Funding the Event Center with General Reserve Fund Money

The Mayor has identified his funding sources for the new event center. I give him credit for at least identifying his funding sources. It goes a long way in communicating with the public on how he intends to get this accomplished. Let me be clear, I support an Events Center and I appreciate the Mayor pushing this issue forward finally. 

What I find troublesome is that one leg of his funding sources is the General Reserve Fund. That is money that funds the operating budgets of departments like Libraries, Park and Recreation, Health, Police, Fire, Human Resources, Finance, Central Services, Planning and Building Services, Street Division of Public Works, Engineering Division of Public Works. Over 66% of the general fund is used for salary and benefits of these departments/divisions.

Just how is the Mayor going to accumulate $15 million in reserves over the target reserve funding level in the general fund as established by the City Council? Let me throw out some predictions. Since 66% of general fund money is earmarked for salaries and benefits, I would venture that some of it will have to be funded on the backs of city employees. He is already talking about changing pension benefits and withholding any pay increases. He will stop employee growth by establishing a hiring freeze. The public will cry foul if he doesn't fund employee growth in Public Safety which, by the way, has the largest salary and benefit packages compared to general employees. So those non-uniform general fund departments will be sacrificed more intensely. He will do away with all professional and technical training because this expense is usually viewed as discretionary spending in the public sector.  Then he will have to cut program services. The public is already seeing those kinds of cuts in Parks and Recreation.

What is the impact of those measures? Well, just a drop in employee morale for starters. But who cares about employee morale in the public sector? What really bothers me as a former HR Director is that the city's compensation system is going to be destroyed and any gains over the past 20+ years to bring city compensation out of the basement into the competitive arena with the private sector will be lost. I am so tired of people who think civil servants should work for bargain basement wages.

It is unprecedented that general fund money is used for construction projects.  The CIP is funded with the 2nd penny sales tax and programmed for construction expenses. The general fund is make up of property taxes and first penny sales tax and is for operating expenses. Funding of this project should be programmed in the CIP, using sales tax revenue bonds and private sources, not on the back of the general fund.

If he takes $15 million out of the general fund reserve what is he going to use for operating expenses once it is built?  Where does that place the reserve fund for normal cash flow to operate city government? What about the possible impact of lesser property taxes collected due to this economy and mortgage foreclosures? Is the Council going to let him deplete the cash reserve? Has Finance done a trend forecast on the deletion of $15 million? Time will tell.

Grandma of a Rock Star, Football Player, or Fireman

Who would think there was a reward for getting older. There is and it is called grandchildren. I can't begin to express the joy my Grandson Finn brings to my aging life. Today he took up the guitar.  When he was three years old, he was pretty darn sure he wanted to be fireman. Depending on when you talk to him, he also says he is going to be a football player. 

His cousin Hannah was celebrating her eighth birthday today and she got a guitar from her Aunt Shelby. Finn waited patiently for Hannah to put it down and then asked if he could play it.  He sat in a chair on the lower deck of his Uncle Todd and Aunt Jen's lake home and strummed that guitar in a very intense manner. Then he got up and started tapping his foot and moving his hips while he strummed on the strings of that guitar. It was something special to watch.

A fireman, a football player, a guitar player.  Honestly I think he could be anyone of those things. But what do I know, I am just his Grandma and get joy out of listening to him tell me what he wants to be when he grows up.  I know I will love him no matter what he decides to do with his life.  In the meantime, he looks good in all three of his hopes and dreams.

November Election

I am going to be very sad if Noem beats Herseth Sandlin in November.  This state is small and as such, has little clout in Washington.  When we have congressional leaders who become leaders in their own right, it benefits this State.  South Dakota, time and again, likes to throw out those congressional leaders who they think become too big for their britches.  The defeat of Senator Tom Daschle had everyone outside of this state scratching their heads at what kind of numbskulls lived in South Dakota.  Well, we got John Thune and now he wants to be President.  I just can't help laughing at the irony of it all. Why can't he be satisfied to just serving us South Dakotans? We now are faced with the possibility of a neophyte running against a seasoned, competent and highly successful congresswoman.  Noem has nothing to offer.  Her campaign ads are devoid of substance and instead use the platitudes expressed by everyother Tea Partier or right wing member Republican. Let's just cut off our nose to spite our face, shall we? Another opportunity for this State in November is to make a change in the state leadership.  After 8 years of Rounds and Daugaard, how much more deficit and big government can we stand? Heideprim is an honorable man who has much to offer this state. I hope the people of this state give him a chance. I still have hope.

Demeaning Council Opposition

I was wondering when the friendly demeanor between the Mayor and some members of the City Council would cease to exist. I have seen glimmers of the Mayor's irritation with Councilors Jamison, Brown, and Erpenbach but Monday, October 4th, took the cake.  First came the information meeting where Mayor Huether responded to Councilor Erpenbach's questions in a very condescending manner.  At Monday night's meeting, Council Jamison threw out a question to the Mayor about the $500,000. First Rolfing did the Mayor's bidding for him and gave Jamison a lecture on his question as if the Mayor couldn't speak for himself. Mayor Huether then chimed in with his lecture to Jamison regarding his question.  What is it with this attitude towards council members who don't agree with the Mayor or the majority? It is sad when these three councilors have to preface a question to the Mayor with a disclaimer that they are not being argumentative or that they do not wish to offend the Mayor.  The Mayor doesn't need to be a bully or demean anyone. The Mayor drives the agenda.  That is what this form of government is all about - a strong Mayor, a part-time council. I just wish the Mayor would not disenfranchise those people who question his agenda. The Mayor said the following at one of his presentations to the City Council: "Tough questioning by the City Council doesn't automatically mean conflict and doesn't mean it is running rampant. It is part of the process.  It makes government stronger, maximizes taxpayer dollars. It ensures good balance between different levels of government." Good comment, Mayor. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, even those who disagree or question you.  Now, just put it into practice when dealing with those three on the City Council.

Event Center Presentation

The Mayor presented his vision to the City Council Monday night. I think it is fair to say that; overall, the public seems to support the building of an event center. Huether stated the people of Sioux Falls will ultimately decide. What is it the public is going to ultimately decide?  I guess we get to vote on his plan only. So be it, but it should only happen after both sites have been properly and equally vetted and one of them proven to be lacking economically. He is recommending the event center be built at the Arena/Convention Center site because, as he stated in his presentation, that location is the most popular, the most palatable to the public, and the hotel and restaurants are already there. Huether says it will spur economic development in that area. Really? The Arena/Convention Center has not brought any economic growth to that area of the City. If they build it, they will come, I guess? Economic growth along that corridor is sure taking its sweet old time coming to the city. A new hotel attached to the Arena and a new convention center sure didn’t spur economic growth in this last decade. He says he is going to do a comparison and his puppet councilors say they believe he will do that. What comparison exactly? The only way a legitimate comparison can be made of both the Arena site and the downtown area is to spend like dollars on both locations and then lay them side by side.  Cooper’s fact sheet on why the downtown area is not workable is not a satisfactory comparison.  The downtown group is getting kicked around for organizing and bringing their opinions to the Mayor.  They clearly stated they support the building of an event center. All they are asking is for a fair and balanced analysis of both sites. That has not been done and no dollars are allocated for it. I don’t care what the Council says about the trust level that the comparison will be done.  It won’t be a legitimate comparison if both sites don’t get the same analysis and attention from Cotter’s process. Prove to the “good folks of Sioux Falls” that the downtown site won’t work and why. Mayor Huether doesn’t like to be questioned on his vision. He states he has started this process and already people are whipping it.  Well, as the leader of the city, it is the Mayor’s job to listen and present a fair and balanced report to the citizens, not just cram your big idea down everybody’s throat and demean people who legitimately question your vision and want a seat at the planning table.

Commercial Vehicles in Residential Areas

Councilor Entenmen was on TV the other night saying he supports removing ordinance language banning the parking of commerical vehicles in residential areas. WHAT? The City has such ordinances in place to keep residential areas nice, quiet and peaceful areas.  There is no place for commercial vehicles in a residential zone.  Just what we need, look out our homes and see semi-truck cabs, potato chip trucks, tow trucks, buses and limosines and what all parked in front of houses or across the street. The residential streets are just that - residential.  There is a clear distinction between commercial and residential. This is no different than the issue regarding recreational vehicles in a residential area.  I just don't get why these councilors are so bent on junking up our neighborhoods because a couple constituants complain they can't park or store these vehicles by their homes.  When did the few get the voice over the majority?  If I wanted to look out my front door and see a commerical vehicle parked on the street, I would build my house in a commerically zoned area.  A little common sense from the City Council on these issues would be appreciated.

Mayor's Event Center Advisory Team

It is well and good to have an advisory team to help the Mayor travel through the mindfield of public opinion, but when the advisory team is only made up of people who have the same mindset as the Mayor then it becomes kind of joke, doesn't it? Why weren't  Council Chair Jamison and/or Councilors Brown and Erpenbach  included in those advisory meetings? Because they have challenged him on this issue. Councilors Entenman and Aguilar are already supporters of his vision.   Same goes for those influential community leaders. I was always of the belief that the best way to a sound decision was to include people with opinions on both sides of the coin. You can't make a good decision when all you hear is exactly what you want to hear, that which supports your agenda. Too many talking heads bobbing yes and no talking heads offering other opinions.