The arguments against the ban by the RS5 will be high theatre, so let’s review some of the cards they will pull against this ban;
• What if there is an emergency I need to attend to? That’s simple, you give the number of the council’s operations manager, Jim David to your family members. If their is an emergency, they can call him and he can notify the councilor affected immediately. The irony is that in the 15 or so years I have been attending and watching council meetings, I have only witnessed a councilor leaving once due to an emergency.
• What if I need to research something. Well that research should have been done before you came to the meeting (just like they used to do in the olden days when they had NO internet and NO cell phones) and if you have legal or logistic questions you can ask the applicant or city director to answer those questions by walking to the microphone during the meeting.
• Having my cell phone during a meeting is part of a modern society. While I can somewhat agree that technology has changed, the meetings really are a ‘public’ hearing of sorts, that means all correspondence during the meetings between councilors and staff, constituents or applicants should be public, and in a legal sense, if you are texting about policy in the meeting, that really should be released to the public.
• We don’t need an ordinance, we can just learn to be more respectful. Funny, I said the same thing about public input, but that didn’t stop the RS5 from putting more restrictions on it. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If the citizens of Sioux Falls can’t be trusted to be more respectful with texting and driving how can we trust our elected leaders?
Let’s face it, they will come up with a whole host of different reasons we don’t need the ban, because they want to continue to text the ‘players’ in and out of the room. And that is really what it is about, as I said on FB about this last week;
What a sad world we live in that 9 adult elected leaders in our city can’t put their phones away for a couple of hours to do the people’s work. I grew up with landlines and didn’t get a cell phone until about 15 years ago. What did elected leaders do before cell phones and the internet?
These public meetings are about doing the people’s work, and they shouldn’t be distracted by outside testimony or influence during the meetings. If the important people want to be heard privately, schedule a appointment with them before the regular meeting. I don’t take issue with prior discussion with all the parties involved, but when it comes to the actual meeting, you need to be ready to go.
What this comes down to is a game the RS5 has been playing for awhile to gang up on certain councilors and it’s no different then watching sharks circle their prey. Guess what, you are big kids now, you can put away the video games and cartoon watching for a couple hours a week to do the people’s business. I know the first couple of meetings without your phones you will probably experience cold sweats, uncontrollable hand twitches and suddenly the need to wring your hands with hand sanitizer every 5 minutes, but you will survive.
During last weeks meeting, the councilor proposing this ordinance literally got up out of their seat during the middle of the meeting to go and talk to someone. I have been told the councilor proposing this has posted on Facebook during council meetings (although I can’t verify this, as said councilor has blocked me on Facebook). If this councilor is worried about distracting behavior during council meetings, perhaps they could start by serving as an example to other councilors instead of getting up during meetings, allegedly using social media and allegedly trying to take photos of other councilors using their phones as “gotcha†material.
Honestly, this whole thing seems like an attempt to embarrass and punish the majority of the council. It’s an easy opportunity for a certain councilor to rail on their fellow councilors for supposedly not paying attention during meetings. And if someone dare opposes this ordinance, it will be easy for the South Dacolasphere to accuse them of just wanting to text politicos and play crush during meetings.
This ordinance is a waste of time in my opinion. If someone isn’t paying attention during meetings and isn’t doing a good job, you don’t re-elect them. Making up a list of schoolyard rules is the wrong approach. We don’t need to micromanage the behavior of elected officials through city ordinance. They are adults and deserve to be treated with the same respect that you would treat any business or non-profit professional.
I saw that to, any councilor can get up during the meeting and talk to staff (that is what she did) or go to the bathroom or whatever. It would be a different thing if Stehly got up, sat next to a constituent and started whispering stuff back and forth, which is what councilors are doing during the meetings with texts. Theresa does post on FB during the meetings and has admitted she will stop doing that, but she also pointed out that those posts are public, not hiding anything from anyone, and usually occur during the informational meetings which are NOT public hearings.
“Honestly, this whole thing seems like an attempt to embarrass and punish the majority of the council.”
People can only be PUNISHED, Shamed or embarrassed if they are doing something wrong. Am I missing something here?
It’s easy to say something is a ‘waste of time’ if you don’t agree with it. Did you learn that in grade school? You say they deserve to be treated like adults but they are acting like children passing notes in class. They told the public they had to limit them on public input because one person rambles about how the VA treated him and another called the former mayor an SOB so they passed a broad brush swipe across all of us because we weren’t being respectful. As I said above, if you can impose rules on those who own this government, we can impose those same rules on you.
It’s sad when you have to restrict councilors like teenagers. Teens can’t play video games in church and councilors can’t place orders with bookies from Carnegie Hall. Wouldn’t it be interesting to subpoena phone records of councilors when there’s a controversial vote?
Mathew Paulson, this comes down to a transparency, public input issue. Are you communicating or have you communicated, either by text or email, with some of my colleagues during a City council meeting?
Matthew Paulson likes to think of himself as a ‘player’ in 2019 city politics.
Funny thing about that….I have been watching SF issues and politics for many years, never saw Mr. Paulson show up on the scene until just recently!
Will he have the ‘guts’ to respond to the Councilor’s question?
The proposal requiring councilors to turn off their cell phones during council meetings is long overdue.
Rapid City has already addressed this issue, come on Sioux Falls, step up to the plate!
All Input Needs To Be Public!!!!!! And if any council member is communicating on phone or desktop that needs to controlled and limited to the same rules as the public’s input rules. No SPECIAL ALLOWANCES for behind the scene manipulators for anyone!!!!!!!!!!!
Matt Paulson I am a VERY Conservative Christian and I am appalled at all the behind the manipulation you, TJ Nelson, and your Christian claiming group are attempting. The activities going on are causing many Christians I know to question/regret their support for this administration, how it is being run, etc., definitely not on the up and up! You’re are losing people’s confidence and respect!
I just heard two different parties state that very thing this week. Get your fingers out of things and allow things to operate as they should….back to individual councilors representing and voting for the taxpayer, not manipulators, big business, developers, etc. all intent on making more $$$ and building another Tower of Babel on the Plains. You are also hurting people’s perception of Christianity and turning many away.
I find it interesting that the first question from Mr. Ehrismand and Ms. Stehly is “Have you ever texted or emailed a councilor during a meeting?” as to somehow shame this as inappropriate behavior. I have indeed emailed or sent a Facebook message to multiple councilors (including one who isn’t part of “the five”) during meetings as a way to provide feedback or ask a question. I don’t think this behavior is inappropriate. I don’t expect them to respond to me during a meeting or even read my message during a meeting, but I shouldn’t have to wait until the meeting is adjourned to send asynchronous feedback to an elected official.
Not all of us have the free time to attend every council meeting in person. I have children that I put to bed at 8:30 PM almost every Tuesday, so that makes it difficult for me to attend in person. My wife and I do watch pretty much every city council meeting, whether that’s live at home or online later. It’s just easier to send an email or a text to a councilor on an issue as they’re discussing it on TV rather than having to wait an hour until the meeting is over.
If this ordinance is truly about transparency and public input to city council as councilor Stehly claims, then shouldn’t all communication with councilors on city issues should be public (regardless of when and where it happens?). Why is it okay to provide private feedback to a councilor at 6:58 PM and not at 7:01 PM? Maybe the councilors supporting this issue could set an example in transparency by releasing their email communication with citizens to the public domain.
“All Input Needs To Be Public”
I have no idea who you are, but I don’t take anonymous insults and accusations seriously. I’m not a real-estate developer. I personally have very little to gain/lose depending on how city council votes on any given issue. I have not attempted to “manipulate” city government any more than anyone else that’s commented on this blog that supports or opposes any issue in city politics.
I believe Sioux Falls is a great place and I want to keep it that way. Having good government is an important aspect of keeping Sioux Falls as a great city. When I see examples of what I perceive to be bad government, I feel obliged to speak out and advocate for the issues and city leaders I feel can best lead our community.
If you think I am doing something to harm the perception of Christianity, I would encourage you to stop making anonymous and cowardly accusations over the Internet. Jesus did not say, “If you believe a fellow believer has sinned, go trash them anonymously on the Internet.” Instead, I would encourage you to follow the instructions in Matthew 18 regarding disagreements among believers.
Furthermore, I have been a faithful Republican all my life and am very disenchanted with some of the current Republican representatives and positions. We are to be for less government, less and wise spending, not allowing the city gathering info on people, transparency, openness, ……………not all the CRAP we are seeing!!!
April 2020
Watch closely how these four councilors vote on this issue:
Greg Neitzert Northwest District
Marshall Selberg Southwest District
Pat Starr Northeast District
Theresa Stehly At-Large
Those councilors whom you support and those whom you criticize, Mr Paulson, reveal much about you, your values, where you stand on issues, etc. We the public aren’t stupid.
I believe I read that you are the treasurer for Alex Jensen who is running against Theresa Stehly.
So could you please inform us as to where Alex Jensen stands on this proposed cell phone ban?
Is it me or is “Question for Matt Paulson”, “We the Public”, “Open Council Seats in 2020” and “All Input Needs To Be Public” all the same person? Would be nice if some of the rest of you were brave enough to use your real names. For a group that suddenly cares about having who says what to any given councilor public, you all (except Scott and Bruce) sure do like to hide behind a cloud of anonymity.
To answer your question, I haven’t asked Alex where he stands on the issue yet. He and I don’t always chat on a daily basis and my opinions are my own.
I do think it’s important to note that Councilor Stehly has not said publicly if she is running for re-election yet. When I asked her if she was planning on running again, she did not provide a straight-forward answer. As of today, Mr. Jensen is the only declared candidate for the at-large city council seat, and no one else has said they are running for it in the 2020 election either publicly.
I think ” All Input Needs To Be Public” has an excellent point as I fall into the extremely Conservative bucket as well. Nothing about the 4 of 5 councilors & our mayor scream Conservative or Christian for that matter. The way they are spending our tax dollars is reckless. The vote on the parking ramp is my biggest clue. If they had an ounce of discernment they would have voted no and moved on. True Christians are salt of the earth type people not part of “Cesears tax collectors”. While I don’t want to bring Christianity into the mix, even though I have, Mr Paulson these folks are what I would call “Show Christians” who are not looking to serve but, to serve themselves and our mayor is one of them. I voted for him thinking he might be a good guy to help steer us back on course but, I was so turned off by his “look at me I am the mayor and I am awesome vibe”. The video he did with is pastor in the car made me about throw up it was so poorly done and kind of shows what kind of guy he is. I do not know these people nor have I met them but, they are coming off as the “we know better than you High Society” folks that most people cannot stand. The other 90% of us are regular folks
Since we are quoting scripture Matt here is a great one:
“What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul” Mathew 16:26
Climbing into bed with the rich and powerful to enrich or gain favor now or later make me think of the above scripture.
Matt Paulson my other question for you is simple, since you are backing Teresa’s opponent my question is WHY? She has faults as a councilor and I could name several but, whether you like her or not, agree with her or not she has done one thing many have failed to do. She has brought awareness to the plight of our local govt and the issues we are facing. I started really following local politics because of her constant ‘world is on fire” approach. While I have disagreed with her on how she has handled some situations few can argue that more people are aware of what is going on.
Matt Paulson,
For the record, I have reached out to you several times by phone and text. I have asked for your feedback and been very respectful to you in our conversations. I have encouraged you to contact me at by email anytime you have a concern. You have NEVER reached out to me.
When I reached out to you after you put up a negative post about me on facebook, and asked what your concerns were with my role on the City Council, you told me that I ask too many questions at the meeting.
I am always willing to listen..to all the sides. I strive to respond to all citizens and help wherever I can. I also try to bring fiscal responsibility , accountability and transparency to all the issues and projects that we address. It is a part time position that easily takes 20-30 hours a week. I also support myself by teaching piano and voice lessons. I don’t make a lot of money, but I have put my heart, soul and money into helping citizens as their City Council member these past three years. I strive to put citizens FIRST.
At the end of the day…I hope the residents of Sioux Falls know that I care about them and want all citizens to have a place at the table, no matter where they live, how much money they make or what political/religious affiliation they are. God loves all people..so do I.