South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

September 2022

SFPD Sioux Falls

Maybe the Sioux Falls Police Department should take up a program like this?

l3wis 6Comments

Should public safety officers be in good physical and mental condition?

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office requires a physical fitness obstacle course, the department believes this kind of training is vital.

Jokes aside, I know, I am short, fat and couldn’t catch a squirrel stuck in a peanut can, but I expect more out of our police officers.

Does the SFPD have a physical and mental test of officers each year?

I remember when Dr. Kermit Staggers was on the city council, and he asked then Chief Barthel if the police officers had any physical requirements. A stunned Barthel says, “They have to be able to perform their duties.”

OKAY.

I have literally seen SFPD officers step out of their vehicles and the vehicle bounces back in retraction from the weight being lifted.

Don’t judge. I have advocated on this blog and to city councilors that all patrol officers should get paid at least 4 hours a week for gym and physical fitness time and any other tools to keep them in shape. I believe officers and any city employee is a taxpayer investment and we should give them whatever they need to be successful. I want our officers to be of sharp mind and sharp body. It is not only an investment for citizens and our safety, it is an investment in their lives and families and that really has no price-tag.

Art Downtown Sioux Falls Levitt Pavilion SF City Council Sioux Falls Washington Pavilion

UPDATE: Levitt Sioux Falls had a stellar 2022 season, still wondering what happened in 2021

l3wis 1Comments

UPDATE: I wanted to note that ALL the arts non-profits in Sioux Falls that receive city taxpayer funding should be giving the public their full financials each year. I was told today that the Pavilion hasn’t done this for a long time. One of the reasons is that they are rumored to have millions in endowment and savings (not under the city umbrella but under the management company) which means if the management company was ever terminated they would take the money with them.

I will admit, putting on 50 FREE outdoor concerts in SoDak and not having one single cancellation is quite an accomplishment. I also enjoyed seeing Lee Rocker from the Stray Cats (pics below) for the finale.

But after wrapping up a successful 2022 season, the Levitt has yet to tell us the financials from last year’s season. I find this even more ironic considering the Director of Levitt, Nancy Halverson ripped the city council a new one at the last meeting (they deserved it) for wanting to contract the Pavilion to do an arts study and running the municipal duties of the arts in Sioux Falls. Nancy stated that it was a huge conflict of interest since the Pavilion already receives arts funding from taxpayers. It is. But has that ever stopped the Pavilion before?

First off, government needs to stay out of the planning and implementation of arts programming in the city and just cut the checks.

Secondly, it is easy to complain about different organizations when you have hardly been transparent.

ALL of the arts programs and arts non-profits we have partnerships with should do a very public presentation of their annual reports in a very timely manner.

Is there any reason why we have never seen a 2021 annual report from the Levitt? It’s almost October 2022.

While they all want taxpayer money, they seem to struggle with telling us how that money is being spent. I’m all for my tax dollars going towards the arts and I have had incredible experiences at the Levitt, who have a dedicated staff that goes above and beyond, and a director that knows her sh!t!

If any thing, they ALL have conflicts of interest if they can’t tell us the financials.

The brother and sisterhood we have with our arts community is essential, but that love and trust comes from telling us where our money is going towards. It’s NOT a heavy lift.

Downtown Sioux Falls SF City Council Sioux Falls ZEAL

StartUp Sioux Falls Downtown Location already costing taxpayers $202K

l3wis 5Comments

Remember when they told us the reason they are only paying $1 a year for rent is because they were going to take care of the renovations . . . just not all of them (Item #6, Sub Item #16);*

Centralized Facilities Improvements – Milwaukee Depot Dock Renovation; To award a bid, 605 Companies, $202K

I did remember there was something in the lease that said they would only be responsible for interior renovations, but that seems like an awful lot of money to turn a loading dock into a patio. Do they sell gold plated decking?

I remember reading this caveat in the contract and thought to myself, “This is gonna cost us.” It didn’t take long for them to come to the feeding trough.

We should have made this into another overnight homeless shelter, probably would have cost us less.

*I also like their attempt in burying this as the last item on the consent and calling the building by it’s historical name. Sneaky.

Homeless Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls

How do we limit panhandling?

l3wis 8Comments

Patrick Lalley, the Sioux Falls reporter for Forum news took a stab at it;

And maybe that’s true for some. But what people working in social services will tell you is that the panhandlers aren’t the people showing up at the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, the primary shelter for the homeless in downtown Sioux Falls.

There have been some misconceptions out there as to WHO is panhandling and why.

Most assume that panhandling, at some level, must be illegal. But it’s not, as long as the person is on the sidewalk, not standing in the street obstructing traffic and not harassing the public.

But you can shut off the tap;

But, he (Mayor TenHaken) has said many times, the only way to stop panhandling is to cut off the cash. Give your money to the many agencies whose mission is to help people. The city has signs around downtown that say just that.

South Dakota blogger Scott Ehrisman takes it a step further and suggests that when drivers hand money out of the car window, they should be ticketed for obstructing traffic, not the panhandler.

It’s an intriguing idea because it spreads the social burden.

Maybe the threat of paying even a $10 ticket — same as a parking violation — changes the mental equation.

It’s one thing to give money to a person in a bad way. It’s quite another to have to give it to the government.

I have also suggested this to a Homeless Task Force member as something to consider. It would probably get pushback from the public, but maybe that is a good reason to try it.

Homeless Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Homeless Task Force Meeting, 9/12/2022

l3wis 13Comments

I have been hearing rumors for years from Minnehaha County officials (elected and non-elected) that other towns and cities were buying bus tickets and sending their homeless to Sioux Falls. During the meeting on Monday, this was confirmed by Kari Benz from the MC. She said while many other towns in SOUTH DAKOTA were sending them here to take care of them, they also come from Florida, Texas and California.

While it is disappointing we are getting people from other states, what is more disheartening is our fellow SD communities have decided to use Sioux Falls as a dumping ground for what they might consider undesirables. I would encourage MC to start sending these towns and counties a bill for providing the services. Other counties can’t use MC’s jail without paying a fee so why do they think they can just use our homeless services for free? The homeless doesn’t pay for these services, WE DO, the taxpayers of this community and county.

I have said to solve some of these issues, we are going to have to work with all parties and taxpayers. We spend millions each year in operating, bond payments and maintenance of our entertainment facilities (some of which sat completely empty for a year during Covid) but we don’t have any money to build another overnight shelter? Give me a break!

This is what happens when you have growth for growth sakes and throw gasoline on the fire of development with 20 year tax rebates (TIFs) and other incentives. The incentive needs to be in job training, affordable housing and wage increases. The developers, banksters and bondsters are fat enough, let them sleep under a bridge every once in awhile.

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