June 2017

Huether Family Match Pointe; Still a polished Turd

I see the Tennis community in Sioux Falls received another innocuous National award;

Sioux Falls’ own Huether Family Match Pointe is one of 12 winners in the 36th annual United States Tennis Association Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.

In 2015, the City of Sioux Falls invested $500,000 in equipment for the indoor tennis facility. Public/private partnerships make a difference in the quality of life of our community, and this investment allowed for more year-round recreation offerings for Sioux Falls and the region.

I still question what our investment has done to better the community. As you know, the parking lot is often blocked during events at the Sanford Sports Complex. I have yet to hear anybody who has used the facility. I still think we should be paid back, especially after a sitting mayor plastered their name on a non-profit facility that was subsidized by taxpayers. It just doesn’t smell right.

It is time Minnehaha County Commission has its meetings at night

Don’t think they have not tried. Commissioners Barth and Kelly made an attempt to change the meetings to 5 PM a few years ago. The vote failed 2-3. My suggestion would be a 5:30 or 6 PM meeting on Monday nights.

The reason? Well there are several. For one, the working class of this county could attend the meetings. One complaint I hear from several people is that no one knows what the county is up to. If you watch the meetings in replay (which usually takes 2 days to post to YouTube) like I do, the County makes some pretty serious decisions when it comes to how your property taxes are spent and criminal justice. While the city is the road builder of the city, the county is really the caretaker.

So why the opposition? I could use the ‘Republican’ excuse and their desire to keep government as closed as possible, but that excuse doesn’t hold much water since Uber Republican Kelly supported the night meetings. But I do think there is a strong desire by leadership on the county to keep the meetings during the day when the public struggles to attend.

I think they should take another shot at it.

Sioux Falls City Councilor Erpenbach; We’ll get you coming or going

This kitty likes dry and moist cat food both.

Michelle shows her true colors once again. When the Republicans speak of the ‘Tax and Spend’ Democrats, you only have to point your finger at the wine and cheese peeps in the group, or as I refer to as the ‘elitist’ Dems. Huether was part of the club, and just because he changed his registration doesn’t mean he still doesn’t wear the badge with his bestie Erpenbach.

Last night at the SF City Council meeting they were hearing the 1st reading on the fee increases for zoning applications (Item#32), during the discussion, Stehly said this;

“I will be voting NO on this, I’m committed to affordable living . . . (she was the only one to state this).

Erpenbach quickly responds by saying;

“I encourage my colleagues to vote for this. Continue to require people to pay the fee, that covers our cost, helps keep our taxes down. This is a user fee only.”

In other words, if we can’t nail you when you build, we will get you after it is built. Ironically, it seems Erpenbach supports both ways since she has NEVER voted against a property tax increase in the 7 years she has sat on the council, or for that matter a fee increase. So which is it Michelle. Seems you want your cake, and you want to eat it to.

UPDATE: Washington Pavilion Annual Meeting

UPDATE: So this is interesting. About 2 weeks ago someone told me that the Pavilion holds their Annual Meeting in June of each year (traditionally) usually the 3rd or 4th week of the month. So I get one of my city friends to ask one of their Pavilion friends. They confirmed it was today, but never got a time. My assumption was it would be at noon during a board meeting. I called the general information line yesterday to confirm a time, I told the operator I was looking for the time of the ‘Annual Meeting’. I was very clear that was the meeting I was looking for. He politely grabbed the schedule for today and said, “Yup, 8 AM, Belbas Theater”. While I found the time to be unusual, I stopped holding my breath about the way they do things at the Pavilion years ago.

This morning I showed up to the Belbas, and before the meeting started I noticed on the big screen that it was a meeting about radio protocols. Darrin Smith was there, so I asked him. “Isn’t this the annual meeting?” He said, “Oh no.” I asked if they have an annual meeting, he said, “Well, kinda.” I asked when it was? Darrin replies,  “We just kinda make one of our board meetings an annual meeting.” Then he offered to have lunch sometime.

Maybe lesson learned here is not to post about meetings before they have them? But trust me, I know the bigger lesson here.