Search Results: Staggers

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeF44SNk2BE[/youtube]

Ayn Bird made a brief update message to a large interest Carnegie Town Hall meeting room crowd of reporters, potential candidates and of course the mayor. Kermit has been experiences health issues for the last few months creating a political buzz.

The Staggers family marched in, Ayn gave her message and they left immediately leaving a stunned news starved group. It actually was very much like many city hall pressers we have been attending, give the release and rush out of the room. This time it was the mayor stumbling for words and looking for answers.

Never underestimate Kermit Staggers.

UPDATE: As I suspected, Kermit’s family said they will be working through his health issues as he continues to serve on the council. Time to move along to other important business concerning our city.

Here are the actual charter rules for attendance. In all reality if Kermit only showed up to 3 more meetings he would be in compliance. But how can we expect the rest of the council understand their own charter? (DOC: Council Meetings

Kermit’s family will be making a statement. It is at Carnegie Town Hall.

My assumption is they will be speaking about his recent health issues and finishing his term as a councilor (which ends this Spring in a few months).

I have NO doubt in my mind he will finish his term out successfully and tackle his health problems. As for running for another term, I am not sure of.

Kermit has been a strong voice for the people, and agree or disagree with him, you will have to admit that the man has been dedicated to public service most of his life. He served as an Air Force intelligence officer, a state legislator and a 3 term city councilor.

I hope that the remaining city councilors and the mayor give him the respect and the space to finish his probable final term in public service gracefully. I know he would do the same for any of them if they were in the same boat.

As for his (well excused) absence, I could go on and on about the meetings the other councilors have missed over their terms to go on exotic vacations, visit their vacation homes in Florida or to leave early to see a rock concert. There must be respect amongst peers, and I hope they show Kermit that respect.

Beware citizens of Sioux Falls with the final reading of a proposed ordinance at this Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the Sioux Falls Water Department wishes to increase water rates by 3% in 2013 and another 3% in 2014.  Presented as bargain-basement rate increases in comparison to previous years of double-digit increases, these rate increases are justified as necessary to pay off the Water Department’s debt in a shorter time frame.  These rate increases are actually part of a larger Department strategy to continue a policy of sustainability in which consumers get less water while at the same time paying more for the water.  Wrapped in the cloak of conservation, the Department portrays itself as taking the moral high ground while at the same time the Department allows water to be wasted by going down the river system to the Gulf of Mexico to be mingled with salt water.

During the 1990s the Water Department operated under a different, pro-consumer philosophy of processing a lot of water for a cheap price for consumers, but since that time the Department has instituted an anti-consumer policy of sustainability by charging higher prices for less water.  This is quite evident in the fact that with the additional water coming from the Lewis and Clark pipeline in a few weeks and increased production capability of the water plant, the Water Department will reduce the amount of water processed from the city’s traditional water sources instead of producing more water to be sold at lower prices

Because of the abundance of water available to the city because of the Lewis and Clark pipeline, it is foolish for the Water Department to continue its anti-consumer policy of selling expensive water when additional water is readily available. By returning to a pro-consumer policy of the past, the Water Department would be imitating successful businesses in the private sector that make large profits by selling products and services to consumers at cheap prices.  The Water Department could actually make more money by reducing the price of water instead of increasing the price.  In terms of real conservation, the salty Gulf of Mexico would have less of our precious fresh water.

(While I agree with Kermit on the issue of supply and demand, I also think that SF water consumers should be awarded for conservation, currently they are not – DL).