Larry Luetke admits he has a conflict with item 5a and still remains in his seat (A.K.A. no recusal and) votes on the item. He admitted working with a developer to place 4 duplexes on property. One of the reasons I think the Planning Commission started doing most of the agenda on consent was because of the multiple conflicts the board members have. Item 5A was placed on the regular agenda, but that didn’t stop Luetke, he remained in his chair, admitted to helping the developer to develop the land and voted on the item.
While former councilor Brekke had a great suggestion to put city staff, councilors and board members thru ethics training, It seems they need something more simple like what the three words ‘Conflict of Interest’ mean.
It appears that the city was working behind the scenes with the Sioux Falls School District to build around 14 single family affordable houses on this empty lot owned by the school district. The Pettigrew Heights Neighborhood association got wind of the back door negotiations (they were NOT included in the discussions) and put out a survey to the neighborhood (it is closed now) to see what the neighbors think.
Let’s just say they are NOT happy about how this was being planned (in the dark). While I certainly would support a project like this, I don’t live near it or in that neighborhood so I can’t speak for the people who live there, but it seems they would like to keep it as is and add a park instead.
No matter who is involved with this backdoor plan, I will say this is NOT how you go about it. You have to engage the citizens in the neighborhood in a public meeting setting and work with them on shaping the project.
THE WAR ON TRANSPARENCY IN THIS CITY MUST END!
I think a mixed use of townhomes, apartments and homes with a park and urban garden in the center would be a good way to go. But we NEED the public’s input first and foremost.
They are having a meeting Monday to address the issue. I think some city staff from the planning office are going to be in attendance.
Item #6, Approval of Contracts, Sub Item #4, Leadership Training. The pricing is attached to the agenda item. As I have discussed before, I do support ongoing training of city employees, but what I find astounding is training people who should already be able to fill the rolls. It is also very expensive.
Item #60, 2nd Reading, Sidewalk ordnance changes. As I have said previously, I find it strange we would be making significant changes in the middle of 2,600 violations handed out in the core neighborhoods. What I find ironic is if you look at sidewalks on city property (adjacent to city buildings) the sidewalks are in dire shape. But instead of focusing on that they go after private homeowners to deflect.
Item #61, giving more money out for the ice ribbon. Shocker.
Item #2B, Wants to change from regular suburban residential to historic preservation. I just think this one is interesting because it is on the 21st St Blvd in McKennan Park and if you drive past the home you can see a lot of work done. But why switch it? Well, if you can get your home designated as historic preservation you can get tax incentives and even grants. I would be curious if they are requesting this change because of the love of historic preservation or for the tax incentives? Probably both.
Item #2N, Changes to Annexation ordinances. I find it interesting that these changes are pushed into the consent agenda without discussion, and this part was added;
§ 153.004 ANNEXATION AGREEMENT. Upon receipt of a request from property owner(s) to annex property into city limits, the petitioner, the public works department, and city attorney’s office have the authority through SDCL 9-4-1.1 to enter into an agreement specifying the conditions under which the landowner’s property may be annexed into the municipal boundaries.
Not sure what that means, but anytime you add an entire section, it probably doesn’t mean the government is giving you more rights, probably the contrary.
On Thursday night I happened to take a gander at the agenda page, I was surprised to see the March 2 agenda for the Planning Commission posted. I didn’t make a copy of it because normally if an agenda is posted it usually doesn’t come down even if changed before the 24 deadline. I did read it though, and NO surprise that everything was in the consent agenda with a stamp of approval from planning staff.
What I find interesting about the disappearing agenda is that it did have one item on it that would be of interest. There was a rezone request for offices at the Sanford Sports Complex (The DSU project). Why is this interesting? No public funding has been approved yet by the city. Was the agenda pulled because of this? What other changes were made? By law they don’t have to post an agenda until 24 hours before a meeting and it must be the final agenda. In other words if they would have kept up the agenda from Thursday, they could have updated that agenda any time between then and Tuesday before the 24 hour deadline. The city council has done this on occasion. But to take it down completely to make the updates is very curious.
I tried to find something in the charter that would address posting an agenda then taking it down completely without replacing it with an updated agenda, but I could not. Maybe this is something that needs to be addressed at the meeting Wednesday night?
You will see a continuing trend in the current administration, a HATRED towards transparency and dozens of potential coverups;
• Mayor TenHaken said his goal for 2021 was to be the most inclusive mayor of all time in the city. I guess he has moved on in 2022 . . .
• The City of Sioux Falls got an ethics (violations) insurance policy.
• City Council gives out 3 TIFs in 2021 totaling around $144 million for condos, parking ramps and egg roll factories.
• The Sioux Falls Planning commission has serious attendance issues and conflicts of interest.
• Ghost Ambulance REMSA coverup artist, SF Health Director Jill Franken retires.
• City Attorney’s office covers up over a dozen ethics complaints and throws them out without public view.
• Accused and wanted child molester is found working at the MIDCO.
• Even with an entire department dedicated to technology the city continues to have issues with the online streaming of videos.
• Legal settlement with the DT Bunker Ramp still has not been accomplished (or maybe it has?)
• During a mask mandate discussion at a city council meeting TenHaken looses his marbles after being called out on how he tries to stop public input.
• After several years of panhandling issues in Sioux Falls the city puts up signs to tell people to stop doing it while panhandlers just stand under the signs and continue to do it.
• City blows COVID money on play things like butterflies, ice rinks and tennis courts.
• City opens TRIAGE center in which it continues to be underfunded and hardly makes a dent on the problems it was meant to solve.
• City approves a tiny house community for veterans.
• Multi-cultural Center Director is dismissed(?).
• City of Sioux Falls concocts Medical MJ dispensary rules behind closed doors making a mockery of the public process.
• Sioux Falls police chief retires(?)
• TenHaken decides to run for a 2nd Term but has yet to campaign or have an official FB page for the campaign.
• TenHaken continues to push behind closed doors to buy up property along the loop so it can be bulldozed for preferred developers.
• 2021 School Board Election has a 5.13% voter turnout.
• Councilors Jensen and Erickson hold a housing summit coffee, nothing came of it.
• Councilor Jensen’s sidewalk scooter ordinance is withdrawn because he fails to engage the public.
• Levitt has successful season even if the adult beverage vendor stretched the truth about being the major contributor to their annual budget. Still waiting for the 2021 budget numbers . . .
• Wholestone Farms, an entity owned by regional pork producers, plans to build a more than $500 million pork processing facility in Sioux Falls without ANY government handouts (TIFs). They are even considering building housing (apartments) for the employees.
• Sioux Falls Districting Commission changes Central District to include Whittier and Cathedral neighborhoods.
• The Charter Revision Commission throws out ALL citizen proposals for the April ballot, but the city council manages to put a salary increase on the ballot.
• The city sprays for mosquitos in broad daylight and claims it is safe to spray on humans and pets. When asked why they are spraying in daylight they claim they can’t get employees to work at night (a couple hours later).
• It takes private donors to SAVE the Tuthill hospitality home and they do it for half the price the city would have spent.
• City Attorney’s office makes a secret deal for a land swap with the developers of the Sioux Steel project and councilors are told they can’t talk about it publicly.
• Sioux Falls ONLY daily newspaper finally admits the failure of the EC entertainment district, and does it anonymously. Now that is integrity in journalism!
• City leadership does very little to encourage Covid vaccination leaving it up to the private sector to inform us.
• The city parks department takes my advice and posts safety signs along bike trail even though they read more like a Bible verse than a warning.
• There is a push by city council and the planning department to have the State Legislature change laws in 2022 to allow rebates on excise taxes, 0% TIFs and skipping the zoning process when it comes to building apartments next to residential. While dome deregulation and tax breaks would be great, they really need to start at the bottom.
• A (non) settlement is made with the defective windows on the Midco while no one is really held accountable and the SF MSM did NO stories about it. It’s like it never happened.
• The mayor’s youngest daughter gives us a new nickname for him, Mayor Poops. (I was surprised there wasn’t more media coverage on this
l3wis 
