May 2023

Canton proposes building swimming pool with garbage fees

You got to hand it to them for being creative;

  • Right now, Canton has private garbage services, meaning residents choose whichever provider they’d like to come collect their trash.
  • In a city-run garbage collection system, Canton would put out a bid to trash collectors and choose the lowest offer.
  • Because the city would take care of billing logistics, Gannon anticipates collectors would offer much lower rates to the city than they’re able to offer directly to customers.
  • Customers’ bills won’t go up, but because costs are lower, the city would have extra income from garbage collection to then help pay for the pool.

While I will leave it up to the citizens of Canton to determine if they want to pay for their pool with garbage fees, I do support the idea of municipal garbage. I have argued for a long time that if the City of Sioux Falls did this you would save consumers because the billing could be processed thru your water bill and the private contractor(s) the city would hire wouldn’t pay tipping fees and would have shorter planned routes.

I also would implement a city ambulance service since right now the city is already assisting in mutual aid, sometimes showing up before the private ambulance, and we are getting NO reimbursement from the private ambulance provider for our aid.

Some argue against having these services provided by the city, but if done correctly they can be very beneficial and cost effective for citizens.

UPDATE II: Sioux Falls School Board Candidates equally qualified

UPDATE II: I think the vote tonight will be an incredibly low turnout. Some have predicted about 2,000 but I think it will be closer to 6,000. I also think Johnson will win by over 60% of the vote. Hopefully the results come in quickly so Brian’s wife can get pack to dishes and laundry.

UPDATE: I am encouraging people to vote for Johnson. After hearing Mattson’s radio ads about supporting the new social studies standards I just can’t support a Noem puppet.

The ‘Man-Splaining’ video didn’t help matters either;

It has been a very long time since I have looked at a local election ballot and had trouble picking a candidate. This happened when I early voted last week. I voted for Johnson, but almost voted for Mattson.

I ultimately picked Johnson based solely on experience. But I really liked Mattson’s stance on fiscal responsibility, and that he understands the Constitution and 1st Amendment 🙂

I guess what I am saying is this is a NON-endorsement, I think both candidates are equally qualified and having either one serve would be an asset to Sioux Falls.

For once we had a real choice!

Sioux Falls City Council announces new leadership before the vote

If you didn’t believe my claims of cruise control government here is one more reason to believe;

Sioux Falls City Councilor Marshall Selberg will return to his role as chairman of the body in his final year behind the dais.

The second-term city councilor, who terms out of office in spring 2024, is expected to be selected as chairman of the Council Tuesday by his peers at Carnegie Town Hall.

It’s anticipated first-term Councilor Rich Merkouris will be tapped to serve as vice chair.

While it should be NO surprise the council figures out who will be in leadership before the vote, they usually don’t go running to the media before a vote is even taken. I heard about a week ago that Jensen was NOT going to be tapped for council chair and he was okay with it. The back door plan was to put Selberg back in the role to not only block Jensen but Starr from the position.

In fact, there was so much chatter about it, I am not surprised Dakota Scout did a story about it. But the real story is that the council was very adamant about NOT having Jensen serve as council chair and Selberg was the backup plan.

Personally I think all the cattle wrangling could have been done out in the open and this deciding leadership in advance and running to the media before a vote is taken is unacceptable. I hope at least ONE councilor mentions the media link before the vote.

As I have said in the past; these folks know how to win elections, just not what to do once they have attained victory.

Minnehaha County Commission will cave on 1st Amendment case

As I predicted the policy banning petitioners from certain areas of the courthouse grounds was unconstitutional, and a Federal judge agrees for now;

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a policy recently approved by the Minnehaha County Commission that would have restricted where petition circulators could gather signatures near two county buildings in downtown Sioux Falls.

I also predict the commission will cave on the lawsuit and this will never make the light of day in a courtroom. Unlike the city, the county isn’t real keen on fighting lawsuits, especially ones that have the constitution on their side.

While I do know the name of the former Republican Legislator who pushed a petitioner, I am keeping that under wraps for now just in case it becomes an issue in court.

Maybe our new auditor needs to read Kristi Noem’s book, because she could use some help in her second rodeo.

Mayor P.E. Teacher?

As I have said in the past, I will defend any elected officials’ pet projects. Whether that is mentorship, physical education, youth drug prevention or adoption. I say use the bully pulpit for your causes. But you do know you don’t have to actually participate? Just take your own example, a year after announcing Sioux 52 mentorship program you turned it over to the HelpLine center with taxpayer money.

The other day a friend said to me, “Yeah, Mayor TenHaken was working out with my kid today at school during PE class.” Sure enough, he was bragging about it on social media. (you know the Personal account, not associated w/ City of SF except when he posts things he does as the capacity of the mayor).

I know you run a closed door, authoritarian, cruise control government but between 8-5, Monday-Friday, can the adults of this city have your attention in-between your kick ball games and fitness challenges?

I bring this up because I know of several groups who have requested meetings with the mayor and been denied. I’m sure he could squeeze in a couple of more meetings with constituents if he gave up playing tiddlywinks and marbles with the kids.