Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, June 7, 2022
• Experience Sioux Falls BID Ordinance Revisions by Shawn Pritchett, Director of Finance; and, Teri Schmidt, CEO Experience Sioux Falls
• Chapter 121 Medical Cannabis Regulations Update by Stacy Kooistra, City Attorney; Jamie Palmer, Licensing Specialist
Item #6, Consent Agenda,
Sub Item #1, Agreement to Provide Psychiatric Services, Midwest Wellness Institute, PLLC (looks like the HR department suddenly found another contractor for this. Gee, I wonder why?)
Sub Item #8, Falls Park Master Plan; Agreement for professional services, Confluence, $200K (so this contractor was picked thru a contest, funny how the contractor that won the contest gets about 99% of the city’s landscape design projects already 🙂 The city should just buy Confluence. It would make all this pomp and circumstance of perceived contests go away.
Sub Item #17, Legal Services Agreement to include legal representation regarding potential City of Sioux
Falls Zoning Ordinance Chapter 160 changes, Siegel Barnett & Schutz, LLP, $10K (Chapter 160 is all of the zoning ordinances, so I am not certain what changes are being made. I know that many homeowners have asked about changing zoning so you could build ADUs (accessory dwelling units) without permission from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.)
Item #65, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A “TOMAR PARK TENNIS COMPLEX NAMING AGREEMENT” BETWEEN THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS AND THE SIOUX FALLS TENNIS ASSOCIATION. (Looks like we sold-out another public park. Because when I go to the park, I like to know who is sponsoring it, besides myself).
Item #69, Resolution, This is for the tax levy issued to homeowners adjacent to the 21st boulevard in McKenna Park. This is issued for city maintenance of the flowers in the boulevard. What I found interesting is when you click on the document attached, you will find a list of the property owners. About 10 of them are owned under a Trust, Bank or LLC.
Item #76, Resolution, Councilor Merkouris is bringing forward his idea for a Homelessness Task Force. While I applaud bringing this forward, it seems you better be a friend of the Mayor to get on this TF;
Section 2: That the Mayor is hereby authorized to appoint up to four members to the task force and the City Council Chair and Vice Chair are hereby authorized to appoint all additional members to the task force.
I wonder if this time the mayor will appoint the parents of the Mayor’s Youth Council participants? You know, to return the favor and all.
The irony is that you don’t need a TF to study the issue. We know the problems. You need the TF to recommend solutions ASAP by finding what has worked across the country and world. Recently I rode past Drake Springs pool and noticed that the city put a screened banner on the chainlink fence surrounding the pool. At first I thought, ‘Why?’ then I realized it was because the homeless like to pass out under the trees right by the fence. At least kids only have to look at them when they walk home.
Got to hand it to the city, they have offered one solution: ‘Homelessness. Put a banner in front of it.’ Which is no surprise since they tackled panhandling with a metal sign.