Warren’s snow removal Friday

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Warren wanted me to start this thread – and I am glad he asked.

Snow removal in Sioux Falls is pretty good, but over the past few years, I have noticed it is not consistent and the quality has been going down hill.

Last year Theresa Stehly ran for SF city council on the platform of taxpayer money being spent on services for taxpayers (gee, what concept) like tree trimming on the boulevard, sidewalk repair, and snow gates.

Councilor Staggers even wanted to buy two snowgates to experiment with. That proposal went down in flames, and Vernon Brown even had a little hissy-fit over buying the gates- because he says they don’t work (even though we have not tried them yet) he must have a crystal ball(s). Snowgates actually work good as long as snowfall isn’t over 6″. And since we only get about one or two snowfalls a year that hit that mark, it seems they would be pretty effective. The nice part about them besides keeping the ends of our driveways clear, they are great for cleaning intersections (something our city is very inept about).

And this is my bitch. What’s the point of clearing the main routes like Cliff and Minnesota if you pile 4 feet of snow blocking the sidestreets? This is where snowgates would work good.

Got anything to add Warren?

CITY INFO

Posted in: SF City Council, Sioux Falls ⋅ Tagged:

Kranz writes another story about nothing

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Get out the grill and cookup some catfish, Janoct may be shucking and jiving his way back into the mayoral race.

Must have been a slow week for politics. That’s okay, David from the Gargoyle Leader goes back to his old standby, the 2010 mayor race in Sux Falls. He interviews all of the contenders and gets the same canned answer from them all;

“I think it would be a tremendous honor and fun to be mayor of Sioux Falls, but I have not made that decision. I will talk about it with my family, my friends and my business partners,” Costello said.

The column gives no clue who is running, in fact the only one that really admitted to running was Mr. Downtown-business-taxpayer-handouts Bill Peterson (I hope he runs because I will be at every single forum bringing up the taxypayer handouts he has asked for as president of DT SF.)

And my good old buddy Vernon acts so coy;

“People have been asking, but it is too early to make a decision like that. I am not ruling it out, not ruling it in. The mayor of Sioux Falls is an attractive job,” he said. “It always boils down to where I am at with my family, my job. I don’t know what suddenly has people generating more conversation.”

Of course Vernon can’t say, because he promised when running against Stehly that he was going to finish out his term as councilor and not run for mayor. But if we look at Vernon’s voting record, you can tell he is not a man of his word. (I also hope he runs, so I can ask you intend to serve as councilor and mayor).

And the one that made spit coffee through my nose when I read it, Mr. Metal Detector-Fear Factor-Road-Rager Bob Schlitz;

“I will say a lot of people have been asking me that lately, and I am flattered. I will have to consider it. I am humbled and amazed that there are people who think you can do that. That’s a big thing being mayor of the state’s largest city.”

NO BOB – IT’S A HUGE AWESOME THING! Bigger then a 20 pound hammer or a portable cement mixer. BTW Bob, if you become mayor you can’t sit on 10 different city boards and twist people’s noses anymore.

Here is the unofficial South DaCola list of candidates;

Almost 100% sure: Vernon Brown – Kermit Staggers – Pat Costello – Bill Peterson

Fitty-Fitty: De Knudson – Gary Hanson – Ghost of Dude – Beninga

Long shots: Jim Abnor – Bob Litz

I’m also sure Janoct Adja will run again as long as he is still allowed to dance with Shauna Janklow at Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues concerts.

Posted in: Sioux Falls Mayor Race

Council refuses to give up on the Event Center pipe dream

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from the Argus Leader;

Councilor questions push for tax-hike legislation

 

One of the Sioux Falls City Council’s legislative priorities for 2009 raised a flag for one councilor Monday night.

Councilor Kermit Staggers questioned why the council was supporting legislation that allows cities to enact a local option tax to raise money for a specific purpose.

Staggers said he would oppose the resolution because it’s not wise for the council to advocate such a tax in a difficult economy and isn’t a good message to residents.

Council Chairman Bob Litz said the city has an expected level of service to meet regardless of the economy.

“This doesn’t mean we are going to enact a tax tomorrow. It just gives the city the freedom to do so when it decides,” Litz said.

Other priorities are ensuring adequate transportation funding, enacting a statewide ban on smoking, developing standards to provide equal 911 service to all and encouraging cooperative efforts to improve 911 services and efficiency.

The measure passed 6-1, with Councilor Kenny Anderson Jr. absent.

Trust me, if the state gives sioux Falls the right to raise taxes to build an event center (that’s what this is about) They would do it the next day.

I also like this line;

the city has an expected level of service to meet regardless of the economy

Bologna. This is another scare tactic by Bob ‘Spread Fear’ Litz. An Events Center has nothing to do with servicing the citizens of this community. Want to service us? Trim our trees, stop pushing snow in the end of our driveways, build a homeless shelter, fix our streets, etc, etc.

Bob, you must really think we are dumb.

Posted in: Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax, De Knudson, debate, economy, Kermit Staggers, litz, SF City Council, Sioux Falls, Staggers, Taxes

Cutting $5 Million from a $412 Million dollar budget would have been a snap.

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But Councilor Litz doesn’t think so.

Listen to the discussion between Staggers and Litz on the Sales Tax decrease initiative. Litz also believes government knows how to spend your money better then you do. He says to keep the town growing.

I think he has been locked up in Munson’s bullet proof closet for too long.

Inside Town Hall – November 10, 2008

Council Members Kermit Staggers and Bob Litz: Citizen Initiative Reducing the Sales Tax and Shape Sioux Falls. Council Members Litz and Staggers discuss the 2nd penny sales tax and other topics.

Posted in: Citizens for Reponsible Sales Tax, city Link, litz, SF City Council, Sioux Falls, Staggers, Taxes

Temper, Temper Now Dave

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I did not have a chance to look at the agenda before Monday night’s Sioux Falls city council meeting, so when this came up in the video, I had to rewind and watch again. Apparently the mayor added an appropriation after the council already approved it (which some councilors viewed as ILLEGAL). Kermit thanks the clerk’s office for catching it, then Kermit catches Hell from the Mayor. And of course the Mayor’s attorney, ah, I mean, the city attorney backs him up and takes the blame for it (one more reason why I have serious concerns about Dave’s political appointees). Attorney Amundson says that Dave did not direct him to do it (you’ll have to turn up the volume in this part of the video). Yeahhhhh Right Robert.

One of the reasons that Abraham Lincoln was one of our greatest presidents was because he didn’t appoint his friends to his cabinet. You would think a good Republican(?) like Munson would know better.

Hardy, Harr, Harr.

Here’s the video;

INTRODUCTION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES
A motion was made by Council Member Costello and seconded by Council Member Beninga to amend Ordinance 117-08 by adding:  “Section 3: In the event that any condition or provision contained in this ordinance is found to be invalid, unenforceable, or unauthorized, in whole or in part, for any reason, then the remaining provisions of this ordinance shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect to the maximum extent permitted by law”.  
 
Vote to amend: Roll Call: Yeses, Jamison, Knudson, Litz, Staggers, Anderson Jr., Beninga, Brown, Costello, 8. Noes, 0.   Motion Passed.
Posted in: Munson, SF City Council, Sioux Falls