Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, Tuesday Oct 11
l3wis • 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
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.
