I figured a judge would toss this. (Actually an injunction was denied, the case can still move forward) never understood the argument they were making. The Dakota Scout could not register until after the legislature changed the law.
I think the bigger issue here is the MASSIVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I think if not a few, ALL councilors knew that Paulson was an investor and all 9 councilors (includes mayor) have received money and campaign assistance from the email farmer.
But let’s play an ignorant constituent and PRETEND that the council had NO clue who the investors were. If that were the case, why did they vote on this? They know that they have to file a investor disclosure with the SOS and that disclosure should have been a public document BEFORE the council voted. But somehow that filing got mysteriously misplaced.
Shananigans.
This case should have never been about timelines, it’s about a council who has NO ethics and approves a contract that will benefit an investor. And I would argue that Paulson isn’t really benefitting monetarily, but he does control the narrative. You know, like when you reject a mural because you think it is racist, and the media, including the DS didn’t touch the story with a ten foot pool. Shocker!
This case isn’t a question of legality, the Dakota Scout met SOME of those requirements, it is a ETHICAL issue and ALL 9 on that DAIS need to taken to the ethics commission, one by one, and dealt their punishment.
My position on the matter hasn’t changed. The internet has been in existence for over 30 years, it is time to embrace it. Public notices in a paper with a circulation of 5,000 or even 7,000 isn’t cutting it. Nobody goes and reads 6 point type in a paper you pickup at Burger King. Give me a break! It is laughable to think that even one single person is getting their legals from a printed paper.
If you want to see public notices, you can, 24/7, 365 days a year, for free, ONLINE! And if you still want to resist the evil internet you can go to the clerk’s office (unfortunately they don’t serve cheeseburgers) and get a print out. This isn’t hard folks. Stop wasting tax dollars on a service that virtually 1% population MAY use.
Maybe the city could have Legal Notice Mondays and have food trucks in front of Carnegie that wrap your sandwiches in printed out legal notices! Bet you would reach about half of the population that way, because if there is one thing Sioux Falls is good at, it’s eating!
It’s all pretty damn ridiculous how our state legislature crafts laws. They still think it is 1952.