This isn’t an endorsement of his opponent Julian Beaudion (though it kind of is). While I don’t know much about Julian, I do know one thing, as a SD Highway Patrol officer, he must conduct himself with the highest degree of integrity, especially while serving the public, it is essential in performing his job. While Julian has no governing experience, he certainly has public service experience and I think he would make a great asset to the city council.
This is more about the complete failure of Councilor Greg Neitzert. I won’t lie to you, I helped Greg run for office 4 years ago, I helped him with a strategy, I helped write a lot of his campaign materials and did most of his graphic design. He was a good student who listened and did what was asked of him, and he won. In less than a year into his term I noticed that he was more interested in rubbing elbows with the mucky mucks of Sioux Falls than getting in the ditches with the common folks. He started to hint to me that many of the things I believed about city government were really not true and it was just a bunch of conspiracy theories. Yeah, because you know, I was wrong about the EC siding and bunker ramp. I knew where this was headed. Soon after, Greg and I stopped communicating all together. He sold his soul to the special interests of Sioux Falls, and as someone commented the other day, “Greg first finds out from his masters how he should vote, than researches how he can best sell that vote to the public.†Bingo! But the citizens are not buying it. Greg has become a complete sellout rubber stamping puppet tool who will kiss the ring of anyone who wants a favor. He has lied during meetings, lied to constituents and stabbed many of his colleagues and the people who helped him get elected in the back – numerous times. There are many other things Greg has done behind the scenes that I can’t even mention here. He certainly doesn’t deserve 4 more years, but it seems as the incumbent in a small district, he will probably be re-elected. If that happens, and fellow incumbent Stehly gets re-elected also, it is going to be a rough ride for him.
Wouldn’t it level the playing field, in regards to Council voting, if Theresa was reelected and Mr. Beaudion defeated Greg. That will be a great day for the city.
Animal Farm.
Well I took a look at the problem and then decided Well maybe I was for it wait I guess I am not for it now.I really had to do a ot of thinking on this.What council member does that describe?
unfortunately your campaign worked on me and i voted for neitzert. i truly thought he was going to be an answer, but i was sadly mistaken. I will not vote for him again. however, i saw a video on facebook yesterday of beaudion rubbing elbows with jensen. if julian, in any way, aligns with jensen i’ll have a hard time supporting him as well.
I like the Highway Patrolman background. They have a regimented focus on the public. Their honesty cannot be questioned. What’s important is cleaning up the corruption at city hall. A cop can help make that happen. Greg has been a disappointment. I too had faith in him when he was elected. He became aligned with inflated CMAR cost and inferior construction.
He’d never ask the audience for the answer, because that would be too much like asking the public, or the voters, for their opinions.
Greg had my complete faith and trust at one time. A small crack appeared in how he explained the way the bunker ramp would be paid for, and his ultimate decision to back that mistake by the river. That small crack turned into a complete separation when time after time after time he threw a true fighter for the working class under the bus. The real classless part all of this was his smug snickering ways on the dais as he was throwing her under the bus. Anyone but greg at this point.
Wasn’t Greg against the administration building before he was for it? If so, that was so John Kerry of him.
VSG – Greg’s speech against the Admin building was what got me interested in Local politics. He did a great job of telling Bowlcut this was a strawman argument to get a new building. His change of heart and 180 on many things is sad and it makes you wonder how this happens to seemly good folks. Just too bad I tell ya
I agree CH!
( and Woodstock adds: “Oh great, now these guys are going to be friends and I won’t be able to read their feuding comments anymore”….”First the virus, now this, but at least I can dream about Chick-Fil-a coming to town, however”….)
I have no skin in the game here, but I do not believe a lot of what is said here about Greg is entirely correct. Yes – you may have differences in opinion, difference in specific legislation, political agenda, and that may lead to a line being crossed in the sand. But I have had had some interesting dialogue with Greg by email, facebook, and he has been more than willing to sit down with people, both in government, on the council, and among the common folk in the private sector to explain his position.
Now, I have some very strong differences than Greg as well, and we even have discussed them, such as my stance on the Arena, Sales Tax, and a few other issues, but even I know that is fine with me to have differences.
Lets keep in mind – respect is a two way street, and for him to respect you, you have to show respect in return, regardless of what side of the ‘line’ you are on.
Greg NOT voted for any large meaningful tax increase other than the misc-excises taxes, imposts, and duties allow us to manage, operate, and invest back into the City Enterprise Funds, etc. He has VOTED “NO” on any proposed ordinance that would outwardly take from the Sales Tax Revenue, let alone increase the sales tax rate in general. Therefore it becomes an idealistic difference of opinion of how you wish to manage, operate, and invest back into our “infrastructure”. He explains his reasons, his position, and he attempts to explain the ‘state’ of the particular ‘fund’ as much as he can.
As for the Public Parking Ramp – there are 190,000,000 people in the township, and there are various views on the matter. Was it pushed thru to fast, I 100% believe it was, but – the plan was to partner with a ‘private company’ of such ‘we’ would build a parking ramp, while they – the private group would provide their own capital to invest in a private retail/hotel complext. Now some people have questioned that partnership, why did we NOT know whom served as acting members, employees, or officers of the private company. Lets keep in mind – the only people we would have known of that owned/operated the LLC was the founding members, officers, and agent. “WE” would not have had privileged information to any employee or management of that company. I also cannot blame the current mayor here for not stopping the parking ramp project, since much of the ground work had already been laid down and started prior to him taking the oath of office. Once the ‘city’ started making pre-paid construction payments to the developer, the work had already been planned. Let’s give the MAYOR the respect he deserves of ending the “partnership” when he did at the request of the people, the council, and the media. At least ‘we’ ended the partnership, but the parking ramp portion of the project had already been started by phase 1 – first payment, the commencement, and the clearing of the land.
Greg has even admitted maybe, we could have, should have done things differently, but lets remember, he is just 1 vote, out of 9 person council (including the mayor); it still would have passed 5-4. But instead it was 6-3.
We will never know how the “residents” feel about the project, since there no public vote, and the only petition process was inavertly controlled by the previous administration. I cannot comment on whether the proper forms were used or not, or the “City” intentionally provided the wrong forms, that is an entirely separate discussion. But it only angered the opponents of the project. But lets be clear – you cannot lay blame on the Parking Ramp/River Project on any ‘one’ person. That would NOT be fair.
On the matter of the Parking Enterprise Fund itself – the fund is 100% self sufficient, it had as of 12/31/2019 a cash/cash equivilent balance of $4,000,000 in the bank; it had the restricted amount of funds of $1,699,000 in ‘cash’ mostly from the Bond, and it owns enough in ‘assets’ to make it self sustainable. After all expenses, liabilities, the debt, and future employee obligations are paid, the Parking Fund had at the time a $13,700,000 million ‘net position.
Lets be clear shall we, Greg has publically stated he supports an “AUDIT” of the Parking Ramp Enterprise, the Parking Ramp itself, however he simply requested for it to come ‘after’ the parking ramp is up and going in order to properly take an ‘assessment’ of the over-all fund. At this point, it is most important that ‘we’ get the ramp to a position it generates the dollars needed to add to the “Fund” itself. This is why ‘we’ were forced to spend the added $1,500,000 million to cap off the structure. Lets be clear here – when finished, and the debt is clearly paid off, the “parking ramp” adds value to our Assets, increasing the fund valuation.
And also lets be clear – with the legal problems with the other half of the project, the council was silenced from speaking on much of the project.
I to had questions on whether the parking ramp was good or bad for us, the high dollar amount, but I also fell victim to supporting it due to all the ammunities offered by the “retail complex” that potentially would have added more sales tax dollars, jobs, and other monies paid to the people, but lets be honest, I to favor an audit of the project and the fund to ensure the funds will be there to sustain itself, let alone to find more details regarding the situation with the private company we had partnered with.
To lay blame on one person (Greg) for how the ‘council’ chooses to vote, is not right, cause he is only 1 vote, Sure you may disagree with him on certain aspects, he may not always vote the way you wish him to, but even if I was on the council, I am sure that “I” would NOT vote the way you want me to either on every issue.
I continue to believe – we do have 4 Council Members (Pat, Theresa, Janet, Greg) whom continue to strive to ask the right questions, maintain a sense of fiscal responsibility, and hold the administration in check, but lets also remember, there are 4 more council members to deal with whom can split that vote. This is why you see so many 4-4 votes, allowing the Mayor to break that tie either way. We have their voting ‘record’ to track, a few of them (Christine, Rick) have been here now for 6 years, so we know how they vote, and we just removed 2 of them (Michele, Rex). The “Council” has moved somewhat to the “Right” in favor of the people.
But if you wish to hold the council accountable to the people, then the only way to do this is VOTE OUT ALL “INCUMBENTS” every 2 years. This would be the only fair thing to do, enforce the people’s voices are well heard, and if you are NOT willing to do this, then even you are part of the problem, cause lets admit – you will always vote for the one person whom protects your interest the most. The only way to enforce the will of the people is to vote out all “incumbents” thus you control legislation good and bad, control their pay, control the money involved in the electoral process, and you control the City itself.
You cant blame just one guy, or woman, you cant pin our problems on one individual, cause then all you do is create rebels, hate, and political divide. You confront our “representative body” as one group, and you hold them accountable via “Elections” which are done every 2 years.
Honestly – if you are going to say one person does NOT deserve a second term, then you must be willing to say ALL “REPRESENTATIVES” do not deserve a second term. This way – there are no favorites, and this way, it becomes the most fair, honest, and the will of the people clearly heard.
I feel – ‘we’ are in decent hands if we are to elect Pat, Greg, Theresa, and Marshal. But that is NOT up for me to decide, for I am only ‘1’ vote in a district that has 38,000 people while maybe 10,000 even vote.
In conclusion, all that ever happens when you attack, insult, name call, let alone blame our problems on one individual – is you shut the door to respectful discussions, debate, concurring among the people, let alone, political divide. IF YOU were passionate about your constitutional rights – you would lobby, petition, and market someone to run against ALL Incumbents, if nothing more than to create discussion, debate, and to enforce the peoples voice. You hold ALL 8 Accountable as a Body, not just one individual.
These are My Personal Thoughts, Beliefs, and Position. Everyone will listen to you if you use the same respectful voice as you wish them to give you in return. But even I am human – call me names, and even I slam the door sealed shut.
Sincerely,
Mike Zitterich
Sioux Falls, SD
N.W District
You are right, it is only one vote, but it does not change the fact that he voted for it, and still hasn’t apologized for it, only defended the vote. Secondly, the 2nd penny is collateral with the parking ramp, so it is flat wrong to say it will pay for itself from parking fees. Votes matter, things you say matter, and Greg has continued to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Sorry you are suckered by him, I learned my lesson a very long time ago.
I think we are all clear on one thing, Mike is Paul and Greg’s cheerleader.
However, I don’t think I will trust his math since he seems to think “190m” people live in our “township’!
Mike Z may need a civics lesson, or to read his own words.
this is an election year and neitzert is up for reelection, so now is the time to point out his flaws and remove him. yes, he’s only one vote, but his vote is usually wrong and this is my chance to vote him out.
we didn’t “remove” rex and michele, term limits did. I’ve said it before and will say it again, greg has voted for virtually every tax and fee increase put before him, and voted for every tif put before him. that’s enough for me not to vote for him. no long winded, misguided dissertation will change that.
In above post, where are these 190,000,000 people living?