You ain’t kidding;
In 2018 Paul TenHaken became mayor and soon announced a concept he called “One Sioux Falls”. His intention was “to create a unified vision that people could get behind.” That goal of getting everyone on the same page was commendable. But I’m not sure the mayor’s plan lived up to its potential.
That’s because you cannot create a plan or vision for city government without full transparency. All plans will ultimately fail when introduced in the dark.
While the city pays for numerous expensive plans and studies, I am unaware of an overarching strategic vision for our city. Some current and former city council members tell me they never were involved in strategic planning for our community. And over the past couple decades, I don’t recall seeing any comprehensive and aspirational plans coming out of city hall.
That’s because there is only ONE plan and it was concocted decades ago by developers. Make the council weak by paying them off with campaign contributions, make the mayor stronger and his staff even stronger by negotiating private deals with the city in the dark.
Without an overarching plan, developers, businesses, schemers and volume-focused development officials drive growth in the city. I suspect that is how we end up adding more and more tough, low wage jobs to our community. For instance, in my view it was not in our community’s best interests for Amazon and a second slaughterhouse to arrive in town. Especially not when city leaders routinely fret about workforce availability and affordable housing.
Forward Sioux Falls, which promotes economic growth in our area, is currently putting together their version of a strategic plan for the community. Of course, I will be interested to see it. But their 2022 support for the slaughterhouse makes me wonder if the organization might be too growth focused, with inadequate attention given to quality of life. I think our community should discourage businesses and industries that tend to externalize their costs and offer low paying jobs.
Good plans not only tell you which opportunities to pursue, but also which to ignore.
It is simply growth for growth sakes and relying on the ‘trickle down’ approach to everyone else especially when it comes to jobs and housing. Our lack of quality affordable housing and living wages is eventually going to crush the Sioux Falls economy.
Our city charter says that the city council is the “policy making and legislative body” in city government. But the city council has never been given the opportunity to plan. Or perhaps better said, they have not taken that opportunity. After all, the charter also states that “all powers of the city shall be vested in the city council”.
Instead, the mayor’s office runs the show. Admittedly that may be due to the lack of separation of the legislative and executive powers in city government (see my blog on that topic). Everybody seems too busy putting out fires and dealing with routine problems to plan.
The city council has had since the early 90’s to come up with a plan after the new charter was approved and not one single councilor has lifted a finger except Janet Brekke who simply suggested the council move forward with a long range strategic plan and asked for the rest of the council to get on board. The result; They recruited a young female doctor to run against her with an endorsement from the mayor and thousands of dollars of his PAC money. I guess we know what happens to people who make suggestions on the city council.
I’m not sure the current city council has it in them to make a strategic plan, and why would they want to? They are enjoying the status quo. Let the mayor’s office plan things behind closed doors in the dark and have the council vote on the mayor’s plan hastily put forward and when things go awry, just ask for forgiveness. This is no way to run a city government or any government for that matter.
The only way a strategic plan could move forward is if the citizens specifically amended the charter requiring the council to put together a long range plan every two years. Make it a part of their duties and if they fail to do it, or take a half-ass approach the council should be fined and reprimanded or even recalled.
I think the citizens and media in this town need to stop pussy footing around and start making our city, school and county governments more accountable for their actions (or lack of action).
It’s too late for a good plan. I say we all go to The Hello Hi and just get drunk…. (Oh, that’s right, I don’t drink.)…. but they have pizza, too, right?…. #Pizzagate
The only plan is Home Rule Charter must be repealed. Strong Mayor takes away powers from the council. Councilors represent citizens. The mayor is an absolute dictator who decides everything. The council is a puppet show preaching to and appeasing a few activists. It’s not democracy when the mayor distributes a half billion annual budget into the hands of political contributors and TIF favoritism.
Does anyone care what any Kirby thinks? Do they have any clue what the needs of Sioux Falls are?
ADakota, EXACTLY! What I didn’t include in the post was that Kirby* was one of the major contributors to the new charter, so why did it take him 30 years to say something about how poorly it is being manipulated?
*I think Bill Peterson and Kermit Staggers were also contributors.
You cannot create a plan or vision for city government without full transparency or allowing us into the rooms.
It’s like having a local Elon Musk or Bill Gates.
Keep in mind, that a Kirby once wanted to replace the current governorship and legislature in South Dakota with a CEO (governor) and a 24 member board of directors (legislature). How could fewer political leaders make it more transparent?
( and Woodstock adds: “Was that ever put in ink?…. Because that would definitely be some serious INC. 🙂 …”…)
I forgot about the hashtag mayor selfie implemented.
Could it be Joe is feeling guilty because he is the reason we have this strong mayor corrupted government. SHAME on you Kirby.
You cannot understand the charter until you educate and inform yourself on the charter. I would NOT repeal, nor get rid of the charter, and there is no reason to make a huge change. We have both a Strong Mayor -and- a Strong City Council. You cannot fault Mayor’s Office for doing their job, yet alone using the full effect of its power in the process, when the CITY COUNCIL does NOT use the full effect of theirs.
The MAYOR has Administrative Power and Police Power;
The COUNCIL has Investigative Power and Policy Control.
Enough Said.
The one with the “police power” always wins.
As many commenters have (thankfully) properly attributed, the current structure and (dis)function of Sioux Falls City government is due in large part to the influence of Joe Kirby.
I remember this fact and instantly discard any of Joe’s current brain child attempts to “fix/repair” local and state government (e.g. open party primaries; ranked choice voting).
No thanks Joe. You’ve done enough damage.