in South Dakota

I won’t get into whether or not Mr. Jaber is innocent or guilty (I guess if he had a fair judge and or jury, I could see the decision going either way). I do agree with some that Jackboots is using this as political grandstanding.

Also don’t get me started on the 3 cousins pissing match over who’s religion is the BEST! People wonder why I am non-religious, watching the 3 cousins clown around is one of the main reasons. You are all descendents of Abraham, you all worship the same God. Get over it already, put the f’ing guns down and give each other a group hug.

Some would say the police did not act accordingly, believe it or not, I will defend the SFPD on this one. Our gun laws in SD are so lax, they had no choice then to let Mr. Jaber go. His possession of multiple assault weapons and pistols in his vehicle is perfectly legal in SD. AND, he probably bought them all legally.

If good, God fearing South Dakotans should be scared of anything, it’s not radical Muslims, Jews or Christians they should worry about, it’s our hazardous and troublesome lax gun laws in South Dakota that allow a person to carry around an arsenal in their mini-van. You’d think Mr. Jaber was preparing to drive through the middle of Baghdad instead of sleepy old Sioux Falls.