Not Joe Kirby (image: therenaissancepet.com)
It has been a long time since I have read such a preposterous and ridiculous letter to the editor. If it weren’t for the obvious status of the author, you would think it was satire. Mr. Kirby suggests our city council works ‘too’ much. The highlight of his column is this remark;
I would like to see them resist the urge to do more, to become more involved in the details of the administration of city government.
What Mr. Kirby is really saying is, stop nosing around in a government us rich folk have been running just fine for years through the executive branch.
I would in fact urge the exact opposite, I would ask the executive branch (the mayor) to stop nosing around in the legislative branch (council) and let them legislate policy while the mayor runs the day to day operations of the city. That has NOT been the case.
Even Mr. Kirby’s good intentioned arguments are laughable at best;
The city council job was thoughtfully designed in the 1990s to be a part-time legislative position, requiring 10 to 15 hours a week.
Basically after their myriad of council meetings on Tuesday, that leaves the city council around 1.5 hours a day to do their job. That’s reviewing contracts and agenda items, taking tours of city facilities, attending luncheon meetings, talking to the media and most importantly shaping policy and RESPONDING TO CONSTITUENTS.
The city charter of home rule was implemented in 1994, (passing by a mere 125 votes – hardly a mandate) at that time the city population was around 110K. Today it is 180K. A population growth of 70K people! To apply the same ‘time’ standards to the job today as when the charter was implemented isn’t even a reasonable argument.
Basically what Mr. Kirby is asking the council to do is NOTHING or very little. And he isn’t even asking, he’s essentially begging them to get less involved. He wants the executive branch (one person) not only do their job as operations manager of the city, but to write policy and negotiate the ‘big deals’ while the council just shows up for a few hours a week to blindly rubber stamp the mayor’s agenda. Can’t we just get a group of volunteers to just do that instead of paying them? And the heck with meetings, why can’t we just do it by mail?
Mr. Kirby’s letter wreaked of elitism and is disgusting proof just who runs city hall. Not the people. But those waves of change may be coming and it scares the living sh*t out of Mr. Kirby and his ilk. So scared he took 15 minutes out of his California beach time to pen this letter.
Democracy is not a part-time job, while an oligarchy offers very little opportunity for most…
This part-time South Dakota resident needs to ride off into the California sunset.
His time as a ‘mover and shaker’ in Sioux Falls has passed.
Lol what a fucking dilletante.
You know, I have often felt that South Dakota in many ways was a microscopic example of the United States. The Missouri River is our Mississippi River, our largest city is in the east and our second largest city is in the west, the Badlands being in the southwest are our answer to the Grand Canyon, and the struggles between the white man and red man in this state are analogous to our nation’s history of slavery and segregation, and etc…. That given, the aforementioned family is obviously our answer to the Koch Brothers, are they not?
EC….nailed it.
You only take this much flak when directly over the target. I’d bet Mr. Kirby is a secret investor in the parking ramp that his best buddy mayor just ram rodded through. A fine example of government manipulation by the wealthy to enrich a few.
Even more astonishing is Mr. Kirby’s need to publicly reveal himself as the string manipulator. Lets make this sure boondoggle is named the Kirby Parking Throne.
EC, your constant attempt to link problems in our local government to shit you heard on CNN, is at best moronic. Much like Trump, I try to ignore your comments but it so hard as your communication is always a train wreck of stupidity.
LJL,
Thanks for the attention and the “constructive criticism.”
A successful politician and later kingmaker, once told me that any publicity is good publicity (within reason)…. Thanks again for the publicity or attention…. 😉
Is it true a Kirby started, owns or is overseer of the Tallgrass Recovery in Tea for alcoholics? It is my understanding they use the AA program and charge money for people who go there for a month. (I could be wrong). Parolee’s and Probation people welcome? (Guaranteed Money?), even a halfway house to go to afterwards. (Does this pay the Mortgage?) Heck, someone said they have a lady there who claims the title, “Queen of Recovery.” How does the Glory House and Keystone feel? Can’t you just go to AA? Also, I heard they recruit AA member’s to go there and “Mentor” people for free. (While charging people for their program?). Sounds to me like someone is making money off of the bums, down trodden, and convicts if it’s true. I heard mention of an “Recovery Art” in Sioux Falls where people who are in “Recovery” can enter a painting or picture they drew. If so, when will these poor saps quit thinking just because they stopped drinking, they are an elitist class? I suppose it’s just rumor so I will take it all as such. However, it reminds me of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
i12- You are wrong about a couple of things and right about some. Tallgrass, as I understand it is a PRIVATE recovery center, so I do think they charge, but they also fundraise. I don’t think the Kirby who runs the place is relation to Joe Kirby, I may be wrong, but that is what I have been told.
Quantum Rich people can exist in two or more states at a time and you never really know where they at. One of those states is usually SD though for the low-Kelvin taxlessness of it all.
I seen an old document in a collection of papers in a antique store in mitchell one time. It was from about ~1900. This local lawyer name of Crow had wrote a letter to western surety asking for any kind of charity help possible for a local destitute couple with a baby. The reply was, not interested, unless they have assets for collateral…
That is how you build a legacy.
l3wis, where am I wrong and right?