Even though the city election is a week away from Tuesday, the city council has a jam packed agenda this week.
A. Forward Sioux Falls 2022-2026 Agreement by Mike Lynch, Executive Director of Investor Relations
FSF actually put together a good presentation . . . see, that wasn’t so hard.
B. Jacobson Plaza Update by Don Kearney, Director of Parks and Recreation
C. Safety and Home Repair Grant Program by Kevin Smith, Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services
This is the program that the mayor is initiating without input from the council (As Starr pointed out on Thursday in a press release) and without a financial review of 2021. Why is the mayor hiding the 2021 financials until after the election? Because he knows voters would be irate over the city swimming in millions after a pandemic. I have joked with people that after Poops is re-elected, you will not see him the next 4 years. He is will be virtually invisible running cruise control government from the basement of City Hall in complete secrecy and handing out booty prizes to his socialist welfare queen developers and people he has been privately investing with.
Item #6, Contracts/Agreements, Sub Item 2, Legal Counsel, $10K for Housing. I find this interesting since we have city legal counsel and it has to do with housing. I wonder if it has to do with Poops grant program?
Sub Item #30, Planning & Development, Agreement to Provide Research, analysis and recommendations for a 2035 Downtown Plan, Leland Consulting Group, Inc., $46K. Shouldn’t this be community and city council driven? Why do we need a private consultant tell us what we want?
Item #57, deferred action to do with Forward Sioux Falls handout. I find it interesting that there is NO description of what this is on the agenda. They call it sub-item 30. That’s transparency folks!
Item #83, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY BY AMENDING CHAPTER 111: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
Item #84, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY BY AMENDING CHAPTER 30: ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, MOTIONS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRING COUNCIL APPROVAL BY REQUIRING AN ANNOTATED AGENDA. This is basically an agenda with notes on it (explaining the agenda item) this is a great open government measure. We will see how the other councilors react considering Starr and Brekke are the sponsors. My guess, like the next item, will pass 1st reading with no discussion, and then get a dragon slaying at the 2nd reading (after the election) because that is how the rubber stamp council rolls.
Item #85, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY BY AMENDING CHAPTER 35 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES AND ETHICS BOARD TO IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY ETHICS TRAINING PROGRAM. This is a program that Councilor Brekke has been advocating for, for her entire 1st term. I think it is a great idea. I can’t wait to hear the councilors excuses against making it mandatory. Maybe all the city employees getting arrested recently would be a good reason this should be pursued?
Item #86, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS. Facilities ($1,000,000); Fire ($2,685,000); Police ($80,000); Library ($50,000); Highways and Streets ($6,000,000); and Parks and Recreation ($3,855,000). More handouts of money left over in 2021 before the council has received a financial report. Unbelievable. Notice the sponsor is Mayor TenHaken.
Item #87, 1st Reading: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA DISCOVERY DISTRICT RESEARCH PARK LOCATED IN THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS. Getting on the bandwagon of the DSU project, councilors Soehl and Erickson want to give money to a USD project, $3.5 million. Funny they know the money is there since there has NOT been a 2021 financial report.
Item #95, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT BETWEEN FRIENDS OF LEVITT SHELL SIOUX FALLS, INC. AND MORTIMER & MIMI LEVITT FOUNDATION AND THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, REGARDING LEVITT SHELL AT FALLS PARK WEST. This is giving the power to Levitt to control events at the facility that are NON-Levitt concerts. While I agree someone needs to manage it, since it is owned by the taxpayers, it should be managed by us. The Levitt should simply block off their events and let the city determine who uses it on open dates.
Item #96, A RESOLUTION APPROVING A TEMPORARY FURNITURE ZONE EXTENSION ON A PORTION OF E. 12TH ST. Another example of an agenda item that makes zero sense in verbiage. While I approve of the resolution, all this is an outdoor street patio for Breaks Coffee. When you read the attached PDF you don’t figure it out until the end with a map. Another example of failed open and transparent government. The recipient should be named in the resolution and the introduction of the agenda item.