November 2025

Shop local, even if we don’t

A foot soldier sent me this STORY and said, “It is a shame they don’t practice what they preach.”;

“If I had a message for people in Sioux Falls as we go into the holiday season — take the opportunity to be intentional,” Pritchett said. “Support your local retailers, local restaurants and try to do as much as your shopping here as you can. Because these are the people that employ individuals in our community, they pay the property taxes for the buildings that they may be operating in and they really do help support the local economy in more ways than just buying online.”

While Fireball is telling us all to spend locally, the city, the finance department, him and Poops have been running this city into the ground for 7 years (this is what happens when you hire church buddies). Poops has directed millions in no-bid contracts to out-of-state vendors. Some of this stuff can’t be done locally, and shouldn’t, like internal audit (which ironically should be ALL internal, that is literally the name of the department!). But most of these contracts could have been awarded locally and thru an RFP process. Not only saving taxpayers millions but the money awarded to these companies would re-circulate in the community thru wages and consumer sales, as Fireball so cleverly has stated above.

I try to buy locally as much as possible, but it’s easier to find the Holy Grail in Sioux Falls then a bike part. I have been telling people though if you do want to eat out, always go to an immigrant restaurant. Always delicious, unique, fresh, and the best service. So yeah, shop local, wonder if Fireball will figure out how to take his own advice? Because internet sales is all that has been floating us for 7 months, something he conveniently left out of the story.

The next Mayor of Sioux Falls needs to clean house at the planning department

I have been watching the planning department over the past couple of years and all of their missteps. Besides being sued, which seems like a lot lately, they are doing secretive deals and no-bid contracts. I think it is sooo bad at the department, I am not sure just changing the director would fix the rot. Obviously the planning director takes orders from the mayor then directs his staff to move forward. But there seems to be a disconnect between the mayor and the director and the rest of the management staff. I guess it seems they acted alone,

If I were the next mayor, I would not only replace the director I would likely replace every manager and engineer right below him. Just putting a new director in place won’t solve the problem, there needs to be a whole reorganization of the department and there goals. I don’t like seeing professionals with the city losing their jobs, but I also look at city employees as an investment and if that investment is costing us instead of providing essential services, it’s time to show them the door. It’s also damaging to the reputation of that department.

I am NOT naive, I know this has been going on for a long time, but with all the lawsuits lately the problem has seemed to rear it’s head.

Depending on who the next mayor will be, it will be interesting to watch how they handle the situation.