Proud of these three Sioux Falls city councilors

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pat stehley neitzert

While I understand the argument of singling out individual businesses, (FFL 1:20:30) I believe these councilors had a right to take a personal look at a business that is making oodles of money while using tax dollars on a high number of police calls. And for disclosure, besides the three councilors, there were 4 citizens present watching what was going on. Since the license renewal did pass 7-1, this was more of a warning to Wiley’s that we are watching. I also found it strange that Erickson didn’t have an issue with the police calls, but just a few short months ago she took them to task over smoking violations. Ironically, I checked out that situation Friday night. What Wiley’s essentially has is a smoking room with it’s own bar and very large doors that open up to an outside heated patio. Basically a 4-season room for smokers.

I am very proud them taking a stand, especially Pat and Greg for standing up to the mayor and councilor Erpenbach. If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be her.

Should the city gift the old ice complex to the Glory House?

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Starr

As I argued last night at the city council meeting during public input, the city would have true value in the old building by selling it or gifting it to the Glory House;

“One of the options is to allow the Glory House to expand. The Glory House is just adjacent to this piece of property,” Starr said.

The Glory House, which helps former inmates find jobs to get back on their feet and transition back into society, is already working with a developer to tear down the old building and construct 50 to 75 affordable housing units here.

“Over 80% of the people who graduate from the Glory House have full time jobs, what they’re having difficulties with is being able to find a place to live,” Starr said.

“We’re not in the land speculating business, we’re in the human services business as far as I’m concerned,” Starr said.

As I said last night, this is truly a ‘value’ issue for taxpayers. By keeping former ex-cons out of jail, we save the taxpayers money, a lot of money. It only makes sense to sell them the property. Even Erpenbach nodded her head at me in agreement while speaking of the issue. I think this will get a majority of the council to approve this sale. Ironically, while everyone is throwing Stehly under the bus, her and Starr were the first to look into this issue.

Mayor Huether Claims he doesn’t know the new councilors, I do.

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Once again, in the weirdo elitist tennis playing club the Mayor lives in, he says he needs to get to know the newly elected councilors. In other words, he needs to meet the people he wasn’t expecting to win. Maybe he should put the same effort into it as one of his directors did yesterday coaching O’Gorman Tennis at McKennan Park in full tennis gear at 5:10 PM. It’s sure nice that Mike lets his 6-Figure directors knock off early on a Tuesday to coach tennis to private school kids. At least he wasn’t guzzling beer at Monks.

mmmscared

The look on Mike’s face during this interview says it all, I’m screwed;

While he was happy with the number of candidates, Huether admits that at first he didn’t know everyone running for City Council. He says more candidates means more effort in getting to know them. Perhaps that’s why we saw such a low voter turnout on Tuesday.

There was a low voter turnout, because city leaders are more concerned about holding press conferences about cleaning up your yard for NCAA basketball tournaments then they are about telling people to vote.

And let’s not act surprised, our research at DaCola showed us this would be a low vote turnout to begin with, historical data doesn’t lie, but salespeople hate history, they only live for today, so Goddammit, why didn’t people vote!

As for encouraging ALL people to vote, I’m not big on that. Uninformed voters tend to stick us with stuff we really don’t need, like a $180 million dollar debt from an Events Center, with 11,000 of those yahoo-voters never showing up to vote again. GOOD! There is nothing scarier then an ignorant voter.

Let’s look at the winners. Obviously two of them I know well, I ran their marketing/graphic design/ and mail coordination campaigns with cameraman Bruce. We also assisted Pat Starr with some various strategies.

Pat Starr I think will be the surprise on the council. He’s sharp, witty, articulate, well informed government nerd. He is also a proud old school Democrat. I think you are going to find that Pat is a bridge builder, and he will strive to form coalitions. He also is well read with local, national and state politics. We have had many great convos over tots and burgers at the Lil Colinga, the voter should be very happy he was elected, he will serve us well.

Greg Neitzert is the encyclopedia of zoning and planning in Sioux Falls. I don’t think Greg will allow the public to be buffaloed by directors on these issues at public meetings. Greg also is a man who loves transparency and integrity, and he is very adamant about it. If we see improvements in lighting some sunshine in city government over the next 4 years, it will probably be because Greg initiated it.

As for ‘Big T’ as I nicknamed her years ago, besides being a dear friend and mother figure to me, she is a fighter, and she will stand up for the little guy, I’m sure the mayor knows who she is.

Joe and Ellis from the AL did some good stories about her, first Ellis;

Since her arrival on the local political scene nearly 10 years ago, Theresa Stehly has savored victory and swallowed bitter defeat.

Last night’s victory for an at-large seat on the Sioux Falls City Council was her biggest win of all. This time, it was a personal triumph over the so-called “establishment,” the well-heeled business and cultural elite that has held Stehly and her followers with varying levels of disdain since the piano teacher emerged from nowhere to defeat an indoor swimming pool planned for her neighborhood.

She ran the superior campaign, focusing her limited resources on targeting the small pool of voters who reliably turn out in local elections rather than blowing money on unfocused television ads, billboards and mass mailings. The targeted mailings she did send out were also superior. They talked about who Stehly is as a person and reminded voters of issues she’s championed over the years, including the ever-popular snowgates.

For once in a city election, the anti-establishment saw a breaking point, but I will also agree with Ellis, if you drive the winning race car, with the winning driver, you will probably win. I felt the needle point strategy was important, not just to save the candidates money, but to prove if you take the time to campaign to those who care, and you are a stellar candidate, you can win.

Theresa also talks about her health scares, as a friend I remember this time well, something I discussed with Theresa in length before she decided to run again. There were some moments when I thought I would be speaking at her funeral instead of guiding her thru another campaign of promise for the average Joe. For the record, I assisted Theresa and Greg as clients of the print shop/direct mailer I work for as their customer service rep. I was paid my employer to assist them as clients.

Sneve also takes a shot at Theresa, this time letting Vern Brown’s sour grapes over Drake Springs squirt all over the pages of the Argus;

Vernon Brown, a former City Council member who ran against Stehly in 2008, said it’s no surprise Paulson played better with voters in affluent neighborhoods like the ones found on the southern outskirts of the city.

“Where John won was in wealthier portions of the city, where they have a stronger interest in quality-of-life issues, parks and things for families,” Brown said.

WOW! I find the irony of Vern’s statement staggering. Vern and his wife come from very humble beginnings, and for Vern to make the statement that ‘us working class’ don’t care about parks and such couldn’t be further from the truth. Just peruse our park system any weekend this summer, the rich and affluent are not overtaking our parks, it is the working and middle class who use this wonderful free service that they truly value.

But then Vern pulls a 180 and admits, there are some things you cannot beat;

“I don’t think endorsements do a ton for local candidates, but in the case of Councilman Staggers endorsing Theresa, he always has a group of people who walk strong – loyal supporters of his.” Brown said. “So in the election with low voter turnout, that plays a big factor.

“John is known in the business community but on the street the average voter doesn’t know him that well. Ten years of being at public input and in the news benefits Theresa.”

The irony of all this is when Vern beat Theresa, the low voter turnout was about the same. And name recognition played to his advantage.

Funny how these things work out.