Residents of Canton want to overturn the city commission’s decision to implement municipal-run garbage services to pay for a pool project. The question will head to a special election.
While municipal garbage is a good concept, and would save residents money, taking those savings from them to fund a pool is not such a great idea. Heck, one city councilor called it communism;
“We want to stay independent and have that hometown feeling. … We could maybe get a kickback from the bank if we all went to the same bank. We could get a kickback if we all went to the same hardware store,” Garbers said. “People, that’s communism.”
Not quite Clem, but I see where you are going with this. Municipal garbage is actually a good idea, especially for smaller towns and could save residents a lot of moolah, where it gets complicated is the crazy SOVIET era idea of paying for pools with garbage fees (I think he is confusing our school bond elections with garbage service). It is NOT communism, but I would agree with Commissioner Garbers, it isn’t right.
Why not build a smaller pool? Or better yet, get some private donors? And keep the municipal garbage and pass the savings onto the residents. Everyone wins in the suburb of Harrisburg.
The Sioux Falls Urban Food Forum, a two-day event aimed at fostering collaboration among local producers, restaurant owners, gardeners, policy makers, and individuals passionate about food security, is set to take place on July 26th and 27th during four open forum sessions. Hosted at the Union Gospel Mission located in its emerging Food Hub, this innovative event will provide a platform for attendees to share their ongoing initiatives, develop meaningful collaborations, and identify practical actions to address food security in our community.
The Sioux Falls Urban Food Forum recognizes the vital importance of ensuring access to nutritious food for all residents. With the objective of addressing food insecurity through collective efforts, the event will feature four open forum sessions. These sessions will create a space for diverse voices to be heard, ideas to be exchanged, and collaborative solutions to be developed. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with experts in the field, exchange best practices, and explore strategies to enhance the local food ecosystem.
Event Details: Date: July 26-27, 2023
Times: 4 sessions for both days, Morning – 9:00 to 11:00, Afternoon – 2:00 to 4:00
Venue: Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store
Address: 705 E 8th St, Sioux Falls, SD
The Sioux Falls Urban Food Forum welcomes individuals from all backgrounds who share an interest in food security and sustainable food systems. This includes local producers, restaurant owners, gardeners, policy makers, educators, community organizers, and concerned citizens. The forum seeks to foster an environment of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, where attendees can build relationships and contribute to the development of deployable pragmatic actions.
Food security is a critical issue that affects the health and well-being of our community. By bringing together key stakeholders, we aim to create a space for dialogue and collaboration, where innovative ideas can flourish, and concrete actions can be taken to address this challenge. We believe that by working together, we can build a more resilient and equitable food system in Sioux Falls.
Participants are encouraged to come prepared to share their ongoing projects, initiatives, and ideas related to food security. Whether you have a community garden, a farm-to-table restaurant, or a policy proposal, the forum provides an inclusive platform for you to engage with like-minded individuals and develop collaborative solutions.
The Community Revitalization Collective is thrilled to announce its upcoming event, the CRC BBQ Party, aimed at fostering community spirit and creating a memorable experience for all residents of Whittier and beyond. This free outdoor event promises an afternoon of mouthwatering food, engaging activities, and opportunities for neighbors to connect and celebrate together. The CRC BBQ Party will take place on Sunday July 30th from 5:00 – 8:00 at the CRC Space, in the back of 921 E. 8th Street. This event is open to all residents of Whittier, regardless of age or background. Attendees can expect an exciting lineup of activities, entertainment, and, of course, delicious barbecue options.
The Community Revitalization Collective is thrilled to announce the upcoming Night Markets, a series of vibrant community events that will take place on Saturday August 26 and Saturday September 16. These unique markets will be open to all residents of the Whittier Neighborhood who wish to showcase and sell their creative talents, whether it be food, crafts, or any other unique offerings. What makes these events truly special is that there will be no fees charged for participating vendors, providing an opportunity for all to come together and celebrate the neighborhood’s diverse talents. All ages welcome!
Event Details: Date: August 26, 2023, and September 16, 2023 Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Location: First Faith Lutheran Church, 601 N. Cliff Ave Whittier Neighborhood, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The Whittier Neighborhood Night Markets aim to create an inclusive space for Whittier Neighborhood residents to share their entrepreneurial spirit, foster connections, and promote a strong sense of community. Residents will have the chance to showcase their homemade crafts, delectable food creations, artwork, and any other unique creations they wish to share. It’s an excellent platform for individuals to gain exposure, build networks, and connect with like-minded neighbors.
The market events will be held on August 26 and September 16, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the heart of the Whittier Neighborhood in the parking lot of Faith Lutheran Church.
“We are excited to provide a platform for the talented residents of Whittier Neighborhood to share their passions with the community,” said Jordan Deffenbaugh, spokesperson for the Community Revitalization Collective. “The Night Markets will not only showcase the creativity and skills of our residents but also provide an opportunity for neighbors to come together, support local businesses, and celebrate our vibrant community.”
Whittier residents interested in participating as vendors at the Night Markets are encouraged to sign up by visiting forms.gle/k6n7LkwYh7jTvDRY8.
Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged.–
Mayor Paul TenHaken late last week released a plan to spend more than $1.1 billion on city capital improvement projects over the next five years. It’s the highest capital budget in city history, and the price tag is more than double the plan presented to City Council a decade prior.
While there has been a lot of talk about inflation over the past couple of years, in fact, since 2014 it is only up 28%. So how is it that the city has to double it’s capital budget in just 9 years?
One argument will be growth, but Sioux Falls has only grown by 37,000 people since 2014, so that doesn’t account for the spending.
OVERTAXATION AND FEES!
This is why the city is spending so much money, they are taking in to much. This city hasn’t missed an opportunity to raise fees and taxes every opportunity it gets. It has also rearranged a lot of capital projects with ARPA money freeing up 2nd penny money for other projects. This of course has also left of with an enormous reserve.
Anytime our Finance Director, Shawn Pritchett, comes to the mic and cries about how we can’t pass up fee and tax increases, all you have to do is look at this preposterous budget. Talk about feeding the beast.
Obviously, all of this will change again next year, it may get smaller, but I doubt it.
The Cass County Commission on Wednesday, July 5, rejected a developer’s request for public funding to finance the redevelopment of a property near Island Park, a financial boost that was already approved by the Fargo City Commission just last week.
The Fargo City Commission actually approved the TIF with only one dissenter, and he was doozy;
The project itself is a fine idea, Strand said, but he questioned if the city should be financially supporting it.
“I just don’t know if it’s our job as a city to partner to do that,” Strand said. “I just don’t know that’s our role, or what we should be doing… there’s lots of folks buying properties, remodeling and demolishing, but they don’t always come to us to have a 300,000 dollar investment in that.
Unlike Sioux Falls where the counties and school board just rubberstamp the city’s TIF proposals, Cass County said, NO WAY!
Strand is correct, it is NOT the responsibility of taxpayers to help fund condos. Maybe Sioux Falls needs to learn this. Just a few years ago we gave out over $50 million in TIF’s for attached parking garages to condos. While the developers are seeing millions in tax breaks and benefits there is very little ROI for taxpayers.
I actually wouldn’t be against TIFs if they helped with affordable housing and were much shorter;
“Coming at this with $300,000 (taxpayer) dollars for five units, the math for me is not even close to working,” Peterson said, adding he’d support a cheaper, five year TIF for the project.
That is what often cracks me up about TIFs, they last so long there really isn’t an ROI for taxpayers. By the time the TIF expires the property has probably changed hands a few times and the developers of the project are laughing all the way to the bank.
I saw the above bike DTSF this past weekend so I inquired about it from a city official. The city bought 2 but not sure what they paid (they retail on other sites for about $4K without all the whizz-bang cop extras). A bike in this class should run you about $2,500 without police sirens.
The bikes come in 750 or 1000 watt, the city chose the 750 which I would assume would give you a longer charge because you are using less power. I would have just went with the 1000 watt to have that extra power and bought backup batteries for the bikes so you have a spare charged, you can even rig bikes with dual batteries.
It is pretty obvious to me this company uses ‘bike cop’ mantra to sell these units, but they are really no different then a regular E2.
With all the sustainability boloney floating around you would have thought the city would have had a big presser about the bikes . . . oh that’s right, you look pretty foolish telling people they can’t ride their E2s on the trail when you are riding your E2 on the trail (for the record I have only seen the bike on the street).
l3wis 
