UPDATE: IT REALLY IS A TACO TRUCK! I was glad I have been posting about this, because I assumed the contractor would drag the restaurant owner to the meeting after my transparency needling. I know now why it has been under the radar, which we will get to in a moment. When the contractor introduced this restaurant owner to the podium he didn’t say his name or even the name of the establishment, only that he was ‘experienced’. Yeah, experience with failure. This guy has been carting his Gringo Walmart food truck around town after his physical restaurant failed several years ago. And now he wants to park the fart mobile next to a drive thru. Of course the council passed it, but I want to reassure the neighbors, the place will be closed before it even opens. Let’s just say they should name the place ‘Mediocre Microwaved Burrito’.
City Council Regular Meeting • Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 6:00 PM
Item #28, The applicant is requesting to develop a new retail building that would include a drive-through service window and outdoor speakers adjacent to residential uses. The neighbors are vehemently opposed. But what I find interesting is NO ONE is saying what the restaurant is (what style). All they say is fast food. One of the neighbors at the meeting said, ‘Nobody knows what it is. Is it a taco truck?’ And even after that NO ONE on the planning commission or the planning department mentioned what it was and they are using a private contractor to submit the application. I guess it is safe to say it is fried fish head eatery. Can’t wait! These folks have ran from transparency so long they forget how to tell the truth. Also, if I were opening a restaurant in a busy neighborhood I would tell everyone what it was to get the buzz going before I opened. Maybe it will be a mystery bag restaurant. ‘On Monday I got a meatloaf sandwich and on Thursday I got hot beef, yah just never know! It’s whatever Clem throws together in the back.’
Planning Commission Meeting • Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Item #5A, the Data Center folks barely took a breath and they are back for their rezone. I found this designation interesting;
Light Industrial Employment Center
While the ‘Light Industrial’ is a proper designation, I am not sure the ‘Employment Center’ is proper considering this place will be full of buzzing servers and NOT employees. There is also the energy sucking these places do and there have been stories across the country about how these facilities drive up energy costs for users in the vicinity because of increased infrastructure costs. But our city council can’t be bothered with that. They will approve this without asking one single important question like ‘Why hasn’t the electrical utility provider appeared at these public meetings to reassure the public their rates will not increase?’ I am not against data centers, they are needed, but there is an alternative. Some companies are building self-contained data centers that provide their own water and power thru wells, an on-site water filtration facility and solar and wind energy. Not only are they not taking away from residential needs, the energy is renewable and has NO damaging effects on the environment. The facilities also make more money and employs more people to handle the containment. Maybe the council needs to ask if this place plans wind turbines and solar arrays? Nope, in South Dakota we like to do things dirty and cheap while screwing over our neighbors, and I am sure this FOREIGN owned company (likely Communist Chinese)* isn’t real concerned about Brandon Bob’s garden.
*Nobody has been able to tell me who is ALL in the investor group.
City Council Informational Meeting • Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 4:00 PM
City Committee and Boards by Jim David, Chief Administrative Officer; Thea Rave, Executive Support Coordinator
I’m not sure what this is about, but I was told a few months ago that several of the city boards have NOT been fully filled since TenHaken has taken office, because ‘He won’t appoint anyone he doesn’t know or referred to him by a friend.’ Which is sad in a town of 200K+. And it is NOT like anyone is applying, I guess there are plenty of applicants, but if they can’t pass the ‘white church lane’ test, they don’t get appointed.*
*A neighbor and associate of the mayor recently told me he moved from the infamous street. Maybe he is living with Marshall Selberg in Harford?
Item #35/41, (35)The purpose of this rezoning is to allow for the construction of an office and apartments. (41) The city has been working with the applicant for the redevelopment of the property bounded by 18th Street and 19th Street and also Minnesota Avenue and Dakota Avenue. With this redevelopment, they have requested the vacation of 19th Street. This resolution would vacate 19th Street between Minnesota Avenue and Dakota. Tre Ministries, who I have encouraged to change their name to Lyre Ministries, is taking another bite at the apple. The rumor mill tells me that this was the plan all along and they went thru this sideshow to fool the council and the city, but who knows? I have heard all kinds of stories about conflicts with certain councilors, the mysterious ownership of the lot, the city loan that wasn’t, and a whole host of other problems. I have made it clear with certain councilors that the neighborhood is NOT against a project there, they just don’t want that street closed. I would also suggest denying the request based on the integrity of the applicant. I’m hoping the neighbors put on their pissy pants Tuesday night and read the council the riot act. Stop pleading with these folks, start demanding. They just blow you off when you come in with your hippy dippy crap. Be truthful and to the point, and call them out in advance before they even vote. Ask them who frosts their cupcakes and wipes their asses. Hard to answer the question when your mouth is full of brown nose cake and chamber charcuterie.
Item #39, Providing supplemental appropriations from Sales/Use Tax available fund balance to fund police radios. I’m all for new police radios, but how this rolled out is super suspicious. Let’s just say that the Curtist the Blurtist show will be on full display with this item. I guess the city is getting a black Friday deal with the radios. So nice the Chinese government will be able to listen in on our police calls 🙂
Item #43, The resolution adopts the City’s legislative priorities for upcoming session of the South Dakota Legislature. They should call this year’s priorities ‘Mo Money’ because all they do is ask for money from Pierre. Go read it, it reads like Baron Trump’s Santa Wish List. Ironically the stuff they are requesting money for can be handled thru non-profits that get Federal grants. Instead of asking for money from Pierre maybe help these organizations write Federal grants. Sally Tomato will be gone before we know it and hopefully all this stuff will get back to normal. The Orange Menace is like a ghost fart, deadly and sneaky at first, but it soon will dissipate.
l3wis 
