Just another city council working session
In fact, the only guidance the charter gives is that the chair can recess a meeting for breaks or to another day if business isn’t finished;
- Any meeting of the city council may be adjourned to a later date and time, provided that no adjournment shall be for a longer period than until the next scheduled meeting.
- The city council chair and vice chair shall determine the agenda, with city council input, for all informational meetings and working sessions.
City councilors supposedly received an email from council chair Erickson over the weekend telling councilors that the informational meetings are getting ‘too long’ and too many questions are being asked, and that councilors need to prepare their questions in advance.
I find the rules from the chair interesting, considering she has NO more powers then her peers and that their is no time limits in the charter on meetings. I also find it interesting that the public isn’t granted access to supporting documents in SIRE until sometimes a half-hour before the meeting starts. So how do constituents get questions to be asked during informational meetings on agenda items to councilors before the meeting starts when they don’t know what the presentation is about. There was also the working session last week where two councilors didn’t even show up and the other two had nothing to contribute. Let’s talk about being prepared in advance.
For instance, the Avera ‘core neighborhood’ plans presentation on Tuesday has NO supporting documents right now online. We have NO idea what they will be saying, and most likely councilors no very little also, this is why they ask questions at the meeting.
It’s also important to note that this stuff has to be on record, another reason multiple and thorough questions need to be asked.
Also don’t forget that while the public may make comment at the end of the informational meeting, none of their questions will be answered.
This continuing argument that meetings need to be shorter is tiresome. Charter doesn’t place time limits on meetings. If the council chair is concerned she won’t be able to have a fancy sit down dinner at Minervas in between meetings on Tuesday, maybe she should pack a lunch, order in delivery, or even better, resign.
It’s very tiring managing the government for 170k citizens. They get bored granting lucrative project approvals to oligarch developers and rigged unnecessary contracts to insiders. They don’t have to listen to public comment. They’ll surely get re-elected by hiding polling places and cemetery name votes. Just put your head on your desk and sleep but try to stay long enough so we must wake you up.
Give respect and you’ll get some
Good article. Watching these meetings is like watching Survivor. Always seems like it’s two tribes battling each other and is getting old.
Ohhhh Myyyy Gawwwd!!! Simply stated, the person who uttered these words does not represent her “at large†constituency. On the other hand, the other two “at large†councilors do represent who put them there, and do not mind working too long.
Another councilor completely out of touch with his constituency is soehl from the central district. No explanation needed on that one. kiley? selberg? Pretty hard to represent your constituency when rubber stamping any and all special interests.
There needs to be a public discussion among the councilors at the Informational Meeting about the Chair’s demand.
And don’t forget, Councilwoman Erickson also once said, that we need not worry about TIFs taking money away from our school districts, because our state recognizes TIFs and always offsets the potential lost due to them to our local school districts. Because as you know, our state has so much money that is ready, willing, and able to be given to our kids’ schools….. Oh, and is anyone interested in buying the 8th Street bridge, too? Because I can get you a great deal on it…. Just ask for VSG.
Where are those high paying jobs for Sioux Falls, where is affordable housing for the poor.Some of these councilors only care about me.
Councilor Erickson another one who probably thinks minimum wage is to high.
Does councilor Erickson think that minimum wage is to high.
Erickson seems becoming another Erpenbach. Is she like Ms Haversham anticipating a wedding that’s not gonna happen. This next term could be Jolene but it’s not gonna be her for mayor.