A friend recently sent some questions to the entire Sioux Falls city council about some different topics, one of them was about the public ‘engaging’ the council during public input (and how it isn’t happening). Council Chair, Dean Karsky responded in this manner;
I have been toying with the idea of moving the public input to the Informational Meeting as it would allow for more interaction with the Council and possibly engage the public more with us. Â Still working on the pro’s and con’s of doing so, input on the matter is welcome.
Here is my input Dean, LEAVE IT AS IS!
There is absolutely no reason why the council can’t ‘engage’ the public during public input at the city council meetings. During the Munson administration, the council interacted all the time with the public.
If this is a matter of ‘time’ I should remind the council that they are getting PAID to attend the meetings, and the public, which comes on their own time to testify, pays those wages. If they don’t like hearing public input, or they think the meetings are to long, or they don’t get paid enough, then please, resign. There is nothing more annoying then a politician running for office then complaining about their duties once they get elected. Then why did you run?
Lastly, I do partially agree with public input at the informational. In fact several of the citizen advocates in the community have discussed that it would be nice to have public input at the informational. The problem with only limiting it to the informational is timing. The meeting is at 4 PM when many people cannot attend because of work conflicts. By all means, have public input at the informational, but also keep it at 7 PM to so working folks can testify.
Once again, the council is out of touch with the public on this one, just like snowgates, they seem to want to do the opposite of what the public wants for their convenience. Their convenience is of little importance to good government, the public’s convenience is.
For the public the council doesn’t exist and has no authority. They’re ordered to not speak by strong mayor. They interacting means nothing. The mayor can overrule a council vote. I’ve spoken at council meetings and always directly address the mayor only. I have more respect for the winos outside than any member of the council. When they organize and present a method for returning city government to democracy, I’ll listen.
I like what Karsky suggests here. When I go to a City Council meeting I want to hear the issues. I don’t want to sit through 45 minutes of BS from the weekly regulars looking to blow off some weekly steam (no offense but everyone knows who these same 5 or 6 people are). Some people actually feed off of this 5 minute spot on Channel 16 as their claim to fame!
If you want to recommend a subway system (seriously happened), or a complain about flowers in your boulevard, or other BS that know one cares about, do it to YOUR councilmember via Email or at the Informational meeting. The weekly grandstanding just gets old and wastes everyone’s time
Lemming, go blow it our your ass. Maybe I should stop letting you comment here because some of the stupid crap you say?
Yes, there are the same people each week, but there are several NEW people each week to.
The mayor has been at this job for 5 years now, if he can’t grow a little thicker skin by now, there is no hope for him.
Ouch! You obviously took that one personally. Please don’t. It was just my opinion and not directed at you. I’ve been to a few of these and some of them get very long.
the length of meeting time should never be a consideration when the people’s business in being decided. Just go home and take a nap.