As you may or may not know, the Zeal Center is part of the USD Discovery Center (that recently got funding from the city council for infrastructure) and share many of the same leaders, like Rich Naser.
UPDATE: I am being told Zeal is a joint venture between the Chamber and the Development Foundation and the USD Discovery District is a USD project. Rich Naser works on both of them, but Zeal receives no DIRECT city funding but the Development Foundation DOES.
One of the board members of Zeal, Matthew Paulson, decided to trash city councilor Stehly on FB recently (she supported the funding).
While Matt certainly has a 1st Amendment Right to say what he wants about an elected official, NOT sure it shows a lot of professionalism when your organization just got a big chunk of money from the city’s taxpayers in which Stehly approved of. Remember, the city council holds the purse strings (not so much under the last mayor). Maybe the next time The Discovery Center or Zeal come asking for funding they won’t be getting much support from city council.
Is he susceptible for an ethics board hearing?
Hey paulson. You’re a troll here, so I know you’re reading this. Run against her in 2020. See how that works out for ya.
Matthew Paulson has consistently demonstrated with his comments on both southdacola and facebook that he has very little understanding of how Sioux Falls politics work.
I have been a close observer of local politics for decades and rarely is it collaborative and consensus driven.
I will say I commend Matt for using his real name here, he may not know what the Hell he is talking about sometimes, but he uses his real name. I also will defend anyone who practices FREE speech. He has every right to bash Stehly or any other politician, it just doesn’t look so good when you are a board member of an organization getting a taxpayer subsidy. Should he apologize. Not at all. I have had people over the years say I should apologize, and I do when I am completely wrong. But when it comes to my philosophy on a political issue, no way. But I’m also NOT a board member of Zeal.
“collaborative and consensus”
Those two words in city politics are code for ‘Do what the mayor and business elite tell you to do’. Consensus in government isn’t worth Sh*t without healthy, open debate and discussion.
Based on what I’ve read of his online comments, Paulson is a hopeless Pollyanna who would benefit greatly from a very public cream pie in the face.
“collaborative-minded” = come along to get along cronyist politico.
It is so easy to be collaboritive with OPM*.
* Other People’s Money
While I disagree with Mat every now and then, I will say that he is overall a good guy and does try to do good for our community.
And I’d rather have Mat be honest and open about his thoughts than they be hidden. Should this effect future Zeal Center stuff? Maybe? But Mat being honest is 1000 times better than our councilors who Itch behind our back and mocks each other in private.
Mat is basically an open book, That is SUPER COMENDABLE!
Complete lack of professionalism. Zeal gets tax money? On board with the idea, but not the people behind the concept.
I’d like to point out that I’m not blaming every councilor with poor conduct. If you read this blog frequently enough you know which ones I write of.
I am not writing about Stehly, Brekke, and Starr. Stehly in particular is amazing and should be commended for her willingness to be open, honest, and forthright with the public.
Peter, the councilors you have named are all active and responsive to public input, though I sometimes disagree with some of their beliefs. The attack or should I say attacks on Theresa Stehly are tacky and immature.
“… works on both of them …”
What a web of incestuous inter-relationships all of these organizations and people weave. Makes it easier to launder money through the various “public/private partnerships” and “joint ventures”.