There has been a lot discussion in the local media about the lack of communication and openness from Mayor Paul. Recently, instead of holding a press conference to discuss the parking ramp ordeal and answer questions from the media, Paul shot a YouTube/Facebook video.

Some in the media were not to happy about it. And getting information from his secretary, or two chiefs of staff is next to impossible (all with a combined salary of over $300K – Now that’s our tax dollars hard at work).

A friend said to me today at brunch something intriguing. He first asked/stated that there probably isn’t that many people in Sioux Falls that follow city government that closely. I told him my guess is around 3,500 adults (I won’t get into how I came up with that number – that’s a whole other topic). Then he stated the obvious (and this is coming from a conservative). “Why not just put the information out there? With so few people even following city government, how would this hurt TenHaken?” I agreed, and said it wouldn’t, it would actually make government better and put more trust in our local elected officials, even if you disagree with their policy decisions, you can at least respect them for telling us the truth.

But folks, it is hard to get the back room deals done when you do them in the front room. (Remember, PTH is the one who assisted Pitty Patt in trying to hide his campaign consulting business website using musical computer servers. Pitty was working for the SOS Gant as Deputy SOS at the time and PTH was running ClickRain and we saw Pitty’s political business as a conflict of interest).

Have you noticed that Paul hasn’t really held a press conference (where he talked about a city issue and ANSWERED QUESTIONS from the media) in a very long time. The only exception would be the tornado press conferences that he was kind of forced into doing. All his other ‘speaking engagements’ have been to ‘special groups’. Whether that is the Chamber Annual Meeting, a tech conference, or reading to school kids. And hey, who am I to tell the Mayor he shouldn’t do those events? I think he should. But he also should have regular press conferences, at least once a month where he fields questions from reporters and citizens. He seems to like to do a lot of videos from his garage and talk to business leaders in town, but I find it extremely ‘odd’ that someone who is supposed to be our ‘cultural leader’ of our city can’t face the public and the 4th Estate when tough issues arise, and what is even more troublesome is that he has three capable communication folks working for him who can’t do it either.

As mayor of this city or any city your main purpose should be COMMUNICATION & TRANSPARENCY, after that everything else is a cake walk. And Mr. Mayor, you are failing miserably at it.

2 Thoughts on “Is TenHaken the Mayor or a Public Lecturer?

  1. "Very Stable Genius" on November 10, 2019 at 7:27 pm said:

    Trucker hats are used to hide at press conferences, but he only has one. So he can’t hold too many pressers, else we will find out he only has one hat, which is actually only one piece of apparel away from an emperor, who “has no cloths.”

    ( – and Woodstock adds: “‘One hat?'”…..”Yah, you’re right”….”He probably only has one tie, too.”)

  2. D@ily Spin on November 10, 2019 at 9:42 pm said:

    I get the feeling mayor is just something to put on Tenner’s resume. Considering the mess at city hall, I doubt he’ll run for a 2nd term. Delegating responsibility to new subordinate positions is how he hopes to escape and lay blame. Huether destroyed the city fiscally and financially. Likely, Tenner realizes that now. What he doesn’t realize is that mayor of Sioux Falls is the end of the road politically.

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