City of Sioux Falls Requiring $5 registration fee for July 4th fun run

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The fee is payable to the Sioux Falls Parks & Rec and you get a free T-Shirt. Not sure why you would have to pre-register and pre-pay for a publicly endorsed run, especially on Independence Day? It is all to gather information on the citizens. This administration has been doing a heckuva of a job over the past 4 years making citizens RSVP and pre-register for public events and meetings, and it is wrong. You should NEVER have to RSVP or pre-pay for a public event. I encourage you to just show up and participate. It’s being held on public property and no one should force you to pay a FEE to walk on a taxpayer owned bike trail.

I have suspected one of the reasons the mayor and his council endorsements were so successful this past election is because the campaigns have been using the data the city has collected by cross referencing it with voter registration and Facebook followers. There was a reason the other candidates got their asses kicked, they didn’t have access to this data.

The crazy part is I don’t even know if this illegal in the State of South Dakota.

Oh, and the FREE lunch is now for only 3,000 people instead of 5,000 and instead of a pork sandwich we get a hot dog. Someone told me it is likely we no longer have a sponsor for the FREE lunch and this money is likely going towards that.

Sioux Falls Levitt has yet to release 2021 financials

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While they prepare to start their season next Friday, the Levitt has yet to release their financials, tax return or annual report from last year.

A couple of weeks ago a city official told me that the Levitt has NOT completed the tax filings and audit yet. Kind of odd how you can budget for another season without knowing how you did in 2021?

These financial statements are important because the Levitt receives public funding through the parks department, they also manage the booking of the stage for non-Levitt concerts (mostly church services) and they are a non-profit.

I am also curious what kind of money the Levitt raises through donations and other fees. There have been some wild claims made that if it were not for the private sale of alcoholic beverages at the concerts the Levitt couldn’t survive financially. Hogwash.

The Levitt has multiple funding sources. In fact they could probably raise even more money by charging a wrist band fee and cooler fee for people who wanted to bring their own adult beverages while still maintaining liquor sales from the private provider (you would only allow beer and wine in cans or plastic bottles to those who bring their own).

We will see if their annual report magically appears next Thursday šŸ™‚

Pettigrew & Cathedral Neighborhood Associations Body Check the City & School District

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I attended the almost 90 minute meeting tonight (I will have a YT video up soon if you don’t have FB) and it was pretty clear what the neighborhood wanted, GREENSPACE! There was a standing vote, and besides the reporters and city/school staff, everyone was standing in approval of leaving it a park.

The most interesting part was that it seems now the staff from the city and the school district said they have NO PLANS for it. Kevin Smith from the city further pointed out that they don’t own the property but help maintain it.

Funny how transparency works, SUNSHINE WINS THE DAY!

Help find Stolen Historical Marker

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Please share if you are around SF. The sign was stolen from Terrace Park last week. Iā€™m hoping someone here can help us get it back. I am (Aaron) putting up $100 for information that leads to its retrieval, no questions asked. We all have done dumb stuff in our lives, and I would chalk this theft as dumb stuff. The sign is about 2 feet by 3 feet and has a picture of the Phillips House on it. It should be recognizable. If anyone has any information, please reach out. We just want the sign back where it should be.

You can Message Aaron Skonhovd if you have any leads. He lives close to the park.