So let’s add another layer of rules that the city attorney can find a way to wiggle out of;
In the future, the City Council will have to name an employee and the action being taken against the employee. Pfeifle says going forward, city leaders intend to be as open as possible.
Wasn’t that what you were supposed to do to begin with?
If Glenn Brenner’s name doesn’t sound familiar, it should. He is a member of the SD Open Meetings Commission;
Douglas Rumpca of Rapid City sued Pennington County State’s Attorney Glenn Brenner, saying Brenner stole the affections of his former wife, Kellie Rumpca.
Not only is he for open meetings, apparently he is for open marriages 🙂 To be honest with you, I think this law is silly. If your wife leaves you, that is her decision.
As for Brenner, it is important to note that he is the only member of the OMC to vote against the rest of the commission on the recent decision about the SF City Council in reference to the Debra Owen issue.
I was at the hearing/meeting today of the Open Meetings Commission, which involved the termination of city clerk Debra Owen. It was probably one of the most interesting public meetings I have ever attended. At one point, the crowd applauded the AL’s attorney, Jon Arneson after his opening statements. And there was a lot of audible snickering anytime David Fiddle-Faddle from the city would say something.
According to KSFY, the commission still has to decide punishment;
The South Dakota Open Meeting Commission says the city of Sioux Falls violated state open meetings laws when it fired former city clerk Debra Owen last fall.
The city will be formally reprimanded once the commission gets more information from both lawyers involved.
I think the vote was 4-1 in favor of violation. I had to leave before the final vote.
Stormland-TV also covered the event.
I congratulate the Argus Leader and Debra Owen for the victory, even though, once again, like the violation against Dr. Staggers, too little, too late. Debra is still terminated, and the public still does not know why.
Seems so, when they concocted two new positions in the city clerk’s office;
The council approved the new jobs last week. The items, however, were not on the council’s agenda. The council added them during the meeting and then voted to approve them, despite an ordinance that precludes the council from adding and then voting on matters unless it’s an emergency.
State law requires public bodies to post agendas at least 24 hours in advance. The council also was accused of violating the state’s open meetings law when it fired Owen.
Jen Holsen goes into more detail about the topic, and I highly recommend you read her analysis/commentary on the topic. (Both Friday posts).