Levitt getting closer . . .
l3wis 
Sioux Falls School Board Elect Baker has serious conflicts
Of course I pointed this out when she was co-chair of the New School Bond Task Force and people told me she had nothing to do with it. Well if you read her conflict form, it tells a different story (DOC: Baker-Conflict)
Bob Baker (Husband), First National Bank of SF, Employee, Shareholder, Director & officer
SFSD deposits and new school bonds.
As I mentioned during the task force meetings the bonds would have to go through First National and I wonder what kind of commission was gleamed on a $190 million dollar bond. But hey, no conflicts there. I also wondered what kind of contracts the school has with SDN, the employer of the Task Force Chair, Mr. Tea Time Vernon Brown.
Baker also lists she is a ‘Community Director’. I did a little digging around, and apparently she heads up a youth group called ‘Youth Roots’Â since April 1st. Whatever that is.
I still think the results are a little skewed. While I had no doubt that Nan and Carly would win, I had Nan in 1st place with a sliding vote count going to Carly, Lora and Sarah. It’s a little odd that Nan and Carly got the EXACTÂ same percentage and Sarah and Lora got almost identical to. I also find it a little odd that there was over 700 undervotes but in the bond election there was ONLY 2 (I think, can’t find supporting docs anymore), in 2018 school board election there was 0, in 2017 there was 25 and in 2016 there was 0, in 2015 there was 0.
If you think the SFSD is running their elections above board, I beg to differ.
Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, May 28, 2019
City Council Informational Meeting, 4 PM
April Financial Report
Falls Park Master Plan, there is an online survey, the problem with the survey, while thorough, it makes you submit your home address to complete the survey. I find this a violation of privacy. I think a ZIP CODE should be good enough. As I said before, the city is gathering information on us as individuals. It’s creepy and sad.
Click to Enlarge Calendar
Remembering Professor Mike Myers on Memorial Day
Of all the interesting politicians I have met over the past 15 years, Mike was one of the most memorable. Tenacious as all get out. I often was amused of the way the political establishment (he was a registered Independent his entire life) and the media treated him as a gadfly. As a candidate for governor, he was the most qualified person to ever run for the position. A former journalist, CEO of Mayo and USD Law Professor, people often ignored his resume. But it was Mike’s personality that made him a winner.
In this video, campus police at USD tried to tell him he was trespassing in the law center. He was sent a letter from the University basically telling him he was not welcome, something they call ‘Persona Non Grata’ which is a fancy legal term that doesn’t mean a pile of beans. This is why we asked for the court order that they could not produce. We will miss you Mike, you will not be forgotten.
Should it be called the Sioux Empire ‘Republican’ Leadership Council?
I’m not sure how many of the people on this council are Republican, but I can count quite a few;
- Jason Ball, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, will serve a one-year term as Chair (?)
- Andy Patterson, President, Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (Vice Chair) (?)
- Cindy Heiberger, Commissioner, Minnehaha County (REP)
- Jim Schmidt, Commissioner, Lincoln County (REP)
- Robin J. Houwman, Presiding Judge, Second Judicial Circuit, Unified Judicial System (?)
- Mike Milstead, Sheriff, Minnehaha County (REP)
- Steve Swenson, Sheriff, Lincoln County (REP)
- Paul TenHaken, Mayor, City of Sioux Falls (REP)
- TBD, School Board Member, Sioux Falls Public School District
- David Flicek, Administration, Avera McKennan (?)
- TBD, Administration, Sanford Health
- TBD, Council member, Sioux Falls City Council
- TBD, Community member
When I think of a ‘Leadership Council’ I think of people from all political stripes. It will be interesting to see who fills the open seats. I know of only ONE Democrat on the School Board (after Alberty leaves, and that is Kate Parker. On the city council it is only Pat Starr, who would make a great addition to the council). The reason this concerns me is that when such a large group of mostly Republican ‘leaders’ get together, it usually is about the bottom line first;
“Minnehaha County is excited to expand upon existing relationships in building a collaboration that will engage both public and private sectors,†Heiberger said.
I anticipate to see strong partnerships, but I also expect to see these ‘private’ partnerships watching out for their business interests first. I suspect them to sacrifice very little while the taxpayers pick up the tab.
The Council will begin regular, quarterly meetings this fall.
It will also be interesting to see if the council meets in public, or the forum they decide on to meet in public. Â