2018

Pat Starr likely the next Vice Chair of Sioux Falls City Council

While we still have a city election going on this Tuesday, that doesn’t mean the council still hasn’t been discussing the future of leadership.

Obviously a major lynchpin will be the contest between DeBoer and Soehl in the central district, which I predict will be a close race. So close that I don’t think it will be decided on Tuesday because they may have to wait for absentees to return from the snowbirds because our current (Uncertified) City Clerk doesn’t know how to order printing in a timely manner. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

There are some obvious appointments;

Greg Neitzert will probably become chair of the Audit Committee, replacing Rex. He has wide support on the council for this position.

Erickson will probably roll into the Council Chair position with little to no opposition (she currently serves as Vice-Chair).

But where it might get sticky is the vice-chair position. As far as I know, Starr is the only one who has had interest in it. Stehly has expressed she is too busy in her personal business to be chair or vice-chair, and with Greg wanting the Audit chair position, he cannot serve in either of those positions, so it leaves Pat. New councilors tend to NOT get these appointments, and with councilor Selberg consistently sitting in the background, I can’t imagine he would be suited for the position or even want it.

Though council positions tend to be non-partisan, it will be really fun to watch a conservative Republican chair and progressive Democratic vice-chair serve together. Can’t wait to see the sausage this will produce.

McGovern Day Dinner 2018

What an amazing afternoon and night. Bruce and I had the honor to be granted press passes for the event. And besides KSFY showing up for a 5 minute interview with Mayor Buttigieg and Dana Ferguson from the Argus covering it old school style, SouthDaCola got extended interviews and videos from the event. We will be posting soon speeches from dinner (Loetscher redeems herself) and the noon luncheon. We also got exclusive interviews with Mayor Pete, Tim Bjorkman, Billie Sutton and Cory Heidelberger. Stay tuned!

I also gotta give a shout out to my West River Bud, Joe Lowe for giving me his best Donald Trump impersonations. God I love that guy. Joe, not Donald.

Nothing like posing with the future president of the United States 🙂

Disgusted with Mayor Huether

Just when I was considering writing a letter to the editor about Mike’s term in office, someone beats me to the punch, and they don’t gloss over anything;

We elect council members Huether doesn’t want to listen to. Their opinions don’t matter to him, to the point where one council member even walked out of a meeting. Can’t say that I blame him. Now the frosting on the cake is the April 4 article where theArgus Leader had the guts to poke fun at one of the candidates who answered a question from the public. Why should he even comment? All he wants people to be aware of is “What I have achieved.” Accusing a candidate of finding a way to capture the attention of the electorate was very uncalled for. At least that candidate is sincere, not phony like Huether. Take your “big shot” accomplishments home and live with them. We elect the council members, so what gives Huether the right to make our decisions, ignoring their opinions? He also chose the out-of-state ambulance service. I hope he doesn’t have a need in his family and need to wait 45 minutes to one hour, like some people have. One man had to take his wife to Acute Care, as no ambulance ever came. Sound like a proper response to you? Not to me. He probably would get special attention that we average folks can’t get. Highly disgusted with him.

She missed a couple of things, but I do agree with her ending. It has been truly disgusting.

*For the record I have no idea who the person was that wrote this letter.

On the Road with Tim Bjorkman

Tim spoke at a Town Hall event organized by Indivisible 605 and Indivisible Common Grounds at the Icon Event Hall + Lounge in Sioux Falls where he addressed some of the critical issues we face as a state and nation, gave an update about the campaign, and responded to audience questions on a wide variety of issues. Tim and Kay also spent time in Madison for a fundraiser, visiting the courthouse, library, DSU campus, and KJAM Radio where he had an interview with Sue Bergheim! Catch him this weekend at the SDDP McGovern Day dinner and next weekend at the Custer County Democrats’ Roosevelt-McGovern Day Rally!

Saturday, April 28th:

Speaking at South Dakota Democratic Party McGovern Day, 7:00pm

Ramkota Convention Center

3200 W Maple

Sioux Falls, SD 57107

Find tickets & the full weekend schedule at: www.sddp.org

Wednesday, May 2nd:

Lake Andes campaign stop, 12:00pm

Lake Andes Lakers Lunch

Tim will spend the morning and afternoon in Wagner

Thursday, May 3rd:

Brookings fundraiser, 5:00pm

Mama Mia

1300 Main Avenue S

Brookings, SD 57006

Friday, May 4th:

Kadoka courthouse

Kimball business district

Lyman County Courthouse

Custer downtown

Saturday, May 5th:

Custer County Democratic Party Roosevelt-McGovern Day Rally, 11:000am

Rocky Knolls Golf Course

Sunday, May 6th:

Custer, Hill City

Public Input belongs to the Public, not the mayor or council

So if Paul becomes mayor he thinks he is going to make some changes;

TenHaken said establishing a sign-up sheet for those wishing to address the City Council, potentially reducing the five minute time allotment, enforcing a code of conduct for everyone at meetings and designating seats in the Council chamber for those who’ve signed up to speak.

First off, Public Input belongs to the public. Secondly, the mayor has ZERO power in changing the rules at public input, that is the council’s job.

I will not sign a sign up sheet, and I will not sit in a designated area. Public input belongs to the public. We own this government and the agenda, not the mayor or council. I will not have goofy rules put on my 1st Amendment rights.

When people are acting up, you gavel them and ask them to leave or escort them out by security.

It is already intimidating enough for people to come and speak, we don’t need to make that process harder for EVERYONE because a few bad apples called the mayor names when HE wasn’t following his own rules of conduct.

I refuse to take a number and be called on like a person waiting at the DMV. And if Paul or the Council think they are going to thru with these changes there will be the biggest revolt they have ever seen, and it won’t involve respect or decorum.