South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2018

Public Utilities Public Works red light cameras Sioux Falls

Smart City or Big Brother?

l3wis 11Comments

I get a little nervous when government, especially local governments start suggesting video monitoring in public spaces outdoors;

It’s a reoccurring crime in Sioux Falls, vandals damaging art on the Sioux Falls SculptureWalk.

That’s why Sioux Falls’ IT manager says the city is looking at monitoring the area through video cameras.

“So if somebody is starting to climb onto a sculpture, that video technology can alert a staff member. Then somebody can go check it out,” IT Manager Jon Klemme said.

Trust me, not a fan of art vandals, but when you put expensive bronzes in public spaces, things can happen, that is why they are insured. Besides, I think the expense to taxpayers to protect art that is insured with video monitoring isn’t worth it. I also find it ironic that the city would consider video monitoring art when they said it is too expensive to store data for police to have body cameras? Let’s talk about priorities.

The city has also added several traffic signals that move cars more safely and quickly using artificial intelligence.

As I have told people, I haven’t noticed a difference on Minnesota Avenue with traffic flow, so not sure how well it is working. What they do need to fix is the light at 26th and Cliff that is timed goofy all the time, and while they are at it fix the roller coaster ride over the RR tracks in front of Avera on Cliff. Quite possibly one of the worst street repair jobs I have seen in the city.

How can we also forget the UNCONSITUTIONAL red light cameras that had to be taken down?

Think about all of the street lights in Sioux Falls. To save money and electricity, those lights could be turned off at night until technology senses movement nearby.

Now that is a good idea, I much prefer movement detectors over video monitoring.

Culbertson says people are often concerned when a city starts collecting more data, so city officials should make sure citizens are comfortable with the technology before it’s rolled out.

In reality, this should really be dictated by city ordinance and voted on by the citizens through the Charter Revision Commission and a city election. We must take government monitoring seriously. They already snoop in our yards and Bruce has even caught them digging around his junk pile during Project NICE. We pay city employees to SERVICE us, NOT SNOOP on us. If you are concerned about the well being of your private property that is the responsibility of the individual, NOT the city.

*You know what would be really fun, live web feed cameras installed in the City Center Admin building so we can watch city employees work 🙂

Sioux Falls Thor Bardon

Former Sioux Falls City Council Candidate, Bardon to do presentation on Foster Care

l3wis 0Comments

Raised by the Government: A Look at Foster Care in SD

September 26, 2018

Members of the media and the public are invited to attend an event.

Thor Bardon is hosting a foster care informational event at the Belbas Theater, Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls on October 20. The event will be from 1pm-4pm. The event is called “Their Only Hope: A Foster Care Informational”

During this event, several non-profits will be presenting what they do to benefit the foster care system in South Dakota. Afterwards, Thor Bardon will be presenting an emotional case study of a child’s life before, during, and after their experience in the foster care system.  The case study will highlight the intricacies of a child that experienced abuse and neglect, medical misdiagnoses, and eventually a plan for suicide.  Thor Bardon will show how the foster care system through the work of several non-profits saved this child from suicide, learned to value themselves, and ultimately made it to be a successful member of the community.

Thor Bardon at the beginning of his teenage years was entered into the foster care system as well after his family was unable to care for him. His primary target audience is government officials, those seeking public office, community leaders, and the general public.  This event is being solely funded by Thor Bardon himself and the reason for this is because, “I want people to have a better understanding of what it looks like when the government raises a child.  A staggering portion of the 640,000 children in foster care right now in the US will be dead or in prison by the age of 21.  That’s just the way it is.”  Thor Bardon hopes that this presentation will provide a better understanding of what these children are facing in their lives.

“Today the hardest thing I had to do was decide what I wanted to wear. To some of these children, the hardest thing they had to do was pack all of their stuff into garbage bags.  Imagine that feeling of having everything you own, in a garbage bag, moving to a strange new place.”

This event will have a no solicitation policy meaning that those in attendance will not be asked to contribute any time, money, or other commitment beyond getting information at the event.

Those interested in attending should search for the event online by keying in “Their Only Hope: Foster Care Informational” or they can call 605-321-2463. Seats are limited and tickets are free of charge.

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Media Inquiries:

Please contact Thor Bardon at thor.bardon@gmail.com or call him on his cell at 605-321-2463

County Commission Minnehaha County SF City Council Sioux Falls

Minnehaha County Commission & Sioux Falls City Council fight over joint jurisdiction

l3wis 7Comments

The CC and CC just can’t agree on whether or not to allow a wedding barn to be built in the middle of a corn field. Yes. You heard me right. You would think with all the big decisions to make, that a wedding barn (outside of the city limits) would be the last thing to debate about. Oh, and it’s painful.

Ironically the Sioux Falls Planning Commission and Minnehaha Planning Commission both agreed it was ok. The kicker? Jeff Schmidt with the city’s planning office is concerned that in 12-30 years from now a housing development may be built around the wedding barn, and it may hurt the growth of the development because of the ‘noise’ from a wedding barn.

Are wedding barns noisy? Hmm.

The biggest problem with this is that the city and county agreed on joint jurisdiction in the growth area of Sioux Falls. In other words, land that is still not annexed into city limits but could be in the future. Most of the time it’s fine, but Schmidt with the help of councilor Neitzert decided to nitpick about streets, drainage and commercial/residential development 12-30 years down the road. Right now the land is a corn field and zoned ag in the county, they need to re-zone so the barn can be built.

County Chair Heiberger reminded the bodies on the dais that the joint jurisdiction is a more or less a ‘polite’ agreement, and if the city continues to nitpick about stupid crap, the county may get rid of the agreement (well she really didn’t say that, but you get the feeling).

Towards the end of the meeting during public input I told both bodies to try to remember to bring legal counsel to these meetings (neither side had one present) and that they need to stop cooking up their legislative priorities in private with only leadership in the room.

Code Enforcement Downtown Sioux Falls Sioux Falls

Fodness Family sues city & other city news

l3wis 4Comments

The Fodness family is suing the City of Sioux Falls for Negligence over the Copper Lounge Collapse. The suit alleges that the city’s building services who provides building permits and construction inspections failed to heed the warnings of what was going on with the construction of the Lewis Drug.

More details to come. (Filed Doc: Fodness 2018-09-18 Complaint)

LLOYD PURCHASES LACEY ESTATES?

As I understand it, Lloyd Companies ultimately purchased the property after all and after the rezone may bring in a development much different (and more detrimental) to what they proposed originally. We will be watching.

CHILLERS AT OLD ICE CENTER JUNKED OUT?

The word on the street is that since the ice chillers were not in use and not maintained since the closure they are no longer useable and have to be junked out as surplus. When the place closed I guess they were still operable and thought they could be sold eventually but it seems since they were not maintained they no longer work. More tax dollars in the burn barrel.

Downtown Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Voter Registration

Voter Registration Campaign Kicks Off with Downtown Businesses

l3wis 5Comments

Downtown Sioux Falls businesses are partnering with local non-profit organization Leaders Engaged and Determined (LEAD) South Dakota to launch a voter registration campaign to take place from September 25-October 22, 2018.

The campaign involves more than a dozen businesses in downtown Sioux Falls and is part of National Voter Registration Day. While visiting a participating business, patrons can register to vote with employees equipped to assist in the registration process. By making voter registration easier, LEAD is hoping to encourage any unregistered citizens to get involved in the democratic process.

Downtown Sioux Falls business owners are excited to engage patrons on a local level.

“Community involvement is important because if you want to change the world, you need to think global and act local,” said Brian Gochal, owner of Vishnu Bunny Tattoo. “We can’t wait for someone else to make the world a better place.”

“We believe that it’s important for South Dakotans to be registered to vote because elected officials make decisions that impact all of our lives,” said Susan Kroger, co-chair and founding member of LEAD. “By having the information and means to register at downtown businesses, we’re hoping to make it easier for people to participate.”

The campaign kicks off on Tuesday, September 25 which is also National Voter Registration Day.

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Founded in 2016, LEAD South Dakota exists to foster a bipartisan community of individuals who empower and encourage positive change for women and families in South Dakota. For more information or LEAD South Dakota’s work, please visit www.leadsouthdakota.org.

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