2017

Get out of the weeds for the golf contract

Councilor Selberg had this to say about the golf RFP;

“I think we need to get back to the facts. I think we are about three miles off in the weeds in some of this stuff, right now, ” says Selberg.

I hope there isn’t any weeds growing at the golf course. Tom Walsh had this to say about the RFP and contract;

“They’re looking at spending $375,000 a year in leasing of equipment, besides what they do up front,” Walsh said. “It’s not right for our taxpayers. If I were a taxpayer that didn’t play golf, I’d really be upset.”

Tom, this is S.O.P. from the Huether administration. Just look at the Huether tennis center. What did taxpayers get from our $500K investment in that building? Not a F’ing thing! Heck, we can’t even use the parking lot for overflow.

I have been hearing the council will probably approve the contract with Landscapes Unlimited, but not because it is the right thing to do, but that certain people in leadership and with the administration have been threatening the council with false threats of being sued by LU if they don’t approve. If that is the case, 1) Who told LU that this was a done deal before it got council approval, and 2) if that is the case, why even have the council approve these contracts?

*Walsh also talks about a meeting he had with the mayor a few weeks ago, and the mayor admitted he pretty much gets what he wants, and the only fight he has lost in 7-1/2 years is the Archives Building (he opposed that because he hates history). Well he better start getting used to losing, because I think the strikes are going to start adding up here real soon.

“Oh Bullsh*t”

Bruce got kicked out of the Board of Ethics meeting on December 22, 2017 he caused to happen. Why? This is what we always ask when secrecy is more important than the truth.

We all learned Sioux Falls city government based on secrecy enforced by the strong mayor form of rule.

There was a recusal problem leading up to the November 7, 2017 Sioux falls City Council meeting. Bruce asked several people that night why the recusal, then restudied the exhibits, talked with local media (to put it in context) and figured out a councilor did a boo-boo.

So what else could Bruce do but file an ethics complaint? Yup, another one was filed a couple of weeks after the fact on November 30, 2017 with the City Attorney’s office, for a review by the Board of Ethics. (there had been a deferral, later dropped by the developers)

This video is the result of the filing. The offending (in many other ways too) Councilor decided to keep she/he/it identity secret from the public. A “problem” now, before the filing, Bruce discussed the issue with many people, so it became an “open secret”. How can something publicly researched be made un-public? Like putting a genie back in the bottle, it can’t happen. Smart people can put two and two together and figure out what is happening if they want to know.

Add to the Friday board hearing fun, the accused in question decided to personally reveal to a local watchdog reporter who happen to be waiting patiently for the verdict. The Councilor’s “bullsh*t” comment was the confirmation.  Like other Sioux Falls executive sessions Bruce has helped to reveal over the past few years, it’s easy to figure out what is going on by paying attention, then watch who goes in and out of the room.

This same councilor has repeatedly made promises of ethics investigations when other members didn’t do as commanded. Let’s just say, Hmmm….

Interesting findings from this session:

1. Once the complaint paperwork gets filed, the filer can no longer present evidence or corrections, and

2. The filer is kicked out of the room, not able to defend the filing, and

3. When the issue involves a City Council member, the City Attorney must recuse. Does this hold true for a mayor, directors? (again, Hmmm…..) and

4. Most importantly, the ruling sets a precedent allowing illegal activities of a Sioux Falls official to not be unethical.

Catch the impact of number 4? Think about the myriad of questionable city activities our local reporters are bringing to light Christmas week 2017. Are these questionably legal maneuvers now ethical, not subject to ethics sanction?

Bruce has asked why a Home Rule Charter community cannot get help with open meeting violations. We now have a ruling from our Board of Ethics saying screw you for asking.

A very ‘Pogues’ Christmas

One of my favorite Christmas songs;

The first thing to say about The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is that it is absurd when described in words.

Take an ever-soused Irish folk/punk band that includes a tin whistle player named Spider. Put them within a soaring orchestral arrangement, and task the shambolic front man with delivering a Christmas song. Make it a duet with a stage-fright afflicted singer who never quite became the pop starlet she wanted to be. The result is possibly the most sentimental Christmas song ever constructed, yet loved by people who spend December telling you, oh, how they despise sentimental Christmas songs.

When The Pogues teamed up with Kirsty MacColl to create “Fairytale of New York,” they made one of the only Christmas songs composed in the last 30 years that is likely to be heard and covered and beloved in another 50 or 100. If “Fairtytale” isn’t in your Christmas playlist, you’re doing something wrong.