Here is the ‘reason’ he is giving;
For Charter Amendment A, which would raise the mayor’s and City Councilors salaries, I am voting NO on this issue. During a time of record inflation and extremely tightened budgets for families across our community and country, paying our mayor and City Council members more is not warranted or timely.
While he is absolutely correct and probably the reason most voters will be voting NO, this is purely political. He knows damn well that this will fail and now with his endorsement of failure it will probably go down in the upper 70 percentile range. It’s easier to admit failure in advance then to ask for forgiveness in the future. Well played Poops.
Some have speculated this was cooked up by Councilor Marshmellow Selfish and the mayor had little to do with it, but I do know they are close, so I have trouble believing it.
I also find it ironic that he doesn’t think he deserves a raise right after giving $2.5 million in bonuses to city employees, before an election, then receiving union endorsements. So which is Poops?
He also endorses his hand picked candidates (probably would have been weird to hand pick puppets and endorse their opponents). They are clearly selections / recruits. In order to endorse someone you would usually at least have a conversation with the other choices. Many people have told me Poops recruited Sarah Cole because her kids attend the same school as his and that is where they met. We know image matters more to Paul than substance, so it makes sense.
While commenters rail on him about it being inappropriate, which a personally agree, when it comes to the 1st Amendment, Poops has the constitutional right to publicly endorse whoever he wants to, if it makes him look like a jerk, oh well – ethics and integrity really are not tools in his toolbox.
I think this comment from candidate Pam Cole sums it up;
This is Pam Cole and I’m running for At Large B. I bring local and state level policy building experience to the council as a former school board member and state senator. I’m a community builder and leader of policy driven equitable solutions. What on earth are you doing, mayor TenHaken by getting involved in this way? You have refused to meet with me since January 10th. I have given you my card twice…(thanked you for your service while doing so), I’ve filled out the online meeting request form as you suggested, emailed your assistant Julie, given my card to Erika Beck, and other members of your staff, and I stopped in your office in person. You don’t know me, you don’t know my abilities and the heart I have for people. You refuse to meet with me, even though we may get to work together for the greater good of ALL the people in this community. Please go to www.coleforcouncil.com or call me at 605-695-1996 or email me at pam@colefor council for more information, everyone! I WILL MEET with YOU!!
Here’s who you get with Rich Merkouris: someone that left an ELCA Church (as associate pastor) and started his OWN CHURCH. after the national ELCA decided it is OK that pastors are gay. (I’m an active member of Spirit of Joy ELCA Lutheran in Sioux Falls) And, Rich’s position as President of Kingdom Capital Fund garners him $75,000 (as per IRS.gov) to dispense hundreds of thousands of dollars OUT OF STATE activities that attempt to reprogram people such as anti-gay radio personality Dawson McAllister. 260194811_201912_990_2021040517880016.pdf (irs.gov)
Being an authentic Christian means acceptance of others. Please speak truth about us as candidates. Meet with me. Get to know me. My ability to accept others their religions, their color, their sexual orientation, their social and financial status, that is what we NEED for our City. Not judgment, not control. Open hearted care and conviction of everyone’s right to make more of themselves. I CHALLENGE everyone on this post to seek out information. PLEASE call or email me. I’m here for you. 605-695-1996. pam@coleforcouncil.com
https://www.facebook.com/PamColeForCouncil
And, I urge you to VOTE EARLY. This post may solidify your support of those the mayor mentions. That is fine; please go vote for them. If it causes you to question an imbalance of power, then please vote for me. I am ready to serve you and this city.
KnowThyNeighbor.org: Top 40 Radios Stations Nationwide Including Kiss 108 in Boston Promoting Ex-Gay Movement, Exodus International (blogs.com)
Let’s see, I am for something (Someday?), then I am against it, where have I heard this before?…. Oh ya, it’s like Kerry with the Iraq War or Neitzert with the City Center…. No wait a minute, it’s also like his own position(s) on mask wearing as well…. WOW! Talk about a candidate who is Kerry on steroids…. My goodness!
( and Woodstock adds: “I still say they should have spelled it “Centre” to give us more of an European distinction and to make the fine folks of Newly, Mourne and Down, and Potsdam feel more at home”…. )
He knows that soon he’ll experience a 73% chicken sandwich landslide. So now, he’s trying to get “his people” in as well with the help of his hopeful popular political coattails.
If elected, it sounds like Merkouris will be conveniently camping, too, while still finding time, I am sure, to still hug the local MLK statute for the appearance of fair and balance for all.
Don’t let ThuneHaken, with the help of Merkouris, turn Sioux Falls into the next Colorado Springs!
I don’t have time for people who worry about gay sex. If your mind is occupied with these things maybe you are the one that needs to be concerned.
Well, people who worry about it are either using it as a marketing tool, or worried that they will be found out.
( and Woodstock adds: “I once had a cousin who came up with some of his best marketing ideas while spending time in a closet”… )
tenhaken is a skeeze. you are absoluely correct that he knows it’s going to fail. i’m sure his pals at lawrence and schiller told him he needed to get out in front of it so he can claim its defeat as a victory for him. what a grease ball. also, selberg is not smart enough to concoct that kind of a plan on his own. also wondering why soehl has yard signs along ellis road…not quite central district, but it is on ronning land, if that tells you anything.
I heard that the nearest 5G tower to ThuneHaken’s home has a windmill on top it so the Mayor knows which way the wind is blowing.
Good on candidate Pam Cole on calling out PTH for his passive-aggressive behavior toward her. AND, I’m glad she’s gone tough on Merkouris. An ordained minister ought to find serving his community through a congregation to be a rewarding enough calling in & of itself. That politically ambitious urchin needs to choose whether he’s going to be an evangelist or a politician. Huckabee, Jackson & Robertson notwithstanding, the two don’t mix. Separation of church and state, ya’ know.
I have my entire ballot ready to go save for one item. Amendment B. I need more info on that one. Judging by who authored this amendment, I am skeptical. The Argus did a poor job of explaining it. My question before I vote. WHY is it on the ballot?
Vote No. What the council passed was good and I supported it (they have the power to terminate the city attorney) but what happened was the assistant city attorney re-wrote the amendment for the ballot. In other words what the council passed and what is on the ballot are two different things. Not sure why. So I voted it down.
Lets be clear on the issue related to Amending the Charter to increase the Mayor’s pay. I believe it originated with the charter revision commission, as bringing such idea. To say the City Council came up with the proposal alone, would be an understatement, cause these ideas originate deep within the city itself, to include not only city staff, the city council, but the residents themselves. Commissioner Carl Zylstra raised the thought of revising Section 9.05 (f). To keep in mind, Section 9 was nothing more than a “transition section” from the old form of government to the new form of city government. It set what would be the original salary of the mayor and council “then” while allowing for annual raises or decreases based on inflation or deflation. Also note, it was also raised as part of discussoin this past year, that there was cause of whether or not Section 9 still serves a stated purpose, since we are in relation, our 29th year since the “Charter” was adopted. What Sub-Section did was set a ‘minimum’ salary for the mayor, which also sets a minimum salary of the city council. I do not believe it restricts us from setting a higher salary, but the ‘amendment’ simply updates the charter to today’s economic period of time. So as this proposal came forward by the City Council via Marshal Selburg, he was simply raising the question whether or not it is time to have this discussion further, in order to re-set and adapt the charter going forward. There is no right or wrong reason here, and the Mayor giving his opinion is simply allowing him to lead this discussion forward ahead of the City-wide election of the mayor and council. It raises the question, just as Commissoiner Carl Zylstra pointed out back in September – is it time that we re-address the topic of whether we have a full time city council or a part time city council, let alone who has greater authority to manage the city, the Mayor or City Council or both. When you look at this public debate over “Mayoral and City Council Pay” – you begin to see the question on whether or not we have a part time or full time legislative body, led by a mayor, to what form of government do we have? Strong Mayor vs Strong Council … Whether you support revising Section 9.05 (f) or not, let the discussion transpire.
– Mike
It’s pointless to have a discussion until you have a study. The $1 per resident was pulled from someone’s ass. We should study what other mayors who are full time city managers make in the region and base it off of that and leave the deflation/inflation in place and review accordingly every 4 years In a non election year. Even if this fails the mayor will still get a 7.5% raise next year.