Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, June 4, 2019

City Council Informational, 4 PM (6/4/2019)

Internal Audit report of the Zoo & an Executive Session.

Regular City Council Meeting, 7 PM (6/4/2019)

Item #15, Applications, Arc of Dreams dedication party moved to July 24th. I hope they have a few bones left over from the $2.6 million dollar ego expenditure for crackers and cheese at the party.

Item #40, 1st Reading, Ordinance, Leine’s isn’t popular anymore, we have to go back to the old standby of Coors Light. Yeah, this is some of the stupid crap the city council has to endure. Speaking of stupidity, I guess more and more people are turned off by the ax throwing venues. Besides the obvious that they are trendy and expensive, the number one complaint is ‘They are noisy’ and not in a good way like dance music or live rock bands . . . thump . . . thump . . . thump. I went into the one next to Book COOP about a month ago, and I lasted about 2 minutes before I left. Sioux Falls, we need more poetry readings and less axe throwing. Now if West Mall can get on the Coors Light Express.

Item #41, 1st Reading, Ordinance, Cable Tax increase. This should be an interesting discussion. But no worries, the RS5 will make sure your taxes go up!

Items #42-43, Resolution, So this is interesting that we are going into OVS agreements with this telecoms BEFORE the tax increase has been approved. HMMM.

Item #46, Resolution, Approving more diagonal parking on Main. I find it curious there was NO informational on this.

Planning Commission Meeting, 6 PM (6/5/2019)

Item #2, Consent Agenda, items C & E, Looks as though Councilor Erickson is looking to change a couple of nice McKennan Park residences into another Air BNB properties. I hear her and her husband have been snagging up properties around the hospitals for short term rentals to temp nurses and other hospital staff. The question is if Erickson is using her position on the council as a way to help the people she serves or herself? I talked to a person who lived a couple houses away from one of the properties and they had no idea that it would become an Air BNB. I find it a little curious also that the Planning Department put these on the consent agenda instead of the regular agenda to make sure this goes under the radar of the public when there is clear conflicts.

Item #5B, new restaurant on North Minnesota Ave.

Item #5C. my new favorite restaurant, Abelardos is seeking a beer and wine license. I find it interesting the property is still owned by Jim’s Burgers. Someone needs to figure out ‘curb appeal’ because the weed fest they have going on outside isn’t drawing in the customers. The food however is fantastic!

Item #5D. Garbage handlers being possibly denied a new parking lot.

Item #5E, St. Francis House to change plans.

Click to Enlarge Calendar

Was the Downtown Parking Ramp just a ‘SHAM’ from the beginning?

I never did have a good feeling about the project and told several city councilors that the hotel will never be completed, then I hear this;

“The NMTC is a highly competitive economic development program, which incents private investments in the poorest rural and urban communities in America,” Rapoza said in a statement. “To receive NMTC allocation from the Department of Treasury and participate in the program, community development organizations demonstrate a record of financing dynamic projects that improve services such as health care, or create jobs and opportunity in communities where capital is difficult to obtain from conventional lenders.”

Low paying hospitality jobs is hardly a good reason to give such a project tax incentives. This deal was doomed from the beginning and any city official/employee who supported this, worked on this or voted for this should be ashamed and should resign.

Weekend Picts • June 1, 2019

Another shot of the Arc phase I being placed

Got to go into the Pavilion galleries for free on Saturday (the only time I go) the piece below was the best. The Pavilion also had a huge fail and instead of having their FREE concert outside on Main they moved it inside and hardly anyone attended. Apparently they wanted to celebrate 20 years but didn’t want any extra expense of having equipment outside. Lame.

There is a great view of the prison from the Levitt Stage. I wonder how many performers will ask about the castle on the hill?

What’s going on with Frank Olson Pool?

Councilor Stehly recently sent this notice out;

As we enter into the warmth of summer, I invite you to buy a pass to our outdoor pools. Last year I enjoyed swimming laps at the large traditional Frank Olson pool, located on east 18th street.  This pool is a wonderful addition to our “Water Park” pools. I have encouraged Don Kearney from the Parks Department to develop more activities for adults like lap swimming, water walking and Zumba classes during the noon hour and the evening family swim. Last summer at Drake springs Adults could bring in their own beverage and listen to upbeat music during the noon activities. All pools need to offer the same attractions.

The summer passes are very reasonable and can be purchased at any pool. (Children $30, Adult $70, Senior $40, Veteran, $40, Family $100, reduced income adult $40, Reduced income family $50.)

She has been concerned that Frank Olson pool is on the chopping block. She noticed Thursday night that there are NO extra activities scheduled at the pool.

She had requested extra signage be installed off 18th street and that they add a noon adult time with music, water walking and lap swimming. Hasn’t happened yet.