It took about two-thirds into the first year of TenHaken’s term for him to officially, and quite blatantly break a campaign promise about transparency;
A group of Sioux Falls citizens hand-picked by Mayor Paul TenHaken to determine the future of the events center campus in northern Sioux Falls will meet in secret over the next six months.
Sure, there have been other moments of weakness, like that splendid contract he let Thune, the FCC and Verizon write without the interference of the public nosing around in it. But having a hand picked task force that meets behind closed doors, isn’t exactly a great idea. Of course his ‘Hitman’ T.J. TypeOver doesn’t think it is a big deal, and offers his B.S. excuse;
noting that its meetings won’t be open to the public, comparing the work the group does to that of a consultant, which, if hired, wouldn’t be required to compile its recommendations in a public setting.
Hey, TypeOver, consultants are professionals that are hired to give their expertise on a specific recommendation. They are not a hand picked volunteer group by the mayor. There are NO similarities in what they do and certainly in what they are paid. TypeOver has given some pretty bad excuses in the past to keep things secret, but this one takes the cake.
There is nothing wrong with allowing the public to sit in and listen to these meetings. Just like the naming committee with the SFSD, there was absolutely no reason not to have the public present. In fact it makes your process more believable and trustworthy. But Chicken Little still wants you to think that transparency equals the sky is falling;
“They’re not in a decision-making role,” Nelson said. “We want to make sure we have the most open and candid conversation possible.”
If they are making NO decisions, what are they having ‘candid’ conversations about? That is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard a city official say. He should be canned on that statement alone.
Candid conversations happen in a PUBLIC SETTING, just watch public input at the city council each week.
I guess I don’t understand all this need for secrecy in city government. As we have found out in the past, the only reason city government has kept anything secret is because of corruption. So keep having secret meetings TJ and Paul. We know the REAL reason why these meetings are secret, and it’s not to help and protect the public’s best interest.
jesus had secret meetings, so it’s ok. the last supper wasn’t open to the public, was it?
Once again the Sioux Falls power base finds the people are an enemy of the people? It is coming close to considering a change in our form of government?
Yeah, and how did that secret meeting work out for Judas? Hmmmm.
Well, as I told someone last night, one of the main reasons they want these meetings behind closed doors is so there is NO public input and Cameraman Bruce can’t film them.
Remember the BS excuse by the Parks Board, “We can’t have candid conversations if the cameras are on us! We are just volunteers!”
What’s the definition of volunteer;
‘a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.’
‘FREELY OFFER’
That means if you don’t like the terms of your volunteerism, you don’t have to do it. If you don’t like transparency in government, please, stay home, we don’t need your ‘service’.
“We want to make sure we have the most open and candid conversation possible.”
That is why the Politburo use to meet in private too. It’s called democratic centralism, where the debate is limited to a few, while the Supreme Soviet accepts the results.
In theory, all institutions are democratic, but the degree to which many are involved determines truly how democratic a given institution is.
The Mayor and his staff are displaying a corporatist mentality, which often mirrors not a socialistic, but rather a communist mannerism.
Keep in mind, that less than 30 years ago, this town still had a commission form of government. A form of government, that at that time, only two cities with a population greater than 100,000 had in our country (Sioux Falls and Miami).
This commission form of government was borned out of the emergency realities of a hurricane that wiped out Galveston, Texas in the first decade of the last century.
In fact, Galveston had to get permission from the Texas state legislature to develop this form of government. A form of government which was designed to get Galveston back on its feet quickly – with little give or take – so as to not allow democratic principles to slow the emergency need and demands in rebuilding.
However, this form of government began to take root through our country over time, and the fact that 80 plus years after the Galveston hurricane, that Sioux Falls still had a commission form of government speaks to an unfortunate and undemocratic mentality by our political leadership in town, which I believe to this day is still in existence and further empowers the elite in this town to do whatever they want with total disregard for democratic priniciples.
#WhereInTheHellIsTheGrandJury?
TenHaken inherited Munchkin Mayor Huether’s debt. A task force is a good idea for the Denty given there’s no money for consultants. No doubt consultants would not give a bright opinion. Private citizens would be more optimistic but perhaps they must be sequestered after they get the evidence of a huge problem.
The TenHaken tenure will be nothing but debt satisfaction and attention to infrastructure. We should all dance and sing at the Denty kiddy show. Feigning crazy is an excuse for not stopping Huether from exhausting city spending and credit worthiness.
VSG, the commission form ended during the Hanson Administration. Were you referring to Home Rule?
I have often felt that the Convention Center should have been build DT as well as the EC. But they wanted the f’king Pavilion so bad, they had to tie it in with the CC vote, which barely passed. The area by the EC and Arena is and always will be a polished turd, and you know what they say, you can only get the S*it so shiny when you polish a turd.
Personally I would bulldoze the Canaries stadium and if they still want a team they can play at Harmadon.
The FCC “guidelines” (they are not even standards) are based on “thermal” testing only, completely ignoring the more important non-thermal RF & Microwave Radiation (biological & health) testing/effects. The FCC testing was & is based on 1980’s methods & done in 1991 & on by testing how much a cellphone at a distance of 5mm to 15mm from a plastic mannequin’s head for 30 minutes would warm up the salt water solution in it’s head, which simulated the head of a 6′ 2″, 220 lb man, i.e., a huge head. It’s a complete joke as you will see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIHZYWeFiQ
Who knew we were using cellphones as microwave ovens so to speak to warm up our brains!
When the correct type of testing is done, i.e., the scientific testing of wireless radiation effects on cells, genes, DNA, blood-brain barrier, the brain, the heart – actually any part of your body – it’s shocking.
The “safe” level guideline used by the FCC using SAR testing is 1,000 microwatts per square centimeter (or 10,000,000 microwatts per square meter). Numerous peer reviewed, published studies show adverse health effects STARTING AT .003 microwatts per square centimeter. That’s correct, negative health & biological effects start at 100,000 times LESS THAN THE FCC GUIDELINE. See this report (p.5 has the FCC Guideline):
http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/BioInitiativeReport-RF-Color-Charts.pdf
Also see this video clip to see it graphically (starts at 19:07. Watch through 22:02):
https://youtu.be/F9bdU_uw2Dc?t=1147
I can find no one in our local government who will either listen or recontact me regarding all the evidence that proves wireless radiation is harmful. They are the ones wearing a tin foil hat or more precisely have their heads buried in the sand with their butts in the air “presenting” themselves willingly to Telecom & Wireless Industries, the FCC & Jonald Thump.
What if the Denty task force concludes it should not have been built where it is and probably not at all? Should they suggest it be converted into indoor parking for Howard Wood Field and the readily expanded Convention Center?
Enough about RF. We’re gonna get radiated so we’ll all become republicans and promote oligarchy.
“Shocked to hear there is gambling going on at the FCC casino.”
(Maybe Sioux Falls should wait on 5G contracts as the rate structure is bound to change to allow charging much more per WTF 5G pole.)
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/01/25/fcc_accused_of_colluding/
Congressional Committee’s letter to FCC Chair Pai:
https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/FCC%20Ltr%201.24.19.pdf
l3wis, there were two changes to the commission system. The first one was in ’86, where we went from a mayor and two commissioners to a mayor and four commissioners, then we went to the mayor/council system under Hanson in ’94.
But I am alledging that the mentality which comes from a commission form of government is still with us, and that the move to a council form has never offered, or developed, the democratic (small ‘d’) roots which we had hoped for in our local city government due to a change in our form of government.
Prior to ’86, Metli was often called the “third commissioner,” which I think exemplifies how city government in this town does not have a legacy of democratic undertones. Nothing against Metli himself – he was quite productive for the city – but that nickname speaks to the way things were done and are still being done in this town, in my opinion.
It is a city government, which hints to a benevolent dictatorship, I am afraid. Where the developers are its privy council, or Politiburo, if you will.
lol best jury duty ever
Mayor Nixon Haken
This is what happens when you have two individuals, TenHaken and Nelson, who lack historical perspective running our city.
“They’re not in a decision-making role,†Nelson said. “We want to make sure we have the most open and candid conversation possible.â€
The 2009 EC Task Force met for 13 months. All meetings were open to the public.
As a private citizen, I attended all of the meetings except two.
The Task Force was comprised of a cross-section of our community and for 13 months they did indeed have very candid conversations. Having the public present did not prevent them from discussing all options and ultimately making their RECOMMENDATIONS to the Administration.
TenHaken’s Administration is proving once again to not be transparent. He has done himself no favors by having Nelson as one of his spokesmen.
TenNixon (TEN NIXONS?!?!….Isn’t one enough?)
Does he own a dog? I can’t wait for the ‘Checkers speech.’