Events Center; Politics are dumb

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Andy sums up our mayor in a couple of sentences.

Ellis fills us in on why the Events Center debate is boring;

Huether responded: “People want it. There are people that are just sick of the dialogue: ‘Get it done so we can move on to other things.’ ”

That comment reminded me of the conversation I overheard at the Y. I’m not sure whether the two guys want an events center, but they want the subject to go away.

I personally would like to see both. Bring it to the ballot with a funding source ASAP. Let the voters decide. If they want it, we go ahead and build. If they don’t, we shelve it for another 10 years or so – AND DON’T TALK ABOUT IT! It seems Huether is under the impression that the voters are just salivating to approve it. LOL! If they wanted it so bad, as you claimed during your campaign, wouldn’t the first thing you would have done is found a funding source and stuck it on the ballot, ASAP? Nope. You are still looking for an angle, because you know support for an EC is a 50/50 longshot, and you cannot stand to be wrong. Look how many times Lincoln failed, and he is still considered one of our greatest presidents. Mike, failing on the EC isn’t the end of the world. If I were mayor I would much more prefer citizens telling me they love the streets they drive on and how beautiful our parks are. I’m just saying.

This comment by Andy Traub, who is a BID supporter, sums it up;

I was at that meeting and I want to thank the writer of this editorial for summarizing the 90 minutes of conversation very well. People, it was a discussion between the Mayor and BIDT so of course it had a lot of pro-downtown points. It was a VERY interesting meeting. The mayor sounded stuck in my opinion. He’s a businessman who can’t make a decision based on dollars alone. That’s frustrating for me as a taxpayer because I want an investment that makes cents/sense for the future according to the study. I came away feeling sorry for the mayor in some ways. Politics are dumb. Thank you for a very balanced perspective on the meeting. I agree people are tired of the conversation because most people, even those following this closely, are discouraged by a lack of openness. We’ll learn more tomorrow.

And who has made it political? The mayor. He should have opened the process up to the voters and the council from the beginning instead of hogging it to himself. It will end up biting him in the butt. He won’t be able to sell this plan like he bought the election.

It seems this SF citizen gets it, but is anyone in city hall listening?

Before another penny is spent on anything to do with a potential events center, the current marketing Svengali we have for mayor needs to expand his tunnel vision and address the critical infrastructure needs of the people of Sioux Falls as a top priority.

This effort should include the widespread problems associated with the sewer network, long-term fixes to the numerous potholes and degraded sections of road throughout the city, replacement of all unsafe bridges, completion of work on the levees and finishing the Sioux Falls segment of the Lewis & Clark water project.

The city also needs to properly fund its parks and recreation and cultural facilities, including their operation, maintenance and personnel.

The Washington Pavilion is a shell of its former self, and the Art Barn is closed.

If the city can’t afford to operate and support these existing facilities, how can it possibly hope to run an events center?

 

Posted in: Event Center, Sioux Falls

Did the Mayor get his ass handed to him last night?

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UPDATE: This is the Argus story on the topic, written by the wonderful Megan ‘Patron’ Luther, this exchange between Erpenbach and Rolfing is priceless;

Councilor Michelle Erpenbach, who does not serve on the committee, said she was disappointed with the process.

“If we have this kind of confusion over something that has been in committee for three-and-a-half months, we have let people down and we have not done our jobs,” she said.

“We have also canceled a few of those meetings along those times,” Rolfing said.

“Don’t give me excuses. Let’s treat this committee process with the seriousness it should be treated with,” Erpenbach responded.

Yah could have heard a pin drop. All along Mike kept playing the ‘confused’ card. Whatever, this guy is so full of shit, if he ever explodes he could fertilize the entire eastern half of South Dakota.

Item #16

A RESOLUTION  TO AMEND AND RESTATE RESOLUTION 73-09 TO ADOPT AS A GOAL THAT THE CITY MAINTAIN AN 11% MONTHLY UNRESTRICTED CASH BALANCE AND A 25% GENERAL FUND RESERVE BALANCE AT YEAR END; THAT FUTURE BUDGETS OF THE CITY BALANCE WITHOUT THE USE OF UNOBLIGATED RESERVE BALANCES; ESTABLISHING A COUNCIL POLICY REGARDING THE USE OF PROJECTED REVENUE FROM FEE OR TAX INCREASES IN ANY BUDGET ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL; AND ESTABLISHING A COUNCIL POLICY ON THE USE OF ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

WHEREAS, the Home Rule Charter of the City of Sioux Falls authorizes the Council to appropriate City funds and set City policy; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires adequate reserves to cash flow City government and meet any emergencies; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the City’s Home Rule Charter, the Council may provide for the form in which the Mayor is to submit a budget proposal; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires an ongoing plan for a fiscally sound budget; and

WHEREAS, the City Council expects potential new revenue streams be approved prior to final adoption of the budget;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD:

That the City establish as a goal that it maintain a minimum unrestricted cash balance at the end of each calendar month equal to 11% of the general fund budget for that fiscal year and a general fund unreserved fund balance as of December 31 for each fiscal year equal to 25% of the general fund budget for that fiscal year. If the unrestricted cash reserves at any month end or the general fund unreserved fund balance as of December 31 shall fall below these thresholds, the Mayor shall, as soon as practical thereafter, present the Council with an explanation and plan for replenishing the unrestricted cash balance or general fund reserve balance to the targeted threshold; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That the City establish as a goal that a Mayor’s proposed general fund budget for each fiscal year beginning with 2008 provide for balance between projected revenues and expected expenditures without the use of general fund unreserved fund balances, and that the elected and appointed officials of the City use their best efforts and mutual cooperation to accomplish that goal. If a Mayor believes that the financial condition or needs of the City require the use of funds from general fund unreserved fund balances in any proposed budget, such budget proposal shall include a statement of the reasons which the Mayor believes justify the use of the general fund unreserved funds; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That it be established as the policy of the Council that if a Mayor’s proposed general fund operation budget includes projected revenues from increases in fees, charges, taxes or other similar sources that require Council approval, the ordinance or ordinance amendment authorizing such increase should be presented to and approved by the Council prior to the submission of the proposed budget.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That it be established as a policy of the Council that enterprise accounts of the City relating to water, water reclamation, sanitary landfill and the city electric utility should cover the true cost for that enterprise, including operation, maintenance, periodic capital replacement, new capital acquisitions and improvements, debt service requirements, and other costs deemed necessary.

Posted in: Mayor Hubris, Mayor Subprime Mike Huether, Mike Huether, SF City Council, Sioux Falls

The city is in such great financial shape that we can’t keep up with infrastructure repairs.

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I love it when city officials trot out news like this, when they are either lying, in a state of denial or just trying to boondoggle us;

“The city of Sioux Falls, contrary to what some people may try to tell you, is very well situated from a financial standpoint,” Rowenhorst said.

We are in great financial shape yet our infrastructure (sewer, water and roads) are falling apart at the seams and we unconstitutionally force our residents to maintain city owned property (trees and sidewalks) and then turn around and cut public safety (SFPD). If we are in such great financial shape why are we struggling to keep up with the basics? If we are such great shape, PROVE IT! Spend the capital.

Make no mistake, all this grandstanding by the mayor about our financial shape is an attempt to take out a big fat loan for a new Events Center. Mark my words. And if Mike thinks he can slip in a funding source that is not approved by voters he will find out really quick how fast your popularity will go in the toilet.

Posted in: Sioux Falls

Is weather or negligence to blame for the ‘toilet apocalypse’ in SF?

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So will Huether pull a Harvey? Soon?

As a former city public official pointed out to me tonight, the sewer problems are not about water usage, sump pumps or the weather (well they are not helping).

What really happened was there was a blocked pipe and failed pump station.

Add up all the rain and citizens having the nerve to wash clothes and take showers, and what you have is a domino affect. This of course all goes back to Munson ignoring infrastructure and his two main men, Cooper and Cotter not doing anything about it. While I don’t blame Huether for the current fiasco, I do expect him to set the record straight.

So what is it Mike? Rain or blocked pipes? Sump pumps or a failed pump station? Or all of the above?

I think it is great you want to inform us, but please, tell us the rest of the story, Mike Harvey.

UPDATE: I hope to be speaking to an actual person involved with this lawsuit, that has to do with the infrastructure neglect. This quote from a lawyer in the lawsuit is priceless;

“It seems like, for a good period of the ’90s and virtually all the first decade of the 2000s, the city has been enamored with projects that are quality-of-life things, which are all wonderful and necessary, but they haven’t been taking care of the basic infrastructure of the city,”

Posted in: Sioux Falls

Munson’s accomplishments? Please, fill me in.

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Dave’s greatest tool

This ringing endorsement of King Dave’s accomplishments comes from the same people who once depicted him as a Dr. Suess character. Besides spending record sales tax revenue like a drunken sailor and racking up a record debt I still struggle with what Dave’s accomplishments really were. Because I can shoot holes in all of these, real quick;

the man who grew up in the historic North End ultimately did not accomplish some things that many of us – maybe even he – had hoped for. Time, economic conditions, his own style and an often-fragile relationship with the City Council,

Fragile relationship? You mean the fact that he could only get 6-7 councilors to rubberstamp his agenda and budgets?

Phillips to the Falls became a reality – perhaps, in public perception, his greatest accomplishment.

What? He broke city law to approve a 100% over budget expenditure on the project, and after 5 years the land still remains undeveloped and as far as I know, still owned by the city. The only thing that was accomplished at Phillips to the Falls was a plaque of Munson being erected and a massive bilking of taxpayers.

He rescued the Orpheum, stabilized funding for the Lewis & Clark pipeline, cleaned up the Loop and gave downtown a welcome face-lift.

The taxpayers of Sioux Falls rescued the Orpheum, we are getting suckered in higher water rates for a pipeline we don’t have yet and downtown has become a very boring place to hang out. When I turned 21 over 16 years ago there was more than two live music venues downtown that played Rock & Roll. There was also a dance club. As Rocco said to me the other night when he was hanging out in Sioux City on fourth street.

“People aren’t a bunch of stuck up yuppies on fourth street like in downtown Sioux Falls. Everyone is cool.”

Munson has turned downtown Sioux Falls into a Mayberry for elitists who think there brat kids who are enrolled in club sports deserve handouts from the city, and I don’t think Mayor Subprime will be much different.

There was one thing Dave was good at; using his gavel at council meetings with people he didn’t agree with. I still think he has no respect for the First Amendment and freedom of speech, and for that, all I have to say is ‘good riddance!’

Posted in: Munson