I have known for around a year from multiple sources that Poops’ COS, Erica Beck, plans to run for mayor. I have resisted posting, because, well, I don’t believe it. First thing I said to my first source, “Does she plan on being the next Jim Entenman of mayoral politics? Spending the most money and getting the worst results?” And once peeps find out she is the one running the city the past 5 years or so, she really will get NO WHERE with her campaign. She really should register her candidacy as an LLC under Lloyd Companies. If you are going to run Erica, why not wear your true colors? GREEN & GREEN.
You’ve gone in such a wrong direction since the last time we talked. It is disappointing on many levels, because I think you are a smart urban planner who has been hoodwinked by power and money, and not GOD.
I wish you luck, but you are going to get creamed.
It is a question I have been wanting to ask for awhile. And since Entenman has decided to use it as a campaign ‘plug’ I thought the question was a good one.
Over the past couple of years people who used to be involved with Make-a-Wish and Hot Harley nights have expressed frustration with J & L Harley-Davidson (Jim Entenman’s Family Business) with how proceeds from Hot Harley Nights are distributed.
LET’S MAKE IT CLEAR!Nobody has accused Jim or J & L with illegal activity OR fraud, that is NOT what this is about.
The concern has always been what is the percentage given to Make-a-Wish from the total proceeds. Obviously organizers with charity events keep a certain percentage for organizing the event and product/vendor costs. Those ratios can vary based on what the event is. Some fundraisers can take up to 60% or more of the proceeds for administrative reasons.
Then there are all the vendors that may benefit from such an event. Like merchandise or beverage providers.
Friends who have attended the event over the past decade have told me they are surprised MORE isn’t given to Make-a-Wish, especially with all the events going on, the amount of beer purchased at these events and merchandise sold, not just at the events but at the store.
I would be curious what percentage of proceeds (after costs are covered) is actually given to Make-a-Wish? Is Hot Harley Nights just a money making venture for J & L in the name of charity? Or is it fair and equitable for both of them?
I about spit out my green tea this morning while I was watching the replay of DT Rotary Mayoral Debate from yesterday when Entenman said this during the debate. (You can find the debate by going to Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary FB page).
In all fairness Jim read a statement about how he will NOTbe like Huether, is NOT a placeholder for Huether in 4 years and WILL NOT hire him as chief of staff, then later saying because Mike “Wants to be King.” The crowd erupted in laughter.
The funny part about the ‘rumors’ that I have posted about here didn’t come from my ass, they came from the horse’s mouth, or at least one of the show ponies. I heard about the placeholder/COS probability from someone who is actually helping Entenman with his campaign.
Depending on what place Jim comes in, that ranking won’t be the affect of some rumor, it will be the affect of either an affective or ineffective campaign team. According to the ‘King’ he is still popular with the voters, and I would think that association with him would help Jim.
GAG ORDER
Another interesting moment in the Rotary debate was when candidate Mike Gunn said that the mayor has put a ‘Gag Order’ on all city employees. I’m not sure if this is true, but let’s just say it wouldn’t surprise me. I am also not sure how that would even work? Executive order? And if that is even legal by state law standards. I would like to hear more about this, hopefully Gunn will be sharing the details.
I had a couple of people call me last night up in arms over the latest cover up by city hall;
Sioux Falls city officials are declining to release a copy of a 2016 safety audit of Falls Park, saying it belongs to the city’s insurance company.
First off, like the Gag Order revelation, does this surprise us? This guy will do anything to cover up information, and now that Fiddle-Faddle paddled his way over the Public Assurance Alliance, good luck getting any information out of them, even though both the city and the PAA are taxpayer funded.
My guess is that there were recommendations in the report the city didn’t follow thru with. Just like the rumor I heard that either the EPA or the State DENR told the city to put up a sign at Falls Park warning people about the high levels of E-Coli in the water, and did not.
Hold tight folks, this nightmare is soon coming to an end.
UPDATE: The Chamber made the error, not the Entenman Campaign.
As I have been telling people, it is often the ‘little’ things you have to pay attention to in campaigns. Details that candidates will try to slip by you.
I have noticed that Entenman’s campaign is built on a lot of spit balling and approximates. Like how he kind of just guessed that 2017 ended well financially for the city. Or that he has the intention to serve 8 years, even though he only did one term on the city council after his bucket list of the Event Center and BID tax was marked off the list. Seems he is learning from his buddy MMM who he would emulate as mayor, it’s NOT a lie if YOU believe it.
He claims in the Chamber interview he is a life long resident of Sioux Falls. Never mind the time he spent going to college in Aberdeen or the over 15 years he lived in Brandon. It’s kind of like a certain legislator from SD that lives in Texas most of the time.
Brandon isn’t a sub-division of Sioux Falls (they probably wish they were with all the water problems they are having) It’s actually a separate community with a different zip code.
In all fairness, Jim may have been guessing that 2017 ended better than expected. But I talked to a couple of other mayoral candidates today that were a little surprised that Jim brought up the fact the city ended the year just fine during themayoral forum the other night. How does he know? The city council and the public haven’t seen those numbers yet. Did someone at city hall leak this important information to Jim?
Jim also talks about his candidacy on Jon Michaels’ Forum recently. I liked this tidbit from Todd’s blog;
And no, current Mayor Mike Huether is not going to be his chief of staff. Entenman said he plans to serve his full four or eight years if elected.
He said that Mike will NOT work for him in any capacity . . . at this point and doesn’t know what Mike’s plans are. He joked that he will probably be the LAST TO KNOW.
Sure.
It was interesting that Jim brings up being on the Brandon city council for 15 years. That city is in bad shape when it comes to water infrastructure and other issues due to very poor planning.
Here’s is Todd’s interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-yhYfNoHEk
You can watch all of Todd’s candidate interviews HERE and all of Jon’s interviews HERE.
l3wis 
