The city council meetings are on Wednesday this week due to the election on Tuesday.
Presentations on 2022 Street Construction Overview & Water Reclamation Plant Expansion Update by Mark Cotter, Director of Public Works. There are NO attached documents, and don’t expect to see any until right before the meeting, you know, that war on transparency this administration has.
I find the second presentation interesting considering it is just one day after the election (I don’t expect a mayoral run-off election but maybe a couple of council seats). There has been rumors floating around that the reclamation plant is extremely over budget, and I don’t think Cotter will be delivering us good news about it. How convenient the mayor has spent surpluses on pet projects before an election but waits until it is over to drop the bomb on this. Granted, the Reclamation bonds are funded by enterprise funds (our fees) and not from the 2nd penny. But there is nothing stopping the council from using surpluses to help fund this project if it is over budget. So if they don’t use surpluses, where will we get the money? You guessed it, increased fees. Brace yourselves folks, this is not going to be fun. Even before Covid and inflation, I told people that this project will be over budget, all city projects go over budget, unless you use sh!tty siding 🙂
Item #6, Sub-Item #3, Human Resources, Intergovernmental Contract for the SD Public Assurance Alliance, Administrative updates to the contract including any member who elects to depart the SDPAA to wait two years before they may reapply and eliminating the partial refund of contributions to departing members, $0.00. (I have no idea what this is about, but it would be interesting to see the council pull this item for an explanation.)
All of these items below are important. It will be interesting to see how the council votes on Starr and Brekke’s ordinances and if a victory/loss by Brekke on Tuesday will weigh in on it. Either way, the discussion should be good.
Item #17, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS AND SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES.
You are probably thinking the same thing as me. Huh? Another reason why Brekke and Starr’s ordinance should pass. This is the city asking for more money from the state for the reclamation plant expansion. Probably will be discussed at the informational meeting.
“AN AGREEMENT FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS AND SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES.” – IMO this will be about a loan from the state revolving fund for sewer and water improvements.
Over budget, eh? I assume you’ll issue an apology when you’re wrong. Again.
Do you live in SF and for how long? City projects always run over. In fact Cotter and Paul have both admitted in recent interviews that it is over, we just don’t know how much. There is also a resolution in the regular meeting for more money from the state for it. I will await your apology for being an ass.
At least when the CITY borrows from the STATE REVOLVING FUND – we pay back the “CITIZENS” @ 2% interest. That gives the State Treasury more funds to utilize for very specific purposes. IF we follow the rules governed by the State, “WE” as residents of the City are able to get back 50% of that tax to use anywich way we wish.