Who Told Who What When

I don't know about you but there seems to be something stinky going on about who told who what when. On January 5th, KELOLAND TV ran a story on Charter Revision Commission working to define and expand the mayor's executive powers.

Excerpts from that story:

 The Charter Revision Commission is a mayor-appointed citizen board who began meeting last month. The group is charged with submitting suggestions to change the city's governing document. But a recent decision that defines and expands the mayor's executive power took the city council by surprise.

“I am horribly disappointed,” Sioux Falls City Council Vice-Chair Michelle Erpenbach said. “Horribly disappointed in what happened. And I am not the only council member saying that at this point.”

“You've got good people on those committees, on these public boards, and you let them do their work and serve the public as best they can,” Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether said.

Huether said that's what he's been doing since he appointed the board, and he had no part in the committee's decision.

He may not have a part in the committee's decision, but that doesn't mean that he hasn't given them his input. Like I have said in previous blogs regarding this charter revision commission debacle, it is hard to believe that the mayor has not talked to anyone about his thoughts on the mayor's executive powers.

Lo and behold, he actually talked about the work of this very commission in the December Ask The Mayor segment. When a comment was made that there was lots of opportunity for public input, the mayor said, "They can speak and let their voices be heard." Obviously, that word did not get out to Aanenson and his fellow commissioners when they closed Councilor Jamison down from providing public input.

The moderator asked, "Anything specifically from you as mayor that you want to see changed in the charter?" The mayor responded as follows: "Oh boy, you know, I do think that we do probably need to look at those roles and responsibilities of not only the mayor and the executive branch but yes, the council and the legislative branch as well. I think that if they could look at that even more that's an important thing, but ultimately it's not going to be me that decides. We've seen over the years how maybe there's been some issues that should be looked at again."

 Who told who what when? Who is in the driver's seat? You be the judge.