There is one thing you can say about Sioux Falls City Government, it is predictable. After having two consecutive weeks of these supposed weekly Wednesday briefings we have radio silence. Nothing on YT, FB or the city website (there isn’t much there anyway).
I actually thought there would be at least 4 or 5 consecutive weeks before they threw in the towel. Maybe the new communications person with all of her food truck reporting experience they could setup the briefings in a parking lot where the food trucks could participate?
“We are still investigating the homicide that occurred yesterday, but no worries because the pulled pork sandwich I just got is bang’n!Oh, and have you heard, the price of bridges are going up!“
I also find it a little ironic that the new press briefing room that the taxpayers spent gazillion dollars on isn’t equip for the media to ask questions (that we can hear).
Of course, they will probably poke Detroit Lewis in the eye tomorrow with a press briefing . . . I guess I am it.
For the record I haven’t taken a deep dive into the original plan or the new white washed one but there is one thing that is for certain;
SoDak 350 was one of those organizations that penned the letter. They were joined by Dakota Rural Action, the League of Women Voters of Sioux Falls, Citizens’ Climate Lobby – Sioux Falls, The Mindfill SD, and Common Grounds Indivisible. SoDak 350 Administrative Coordinator Arlene Brandt-Jenson said much of the language was also changed to remove phrases like “climate change” and “greenhouse gas.”
“The plan went from having several hard goals and goals that were implementable in our city, to more ‘exploring the feasibility’ and ‘assessing’. The time for assessing is over.” Brandt-Jenson said.
Actually the time for assessing climate change should have ended over 50 years ago and a plan should have been acted on. Then there was hostages and that Reagan guy. Back to square one.
The (in)action by the administration should be no surprise;
Brandt-Jenson points to a 2021 community survey for the need for action and hard goals. In that survey, at least 80 percent of those that responded said that they were concerned or very concerned about sustainability and environmental issues. Over 90 percent said that it is important or very important that Sioux Falls address sustainability and environmental issues.
Brandt-Jenson also said that the changes to the draft plan throw away much of the work by the committee through 2021 and 2022, which was made up of a diverse group of members.
“And it really negated months of work by that full sustainability committee. A committee that had stakeholders from all across the community. Educators, business people, the gas and utilities, electric utilities,” Brandt-Jenson said. “Why did we need this broad community that spent hours and hours, days and days working on this plan when all of that was negated in one stroke pen basically?”
Is this starting to look familar?
The Sioux Falls Arts Council in coordination with the Visual Arts Commission secured funding for a mural, set up a selection and jury process, employed 3 finalists and over a several month process picked a winner. And with one broad brush stroke, our supposed culturally conscience mayor said too much exposed brown skin and we need to stop this.
Most Republican business owners don’t believe in climate change, at least it isn’t convenient for them to believe, because sustainability takes effort and capital. It is also expensive to install solar panels or geo-thermal heating, but the dividends are provable.
This isn’t about the city gutting a plan or transparency, this is about politics. Somebody told the dictator in the corner office of 9th and Main that all this climate change crap is going to cost businesses. So instead of relying on a committee or experts city hall is relying on the tried and true method of ‘I know best.’
I know I have complained in the past about this administration re-inventing the wheel and using buzz words to name different departments, but climate change research has literally been around for decades, heck even before the mayor was born.
We already know what needs to be done. Just do it and stop playing political games.
*NOTE: I also find it interesting that after 15 years the Mayor’s executive assistant is retiring. I believe Julie was originally hired by Mayor Munson. I am starting to wonder who will be left at city hall when the new mayor is sworn in in 2024?City Hall is starting to look a lot like that building at 10th and Minnesota.
Notice almost $1 million in sidewalk repairs. Is it just a pure coincidence?
The city also seems to think we need to spend $380K to design a new clubhouse at Elmwood (Sub-item #6).
Elmwood Golf Course Clubhouse; Agreement for professional services, Stone Group Architects, Inc.
While I understand there is design costs, we are NOT building a Nuclear Reactor, it’s a room where people can eat popcorn and drink beer and a lean two for parking golf carts. If it costs this much to design the facility, can’t wait for the price tag of the actual building? The new city engineering formula is estimate the cost, tack on another 10% and $10 million and call it good.
As rumors have been swirling about whether the former mayor will run for that position again in 2024 it seems the current mayor is busy re-instating his former administrators.
“It’s not just the lead city attorney, by the time he is sworn back in office, he will be fully staffed with with several of his former directors and administrators,” said the current mayor.
I guess I was a little curious how he knew he was even running again and that he would win.
“C’mon Man! Don’t you think it would be a little frustrating for newly elected Mayor Stehly to charge forward with her new administration using his staff? We are just eliminating the guess work for voters. If you re-elect him instead it will be a smooth transition as most if not all of his former staff will already be in place.”
The current mayor also mentioned he will be re-instating some other folks soon, but the list seemed incomplete;
The Former Police Chief, What’s His Name, the guy who hands out free food now.
The former Fire Chief, as soon as his probation is done of course.
That former planning or parking guy, you know the guy who quit city council because he got his butt kicked in the mayoral election and was instrumental in screwing up the Bunker Ramp project before it was the Bunker Ramp project.
Oh and that other guy who helped him screw up the project before it was a project. He used to hang out at the Copper Lounge a lot.
And the communications person who said bloggers were not a part of the media, or were they a part of the media? She should really warn people about mayors in large trucks trying to run over people in swimming pool parking lots.
And really anyone even with a partial knowledge of IT to run IT, or is it the Financial Cultural Street Crimes Wellness department that needs a new director?
He also mentioned he may bring back some councilors;
NO former councilors that like bees and flowers
Maybe that guy who uses steak bones as gavels and doesn’t like hats. He was good at passing bad ordinances.
Maybe the lady that made sure we are getting another packing plant in town, even though we aren’t now.
The current mayor also suggested that they move the city council meetings to Monk’s Ale House since it would be easier for council to get questions from directors answered.
No matter who may be running for the next mayor, it seems they will have a full and capable staff to guide them if elected.
As I have pointed out several times over the years, I am still wondering where the original pedestal for The Statue of David went in Fawick Park, Downtown Sioux Falls?
In this article I wrote in 2002 for Etc. magazine, I mention the removal of David in 1997 and how the city fought to bring him back because they needed a new pedestal. My question all along is where did the original pedestal go?
No doubt that the structure of the original pedestal probably needed to go away, but it had granite inlays.
Over the years I have pressured current and former city staff where the inlays went. Nobody has said a peep. The closest I got to an admission they were taken was a person said to me, “Let’s just say some VIP in town has quite the treasure.”
I have also heard the granite placards were returned to the Fawick Family.
Either way, it would be nice to know where they went. Probably the same place the images to the Bunker Ramp mural went.
