Miranda Bayse

Sioux Falls City Councilors are oblivious to ethics and transparency

And the unethical behavior continues!

A committee with representation from community members, city council and city administrators looked through the applications and chose which organizations best fit into those three categories and served the needs of Sioux Falls. 

City councilor Miranda Bayse was originally on the committee, however, a conflict of interest with one of the nonprofits caused her to step away from the reviewing and voting on the organizations. She still offered insight to KELOLAND News about the new process. 

Bayse said the proposals exceeded the budget, so committee members had to be selective about which nonprofits received funding from the city. 

“The coliseum and what happens in that space is very important,” Bayse said in an interview with KELOLAND News Tuesday. “I don’t know the answer, but if funding isn’t feasible in the budget, are there other ways as a community to support and encourage the things that happen in that space?” 

Bayse also acknowledged the timeline to submit and review proposals was tight, which could have played a role in why some organizations received funding while others did not. 

Isn’t it interesting how she knows so much about the review process yet she claims she stepped away from it. She was likely in on the meetings, and even if she didn’t vote she can influence other members. It’s pretty simple, if you have a conflict, your recuse yourself before the process even begins. You also tell the public what that conflict is and you certainly can’t vote or influence other councilors. Three strikes against Lucy.

It almost seems like they are proud of what they can get away with. After the city election in June if crap doesn’t shape up I am going to file ethics complaints against the mayor, city councilors and city employees. It’s time they learn what it means to be ethical because this type of blazen behavior erodes public trust immensely.

Is the Sioux Falls City Council communicating with City Hall?

After watching the above presser where Councilor Miranda ‘Lucy’ Bayse said this, I wonder if the council is talking to city hall;

There isn’t anything that’s proposed that would increase the tax expectations or increase what community members would pay in their taxes to fund these things.

Over the last couple of years when the city council has discussed NOT raising property taxes (they always vote for the increase) the mayor’s minions have cried to the council if we don’t raise the taxes every year we would miss out on rec programming, street repair and any other bogeyman they can cook up. So how can Lucy say there won’t be any increases in taxes to pay for services? She can’t. She is either lying or doesn’t understand how the funding works. While we have a bond rating based on our 2nd penny collection, we also have other bond ratings tied to our total revenue take in which also consists of Federal and State grants and property taxes. While the bond itself to pay for the facility is attached to the 2nd penny some of the programming will come from property tax revenue. So where is the disconnect? You will pay more in ALL taxes to fund these facilities, does the council think the money is coming from the sky? Seriously? It will cost MILLIONS each year to subsidize these facilities, the money is coming from somewhere.

Instead of lying to the public to justify the means why not stop the hand wringing and propaganda and put it to a legal bond vote. If you really want to know what the public thinks, ASK THEM!

Councilor ‘Lucy’ Bayse proposes ordinance change without consulting local fencing industry

A new councilor is at it again, making an ordinance change that 1) doesn’t benefit homeowners, only makes fencing more expensive and 2) doesn’t give homeowners any options. Councilor Bayse proposed the change at the Planning Commission Meeting last night, but didn’t even bother to show up as a Planning staffer presented the item (don’t blink you might miss the meeting);

§ 160.480 FENCES.
(l) A fence post must be secured below ground level in all residential zoning districts.

He said a ‘couple’ of people complained that their neighbors(?) put fence posts in 5 gallon pails of concrete and didn’t bury the pails just had them sitting on the ground. So why not write an ordinance that says;

‘No fence posts can be put above ground in pails of concrete or other substrates.’

There is also a million different ways you can secure a post. You can attach it to another out building or your house, you can use L brackets and bolt them to a concrete patio pad. Heck, there are probably so many different ways to fix this, it’s not even funny.

I spoke with a person who is in management for a large fencing company in Sioux Falls. He had no idea they were proposing this. Fortunately it hasn’t arrived to the council yet so he has a few weeks to shake them down, and he intends to.

Instead of making regs based on a couple of your friends bitching, why not actually research the topic, talk to professionals in the field, heck, have a public round table. But for god sakes stop passing ordinances to make it look like you are doing something. And don’t pull away the football at the last minute either!