SF City Council

Sioux Falls City Councilor Neitzert lone vote against SW Brandon housing development

Greg decided to vote against the project because he questions the state legality of the TIF,

Sioux Falls attorney Brendan Reilly, retained by the city as independent counsel to advise it on TIF legalities, told the Council that its members have “wide discretion” about what qualifies for a TIF. And though state law prohibits TIF funds from directly paying for the construction of housing structures, the tax incentive program can be used for infrastructure directly related to housing.

Councilor Greg Neitzert, the lone dissenting vote, said he struggled to square state law that prohibits TIFs from being used to subsidize housing with the request coming from the mayor’s office.

I think the bigger question is NOT legality, I think it is legal, but TIF definitions are so wide that this would have given the council the authority to deny it. I just don’t see this benefitting lower income people in housing. Will it help people? Sure. But it does nothing to build density and bring the core back up to snuff and address our housing crisis. We can do this thru community development loans and federal grants and don’t have to issue ONE SINGLE TIF.

While I support Greg’s NO vote, his reasoning misses the mark.

Is the revamped Facade Easement program just political payback?

I saw this coming a mile away.

When the program got reinstated earlier this year I knew what was up. Councilor Soehl pushed for reinstating the program while his campaign’s treasurer was restoring a building in Pettigrew Heights. Look who got a grant, item #6, sub-items #4-5;

Conditional Façade Grant Agreement for building commonly known as 100 South Grange Avenue, Boulevard Properties, LLC, $95K

This is for the proposed coffee shop at 9th and Grange that already got special zoning and street parking. This is a massive conflict of interest on Soehl’s part and he should be charged with an ethical violation. It is the epitome of quid pro quo.

And it seems the mayor’s very special campaign donors are getting some facade monies;

Conditional Façade Grant Agreement for Lucky’s at 224-226 S Phillips Avenue, Blackstreet Partners, LLC, $25K

This of course is part of a conglomerate of investment and development partners who have given thousands of dollars to Mayor TenHaken’s campaign and pro-Haken candidates.

Gee? I wonder why the facade grant was reinstated? Ethics be damned!

Apparently I’m a loser

Laugh it up, I know I did.

As I stepped up to the podium tonight at the Sioux Falls City Council meeting during general public input someone on the dais said into their microphone ‘What a loser.’ I couldn’t figure out who it was, and I really don’t care, but if you are going to lecture me about Roberts Rules and decorum maybe you need to look into the mirror.

I get it, you may not like the fact that I bring up uncomfortable things, but to vocally (not mentally) call a citizen at public input a loser as they walk up to the podium is despicable.

As I was sitting in the audience tonight listening to the proceedings all I could think to myself is that the council has turned into nothing more than 3rd graders fighting on the playground over someone stealing a Lunchable.

If it is too hot in the kitchen, get out or grow up. Pots on, Gas on High.

Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, Tuesday Oct 11

MEETING CALENDAR

Informational Meeting • 4 PM

• Downtown Parking Ramp Update by Erica Beck, Chief of Staff

• Parks and Recreation – Ice Plex/Tennis Center Updates by Don Kearney, Director of Parks and Recreation

Regular Meeting • 6 PM

Item #6, Approval of Contracts, Sub-Item #16, Professional Services Agreement for Site Selection, Study for Sioux Area Metro Consultant will complete a site selection analysis of a maximum of five sites, including the existing site and planning-level cost estimate for a new transit office and garage facility for Sioux Area Metro. TSP, Inc., $94,600. (while the city may want to tell you that they are just considering moving the Bus Barn, it is pretty obvious that they plan to move it for a developer that wants the current location. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this site, it just needs to be remodeled and upgraded. I also find it a bit odd with the hundreds of city employees that work in engineering and public works that we can’t study a proposal internally.)

Item #12, 1st reading, Background & Objective: Ordinance supplements the Sales Tax Fund by an additional $2M for arterial street improvements resulting from platting fee projected revenues in excess of budget expectations and $70K for Police to purchase a vehicle using federal grant dollars; and supplements the General Fund by $100K for Fire due to high fuel costs; $500K for Parks and Recreation primarily due to high fuel costs and spring storm damage repairs; and $400K for the Planning Department based on higher than anticipated lodging at ESF BID tax revenues that are subsequently transmitted to Experience Sioux Falls. (The $500K for parks cleanup is kind of surprising since we are told all the time that the city keeps track of storm cleanup so they can get Federal reimbursement).

Item #13, 1st Reading, Background & Objective: This is the development agreement between the City and Nielson Development for TIF #26. This agreement is for up to $2,140,000, plus financing costs of eligible expenses to assist in funding the development activities required to create an accessible housing subdivision, which includes the site improvements infrastructure, utilities and professional services to develop the site. The end result will include 65 single-family housing units that will be priced below the South Dakota Housing First Time Homebuyer pricing. (this is a TIF that will NOT be passed on to the new homeowners. It is simply keeping the costs down for the developer and the banks that are funding the development. It has also been stated in the media that this will do nothing to provide affordable housing.)

Items #14-15, Resolutions, Background & Objective: Resolution to approve a new five-year facilities management agreement for the Events Center Complex with ASM Global Arena Management, LLC for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2027. ASM Global Arena Management, LLC is the current facility manager for the Events Center Complex.

Background & Objective: Resolution to approve a new five-year food and beverage services agreement with Ovations Food Services for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2027. Ovations Food Services is the current food and beverage service provider for the Events Center Complex.

(Notice in the audit meeting on Thursday below that they have audits of these facilities ready but are NOT releasing the information before the 1st reading tonight. I have also implored the council to pass a bond ticket fee of at least $5 per ticket to help pay down the bonds. Councilors and management have complained that promoters would not come here if that attached ticket fee applied. Hogwash. The fee doesn’t take profits away from the management company, the promoters or the artists, it is an additional fee paid for by the very people who use the facility. If you can afford a $150 dollar ticket fee and $9 Bud Lights, you can afford the extra $5 to help pay down the bonds.)

Audit Committee Meeting • Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 4:00 PM

I find it interesting that the Audit Committee is reviewing audits of the Denty 2 days AFTER the 1st Reading for Contract renewals for the Denty at the city council meeting. There is also NO attached documents in the meeting link letting the public know what is in those audits (I’m sure they will magically appear on Wednesday). Makes you wonder what is in the audits that they cannot show they to us before the meeting tonight.

Sioux Falls Homeless Task Force meeting from Oct 3 has yet to be posted

I was unable to attend last Monday’s meeting and I have noticed that after 8 days it has yet to be posted on YouTube. I still don’t understand why the meetings cannot be live streamed as they are recorded at Carnegie, but to take 8 days to post a video that can easily be converted and uploaded to YT within a couple of hours is troubling. So unless you could have left work early last Monday and attended in person you have NO idea what was discussed. Transparent government at its best!