Sioux Falls

No Soup for You! Green space closed with little explanation.

l3wis June 2, 2025 2Comments

I Southdacola foot soldier sent me this photo. I do have to commute to this area of town (36th and Sycamore) and have seen the signs. I guess I didn’t think much of it, maybe it is a conservation area? I am having a city councilor look into it, because this person also sent the picture to the council. This person has lived near this detention pond for over 30 years and told me the sign was put up recently after the city stopped mowing the area. They told me that when the city mowed it, kids would play soccer over there and fly kites or walk dogs. I guess they told me ‘it was being used.’ My assumption is it was added to the infamous ‘no mow list’ to save money. I have been talking to minions in multiple departments with the city and they said their budgets are being cut even before July. Want to save the city money? Less lawn cuttings won’t even move the needle. You need to cut out ALL non-profit handouts and layoff all middle managers with the city. You would save us millions. You also need to stop hiring consultants to do the job city employees are supposed to do, this would also save us millions. The lack of vision is so awful at city hall they need to put an image of the 3 blind mice on the front door.

Art Sioux Falls

The City of Sioux Falls Arts Coordinator is jobbing out her duties

l3wis June 2, 2025 0Comments

I saw the below RFP and wondered why? I thought we specifically hired an Arts Coordinator as a full-time position with the city to coordinate the arts. Part of YOUR job would be to come up with a cultural plan and use local non-profits as reference and help. But this is what the city does all the time. They have internal attorneys, engineers, etc., that we pay well with great benefits, and all they do is coordinate the consultant reports. We need to do one of two things at this juncture. Either eliminate her position and hire a consultant to put together a plan, OR, better yet, let her keep her job, AND MAKE HER DO IT! You were hired for your supposed talents, show us what they are. Because the words ‘consultant’ and ‘public art’ have nothing to do with each other. Not to mention you could probably lift a cultural plan from another city our size and tweak it. This is all public information, another city can’t ‘charge’ you if you take their plan and tweak if for our town. I think the first question they need to ask potential directors interviewing with the city is, “Do you know what google is?”

Art Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls

Interesting Sculpture

l3wis May 29, 2025 8Comments

I will have to admit, SculptureWalk has turned into a great public art display. After I publicly needled the organization about a proper jury process, and they made the changes, (but not before skewering me in the media) the exhibit has gotten more diverse and interesting. The first few years were a bunch of hokey religious and wildlife themed art, but once they brought in a GENUINE jury, the exhibit got great.

A few years back there was a piece that I think sits at Cherapa II that looks identical to a bull penis. So this year this ‘bird’ sculpture kinda reminds you of a Georgia O’Keeffe painting, if yah know what I mean. It is a beautiful piece, but I’m not seeing birds. But maybe the whole point of the piece is to connect the birds on an emotional level? Maybe I am thinking to much about this since the heart shaped cut-outs almost make the piece sappy and corny. One of my friends said it looked like a plant pod, and I responded, “Sure and I’m the spitting image of Matt Damon.”

Georgia was asked once in a documentary about her flower paintings in 1976, “Did some people find sexual symbolism in your flowers?” And Georgia responded, “They were talking about themselves and not me.” Subjectivity, a wonderful thing. So enjoy the birds, the plant pod, or whatever this beautiful piece is. The mystery is what makes great art. I would be thrilled if this piece won people’s choice. But please, please, please, place it next to the bull penis sculpture.

Art Downtown Sioux Falls Public Works Sioux Falls

Public Art Critique

l3wis May 29, 2025 5Comments

I have been admiring this new sculpture at the Steel District. I like the concept and the design (the cut out key hole is laying to the side of the piece) But, the yellow color doesn’t fit well in the development. I would change the color to a pearl essence iridescent paint that illuminates and sparkles in sunlight and moonlight and changes color depending on the light shining on it, I would also round the edges of the outer structure while leaving the keyhole with a straight on cut. It would give it more of an obelisk look to it. This is why ALL public art should go thru a PUBLIC vetting process even if it is privately funded. You get better art. We learned nothing from Mural-Gate when a private donor email harvester, the police chief and the mayor censored a piece that was later presented at the Smithsonian. When picking public art, a diverse jury of not only artists, but designers, contractors and other lay people help decide. This diversity gives you diverse public art. I can guarantee how this played out; The developer picked out the piece (concept drawings) and presented to the VAC ‘as is’ and they approved it. Zero vetting process. Money doesn’t buy class or taste.

Elections SF City Council Sioux Falls

Update: Why our very ‘Special’ city council is ignoring a special election

l3wis May 28, 2025 4Comments

UPDATE: I didn’t think about this until this afternoon but also if there’s anybody sitting on the current council that is running for reelection as an incumbent or if any councilor decides to run for Mayor that’s a huge conflict to be picking your own election date for a campaign you’re running in. Why? Because by picking a June date that means fewer months of campaigning and having to raise less money.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, we know the scenario. The State DoDo birds we call our legislature decided to change state law so they could control local elections. Tsk! Tsk! Stay the F’ck out of our elections and start working on your AA and diet plans. Either way, we now have a decision to make, but for some reason our brilliant city council thinks they need to make the decision, but that is NOT how the law is written. It is up to the citizens of this community to decide that date (June or November) not them. So at the informational today (I encourage to watch before forming a opinion) they pitched this legal concept that indeed the citizens do get to choose the election date, BUT NOT for this first election, that was up to them. Bullwash! What needs to happen is a special election in September determining the date of the election, and while they are at it, also put a charter amendment that eliminates the ‘Rex Rolfing/Stehly Rule’ that there has to be a runoff in city council races if no one gets more then 34% or some whacka-doodle thing like that. Make it a plurality so there is no runoff. Barranco suggested this. I think it would be incredibly confusing to voters showing up to vote for council and mayoral candidates and having to choose an election date, they would most likely pick the day they were currently voting, which is a setup because the council is initially leaning towards a June election. One of the arguments they make that they HAVE TO decide the first election date is because candidates and campaigns need to know ASAP. Silliness. Anyone considering running has already kind of made up their minds, they also know that the earliest their would be an election is June and the latest November. The date of the election is of no consequence to the candidate if that decision isn’t made until September. They would only have to adjust their campaign budgets if November was picked. That’s IT! They would also have more time to campaign, which is a good thing locally. I think the city council is on shaky legal ground. I think they know they have to call a special election and let the citizens decide, but instead they continue to eat the Fiddle-Faddle. I would get really weary of chomping on the old maids . . . wait . . . or maybe not

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