Ellis hits another homer with his story about the River Greenway Project cost overruns

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Of course we have batted this around on South DaCola for awhile, and you can reread everything we already know;

The city negotiated a contract with Scherschligt to buy an option for land at the Zip site. As part of that contract, Scherschligt asked the city to begin work on the river greenway.

This meeting of course was held in the middle of the night in Munson’s coat closet.

But this part of the column stood out like a sore thumb;

The Argus Leader requested change orders and documents related to the project last week, but that information had not been provided as of Friday afternoon.

Gee, I wonder why?

Posted in: Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

3 Thoughts on “Ellis hits another homer with his story about the River Greenway Project cost overruns”

  1. cr on December 4, 2011 at 8:16 pm said:

    The Park Board is notorious for operating under a “cloak of secrecy.”

    I have attended their monthly meetings for the past four years (I rarely miss one). Almost everything they do is “done in committee meetings” outside of the scrutiny of taxpayers.

    Example: The only time that I have even heard them mention the River Greenway Project was when Jon Jacobsen of Confluence presented the initial plans to the Board. Not a word since….I guess they “ironed out all these problems” with the project in committee meetings!!!!

    I understand that they are an “advisory Board,” But each year they are also “the second largest player” in the CIP budget, just after Public Works.

    As a result, each year they control millions of tax dollars.

    Every month they move the Board meeting to a different location. Perhaps a “quaint idea” to showcase park properties……

    But, also an idea that does not “work” in an era of open meetings/open records!!

    Taxpayers need to start applying pressure to have these monthly meetings held at Carnegie (and broadcast on Channel 16 and SIRE).

    I hope that the AL will continue to pursue these open records.

  2. Scott on December 4, 2011 at 9:50 pm said:

    This is my favorite paragraph:

    “Kearney said the project didn’t go over budget: Officials never spent more than they were authorized to spend. When costs escalated, they held off, and the budget was amended to meet the increased costs.”

    In other words, whenever they wanted more money they just went and asked.

  3. l3wis on December 4, 2011 at 11:50 pm said:

    Yup, pretty much. See, the municipal cookie jar never runs dry. Huether knows this, and that is how he was able to get the EC passed.

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