Category Archives: Kermit Staggers

Staggers Press Conference

by

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeF44SNk2BE[/youtube]

Ayn Bird made a brief update message to a large interest Carnegie Town Hall meeting room crowd of reporters, potential candidates and of course the mayor. Kermit has been experiences health issues for the last few months creating a political buzz.

The Staggers family marched in, Ayn gave her message and they left immediately leaving a stunned news starved group. It actually was very much like many city hall pressers we have been attending, give the release and rush out of the room. This time it was the mayor stumbling for words and looking for answers.

Never underestimate Kermit Staggers.

UPDATE: Councilman Kermit Staggers Press Conference, 2 PM tomorrow, Thursday

by

UPDATE: As I suspected, Kermit’s family said they will be working through his health issues as he continues to serve on the council. Time to move along to other important business concerning our city.

Here are the actual charter rules for attendance. In all reality if Kermit only showed up to 3 more meetings he would be in compliance. But how can we expect the rest of the council understand their own charter? (DOC: Council Meetings

Kermit’s family will be making a statement. It is at Carnegie Town Hall.

My assumption is they will be speaking about his recent health issues and finishing his term as a councilor (which ends this Spring in a few months).

I have NO doubt in my mind he will finish his term out successfully and tackle his health problems. As for running for another term, I am not sure of.

Kermit has been a strong voice for the people, and agree or disagree with him, you will have to admit that the man has been dedicated to public service most of his life. He served as an Air Force intelligence officer, a state legislator and a 3 term city councilor.

I hope that the remaining city councilors and the mayor give him the respect and the space to finish his probable final term in public service gracefully. I know he would do the same for any of them if they were in the same boat.

As for his (well excused) absence, I could go on and on about the meetings the other councilors have missed over their terms to go on exotic vacations, visit their vacation homes in Florida or to leave early to see a rock concert. There must be respect amongst peers, and I hope they show Kermit that respect.

Robert’s Rules and Debate Decorum

by
I don’t think I am the only one who has noticed that the Senior member of the Sioux Falls City council, Dr. Staggers, has been taking a drumming from several of his peers at meetings, one in particular is always telling citizens about ‘decorum’ at the meetings and chastising them about wearing hats and the way they talk about public officials at public input. Well this is a little excerpt I think they should all read before the next meeting about the way they are treating Kermit during a public meeting.
You have to remember, Kermit has been doing this longer then any of them, including the mayor, and before that in the State Legislature, Kermit has developed a method of questioning public officials that sometimes can be effective. Let him ask his questions, you may learn something.
By C. Alan Jennings, PRP from Robert’s Rules For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Nothing stands to ruin an organization’s spirit and sense of group pride quicker than an acrimonious debate. When debate gets heated and personal, good members quit, and the antagonists generally don’t have what it takes to keep the organization going.

Nobody likes acrimony, and nothing need keep you from having a spirited debate while still keeping discussion focused on the issues. The following list contains some points to keep in mind when the soup gets thick at meetings where you talk about a dues increase or what to do with a budget surplus:

  • Listen to the other side. You expect the presiding officer to protect your right to speak even if it turns out that you’re a minority of one. You also expect the other members to hear you out and to allow you the same time as everybody else to get in your two cents’ worth. Give your fellow members their rightful turn. Listen to them — you may hear something that affects the way you think.

  • Focus on issues, not personalities. It’s best to just stick to the issues. You may disagree with the point, but you won’t feel personally attacked if everyone sticks to the issues.

  • Avoid questioning motives. It’s not a good idea to say, “Mr. Chairman, the dweeb who just spoke is obviously trying to raise the salary of the executive director because he wants to get the director fired and hire his own brother-in-law.”

    The dweeb may, in fact, be glad to see the director go, and he may indeed be working to set up a raise for the next employee, hoping it’s his brother-in-law. But when you’re in the meeting, express your opinion based on the proposal’s merits. Try saying, “Raising the salary of the executive director is unwise at this time because we haven’t yet completed the assessment of a performance review.”

  • Address remarks through the chair. One of the ways things can deteriorate quickly is by forgetting the rule that requires you to address the chair, not a member directly, during debate.

  • Use titles, not names. Things are more likely to stay impersonal if you avoid using names during debate. Refer to “the secretary” instead of “George.” Refer to “The member who offered the motion” rather than “Myrtle.” It feels a bit formal, but the idea is to keep the focus on issues, not individuals.

  • Be polite. Don’t get the floor and start reading some paper, don’t argue with the presiding officer except by legitimate appeal, and don’t do anything that otherwise disturbs the assembly.

The Erpenbach hits just keep coming . . .

by

m_erpenbach_2010.ashx

Michelle (a Democrat) Erpenbach seems to be concerned about councilors serving as party precinct peeps (mainly because they are not serving in her respective party), she says it is a matter of ‘council ethics’.

Funny;

But the city’s Board of Ethics has determined, along with City Attorney Dave Pfeifle, that while the courts have held that the exercise of sovereign power generally refers to someone serving in some legislative or policy-making capacity for a sovereign government, a precinct officer in a political party wouldn’t meet that definition.

So it doesn’t violate the letter of the city charter.

But there’s this Canon of Ethics created by the council that is meant to govern members’ conduct. Right now that canon says councilors have a civil responsibility to support good government by all ethical and legal means.

For Erpenbach, that means staying clear of any hint of political involvement.

“Our charter says we run as nonpartisan candidates,” she said. “When I go door to door, and people ask me if I’m Republican or Democrat, I tell them I am running for a nonpartisan seat.

“Now we’re having this discussion. I do not understand how you can be so active in your political party politics and still be nonpartisan.”

Where does that line ‘Hint’ at political party involvement? Basically what she is saying is that if you are a registered Democrat or Republican and you vote in your respective party’s primaries, you are practicing partisanship as a sitting council member. I know, laughable at best.

Erpenbach isn’t going to vote for it. “Our Canon of Ethics gets to the idea of service,” she said. “It’s really about citizens’ expectations about what they want from the people on the council. … and that is providing equal access to everyone.”

She ‘howls’ about partisanship and ethics but says nothing about the MONSTER conflict of interest Karsky has with the Chamber, and the ethics of him sitting as a board member that does mountains of business with the city. Let’s talk about the equal access of citizens and NON-Chamber members when it comes to councilor Karsky, that is a discussion I would LOVE to have.

Kermit of course blows off Michelle’s silliness, confessing it really isn’t a big deal;

“A precinct committee member, at least in the Republican Party, we don’t do a whole lot but go to conventions. We select people to run for constitutional offices. It’s a nice time,” he said.

Kermit, kind of sounds like your Republicans are ‘Rock’in It’!