SIDE NOTE: So I got tipped off on Friday that the Veterans Community Housing project was actually on the agenda of the Planning Meeting that was posted last week on Friday (Item 2F) and this is likely how the media figured it out. But if it was on that agenda and the Planning Briefing Agenda, why wasn’t it on the informational agenda? This open government thing seems to be a real difficult thing for the current administration.
We will finally get a presentation on the 2020 Financials and an update on Downtown Parking, but as I mentioned above, good luck getting a sneak peak, there are NO attached documents.
Item #6, Approval of Contracts, sub item #17, this one is confusing because you would have thought they would have already had a design in place in case they wanted to expand the upper level of the Link. Oh, my mistake, I assumed that the city plans ahead.
Items #13 & 15, 1st Readings, Supplemental appropriations for all kinds of things. Apparently we need more money for the outdoor pools that don’t open for several months. Huh?
Item #14, 1st Reading, Naming agreement for the new refrigerated ice rink at Falls Park. As I said to someone the other day, “We need this rink like we need a hole in our heads.†and what makes it even more ironic is that you will have to PAY to use a rink that is being funded with taxdollars and private donations.
Item #16, 1st Reading, leasing parking to the Federal Courthouse. What I find funny about this one is that no where in the contract does it mention the Federal Courthouse.
Item #17, Resolution, A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE 2021–2025 CAPITAL PROGRAM TO ADD DRONES AND A TRACTOR LOADER IN 2021. (Police, $18,000; Entertainment Venues – Events Center, $75,000)
So now the coppers are going to be patrolling us with drones. Sounds reasonable. NOT!
Police need something to play with. Body cameras are more practical and just as much fun. Loader tractor for Bull Riding event and BS coming out of city hall. Financials should be interesting given Covid impact and debt service left behind by Huether.
I actually got myself a hard copy of the 2020 Financial Report, and there are some really interesting statistics…
Total Cash In Bank Accounts – $300,345,555
Net Position of City of Sioux Falls: $1,949,969,607 or $9,999.84 Per Resident
Total Cash in Enterprise Funds (Net Position of Fund):
Electric/Light Fund – $9,218,960 ($29,232,123)
Public Parking Fund – $3,251,888 ($13,882,250)
Landfill Fund – $14,373,200 ($32,789,126)
Water & Water Reclamation Fund – $66,146,302 ($515,824,329)
NET POSITION = defined as the total net worth of the CITY OF SIOUX FALLS after Expenses, Liabilities, Debts, Future Employee Obligations are paid for…
Water & Water Reclamation Statistics:
Average Water/Sewer Payment of City Resident: $1,288.27 Per 12 Months or $107.36 For 1 Month
Public Parking Statistics:
Public Parking Spaces – 3,973 > 67% Spaces Used or 2,661 – $971.62 Annual Space Revenue or $0.47 Per Hour.
*Note: IF we would had 95% Spaces Used it would have generated $3,721,390.44 Annually; the City 10 Year Average Spaces Used is 86% of total parking spaces; so if we use the ten year average, we can expect to generate a projected $3,369,367 in revenues for Public Parking with annual expenses of $2,638,179 + $1,200,000 Debt Payment for a negative 468,812 deficit. Our goal should be to maintain 95% Spaces Used to maintain sufficient revenues, and keep from having to use as much of the 2nd Penny Sales Tax as possible. As per the 2021 City Budget, we are projecting revenues to be $3,320,213 about on par with the 86% User Rate.