Of course, the city says it was because of the Arsenic, until it wasn’t. But we were never given a reason. The rumor mil is that Denny Sanford told the Zoo board he would NOT donate to the expansion unless the dusty monkeys were gone. But in Denny’s defense, he may have just said ‘I don’t want them on the new campus.’ Which is much different then throwing them in a dumpster.
I blame this whole fiasco on the director of the Zoo. From every angle and account she orchestrated this entire thing by over reacting to Denny’s request, lying about chemical reports and even staging a Mike Huether moment of crying, which I took hook, line and sinker blaming the mayor, when in fact she was playing us all!
So tonight at the city council meeting, Robert (Bob) Kolbe, former Minnehaha County Commissioner (R) addressed the council during public input about the Delbridge Animals departing our city. He requested our city attorney’s office produce a report as to why the city came to the conclusion they had to rid ourselves of this PRICELESS collection.
Fair Request.
Bob made a threat: local historians may be hesitant to gift historical docs and assets to the city without guarantees these gifts won’t be sold or given away by the city to the highest bidder.
Mike Zitterich has his own take on this which I think I should share. Mike’s passion about this is commendable;
Directed to City Council Leadership,
Mayor Paul TenHaken, Council Chair Rich Merkouris, City Council Vice-Chair Jennifer Sigette, and City Council Audit Committee Chair David Barranco
Dear City Council,
City Resident Robert Kolbe had an excellent request that he presented during public comments in relation to the Delbridge Museum and the Brockhouse Taxidermy Collection situation. I believe this would be an excellent way for the city government to properly provide to the residents of the city on how city leaders came to the conclusion of why this community asset had to be given away. For the purposes of all future gifts, whether it be land, real property, tangible property, or money – the residents deserve to have full disclosure on why this community asset was so freely given up, despite a public outcry in the beginning, to better understand why some within our city government felt the need to just so ignorantly rid itself of a piece of property that many long time residents cherished. If the city government chooses to accept these types of gifts in the future, the residents deserve to have answers as to what happened with this particular asset. This is why, I have so aggressively have spoken out against the removal of the Delbridge Museum Assets, and as to why I have requested, demanded, begged the city council to utilize their full powers, by invoking our city charter, Article II, Section 2.09 in effort to investigate, put on trial all city officials, officers, agents, employees, to all departments, offices, agencies, to all non-profit corporate partners that played a role in the demise of this community asset. The ‘charter’ is a written instrument, adopted by the people of our community, entrusting the city bureaucracy to manage “our public assets” to the best of our ability, and in a faithfully, and respectful way forward. Our assets include – Public Roads, Water, Sewer, Utility, Public Parking Infrastructure, our Public Buildings, Parks, and Museums, let alone all the Public Services ‘we’ shall adopt as a community asset. By invoking your full powers, you can subpoena all documents, emails, contracts, to take public testimony, all with the end goal in providing back to the “residents’ a full detailed report, which allow the residents to make better decisions in the future. It is a shame, how a very small portion of our community can make such a decision as to throw away a “gift” that was given to the people so easily, without any cause for concern what the majority may or may not think about that decision. This report should have been done a long time ago, before the decision was made to get rid of the Brockhouse Animal Collection, but well, we all know what happened. So, in all due respect to Resident Robert Kolbe, he is 100% correct, I do feel this is something that must be done, if you wish to gain the full support of the community in future years, in relation to gifting of private property going forward. Please, honor his request, and let’s put this report together, and let’s do it for sake of differences of opinion, cause as elected officials, you are seen as agents of all the people, not just a few.
Sincerely, and in All Due Respect,
Mike Zitterich Resident Sioux Falls, S.D
Hopefully by now, the citizens are aware that this Mayor is a power hungry bully that hates any transparency. Especially about the Brockhouse issues. He also wanted them gone so he could finish up with one of his promises made in that closed door meeting. But after seven years , one must wonder, has this Mayor ever read the city charter?? Will be glad when he’s out of that office, but what surprises await the citizens with a new Mayor?? Will he or she represent the citizens or developers?
Simply put, Becky Dewitz, President and CEO of the Zoo lied about this collection.
Lied to the public. Lied to our (admittedly gullible and easily influenced) City Council. And lied to the Board of Directors who control her employment. Not certain how members of the later find that an acceptable relationship for an executive with a governing BoD? Unless, of course, each of them are also low character individuals as appears to be the President/CEO.
Benefactors to the Zoo beware. The person to whom you are forking your money is not a merchant in truth (words lost upon benefactors who are also of low character … looking at you T. Denny).
Mike Never “met” a Random word “he” Can’t capitalize “Or” put Quotes “around”.
TenHaken got tired of the “Elephant” in the room. This could have been a sculpture walk at The Falls called “Jumanji”. Otherwise, what to do? Bolton called Trump Joseph Stalin. I’m impressed with how he’s standing up to federal charges. Trump fascism is just so apparent.
Mike, please learn the correct usage of the words “CAUSE” and “BECAUSE”.
“Please, honor his request, and let’s put this report together, and let’s do it for sake of differences of opinion, cause [sic] as elected officials, you are seen as agents of all the people, not just a few.
Sincerely, and in All Due Respect,
Mike Zitterich Resident Sioux Falls, S.D ”
cause
/kôz/
noun
1.
a person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition.
“the cause of the accident is not clear”
2.
a principle, aim, or movement that, because of a deep commitment, one is prepared to defend or advocate.
“she devoted her life to the cause of deaf people”
verb
make (something, especially something bad) happen.
“this disease can cause blindness”
be·cause
/b??k?z,b??kôz,b??käz/
conjunction
for the reason that; since
“we did it because we felt it our duty”
Did you see this bullshxt?
FF 02:00
https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/what-to-expect-at-no-kings-rally-in-sioux-falls/
What’s wrong with you Thune? You come from a Democratic family. Your father was good friends with George McGovern. Both McGovern and your father were pilots who fought fascism in Europe, but today you are an enabler to fascism. How dare you call good Americans Marxists. A vast, vast percentage of the No Kings rally goers today will not be Marxists, rather they will be good Americans who are sick and tired of the Trump Administration’s fascist ways and the enablers, like you, who allow it to happen.
Oh, and speaking of Marxists, Stalin was a Marxist, wasn’t he? AND, he once said: “Show me a man, and I’ll show you the crime.” Which, by the way, sounds a lot like the way Trump and Bondi are now running the Justice Department, doesn’t it? AND, both fascism and Marxism have one definite thing in common, which is authoritarianism, and from the looks of it, Trump and his enablers are the real threat to America’s democracy and not the good people who will be protesting later today…. So, shame on you, Senator Thune, and remember your father was a great American hero like George McGovern, and I thank them posthumously for their service.
Fortunately there’s term limits. There will be no Trump 2028. We must tolerate his antics until then. After 2028 it’ll be time to repair relationships with allied nations, stop the trade war, and pardon political retribution. The constitution must be amended so that a president cannot declare himself king. Trump has made China the most powerful nation on earth. He should move there after 2028 before he’s prosecuted here.
To address everyone’s concerns, the current city government works fine, but we need enforce more oversight at the elected positions. If the city council is going to just approve everything that comes before them, without the thought of questioning, or holding those in city government accountable, then they are not doing their job. The Planning Commission barely asks questions, the Redistricting Commission has no power to realign the city, and the Audit and Operation committees barely touch the scope of the jobs they are intended to do. We need a “mayor” that does exactly what Donald Trump is doing at the national level, completely cleaning house within the city beaucuracy. We have almost 1,500 city persons – directors, officers, agents, managers, employees, not to mention the officials within the non-profit organizations that receive taxes from the city treasury. IF no one ever holds them accountable, or if no mayor questions their decisions, then you end up with a ‘run-a-way’ centralized government. As per the charter, the “City Council” cannot interfere in the administrative offices without speaking to the mayor, however, the city council does have section 2.09 given to them, to bring those directors, officers, agents, managers, employees, non-profit managers into a public venue to answer questions in front of the people. Meaning, they can invoke their power, and declare a public investigation, subpoenaing anyone and everyone, all emails, documents, financial instruments, anything of public value to gain answers. They could have done this with the Delbridge-Brockhouse Animals, they could have done this with the 6th Street Bridge, they could do this with the $70,000 dollar fence and the Bishop Dudley House. But the city council refuses to do this. If they do not do their jobs, then they must be replaced. They earn to much money ($27,000 a year) not to being their job. I am bringing forward to the Charter Revision Commission a few ideas on how to make this city government more accountable, you can review them here.
https://www.siouxfallscommunitychronicle.com/sioux-falls-charter-public-meetings
3 Excellent plans to create more representative government, creating a citizen-led central committee to discuss public initiatives, resolutions, future candidates every year, and a concept of creating a basic set of rules related to Tax Increment Financing. The first C.R.C meeting is this Wednesday, at 4:00 PM
“Mike” : TL;DR.