No regular meetings this next week, but some interesting tidbits.
Joint Minnehaha County/SF City Council meeting • 4 PM (11/27)
This one is at the County Commission Chambers in the Administration Building.
Another study by Augustana on Homeless peeps. Why do homeless studies cost so much? What? No qualified volunteers?
DOC:Â Homeless-Study
Breakfast Club • 7:30 AM (11/28)
What an interesting topic to cover over juice and donuts;
In one of the longest meetings of the year, the MCC discusses rural ambulance services and paving a popular county road.
Stehly says,
“Jeff Barth and Cindy Heiberger care about the average Minnehaha County residents. I have enjoyed working with both of them and appreciate their respectful attitude toward those they serve.”
I found it a little ironic that the MCC allowed public input for over 23 minutes without incident, no gaveling, and not cutting off after a certain ‘time limit’. In fact the MCC engaged them in conversation (GET OUT!).
First at regular public input, Jay Masur from MedStar talked for 9 minutes about fees. He even apologized for going 9 minutes, in which none of the commissioners responded. In fact during his testimony they had a conversation about his concerns (imagine that).
After Masur, a couple of rural residents did a planned presentation on a rural trail system (14 Minutes);
The MCC also engaged them on something that is important to the constituents.
The Sioux Falls City Council needs to take a page from the MCC on how important public input is, and that meetings don’t have time limits and to engage the public in conversation. Instead they get angry about talking to long, chastise them for being repetitive and don’t ask questions or engage them.
If the SFCC wants to learn something from the MCC it is about the proper procedure of taking public input, which in most cases should be unlimited.
Had to chuckle watching the city employees (mostly) and the city council approving the wedding barn. We all know they were scared the Minnehaha County Commission was prepared to pull the joint jurisdiction ‘polite’ agreement, so they chose to pull out on the game of ‘chicken’. Neitzert’s ‘NO’ vote was ‘taking one for the team.’ They know they have no power in rural districts to predict future growth. But they ‘Think’ they do. LOL.