Hey, what a great idea;

Cody Schulz; Morton County Commissioner: “OpenGov is a web-based software platform that will allow our citizens and the general public to look at budgeting, information, revenue, financial transactions. You’ll actually be able to go online and see any transaction with a particular vendor, it’s searchable that way, or by category. If they want to see how much money we’re spending on public safety verses parks and recreation, that kind of data will be available.”

OH, but it gets better;

Cody Schulz; Morton County Commissioner:”We want them to be able to voice their opinions to us on how their money is spent.”

An elected official actually advocating for public input? And this isn’t in California or Austin, TX this is MANDAN, North Dakota!

Mayor Elect TenHaken . . . please read, and repeat.

Many people have been asking what the purpose of the mayor’s trip to Williston, ND? Did he do this out of the kindness of his heart to help out a fellow Dakota city? Maybe.

But then I saw this story on Stormland TV, and it got my wheels turning;

Williston Development Director, Tom Rolfstad, says there’s a lot to be learned from Sioux Falls. One of the biggest issues he’s noticed back home, is keeping up with a continual flow of new workers coming to town.

“We’re finding the people, but it’s finding the housing for the people. to grow your whole community as fast as it is coming is the struggle,” Rolfstad said.

That’s something Craig Lloyd of Lloyd Companies knows a thing or two about. Lloyd helped show-off some of the ways Sioux Falls has grown and improved, including the downtown area.

So under the guise of ‘helping out’ and ‘advice’ Mr. Lloyd and Mayor Huether claim they are doing this as a ‘learning’ experience. Okay, I will play along.

Remember something, Lloyd has taken advantage of TIF’s and affordable housing grants in Sioux Falls greatly to build housing in Sioux Falls. Also remember that the Mayor and his ‘beautiful bride’ Cindy have invested in housing projects in Sioux Falls. And one more thing, there are already developers from the Sioux Falls area developing in North Dakota.

So I ask the question, are Lloyd and Huether helping out a fellow ‘Boomtown’ out of the goodness of their hearts OR are their hearts attached to their wallets?

Would be interesting to see who is taking out building permits in Williston for housing.