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While I was trying not to gag watching Dean Karsky hand out ‘trophies’ to the outgoing councilors Tuesday night, I thought to myself, Jim certainly wasn’t getting his award for perfect attendance. This got me thinking about Jim’s one and only council term.

I found it a bit ironic that Jim had to vote on the indoor pool Tuesday night at his final meeting because he has been ‘working’ on this project during his term. Remember, it was very important that Jim voted on this, yet his attendance record over the past four years was less than stellar. In fact, just about every year he would miss almost an entire month of meetings for his family vacation stint in Mexico. Apparently there wasn’t anything ‘important’ for him to vote on when he was in Mexico. He also had a habit of skipping many committee meetings. It seemed over the past four years, DJ only showed up when it was ‘important’ to him.

Make no mistake, DJ served on the city council for DJ, his friends and family, and Sanford (which he sits on the board of trustees), NOT for you and me.

In his four years here are some of his ‘accomplishments’

  1. Always voting YES on property tax and fee increases
  2. Created the BID visitor tax (which goes directly to the CVB for marketing). While I am not opposed to this tax, I can see room for abuse, I also don’t see ‘creating’ a new tax as an accomplishment, but Jim has mentioned publicly several times it was something he was proud of.
  3. Pushing for the Events Center and incurring a $180 million/30 year debt on taxpayers instead exploring other funding sources.
  4. At his final official meeting, approving spending infrastructure debt repayment money on recreation.

Well, I guess I would be hard pressed to say that DJ hasn’t accomplished anything. He has been very effective at raising taxes and incurring more debt on the citizens of Sioux Falls. Anything for a better quality of life for DJ and his 1%er friends.

I would love to give my own DaCola version of a trophy to DJ, but I couldn’t find any local turd polishers.

5 Thoughts on “The Legacy of Councilor Diamond Jim Entenman

  1. scott on May 15, 2014 at 12:01 pm said:

    I’m sure the council members that voted are the ones that get their names on the plaque. That’s why it HAD to be done now.

  2. Sullivan on May 15, 2014 at 1:47 pm said:

    Diamond Jim – what a coarse, classless crude man. Good riddance after 1 pathetic term. His appearance, persona and ethics have been a mortifying reflection on Sioux Falls. Who, possessed of any beyond a Jethro Bodine 6th grade education, would have voted for that knuckle-dragger?

    One constituent called him to voice her concern against the Spellerberg location for an indoor pool, and Jim Boy was very nasty and belligerent from the moment she introduced herself and her opinion. They apparently got into an argument and she ended up hanging up on him.

    While there were 2 other councilors in addition to Kermit Staggers who gave past indications of support against a Spellerberg location/funding ordinance, all the Councilors demonstrated reasonable decorum Tuesday in announcing their vote for or against – except Diamond Jim. “Absolutely YES!” he bellowed when his name was called, in sharp contrast to all his fellow Council Members. His last City Council Meeting, and he throws a grenade on his way out the door to affirm in a most public way:
    a) his mind was already made up about the issue, and letting 21 people speak made no difference to him and amounted to only symbolic lip service to his fellow citizens, and
    b) he has no respect for any citizen with an opinion which does not support his personal bias.

    He had the legal right to vote on that ordinance Tuesday, but it was ethically and morally bankrupt of him to do so. There are too many skeletons still in the closet on this deal for him to be off the hook after voting on such a divisive, spendy issue just before he leaves office.

    It may be legal for City Councilors to be on the boards of area foundations and businesses having significant dealings with City Hall – as Jim is on the Sanford Board of Trustees – but common sense dictates that it reeks of impropriety.

    It may be legal for City Councilors to donate large sums of money to fight municipal election ballot measures, as Jim donated $1000 to CS365 to fight Initiated Measure 2 on April 8, but does it not confirm profound personal bias – and a total lack of objectivity – regarding his potential ordinance vote on a matter before the Council ?

    They can write whatever they want on Jim’s tombstone. His legacy will be declared years from now on a huge banner hung on a little-used, energy vampire behemoth indoor swamp crash landed on Spellerberg Park: “Jim Entenman’s Folly”.

    Congrats Jim. Yes, you certainly left your mark. It’ll be the gift that keeps on trashing your reputation, that of your family and your descendants years after you’re moldering in the grave. I predict the Entenman surname will be ditched out of the shame and embarrassment of being associated with you. You must be SO proud as the source of such a heritage!

  3. rufusx on May 15, 2014 at 1:56 pm said:

    You bring up a good discussion point in this post – but it isn’t necessarily what you think it is.

    If you served on the City Council – would you serve for me? Or for Mr. Entenman? How about the Huethers – would you serve for them? How about the 70% who voted against the outdoor pool – would you serve for them?

    Or would you ONLY represent YOUR OWN POV?

  4. Dan Daily on May 15, 2014 at 6:51 pm said:

    Can’t say I care for the man. However, he’s made a good move leaving now. City officials can be named in a federal civil rights lawsuit. Their bond doesn’t protect their assets. The city denies due process to citizens, there’s no competitive bid process, and city contracts are not awarded with regard for minority business.

  5. Poly43 on May 16, 2014 at 2:49 pm said:

    My feelings about mmm and dj go back further than just their bully pulpit antics at city council meetings. mmm as marketing director for a fee harvesting scam says everything I ever needed to know about him. And dj? The guy sets up a beer tent every summer and sells thousands of gallons of beer to bikers on there way to even more beer drinking in Sturgis. Alcohol and moving forms of transportation should not mix….but they do dj’s end of town.

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