Mayor TenHaken

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Will the next mayor of Sux will be handed a gigantic stinkin’ turd?

l3wis August 6, 2025 1Comments

As Poops’ term is coming to end, many directors and managers are announcing their retirement or resignation. Directors are leaving from most of the major departments and several assistant directors and deputies are also leaving.

First, the obvious question? Why are so many leaving throughout the organization? It is not uncommon for directors to resign after a mayor ends their term, some are just brought in for the administration and don’t expect to stay afterwards, but this many directors and management leaving after a mayor leaves is a bit suspicious.

There has been a lot of gossip and rumors from various sources that the city got investigated for financial reasons. I have heard a whole host of reasons why, but nothing solid, so I’m VERY SKEPTICAL this occurred (besides an ARPA audit), but it makes you scratch your head a bit when pretty much Poops entire administrative team is leaving with him. Are they gonna leave the next mayor holding the bag? What will the books look like? Good question.

There is a positive in all these resignations, the next Mayor will be able to pick their team, but this will take several months and hundreds of interviews. I would encourage the next mayor to hire a national recruiter to find qualified employees instead of depending on our internal HR department. But this will still make the first year of the mayorship difficult for the next mayor because they won’t have a permanent team in place when they are sworn in.

So what do these directors know that we don’t? Not sure. This has been the most secretive administration in the history of our city. Huether tried to cover up stuff, but he was really bad at it, Poops turned it into an art form, and if there is one thing he has accomplished it has been a militant closed government.

I hope the next mayor is transparent with the public and tell us what kind of damage the current mayor incurred upon us, but with being ‘SD NICE’ they will likely just sweep it under the rug and not look back. While I agree we shouldn’t dwell on past indiscretions, we should be told what they were, so the public can make sure we never elect or hire folks like this again. History is important, and if we don’t learn from it, well, you know what happens.

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Did I just wake up from a 15 Year Coma?

l3wis August 4, 2025 4Comments

Several years ago when Huether was running for Mayor I said something similar to this;

‘This is the problem when you have marketing people running city government’

I didn’t say that exactly, it was something like, “We don’t need salesman running our city.” Same premise. The initial quote comes recently from a SF legislator referring to our leadership in our fine city, specifically the mayor’s office. I have railed about this for 15 years, questioning why we need salesmen running our city. I guess some other ‘leaders’ in Sioux Falls are finally waking from their 15 year coma and realizing shucksters and carnival barkers have been running our city, and it is time for a change. Hopefully we will get a mayor this next time around who wants to actually GIVE BACK to the community instead always trying to sell us something we don’t want or need . . . and that is quite a list.

Mr. Kirby even weighs in on the topic;

I sometimes wonder if the Chamber of Commerce and development foundation focus a bit too much on growth and not enough on life quality and the right sort of growth.

I have been saying that for 20 years. Growth for Growth sakes will eventually bite you in the butt when the money tap runs out for the Developer Welfare Queens. That tap will run dry by the end of the year and won’t get shut back on for several more years. Maybe it is time city government focus on fixing up the current infrastructure instead of building canals on Veterans Parkway.

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The ‘Real Reason’ Poops is mad at the Legislature

l3wis July 24, 2025 4Comments

Many in city government and those who work with the administration are very confused as to why Paul is lashing out at the legislature over the property tax cut. First off, the obvious, it doesn’t affect him or the 2026 budget. The law isn’t implemented until 2027, and since the 2026 budget is his last, he could have just done the same as usual without any cuts. During the budget address, he made this tired old, and quite strange argument; Growth for Growth sakes. I would argue since 2008 (the last recession) growth has actually hurt us more then benefited. We have given millions away in property tax rebates and TIF’s, our streets are worse then they have ever been. Anytime we have a natural disaster, it is usually very expensive to clean up. We only plow the roads when we feel like it (OVER 100 ACCIDENTS IN ONE DAY BECAUSE THE CITY DIDN’T SEND OUT ICERS). Growth before 2008 was fantastic, since then it has only drained resources and jacked up our rents. Growth for Growth sakes is a shallow argument, and I think Poops knows it, but he has to show some cards to disguise why he is really pissed at our legislature; They killed his 3rd penny tax. He knows that the new Convention Center, his dream project, can’t be bonded without that tax, and when they killed it in committee I bet you he punched a hole in city hall’s wall. This is why he is livid, he could care less if the library hours are cut, etc., etc., he’s pissed because you killed his cockamamie idea. Paul, why don’t you just go to your office, stare at your countdown clock, and STFU! You are NOT helping Pouting Poops.

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A very ‘Revealing’ Podcast

l3wis July 23, 2025 6Comments

In this podcast featuring Mayor Poops, you will get to see what he really thinks of public service, and what he thinks of constituents. There are numerous ‘things’ I could point out, but instead, I will let the listeners decide. I came away with two things; Paul is a fraud and an elitist, but I already knew that. Leave your review in the comments, and I do apologize, I can’t give you back the 38 minutes, but if you are a nerdy podcaster like me, put the speed on 2x.

*What annoyed me the most was the host laughing with the mayor as they made fun of certain constituents. You prosperity gospel folks are all the same, in a club all your own, have a nice day . . . some effing place else.

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Where are the savings in closing the libraries 10 hours a week?

l3wis July 21, 2025 1Comments

As pointed out to the mayor in his presser about closing the libraries he was asked why they are not looking at cutting staff. He said he wasn’t going to eliminate staff because we have some of the fewest city employees of a city our size per capita. Why is that? Technology, it takes fewer people to perform the tasks, duh.

But what is confusing to me is where are the cost savings by simply locking the doors for a few hours? Is the library staff going to get their weekly hours cut to 30 hours a week? Doubtful. So where are the savings. So we are going to pay staff for 40 hours a week with closed doors for 10 hours of that time? Where is the sense in this? You are NOT saving on utilities or programming, so I struggle with the cost savings. I would understand if you cut all library staff back to 30 hours a week you would have significant savings, but that is not happening here. We are essentially paying staff for a 40 hour work week when they are really only working 30 hours a week.

I want to clarify, I don’t want that to happen, so what’s the solution? Leave the hours as is, or cut staff.

I still believe the biggest cost savings to taxpayers is to terminate most middle management, demote them or promote them. Labor is a massive part of the city budget (it is approximately 25% of the yearly budget) Even if you cut 10% of the employees you would have a cost savings of $25 Million!

This isn’t rocket science. Companies across SF face these decisions daily, and somehow manage.

Unlike many other services the city provides, extended hours, especially in Sioux Falls for the library actually help many lower income people and transients transitioning into housing get a job or access other services. Not sure if Poops has looked out his city hall window lately (when he isn’t doing interviews in NYC or doing jumping jacks) and noticed the live action version of the Walking Dead going on DTSF. You want to fight homelessness? Find these folks housing and a job, hard to do when you cut off resources.

Will the next mayor of Sux will be handed a gigantic stinkin’ turd?

Did I just wake up from a 15 Year Coma?

The ‘Real Reason’ Poops is mad at the Legislature

A very ‘Revealing’ Podcast

Where are the savings in closing the libraries 10 hours a week?

You Missed

UPDATE II: Sioux Falls City Councilor could be facing ethics violations after tonight’s vote on Tre Ministries project

UPDATE: City Council Agenda (Dec 2-3)

Seems we are a we bit behind on snow plowing

Libertyland TIF should go to a vote of the entire state!