South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2018

Billie Sutton Republicans

Is Billie Sutton’s pick for Lt. Governor is (was?) a Republican?

l3wis 13Comments

We checked on Michelle Lavallee’s voter registration to see if she recently changed it, but in past tense she is showing up as a Republican and has a very poor voting record.

I also found it interesting that Billie would pick a person who co-chaired Paul TenHaken’s mayoral campaign. While tapping a Sioux Falls Woman with savvy in running a campaign within Sioux Falls is a good idea, Billie really needed to tap a Democrat (you know, the party you are running in). I saw Heidepriem make this mistake when he did the same thing.

Why is it when Democrats run for statewide offices in South Dakota they think they can win as ‘Republican Light’? Either just run as a Republican/Democrat or not at all. This STRATEGY has NEVER worked, and I have no idea why the SD Democratic Party keeps playing this card time and time again.

Is it too early to congratulate Governor Noem on her win?

Open Government Open Meetings SF City Council Sioux Falls

The Sioux Falls City Council needs to look in the mirror

l3wis 2Comments

The Sioux Falls City Council wants to point out that some people from the public are disruptive, unprofessional and disrespectful at the council meetings.

Really?

While that may be true, they should take a good look in the mirror. Before TenHaken took the helm there was backroom negotiations leaving several other councilors out of the process, in the open meetings there was often public shaming of fellow councilors from both sides. The chair himself would often cut off councilors or tell them they out of order (when they were not). Than there was the threats of ethics violations, etc, etc.

Trust me, while the public watching the meetings whether in person or on TV, they see this. We hoped with the new administration that some of this would end, NO more backroom deal making, NO more fighting at the meetings. It hasn’t.

Some have suggested to me since the Tuesday meeting that maybe instead of just making rules for the public,  maybe there should be some rules on how the council treats each other at the meetings. It certainly lacks decorum. Not only is a lot of their actions uncalled for, some of it may violate open meeting laws (cutting deals via private phone conversations and emails without including ALL of the council in on the discussion).

I will say that some of the ideas about a compromise are worth taking a look at, but the process to come up with these compromises is not above board. The council really needs to either defer, or better yet, kill the current proposal and go back to the drawing board. This starts with having an open conversation in a working session hashing out the details. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have the public be included on a discussion about public input in the open? I think so.

We have had enough of ramrod negotiations by the previous administration and his team of council rubberstampers. In fact, many times the council meetings got contentious because of this awful way of governing. Mayor TenHaken needs to demand that the council drops the current backroom conversations going on right now and move this out in the sunlight, otherwise we have accomplished nothing but maintaining the status quo.

1st Amendment Open Government Open Meetings SF City Council Sioux Falls

Stehly and Starr on Jon Michael’s Forum about Public Input

l3wis 4Comments

You can listen HERE.

As I understand it there may be some amendments to the proposal on Tuesday, ultimately leaving it at the beginning of the meeting with some other restrictions. At this moment that train is still moving, so I would prefer not to elaborate.

Gotta love Stormland-TV’s version of this topic. Thirty-Seven people talked Tuesday night about public input. Out of those people, ONLY 2 supported changing it, and both are former public/government employees. So guess who they interview? You guessed it, the TWO who wanted it moved, oh, and they threw in June Staggers to make it look fair.

Make no mistake, the Media wants this moved to the end so they can make their 10 PM news deadline.

Czech Days South Dakotans

Czech Days this Weekend!

l3wis 4Comments

The Bohemian Danish, The Kolache, Apricot, Cherry and the standard, Poppy Seed

As a very proud Czech, I proudly guest post Mr. Kloucek;

Tribute to Leonard Cimpl

As the 70th annual Czech Days approaches the decision to dedicate the event to Leonard Cimpl was very appropriate. Leonard and his wife Mildred were Tabor Czech Days. They were the 24-7  365 days a year go to persons concerning Tabor and Tabor Czech Days. Leonard served as Mayor and Mildred as Chamber Secretary for many years.  Leonard loved baseball and the Tabor Bluebirds. Both loved the Beseda Dance. They received the Ben Black Elk state tourism award, a copy of the annual Tabor Czech Days proclamation, or the other numerous awards for Tabor. Both were very humble and quick to point out that Tabor Czech Days success was a result of the hard work and planning of many people not just them.

During the 22 year stint of Czech Days in Pierre Leonard would always have the honor of inviting everyone to Tabor Czech Days. His words were short and to the point.” We invite you to Tabor Czech Days on the third Friday and Saturday in June. You will have a really good time.”  Czech Days has now mushroomed into a 4 day celebration which speaks highly of all the Tabor area residents who possess the love of Czech Days similar to Leonard and Mildred Cimpl.

The Cimpl’s distributed brochures and kolace [unofficial state pastry] and promoted Tabor for 22 years in the state capitol as part of the promotion of Czech Days.

Leonard put Tabor first.  As Mayor, Czech Heritage board member, devoted Catholic Church member, American Legion officer, Chamber member, Tabor resident, and more, there was nothing he would not do for the good of Tabor. I remember well the long hours of self-less service he gave for the good of his community.

This 70th anniversary of Czech Days a warm invitation of “Vitame Vas welcome friend”   is extended to you, your family and friends. The four day event is this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 14, 15, 16 and17th. We honor Leonard Cimpl. Fond memories of him and one of the best cultural events in South Dakota live on.

And don’t forget to visit my family museum when there (The Blachnik Museum);

SF City Council Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls City Council Info Meeting; borers and guns

l3wis 17Comments

The fun got started right away during open discussion when Theresa and Janet asked where the prior discussion was for the proposal to move public input. But the big news maker of the afternoon was Pat Starr’s proposal to fine gun owners who are not responsible enough to lock up their weapons than get stolen. While several news agencies and blogs have been on the ‘freak’ about this, settle down, just watch what Pat said during the meeting. He is ‘exploring’ the idea and seeing what the city ‘can’ do. He also is very clear he supports gun ownership, what he does not support is ‘irresponsible’ gun ownership. The fine essentially would be for ignoramuses who are not smart enough to lock up their weapons.

But the even bigger news to come from the informational (IMO) was that the city will take care of the ash tree removal in the boulevard (parking strip) at their expense, well really is our expense since we pay frontage taxes on that land. Either way you won’t have to directly pay a contractor to remove that tree. The city and maybe the use of private contractors will eliminate that. They did caution though you are responsible for ash trees on your property.

Councilor Stehly suggested since the city will be purchasing a half-million dollar tree truck and possibly 3 FTEs that maybe it is time to tie in Project TRIM with the ash tree removal? She basically said she wanted to start that discussion. Of course Kiley had all kinds of boloney excuses not to do it. We will see how this goes.

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