Last night was kind of uneventful, except when Walter showed up.

During public input, Mr. John Cunningham threw some good barbs about the ethically challenged city and made the comment, ‘We have a mask mandate but you don’t have to wear a mask unless you want to, kind of like ethics rules that say you shouldn’t accept gifts from lobbyists, unless you want to. . . ‘ While John is right, it didn’t stop a gentleman (our new Trumpist in town, who kind of reminds me of Jeff Dunham’s character, Walter) claimed John didn’t have the facts. Really? Oh, I think John had the facts, it’s just that the authoritarians didn’t allow him to bring them to the hearing.

I have also noticed that the Mayor has become more and more intimidating about asking public commenters their name. As far as I am concerned, you don’t have to give your name, only that you are resident of Sioux Falls. While I think it is in public input ordinance that you have to give your name, I believe it is a violation of your 1st Amendment Right to anonymous dissent. I also think asking for a name is a method used to intimidate average citizens from commenting. Since public input will now be at the end of the meetings thanks to the authoritarians JENSEN, SELBERG, ERICKSON, NEIZERT AND TENHAKEN, I am still encouraging citizens to speak out. We may even have some surprises for them . . . stay tuned.

During the informational meeting they introduced their ON-DEMAND Transit Pilot Program. What surprised me about the presentation was I’m not sure what took so long to develop something that is coming directly from a private contractor? I am also of the opinion that we need to fix paratransit and the fixed route before horsing around with this. For a city our size, we have one of the worst public transit systems in the country.

We also heard about problems at some of our local bars (PAVE and LaCretta), mostly that they like to crank the music too late at night. A Lt. from the SFPD told a different story that there have been underage drinking problems. When asked by councilors why they haven’t heard of these problems, the Lt. said, “I pass that information on to the licensing department.” Obviously, Jamie Palmer, the licensing agent who mysteriously got promoted to the job after Debra Owen was fired, isn’t passing that information along to the council. Hmmmmmmm.

The big fireworks of the night that really are not going to go off until next week was six of the councilors (Jensen and Kiley were NO votes) deferred the union contract with the regular city employees (not PD or FD). The reason? They want the mayor to explain where the money is coming from for their new contract.

Sidenote: While this may not have anything to do with the city council I wanted to address all the hysteria around vaccines. For the record I have never received a flu shot and I can count two times where I had the flu so bad I stayed in bed for a couple of days. That being said, when available I WILL take the Corona Vaccine and YES I trust it. Many people have argued that since it was done so fast, how can it be reliable? While I agree that long term health effects, allergies and effectiveness can be better measured over a longer review process, I think this has little to do with the time frame and more to do with money. In our greedy society, especially the enormous greed of Big Pharma, if you put a lot of money behind something (like the Feds did with the vaccine research) they will hop right on it. I have actually believed for years that better treatments for Cancer and Aids even cures would come faster if Big Pharma could find a way to fill their pockets faster. While I thought Trump was the worst president in the history of our country (yup, he beat out Reagan) he did do two things correctly, killed the Iranian General and Operation Warp Speed. There is NO reason why in a modern society we cannot create treatments and cures fast, just throw a bunch of money behind it.

15 Thoughts on “Sioux Falls City Council Tidbits, 12/1/2020

  1. Looks like SD went over the 1000 death mark today from COVID.

  2. D@ily Spin on December 3, 2020 at 12:56 pm said:

    They take names so they can harass you. Huether did it to me with unsubstantiated citations and rigged appeals process that deprives you a circuit court hearing.

    City employees contracts should be tabled until after the pandemic. How can you raise wages when employees are idle quarantined at home. First they wanted vacation days added on because they lost them not working. Now they want to negotiate for while they’re binge watching TV at home. Is there money? There’s been less sales tax collected due to job loss and cost of living thrift.

    Everyone should have flu and pneumonia shots. There’s no proof it helps for Covid. However, Covid deaths are because of higher risk. Fighting Covid and the flu simultaneously is dangerous.

  3. Fear & Loathing in Sioux Falls on December 3, 2020 at 9:28 pm said:

    I am going to lie. So, I can get all three vaccines just for fun and some Regeneron to go.

  4. Matthew Paulson on December 3, 2020 at 9:32 pm said:

    Scott – Have any of your previous “surprises” impacted city government in any meaningful way?

    I feel like there’s a lot of talk from you and Bruce and it never amounts to much.

    For example, what ever happened to “Triple Check the Vote”?

  5. MP – I hear you man, but lets review;

    It cost you and your comrades $117k to beat a piano teacher by under 100 votes. While you did achieve victory, it is comparable to skinning a cat with a wood chipper.

    Triple Check the Charter is not dead, in fact I would call it a sleeping giant.

    For 13 years many people have ridiculed, but this blog with the help of countless foot soldiers exposed a deputy SOS enriching himself from the position which caused his resignation.

    An Events Center siding fiasco that the taxpayers will be paying for years to come.

    A $26 million dollar failure that will be a stain on the city for decades.

    Trust me, a 1st Amendment case against this city is coming, and it’s not going to be pretty. I have to tell you it hurts my heart. I would think elected officials would simply read the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution, understand it, and move forward. It’s not rocket science, I actually think our founding fathers ‘dumbed it down’ so it would not be so difficult, but the children still need help.

    I don’t like uncovering corruption. I sometimes wish I could call all my liberal friends across the country and tell them all the wonderful progressive things we have accomplished in this city, but I see the same, rich get richer, greed is the king, and civil rights are used as toilet paper.

    I offer you 4 words I cherish and have definitions that are beautiful, while others have demonized them, the dictionary is clear;

    LIBERAL

    1. willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one’s own; open to new ideas.

    2. relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.

    PROGRESSIVE

    1. a person advocating or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas.

    SOCIALISM

    1. a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

    ADCOCACY

    1. public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.

    I live by these four words. They are essential to a great free society.

  6. "Very Stable Genius" on December 3, 2020 at 11:27 pm said:

    When is Matt going to explain his disappearance from this blog site during the last city election campaign? Or, was he still here?

  7. Scott, don’t you find it interesting some people are obsessed with us? We are not so unpredictable, we see corruption and we call it out. Those who try to hide their corruption seem to be upset for some reason when it is given the full sunshine it deserves.

  8. D@ily Spin on December 4, 2020 at 1:31 pm said:

    It’s not just Scott and Bruce. Include me and others. Huether had Bruce jailed so he wouldn’t give the EC siding presentation. I gave it while Bruce was fingerprinted and put in a jumpsuit. I’ve spoken to many who read here but do not post because there would be reprisal. Many are Sanford employees. Some are lawyers or city employees. Hopefully, the ACLU will recognize infraction and corruption once the right comes along.

  9. D@ily Spin on December 4, 2020 at 1:36 pm said:

    Walter reminds me of mad hatter Rex.

  10. Agitator on December 4, 2020 at 3:19 pm said:

    VSG Matt should disappear for good until he speaks out of his mouth instead of his rear end and take his cronies with him!

  11. "Woodstock" on December 4, 2020 at 4:05 pm said:

    “I don’t obsess too much, but I do have 8x10s of Scott and Bruce hanging from my circular nest wall”…. (“It’s kind of like an Oval Office”…. )

  12. The Guy From Guernsey on December 5, 2020 at 8:49 am said:

    What a signature moment to have one of the peripheral, hanger-on sycophants to ruling elite class in this City stop by this blog with another attempt to de-legitimize the voice and will of the people.

  13. The Guy From Guernsey on December 5, 2020 at 9:10 am said:

    With all due respect to the principles which you artfully articulate above l3wis, a government should be responsive and accountable to its citizens; government affairs to be conducted with integrity – regardless of political ideology.

  14. "Very Stable Genius" on December 5, 2020 at 5:25 pm said:

    Matt is to the majority on the city council what Sean Hannity is to Trump.

  15. “SOCIALISM

    1. a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”

    Yeah….thats NOT what socialism is. At all.
    Not even close.

    🙄

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