Can the EC Campus Task Force ‘Legally’ meet in private?
l3wis According to State Law & the SD Municipal League’s website;
The open meeting law is contained in SDCL chapter 1-25.  Municipalities are required to hold open meetings. This includes any association, authority, board, commission, committee, council, or task force which is created by statute, ordinance, resolution and is vested with the authority to exercise any sovereign power derived from state law. (SDCL 1-25-1)
So since the mayor appointed the task force AND there is one of his staffers and a city councilor on the task force, how can they NOT be violating state law by meeting in private? Unlike an RFP selection committee that has to do with confidential contract negotiations, according to Deputy COS, T.J. TypeOver, all they are doing is having a ‘candid conversation’ about ideas or recommendations. This definitely needs to be in a public setting. I guess their fear is that Cameraman Bruce will show up to get their brilliant ideas on the record.
Also, Mayor TenHaken is breaking a critical campaign promise that he would make city hall more transparent. Not only do I challenge him to open this meeting to the public, but they should have it in a City Center conference room where it can be filmed and live streamed. When ideas are being openly discussed sometimes the ear of the public can be helpful in correcting something or expanding on a good idea to make it even better. I think we are really short changing citizens by NOT having these important meetings in public. It kind of sounds like some supporters of the candidate TenHaken have some ideas of their own that they don’t want the public to know about until it is too late to stop the train. I think we learned from Mayor Ramrod we are NOT going to do things that way anymore. Someone needs to send Paul the memo.
UPDATE: I also see they are going to be discussing the future of the Orpheum’s management in the meetings. Which is a little odd, because the gossipers at SMG have said their contract with the Orpheum ends July 1st.