When the Mayor Speaks

At the October 12th Information Meeting of the City Council, the Mayor said everyone should stay constructive, stay professional and work as a team.  He was talking about the Event Center project and his vision for the project.

He then went on to remind us that he told everyone in the first meeting, told everyone in the second meeting and then told everyone again last week that he was going to do an economic analysis of both sites in the days to come.  He said that there was a difference between economic impact and commercial impact. I think those comments are probably directed at that pesky Downtown Group and those irritating Council members who ask him questions.  He went on to say that there was incredible economic development from the convention center and arena as if to cement his position for the Event Center site at the Arena location.

I have been trying to put my finger on what is so irritating about the way the Mayor communicates with the Council and the good folks of Sioux Falls.  Maybe it's his seemingly self-absorption/self-preoccupation with his own words.  His presentations are filled with quotes from other people and sometimes even his own previous quotes, they are. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I couldn't :-) ) There isn't usually any information given, just his pontification of his own self-centered demonstration of importance.  It's as if his words come from some higher power.

I actually think he is a smart man.  He obviously is action oriented. I like action oriented people, I do.  I just wish he could tone down his feelings of grandeur about himself and quit the niceties with his subtle lectures in his passive-aggressive style of communication.  It is quite annoying, at least to me. It is.