UPDATE: Stehly apologizes to the council for ignoring the gavel and decorum

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theresaapol

Theresa didn’t apologize for speaking out for the citizens, but she did apologize for ignoring the gavel;

“Today I want to apologize to you for not recognizing the decorum of the gavel,” Stehly said.

“I want to say that moving forward, I hope that we can work together with a renewed sense of peace, integrity and respect,”

I will give Theresa credit for taking the high road on this one. Can we expect an apology from the chair? I know this wasn’t easy for her, but sometimes we have to face our humility.

The timing of her apology is kind of ironic especially with all the different letters to the editor supporting her online today;

As for Councilwoman Theresa Stehly, “You go girl.” She can keep fighting for us, the voters.

And the graces keep coming;

We are still wondering why three other councilors made a huge change in their vote on the new city building. The only reason given was that Mayor Mike Huether would have gone ahead with his plan unethically, no matter what the vote was. To change your vote just because you will lose anyway, is neither staying with your conscience and values, nor good for good government. Those three counselors all passionately said it was a hard vote. Voting right is not hard, but making a wrong turn is hard if you have a conscience.

And one more for good measure;

I have read a few articles on what Councilwoman Theresa Stehly is doing wrong, but in reality, these articles are saying what we the people are doing wrong. Stehly is the voice for those of us who voted her in, and to date, based on many examples she is doing, what we want her to do.

Amen.

Mayor Huether says Stehly’s performance last Tuesday was inappropriate

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The mayor finally weighs in. And as usual when you give him a microphone he can’t resist to go on.

He says that he wishes he could say what went on in the executive session. Huh? Did I miss something? You were not in the meeting, so who shared it with you? I thought those meetings were not recorded and the people in those meetings cannot share what is discussed? So who shared that information with him? Is that a violation of the executive session?

He also goes on about the attacks to the city clerk and the city attorney. He claims the city attorney doesn’t just work for him, he works for the city. That statement in itself is hilarious. When Danielson brought up ethics charges against the mayor, he couldn’t walk 100 feet to his hearing, and the city attorney stepped off the dais as the advisor to the Ethics Board and defended the mayor as his personal attorney.

As for the city clerk, that is still unresolved as far as I am concerned until a judge rules in the case tomorrow.

Once again the mayor admits to some interesting stuff over the 34 minute interview.

The Village Idiot calls Stehly a Lone Wolf

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bully-rolfing

Since I have been writing this blog, I have been a strong advocate for open government, transparency and 1st Amendment free speech rights. I think you all know that. We may not always agree on what people have to say, but we have that right.

Theresa defended that Tuesday afternoon.

But to call Theresa a ‘Lone Wolf’ is the furthest thing from the truth. She has formed coalitions in every political activity she has been involved with. She has embraced the community and worked for them. It is no secret why Theresa is sitting on the council, because of her community involvement and sticking up for the little guy. I would call her ‘Mother Wolf’ before I would ever call her ‘Lone Wolf’.

Gawd, Rex, what the heck is wrong with you? Seriously Dude?!

Ironically, while everyone wants to blame her for the ‘drama’ if Rolfing would have just let her speak and not gaveled her (there was NOTHING confidential in what she was saying) there would have been no drama. And the chickensh*t council just sat there and let it happen. Wow!

As a citizen we have a right to transparency, the Argus Leader is in the middle of a lawsuit right now with the city over it. We talk often about transparency in our government, we get no where.

I know about the charges lobbed at Theresa (a butt hurt Chief of Police and moving chairs around Carnegie because of the 911 aniversary), they are petty, in fact not even worthy of blogging about, or an ethics charge, just prattle from perfect hair Mike.

This of course is NOT over, chickensh*ts and idiots get emboldened when they are embarrassed. They have there resources, and we have ours. You want a fight on transparency? You are going to get it. You are going to lose, big time.

First off, props to Cameraman Bruce and our credit on the video. Our cameras are always rolling.

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.

Authoritarians on the March, September 20, 2016

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The sign of a despot losing control is when the gavel flies. The Sioux Falls City Council Informational meeting on September 20, 2016 showed a city leadership spiraling out of control. When City Council members are told what to do, who they can talk to and what they are to believe something is rotting down deep.

Before you start watching the video, click on it so you can view it full screen. This is our first use of a five camera blend to show you the action of the room. Notice when the city attorneys join the video and how even Fiddle Faddle gets into the act and appears to yell out something with the crowd.

Those of us who have followed city government for years have known this day was coming. City Council leadership takes their marching orders from the mayor’s office and his directors. You can see it when Rex Rolfing looks to the mayor’s attorney for guidance as Theresa Stehly uses her open discussion time to bring up the illegal use of the Executive session process. We have been documenting the abuse of the secretive executive sessions to hide the public’s business from the public.

The secret executive session was called to discuss ethics but in fact was a scheme to go after Stehly to set her up as an example. YOU MUST OBEY OR ELSE!

Why shouldn’t we hear this? What is so secret about ethics? Is it actually kind of oxymoronic (get your dictionary out Rex) for our town to teach one version to the council but not explain it to us?

The abuse of council members, the public and the process must stop. A past council member once told Cameraman Bruce explained the rule passed down by the mayor, “Councilors are not to intervene on behalf of constituents.” If this is the case, why do we even have a city council?