When you read the job listing all it says is that the city is hiring an ‘assistant director’ without specifying the department. Once you scroll down to the bottom you figure out from job qualifications they are looking for an assistant director. Currently, Kevin Smith is the Assistant Director of the Planning Department, unless he has already ‘left’ or is planning on retirement it seems this person would be his replacement.
While chatting with different employees in the Sioux Falls Public Works department they seem surprised the city would be buying used maintainers for snowplowing and spending that much money for equipment that is essentially only used for plowing snow. Maybe this would be the reason why we have leased for so long?
I also asked about collection times and if they would be effected. They told me NO because they pull drivers from Parks and Rec and other departments like Water, and Fire.
But I guess the large purchase irks the employees because they have been begging the city purchases it’s own mil grinder (I probably have the name of the equipment wrong, but what it basically does is grind down a street a few inches for resurfacing). I guess the city leases the equipment and they have trouble getting it because other contractors are also leasing it at the same time they want to use it. Employees have told me it would save taxpayers $$$ and would be more convenient for our Public Works department. As one employee said to me, “And we get a heckuva a lot more streets fixed, faster.” So while $9 million for some snowplows may be a worthy investment, it seems the city’s priorities once again are whacked!
Years ago a good friend who is about 4 years younger then our president told me a joke. He says, “You know what the difference between an old man and a dirty old man is? . . . . An old man has memories, a dirty old man has plans.” This describes our prezzo perfectly. Most 80 year old politicians are only trying to create a legacy, this guy is looking for world dominance. Seems like a strange thing to want when you wear diapers and decorate the Whitehouse like an Old West whore house.
Speaking of the Orange Menace, I found his manure spreader fighter jet video humorous. I said, “He is finally telling us what he really thinks of us.” It was like he was playing a joke on himself and didn’t realize it. I think a counter video should of been made so when he hits the drop bottom a giant turd explodes in his face and the airplane drops a load on the Kremlin.
The CRC meets on Wednesday to discuss the 1st Chapter of the Charter. Zitterich is presenting a council commission to study the size and makeup of districts, which I support. If the CRC approves this, which I think they will, it go on the ballot for the June election and voters will be asked if they support forming such a commission.
The council will also reconsider the rezone of Tre Ministries project. This of course is the project that got the city to pay for a $500K demo job (no loan was given, we paid for it out of Public Works funds) and they lied about the investors. This is a bad idea all the way the around. I told someone from that neighborhood this was about the ‘credibility’ of the developer and a rezone can be denied because of that. I told this person I heard that Tre was changing it’s name to Lyre Ministries, it has a more Old Testament feel to it 🙂
I have to admit that some people have some strange business ideas. There was a business that closed by my house about a year ago and finally someone started leasing the retail space. It is a Bong and Gardening supply store. I looked at some of the ‘gardening supplies’. Let’s just say you could grow some killer indoor hydro toms, but I have never tried to smoke tomatoes in a bong.
Old Detroit Lewis has been down the appointment path many times. I even applied once to be appointed to the Minnehaha County Commission, and then Chair Cindy Heiberger said she was offended that I came to the public input portion of a meeting to give my resume in advance of the nomination process. Yeah, she was a real peach. She makes Councilor Erpenbach look like Mary Poppens.
Or when Dean Karsky was appointed to the City Council and when he actually ran for the seat he put on his signs ‘RE-ELECT’ Karsky. I think I asked him how can you be re-elected when you were never elected to begin with? He gave me his insurance salesman look of I either ‘I sharted or lied’. It was usually a Shlart (C).
This whole appointment process is pure hypocrisy when you consider we have to have a runoff for council races instead of a plurality.
I digress.
Recently, Councilor Dr. Cole announced she is moving for her job. Good for her, but no surprise. I warned everyone before the election that Brekke was retired and had the time to dedicate to the council position while Cole had a lot of commitments with her employer as a medical doctor and being a single mother and would not have the time to dedicate to the position. I was 100% correct. I even predicted she would not make it to the end of her term. I was 100% correct. City government is sooo predictable. Well no one listened so now here we are, we need to appoint someone to fill out Councilor Dr. Cole’s seat after she leaves town in December. The stint would be a simple 6-7 months (I know, South Park reference). Four councilors have confirmed they want to appoint someone who is not running for council in 2026 and simply want a placeholder until the next election. They also have expressed appointing a former councilor who would be willing to help out for a few months without the intention of running, which I totally support. The short list would be;
• Brekke
• Stehly
• Neitzert
Yeah, there is the vampire guy, but c’mon!?
I have suggested Brekke or Neitzert and Neitzert confirmed to me to today that he would ‘think about it’. He thought having a former councilor with no desire to run would be a good fit. Greg also had some biking initiatives he was working on when he left council that he could finish (many of the projects are already funded). But if I wanted to be a rabble rouser I would appoint Bob Kolbe. And don’t laugh, he has the experience and would run circles around the current dais.
COMPOST PILOT
I guess the City of Brookings, which oddly has a progressive community and a conservative local government has started a compost program, I have suggested to two councilors we look into this PILOT program in Sux. I guess food waste takes up 25% of the landfill and produces most of the methane gas. So it is kind of a double edged sword for us to have residents compost when we sell methane gas to POET which helps to self-fund and expand and improve the landfill. I compost as much as I can and have several bins outside. What is great is after about a year you pull from the bottom and the black fertile stuff that comes out is pure fertilizer gold.
I AM AWARE
I want to thank my diligent foot soldiers for the messages this week about a certain someone running for a certain office. I am aware and have been 🙂 all week.
NO FAUX-KING FASCISTS! – That was my favorite sign I saw at the protest today;
There was a small number of protest protesters.
When I took the photo a gentleman from the group asked if I would take them down Phillips in front of the protesters with flags. This guy was incredibly respectful and likely a veteran and he did say to me that I probably didn’t want to get into the political back and forth. I said, yeah, I had a No Kings protester ask to ride down the street with a signs, and told them no. That would send the wrong message and he was totally cool. I really appreciated that. And while there was close to 2-3K NO kings protesters or more, there was about 20 MAGA supporters.
IMAGE: Patrick Lalley
I enjoyed the peaceful interaction and commend both groups even though the SFPD and Feds tried to start a fake controversy about a stolen van with likely a joint laying on the floor into some conspiracy about Oklahoma City. What a f’kd up world we live in.
RANDOM FUNNY
As I was riding around the protest tonight a mom and her children were storming down the sidewalk in front of the wine shop just north of Minerva’s. They have this metal sandwich board sign in front of the wine shop and the boy totally smoked it. He was probably around eight? And had no mobile devices in his hand. Not only was I laughing, everyone who saw it was dying. The boy was fine and guessing by his red face, not forgetting this moment for awhile, but I have a point at his expense; They were obviously going to the protest and in a hurry, which is awesome. There were tons of families and kids and I even saw some grandparents taking a todler to the protest with her own handmade sign. A portrait of patriotism (they were likely in there 70’s or 80’s).
That is why it is so laughable and ridiculous that these supposed anti-american protesters are somehow violent?! (maybe to sandwich boards?).
No body is buying the bullshi!t. Trust me when you have 3000+ peeps on one street corner and 30 peeps from the opposition on the other street corner it sends a clear faux-king message!
It wasn’t a business decision to not allow protesters from either side to ride the Rick, it was a mortality decision, and how faux-king sad is that?! I don’t recognize this country anymore.
l3wis