So tonight I guess two volunteers were asked to leave a PUBLIC PARKING lot at Canaries stadium for collecting signatures with NO explanation. Here is how this works folks, public parking lots are free game for referendum signatures.
Explanations please, and thank you.
SON is stirring up some trouble, and a few peeps in town ain’t happy. They have been asking the Chamber to step in (which is funny, because all they care about is mixers and Miller 64).
We have to STOP this citizen activism! Damn these voters who care about their community and not my bottom line (and sweater vests!)
On that note, go sign the SON referendum, and FREE yourself from Miller 64, sellout city planners, and Mr. Potter references.
The biggest disappointment in last night’s city council meeting (FF: 43:00) was when the city council allowed the NCAA, the CVB and the (self-appointed) Sports Authority to write an ordinance for them. I said all along that this should have went through a CC committee, but council chair Diamond Jim poo-poo’d that saying, “He sits on the Sports Authority, so the council had a representative looking at the proposed ordinance. (sic)” Well guess what? When you don’t have actual legislators looking at legislation before it is proposed, mistakes are made, and the council should be EMBARRASSED that an individual citizen actually found errors in the proposed ordinance;
“I feel that this was rushed forward very quickly and it’s a large industry that we’re being involved in now with the event center and I think there should be more talks about it,” Opp said.
While some of his concerns seemed to fall short, there was one that turned the tide of the entire meeting.
“I also feel that we should learn from the people who have been in the NCAA ticket industry for awhile, and that’s Omaha. Their only ordinance is that you cannot scalp a ticket within a half-mile within the arena,” Opp said.
Bravo to Opp for bringing this to the council’s attention, but it should have never gotten this far. The council should have reviewed this. It goes to show that the mayor, as usual, is flat out lying when he says he works with the council on legislation. He does not, and this ram-rodding is further proof that he as mayor doesn’t give two-rips about the council’s opinion, just their rubber stamps. Don’t believe me, watch his interaction with councilor Staggers before the final vote, where Staggers has to interupt the mayor 3 times to ask to BE EXCUSED from the vote because Staggers works at USF and they would be affected by the ordinance. It was quite a ‘Jackassery’ moment, but not surprising from our mayor.
Funny, it seems lately the only way this city government can get anything accomplished is through the intervention of citizens.
As we just discussed in June, county auditor, Bob Litz (was doing his job) by shopping around for better interest rates on county bonds. Since Dougherty has pretty much a monopoly on bonds, not only in the county, but the city and state, it was wise for Bob to do some shopping around. But it seems, according to a story in the AL today, the CC (or should we say Dougherty) decided to vote on a bond consultant while Litz was out of town. Only ONE commissioner, Pekas, questioned what the hurry was to vote on this.
I have a feeling this had NOTHING to do with a ‘rush’ to get it done, or getting the ‘best deal’. This had to do with Litz being out of town and Dougherty continuing their monopoly on bonds in this state.
Can’t wait to hear Litz’s reaction when he returns to Dodge.
On August 20th, the South Dakota Coalition of Reason officially launched by putting up seven billboards around the state proclaiming, “Don’t believe in God? Join the club!” These billboard are located in Sioux Falls (2), along I-29 S (mile marker 93.8), Vermillion, Brookings, Rapid City, and Spearfish.
The campaign is part of a national campaign by the United Coalition of Reason. Since 2009, similar campaigns have been launched in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Each campaign is sponsored by a multi-organizational coalition of local non-theistic groups. The South Dakota Coalition of Reason is made up of the following local groups: Siouxland Freethinkers (Sioux Falls), Black Hills Freethinkers (Rapid City), Brookings Freethinkers, and Secular Student Alliance groups at SDSU, SDSM&T, USD, & BHSU.
We put the billboards up to speak to the secular freethinkers in South Dakota. Our message is to let them know that they are not alone, and that there are groups all across the state that they can join to meet like-minded individuals and participate in a variety of events and activities, such as social get togethers, volunteer work, and advocacy. Being an atheist or freethinker in South Dakota can be extremely isolating, so reaching out is the main purpose of our campaign.
The billboards also serve to bring awareness and acceptance. Non-theists are a regular part of communities all across South Dakota, as well as all across the nation. We are your friends and family; we’re people that you already know. We’re no different than anyone else – we laugh, love, celebrate, work, and experience life.
Overall, the reaction to these billboards has been overwhelmingly positive, although they have also sparked much debate. We look forward to having open respectful discussions with those who have different world views than us.
If you are an atheist, agnostic, humanist, skeptic, or freethinker in South Dakota – go to our website, SouthDakotaCoR.org or find us on Facebook and connect with like-minded individuals. Chances are there’s a group near you and we would love to have you join us.
Amanda Novotny President,
Siouxland Freethinkers East River Media Representative,
l3wis