Our monthly wambulance board report is a doozy, so get ready.
Sioux Falls has “citizen” boards to assist the City Council with recommendations. We citizens are constantly reminded the collegial boards are not to be made public by video or other recordings because they might be afraid to show up and do what they chose to do. These boards are not policy making bodies but a place to make recommendations for the City Council (The Policy Making Body of Sioux Falls) to make policy from.
So of course we show up with our handicams to see what non-important, important things like policy making they are doing.
August 23, 2017 the Sioux Falls Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA) board met at noon to get their monthly sandwich allowance and talk.
When Cameraman Bruce showed up, the door was blocked from view and closed. Isn’t this supposed to be an “open” meeting with a door open? As he finished setting up his handicams the room filled up with all the usual participants. As the City Attorney showed up and made sure the door was shut behind him. Not good. So Cameraman Bruce with all the meeting participants watching, propped the door open with a garbage can. Now we have an open meeting with a garbage can making it happen.
Look at meeting agendas for this board and others, you will see a lack of agenda. In our video we show you the agenda, or lack thereof published.
1. We have a new 980 less, phantom ambulance policy voted on without public notice.
2. We have a new drug based overdose policy voted on without public notice.
3. We have a new drug based chemical restraint policy which could kill a member of the public without public notice.
This non-policy making body voted on several policy changes with no public notice and then didn’t have enough handouts to everyone in the room to read. There was not public input allowed on the different new policies or things which sort of appeared to be policy. They even used the words policy as they voted. We’re sort of looking for these items to go before the City Council someday but we won’t hold our breath if the collegials show up.