South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

March 2015

Mayor Hubris Mayor Subprime Mike Huether Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

Grow up and tell us the truth about the MOU with the Veterans Administration

l3wis 16Comments

boy-pouting

The city attorney was asked recently at Democratic Forum what was going on with the Spellerberg pool MOU with the VA. His response, “We are in communications and working on it.”

At last week’s Spellerberg pool presentation the Parks director was asked about the MOU. His response, “We are in communications and working on it.”

This week they plan on starting site work for the pool and at yesterday’s press conference at Spellerberg Park the Mayor was asked about the MOU, His response, “Next question.” And when pressured to answer the question, he still did not respond and recommended that we “move along.”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1n8i3E8kgk[/youtube]

After the press conference, Bruce and I were talking with a reporter from KSFY and explaining the MOU situation to him, and how we have been asking for a resolution for almost 3 years. As we were standing in the parking lot, the mayor slowly drove up in his truck with his window down and spouted out his window (in a most mature manner) “Thank You KSFY for coming today.” And drove off grinning sarcastically in his rearview mirror.

Mr. Mayor, you have been given plenty of opportunities to address the MOU, but instead you and city staff continue to blow it off and feed us the same line over and over, “We are working on it.”

Here’s the deal, I don’t give a rip if you get the MOU, if you think it is prudent to spend $24 million in tax dollars on a piece of property controlled by the Federal Government, so be it. But if you have no intention of attaining that document, instead of acting like a little kid yelling from your pickup window, why don’t you just tell us the truth, “I have no intention of attaining an MOU.” Instead all this smoke and mirrors and public pouting.

The resolution is simple. Tell the truth.

 

SF School District

SF District advises their employees to follow state law

l3wis 6Comments

On Monday, March 23, I spoke to the SF School Board about following state law when it comes to the school start date campaigns and debates;

12-27-20. Expenditure of public funds to influence election outcome prohibited. The state, an agency of the state, and the governing body of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state may not expend or permit the expenditure of public funds for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of any candidate, or for the petitioning of a ballot question on the ballot or the adoption or defeat of any ballot question. This section may not be construed to limit the freedom of speech of any officer or employee of the state or such political subdivisions in his or her personal capacity. This section does not prohibit the state, its agencies, or the governing body of any political subdivision of the state from presenting factual information solely for the purpose of educating the voters on a ballot question.

Source: SL 2007, ch 80, § 20.

After reading the law to the school board, member, Kate Parker told me that staff follows an internal policy on their activities, I asked her if that policy follows state law and she said they follow policy.

After the meeting, the District’s attorney and VP Super, Sue Simons approached me in the IPC parking lot. She told me that Kate Parker had misspoken and that the policy does follow state law. Sue also advised me to present evidence, if I had it, of teachers campaigning on school time. I told her I would look into it.

Two days later I received a priority mail letter from Sue asking me for that evidence. I emailed her and told her I was ‘watching’ the process and would probably NOT share any of the evidence that I would ascertain, nor would I sue the school district. She did not respond.

I found out yesterday that Sue sent out a memo to District staff stating the above law and that employees should follow it and should discontinue any campaigning activity on school time and property.

I want to applaud the District for listening to constituents and reinforcing to employees that they must follow state law.

 

Art

The return of $25 Dollar Paintings

l3wis 0Comments

FOR SALE, each are $25 + shipping (Free Delivery in Sioux Falls)
ALL have custom frames and are under glass. This is the third set of 4 out of 30.

‘Edgar Allan Poe-Beer Poem’ 6 x 7.25″
‘Study the Rat’ 5.75 x 4.75″
‘Endangered Pieces’ 7.125 x 7.125″
‘Yo! What’s Up?!’ 5.75 x 7.125″

Click on image to enlarge

25-dollar-set-9

 

Employment Event Center Sioux Falls

The Evil Tip Jar

l3wis 5Comments

IMG_0946

So I attended the Roller Dollz home opener last night at the Arena, I think it has been over 5 years since I was at a bout. The rules have changed a lot, not a lot of contact or action anymore, they should change it to ‘flag derby’.

We also noticed that the Arena still has cup holders (the EC removed a bunch of theirs).

But that is not what this post is about. As I purchased a malt beverage at the bar, I asked the bartender where the tip jar was, they told me they had to ‘hide it’. They also made a colorful comment about Denny Sanford.

I am against this for many reasons, but mainly because of greed and hypocrisy. Besides the fact they charge too much for the beer at the ‘complex’ I think the bartenders should be able to put their tip jars in clear view. Why? Well first off, nothing requires you to tip them, even if the jar is in clear view. By not having the jar in view, it says a couple of things;

1) That the bartenders may be getting paid enough that tips are not necessary or

2) that gratuity may be included in the price.

Neither is true, I’m sure.

I would assume the Arena/Events Center (Ovations/SMG) don’t allow the tip jar because of greed. They want attendees to spend their ‘cash’ on purchases NOT on their employees gratuity. Which is ironic, because we are constantly told about how many jobs the EC and Convention center has created, what we are not told is that they are mostly low paying, part-time hospitality jobs, and to add insult to injury, they have to ‘hide’ their tip jars. Like passively asking for a tip is somehow impolite.

Yet again the management of the complex has shown it will now DICTATE tipping also.

Wonder if the workers will soon have to wear armbands?

We also got a good laugh out of the office printer paper sign taped to the window in the hallway going to the Arena and EC from the Sheraton. After spending millions on signage for the new facility, they must have ran out of signage money.

IMAG3873

Art Chuck Luden Poetry

Poetry Club w/Chuck Luden

l3wis 0Comments

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Early  Morning  Report

I just got a spam message from Dorothy Boom.

To avoid a real boom I deleted it unread like maybe blue.

Yep, it’s gone down some dark drain on my screen’s left.

Will never know Dorothy’s real noise or true color,

a special time perhaps missed only imagined.

Charles Luden • 03-28-15 • at Black Sheep

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