35 thoughts on “Dakota Posts takes on Sioux Falls City Councilor Theresa Stehly”
She does seem to need to seek constant attention.
psst city government is not that exciting…
Funny who does these?
This actually is not funny to many who are on fixed income or about to be and do not live in S.E. Sioux Falls. If Teresa were a man, would the cartoon have been posted. She works harder than any public servant in the city (other than the hourly road crews and physical laborers)
I don’t know anyone man or woman that whines as much as she does….
Hold it Stace Nelson is in that group…my bad
Ah, pulling out the “sexist” card; way to start the new year, lefty.
I don’t know guys but from my seat out here on the prairie it sure looks like Ms. Stehly is holding the elected officials and bureaucrats of Sioux feet to the fire which is a good thing. And having known her for over 35 years her needing a place up on the Mantle not at all characteristic.
Charlie, she aspires to be the good voice of Kermit Staggers. Unfortunately she is willing to spout off without doing the work of gathering the facts. It destroys her credibility.
Most recent case is the waste treatment upgrade. I think there were many good questions to be pursued to give the people complete information from multiple perspectives. Instead she bloviated nonsense and disinformation. The exact opposite of what Kermit did.
I invite you all to watch the City Council meeting tonight as we discuss why we are paying a private attorney firm $20,000 to firm up a simple revolving loan from the state for the waste water treatment project.. We have a very qualified team of attorney’s on staff in the City. It is our obligation as the guardians of the citizens to question, vet out and scrutinize the spending a projects. of our City Government. We were not elected to be “rubber stamps”.
Pat Powers, I know that you , TJ Nelson and Mayor Paul Tenhacken are good friends. I hope you are not acting on his behalf in the comments regarding my speaking up on behalf of the citizens. I have been upfront with Paul and have tried to respectfully communicate my concerns and build inner trust. Your cartoon commentary does little to promote an atmosphere of goodwill and integrity.
I wish you many blessings in the new year Pat. May God lead us all in integrity and accountability for the dear citizens of South Dakota. AMEN
Theresa, pardon, but regarding the cartoon, If you have an issue with it, you probably need to take it up with the people at Dakota Posts https://www.facebook.com/DakotaPosts/ where it originated. I’m not a cartoonist.
Otherwise, if I have something to say, I do so under my name, and of my own volition.
No, it is true that only Mr. Nelson whines more than Ms. Stehly. This has been proven by several scorecards.
I don’t know the source of these funds. However, if they are from Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the State of South Dakota requires the borrower (City of Sioux Falls) to have outside bond counsel* and such a fee is reasonable.
As a state taxpayer, I’m unwilling for the State to waive this requirement and assume liability for violating SEC and other securities laws. There is no entity in the United States which would not obtain outside bond counsel for such an offering.
*From the DENR website: “Bond/Legal Counsel – political subdivisions must retain bond counsel and non-profit entities must retain legal counsel when the application is submitted to the department. Bond counsel and legal counsel will prepare the loan documents for the applicant and all necessary resolutions and ordinances. An opinion will be issued by bond counsel or legal counsel on the applicant’s ability to incur Drinking Water SRF debt.”
And anyone who advocates the State not require outside bond counsel or the City of Sioux Falls use internal attorney’s is GROSSLY fiscally irresponsible.
“e State of South Dakota requires the borrower (City of Sioux Falls) to have outside bond counsel* and such a fee is reasonable.”
There is no legal requirement that this bond counsel be “outside”.
Without doing the work of gathering the facts, it destroys your credibility.
” such a fee is reasonable.”
Please explain your expertise on what constitutes reasonable attorney fees.
And one more thing Troy Jones …I pray that the sewer bills don’t go up to $100. $200 or $300 a month as we struggle to pay back the “record breaking”$260 Million in debt for the waste treatment project.
I am committed to affordable quality of life for all citizens. This will hit those folks on fixed incomes the hardest. I wish that people like yourself who had questions about this project would have come to the meeting and spoke up.
If you cared more about the truth instead of your name in the paper, you would have a purpose to serve the good. But, you don’t. You spread lies and use those you claim to represent.
My, aren’t you an uppity one.
Care to rehash your shallow and illogical views of the death penalty?
Troy Jones, I encourage you to watch our Council meeting of January 2 to hear our discussion about the $20,000 attorney fee.. I asked for more info and we received it. I also encourage you, and any other citizen to contact me with concerns you may have about my comments or voting record. We may not agree, but I am always ready to listen .
Yep, an answer you could have gotten with one phone call to anyone in City Hall or the State or looked up on the internet as I did. Instead, you had to make hyperbolic statements on Facebook, here, and to the media (and probably anyone who would listen to you) implying there was something improper going on.
It is really funny and ironic you’d say you want “to promote an atmosphere of goodwill and integrity” when your recent rants about security for the President, the water upgrade, and the bond lawyers all were done in a manner to poison goodwill and wholly devoid of any integrity.
Here is my comment: Know what you are talking about before you run at your mouth, do not commit calumny against your fellow commissioners, be more prudent before running to the media to promote yourself rather than the interests of the people, and be humble enough to know you aren’t the only person concerned about better government/governance.
BTW, after you getting your answer last night, a person of integrity would have apologized for committing calumny against the Mayor and City Staff. Instead you puffed your chest like you accomplished something- which I guess you did by reinforcing your reputation of liking attention.
My, aren’t you an uppity one.
“Here is my comment: Know what you are talking about before you run at your mouth,”
Care to rehash your shallow and illogical views of the death penalty? Talk about running your mouth without thinking!
“Instead you puffed your chest like you accomplished something”
She ran and won, unlike the angry and thoughtless critic who posts as “troy jones”.
Ever wonder if your anger at Theresa is based on her being a woman?
First and foremost, I have yet to meet a perfect person and sometimes people make mistakes. As a Conservative and native of Sioux Falls, I find Theresa to be a breath of fresh air in many cases. While sometimes folks dont like the delivery, I enjoy a spade being called a spade as I get sick of all the BS in politics. We need to watch every nickel we spend and after 8 years of Mayor H, who was as Liberal as it gets when it comes to spending we need to question everything. The whole Water Treatment thing is going to cost us big time and if MOST citizens or even City Counselors knew this $260M bill was coming due, we would have NEVER put money into the Premiere Center, the stupid aquatics center, and a new building downtown. So while she may not always get it right, she is creating awareness and people are paying attention. This is WHY I want less government and not more as we get more pet projects, buddies are hiring their buddies for stuff. Look at the parking ramp fiasco, I mean that just smells of corruption and everyone can see it. I didnt see one Counselor stand up and say this is crap except Theresa. I am pretty sure she is more of a Liberal than Conservative but, I don’t see REAL Conservative voices standing up to oppose all this spending, I see wink and nod deals. Just my two cents.
I agree we need a watchdog like Kermit. Stehly is the antithesis of Kermit. I once had hope Stehly could/would be a gadfly critical voice like Kermit. I gave her the benefit of the doubt until recently. But, time after time her mistakes become not the exception but the rule- She doesn’t do the basic work to gather information, she runs at the mouth without basic information, commits calumny, and then claims victimhood when corrected. Because she doesn’t do her homework, when she speaks, people turn her off. At best it contains half-truths. The truth is never served by lies, deception, misleading hyperbole.
BTW, I never supported the aquatics center or the new city building so I agree with your point as we knew this upgrade was coming down the pike. But, because it wasn’t going to be on Mayor Mike’s time, the upgrade was down-played. The other side of the dishonesty coin is Stehly’s hyperbole.
We have a solid fiscal conservative as Mayor and he has a cadre of similar voices on the Commission (Sellberg, Erickson come to mind but there are others I jus don’t recall). And, yes, they should be questioned honestly and diligently because nobody is perfect. But, the operative words are honestly and diligently. Stehly is just noise which actually distracts from honest pursuit of the best decision.
I can understand where your coming from. It is important to have all the facts before you run off at the mouth. As an average citizen its hard to keep up with EVERYTHING that is going on and it just seems like we are not always getting the facts. The parking ramp stuff was the worst thing I have seen in a very very very long time locally. I don’t see anyone besides her, regardless of her approach, coming out and saying WTF, this needs to end its corrupt. Instead we plowed ahead. So I don’t see that from Erickson or Sellberg. Maybe I am missing their voice and that could be true but, Sioux Falls is starting to really turn into one of those Liberal enclaves we see in many big city’s Spending money we dont have because we are trying to pat our buddies on the back. I had a personal experience two years ago with some who are on the council now in relation to building low income apartments in the back yard of well established neighborhood. The counsel, except Stehly, ignored the prior zoning regs by transitioning from Houses to town homes/condos before moving to apartment buildings. Two women in the neighborhood have acreages next to this junk they bought over 30 years ago and the City approved Costelo over the prior zoning ordinances and objections of 200+ residents in the neighborhood. So yeah I getting a touch tired of the good old boys network and I just dont see many sticking up for regular folks how are not Llyod, Costello, Billion, etc. So yes I get it and I wish she would do a better job in that space but, right now unfortunately I think I am have to rely on a Liberal voice for my concerns vs some a Conservative.
PC,
1). Expertise: In my career I have been intimately involved in over $200 million of financings of which I would estimate a third of which were subject to securities laws requiring lawyers with securities expertise, e & o insurance to issue acceptable bond opinions, and independence from the issuer (ala city of SIOUX falls)
2). Independence: Even if legal under securities law, only a fool would think it wise for the city to take on the liability of issuing a bond opinion when it is the issuer.
Troy, I sense that you are really angry because I made the request to the Noem campaign to reimburse the City of Sioux Falls $20,000 for the extra police protection for her $500,000 fundraiser. I asked with respect and after three phone conversations to her staff, I have yet to get an answer.
I also understand that you are likely representing some of my colleagues on the Council who may wish to remain anonymous.
I would have made the same request if it were a Democratic candidate involved.
My comments are 100% related to you. It is hilarious you are so obtuse and self-unaware.
I have and will criticize the President or Governor or the Mayor when I disagree. I don’t have covert agendas. But, I do notice those who think that of others as they are always the ones who do. Thank you for confirming your deep seated dishonesty.
I disagree with you on Presidential protection whether it be for Trump or Obama or anyone else. My President is welcome in my town whenever and we will do our part to keep my President safe.
I found your spouting off about bond counsel expense an example of not doing 10 minutes of work before opening your mouth. You were lazy and calumnous.
And your statements on the water upgrade ignorant and hyperbolic to the point they drowned out real discussion
Frank and clear to you?
Theresa, why do you think Troy represents one of your fellow council members?
Do you think they are all out to get you?
Troy,
Your anger is very frank and clear. As I said before, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me in person with your concerns. You can also come to our City Council meetings and express your opinion.
I’m not angry. I disagree with you on these items and how your words and actions are effective at getting you attention and ineffective at making a difference. It also is illuminating you see disagreement as anger. It’s not about you. I am for good, effective and efficient governance. Period.
Until I see from you honesty and a demeanor that serves the good, I will not waste my breath reaching out to you. I’m finding my views and values are well-represented by the others on the Council.
P.S. To put maybe a final comment on this:
1) You took 18% of time of the entire meeting to discuss an item you could have taken the same time by making a few phone calls before hand. This isn’t rocket science.
2) You could have avoided all the time you spent blabbing on social media here.
3) All were extremely kind to your suggestion (another example of you not doing some very basic work) combining the tranches drawn on this $260,000,000 financing. Let me do the very simple math for you: If the City borrows $5mm three months earlier than the cash is needed, you will spend more in interest than legal fees for the extra tranche. Its not rocket science to manage loan tranches to minimize total loan costs (legal and interest). If our city employees can’t handle this with barely a second thought, I can assure you they probably can’t even balance a checkbook, much less this project.
Troy, the discussion we had about the bond counsel fee was done in a public forum at a public meeting. It was given by the experts the City wanted to hire. It’s all documented and open to the public.
There is an attitude with some Council members to have the dialogue behind closed doors. (You seem to believe this as well.)
The policy of getting private information behind the scenes is not open and transparent, in my opinion. We will have to agree to disagree on this.
Hey, if you think it was worth 9 minutes of the city commission meeting to have everyone learn what can be found in 3 minutes on the publicly available state web site or with a phone call over $20,000 is an issue of transparency, you take up way too much space in our government.
Personally, I’d prefer the public discussions to have a bit more substance and significance, revolve around something you can actually do something about (having bond counsel is outside your control), and go past the simplest of math.
A couple of sidetones on how insignificant compared to the project this discussion is:
1) This contract is .0077% of the total project.
2) This contract is equal to TWO DAYS interest for the entire financing.
3) If the Council hadn’t approved this contract and we had to borrow at taxable (interest subject to federal taxation) rates, our additional interest would be more than this contract in THREE DAYS.
Troy, you obviously are watching Council meetings and following City issues. This is a good thing.
I again invite you to step forward and give your input.
Once again, don’t hesitate to contact me with concerns. It sounds like you already have contact with some of my colleagues….Had I not wandered over to this blog site, I would not have heard any of your concerns.
It would be more effective to talk to the person you have an issue with, versus talking about them.
This really is not the forum to have an open, honest conversation.
I hope to have a one on one conversation with you in the near future…one more thing..is Troy Jones your real name?
This place is a safe space and echo chamber. Anyone disagreeing with the analysis provided usually have their posts removed. They don’t want to hear what you think. They just want to hear themselves.
Comments are closed.
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She does seem to need to seek constant attention.
psst city government is not that exciting…
Funny who does these?
This actually is not funny to many who are on fixed income or about to be and do not live in S.E. Sioux Falls. If Teresa were a man, would the cartoon have been posted. She works harder than any public servant in the city (other than the hourly road crews and physical laborers)
I don’t know anyone man or woman that whines as much as she does….
Hold it Stace Nelson is in that group…my bad
Ah, pulling out the “sexist” card; way to start the new year, lefty.
I don’t know guys but from my seat out here on the prairie it sure looks like Ms. Stehly is holding the elected officials and bureaucrats of Sioux feet to the fire which is a good thing. And having known her for over 35 years her needing a place up on the Mantle not at all characteristic.
Charlie, she aspires to be the good voice of Kermit Staggers. Unfortunately she is willing to spout off without doing the work of gathering the facts. It destroys her credibility.
Most recent case is the waste treatment upgrade. I think there were many good questions to be pursued to give the people complete information from multiple perspectives. Instead she bloviated nonsense and disinformation. The exact opposite of what Kermit did.
I invite you all to watch the City Council meeting tonight as we discuss why we are paying a private attorney firm $20,000 to firm up a simple revolving loan from the state for the waste water treatment project.. We have a very qualified team of attorney’s on staff in the City. It is our obligation as the guardians of the citizens to question, vet out and scrutinize the spending a projects. of our City Government. We were not elected to be “rubber stamps”.
Pat Powers, I know that you , TJ Nelson and Mayor Paul Tenhacken are good friends. I hope you are not acting on his behalf in the comments regarding my speaking up on behalf of the citizens. I have been upfront with Paul and have tried to respectfully communicate my concerns and build inner trust. Your cartoon commentary does little to promote an atmosphere of goodwill and integrity.
I wish you many blessings in the new year Pat. May God lead us all in integrity and accountability for the dear citizens of South Dakota. AMEN
Theresa, pardon, but regarding the cartoon, If you have an issue with it, you probably need to take it up with the people at Dakota Posts https://www.facebook.com/DakotaPosts/ where it originated. I’m not a cartoonist.
Otherwise, if I have something to say, I do so under my name, and of my own volition.
No, it is true that only Mr. Nelson whines more than Ms. Stehly. This has been proven by several scorecards.
I don’t know the source of these funds. However, if they are from Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the State of South Dakota requires the borrower (City of Sioux Falls) to have outside bond counsel* and such a fee is reasonable.
As a state taxpayer, I’m unwilling for the State to waive this requirement and assume liability for violating SEC and other securities laws. There is no entity in the United States which would not obtain outside bond counsel for such an offering.
*From the DENR website: “Bond/Legal Counsel – political subdivisions must retain bond counsel and non-profit entities must retain legal counsel when the application is submitted to the department. Bond counsel and legal counsel will prepare the loan documents for the applicant and all necessary resolutions and ordinances. An opinion will be issued by bond counsel or legal counsel on the applicant’s ability to incur Drinking Water SRF debt.”
And anyone who advocates the State not require outside bond counsel or the City of Sioux Falls use internal attorney’s is GROSSLY fiscally irresponsible.
“e State of South Dakota requires the borrower (City of Sioux Falls) to have outside bond counsel* and such a fee is reasonable.”
There is no legal requirement that this bond counsel be “outside”.
Without doing the work of gathering the facts, it destroys your credibility.
” such a fee is reasonable.”
Please explain your expertise on what constitutes reasonable attorney fees.
And one more thing Troy Jones …I pray that the sewer bills don’t go up to $100. $200 or $300 a month as we struggle to pay back the “record breaking”$260 Million in debt for the waste treatment project.
I am committed to affordable quality of life for all citizens. This will hit those folks on fixed incomes the hardest. I wish that people like yourself who had questions about this project would have come to the meeting and spoke up.
If you cared more about the truth instead of your name in the paper, you would have a purpose to serve the good. But, you don’t. You spread lies and use those you claim to represent.
My, aren’t you an uppity one.
Care to rehash your shallow and illogical views of the death penalty?
Troy Jones, I encourage you to watch our Council meeting of January 2 to hear our discussion about the $20,000 attorney fee.. I asked for more info and we received it. I also encourage you, and any other citizen to contact me with concerns you may have about my comments or voting record. We may not agree, but I am always ready to listen .
Yep, an answer you could have gotten with one phone call to anyone in City Hall or the State or looked up on the internet as I did. Instead, you had to make hyperbolic statements on Facebook, here, and to the media (and probably anyone who would listen to you) implying there was something improper going on.
It is really funny and ironic you’d say you want “to promote an atmosphere of goodwill and integrity” when your recent rants about security for the President, the water upgrade, and the bond lawyers all were done in a manner to poison goodwill and wholly devoid of any integrity.
Here is my comment: Know what you are talking about before you run at your mouth, do not commit calumny against your fellow commissioners, be more prudent before running to the media to promote yourself rather than the interests of the people, and be humble enough to know you aren’t the only person concerned about better government/governance.
BTW, after you getting your answer last night, a person of integrity would have apologized for committing calumny against the Mayor and City Staff. Instead you puffed your chest like you accomplished something- which I guess you did by reinforcing your reputation of liking attention.
My, aren’t you an uppity one.
“Here is my comment: Know what you are talking about before you run at your mouth,”
Care to rehash your shallow and illogical views of the death penalty? Talk about running your mouth without thinking!
“Instead you puffed your chest like you accomplished something”
She ran and won, unlike the angry and thoughtless critic who posts as “troy jones”.
Ever wonder if your anger at Theresa is based on her being a woman?
First and foremost, I have yet to meet a perfect person and sometimes people make mistakes. As a Conservative and native of Sioux Falls, I find Theresa to be a breath of fresh air in many cases. While sometimes folks dont like the delivery, I enjoy a spade being called a spade as I get sick of all the BS in politics. We need to watch every nickel we spend and after 8 years of Mayor H, who was as Liberal as it gets when it comes to spending we need to question everything. The whole Water Treatment thing is going to cost us big time and if MOST citizens or even City Counselors knew this $260M bill was coming due, we would have NEVER put money into the Premiere Center, the stupid aquatics center, and a new building downtown. So while she may not always get it right, she is creating awareness and people are paying attention. This is WHY I want less government and not more as we get more pet projects, buddies are hiring their buddies for stuff. Look at the parking ramp fiasco, I mean that just smells of corruption and everyone can see it. I didnt see one Counselor stand up and say this is crap except Theresa. I am pretty sure she is more of a Liberal than Conservative but, I don’t see REAL Conservative voices standing up to oppose all this spending, I see wink and nod deals. Just my two cents.
I agree we need a watchdog like Kermit. Stehly is the antithesis of Kermit. I once had hope Stehly could/would be a gadfly critical voice like Kermit. I gave her the benefit of the doubt until recently. But, time after time her mistakes become not the exception but the rule- She doesn’t do the basic work to gather information, she runs at the mouth without basic information, commits calumny, and then claims victimhood when corrected. Because she doesn’t do her homework, when she speaks, people turn her off. At best it contains half-truths. The truth is never served by lies, deception, misleading hyperbole.
BTW, I never supported the aquatics center or the new city building so I agree with your point as we knew this upgrade was coming down the pike. But, because it wasn’t going to be on Mayor Mike’s time, the upgrade was down-played. The other side of the dishonesty coin is Stehly’s hyperbole.
We have a solid fiscal conservative as Mayor and he has a cadre of similar voices on the Commission (Sellberg, Erickson come to mind but there are others I jus don’t recall). And, yes, they should be questioned honestly and diligently because nobody is perfect. But, the operative words are honestly and diligently. Stehly is just noise which actually distracts from honest pursuit of the best decision.
I can understand where your coming from. It is important to have all the facts before you run off at the mouth. As an average citizen its hard to keep up with EVERYTHING that is going on and it just seems like we are not always getting the facts. The parking ramp stuff was the worst thing I have seen in a very very very long time locally. I don’t see anyone besides her, regardless of her approach, coming out and saying WTF, this needs to end its corrupt. Instead we plowed ahead. So I don’t see that from Erickson or Sellberg. Maybe I am missing their voice and that could be true but, Sioux Falls is starting to really turn into one of those Liberal enclaves we see in many big city’s Spending money we dont have because we are trying to pat our buddies on the back. I had a personal experience two years ago with some who are on the council now in relation to building low income apartments in the back yard of well established neighborhood. The counsel, except Stehly, ignored the prior zoning regs by transitioning from Houses to town homes/condos before moving to apartment buildings. Two women in the neighborhood have acreages next to this junk they bought over 30 years ago and the City approved Costelo over the prior zoning ordinances and objections of 200+ residents in the neighborhood. So yeah I getting a touch tired of the good old boys network and I just dont see many sticking up for regular folks how are not Llyod, Costello, Billion, etc. So yes I get it and I wish she would do a better job in that space but, right now unfortunately I think I am have to rely on a Liberal voice for my concerns vs some a Conservative.
PC,
1). Expertise: In my career I have been intimately involved in over $200 million of financings of which I would estimate a third of which were subject to securities laws requiring lawyers with securities expertise, e & o insurance to issue acceptable bond opinions, and independence from the issuer (ala city of SIOUX falls)
2). Independence: Even if legal under securities law, only a fool would think it wise for the city to take on the liability of issuing a bond opinion when it is the issuer.
Troy, I sense that you are really angry because I made the request to the Noem campaign to reimburse the City of Sioux Falls $20,000 for the extra police protection for her $500,000 fundraiser. I asked with respect and after three phone conversations to her staff, I have yet to get an answer.
I also understand that you are likely representing some of my colleagues on the Council who may wish to remain anonymous.
I would have made the same request if it were a Democratic candidate involved.
My comments are 100% related to you. It is hilarious you are so obtuse and self-unaware.
I have and will criticize the President or Governor or the Mayor when I disagree. I don’t have covert agendas. But, I do notice those who think that of others as they are always the ones who do. Thank you for confirming your deep seated dishonesty.
I disagree with you on Presidential protection whether it be for Trump or Obama or anyone else. My President is welcome in my town whenever and we will do our part to keep my President safe.
I found your spouting off about bond counsel expense an example of not doing 10 minutes of work before opening your mouth. You were lazy and calumnous.
And your statements on the water upgrade ignorant and hyperbolic to the point they drowned out real discussion
Frank and clear to you?
Theresa, why do you think Troy represents one of your fellow council members?
Do you think they are all out to get you?
Troy,
Your anger is very frank and clear. As I said before, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me in person with your concerns. You can also come to our City Council meetings and express your opinion.
I’m not angry. I disagree with you on these items and how your words and actions are effective at getting you attention and ineffective at making a difference. It also is illuminating you see disagreement as anger. It’s not about you. I am for good, effective and efficient governance. Period.
Until I see from you honesty and a demeanor that serves the good, I will not waste my breath reaching out to you. I’m finding my views and values are well-represented by the others on the Council.
P.S. To put maybe a final comment on this:
1) You took 18% of time of the entire meeting to discuss an item you could have taken the same time by making a few phone calls before hand. This isn’t rocket science.
2) You could have avoided all the time you spent blabbing on social media here.
3) All were extremely kind to your suggestion (another example of you not doing some very basic work) combining the tranches drawn on this $260,000,000 financing. Let me do the very simple math for you: If the City borrows $5mm three months earlier than the cash is needed, you will spend more in interest than legal fees for the extra tranche. Its not rocket science to manage loan tranches to minimize total loan costs (legal and interest). If our city employees can’t handle this with barely a second thought, I can assure you they probably can’t even balance a checkbook, much less this project.
Troy, the discussion we had about the bond counsel fee was done in a public forum at a public meeting. It was given by the experts the City wanted to hire. It’s all documented and open to the public.
There is an attitude with some Council members to have the dialogue behind closed doors. (You seem to believe this as well.)
The policy of getting private information behind the scenes is not open and transparent, in my opinion. We will have to agree to disagree on this.
Hey, if you think it was worth 9 minutes of the city commission meeting to have everyone learn what can be found in 3 minutes on the publicly available state web site or with a phone call over $20,000 is an issue of transparency, you take up way too much space in our government.
Personally, I’d prefer the public discussions to have a bit more substance and significance, revolve around something you can actually do something about (having bond counsel is outside your control), and go past the simplest of math.
A couple of sidetones on how insignificant compared to the project this discussion is:
1) This contract is .0077% of the total project.
2) This contract is equal to TWO DAYS interest for the entire financing.
3) If the Council hadn’t approved this contract and we had to borrow at taxable (interest subject to federal taxation) rates, our additional interest would be more than this contract in THREE DAYS.
Troy, you obviously are watching Council meetings and following City issues. This is a good thing.
I again invite you to step forward and give your input.
Once again, don’t hesitate to contact me with concerns. It sounds like you already have contact with some of my colleagues….Had I not wandered over to this blog site, I would not have heard any of your concerns.
It would be more effective to talk to the person you have an issue with, versus talking about them.
This really is not the forum to have an open, honest conversation.
I hope to have a one on one conversation with you in the near future…one more thing..is Troy Jones your real name?
This place is a safe space and echo chamber. Anyone disagreeing with the analysis provided usually have their posts removed. They don’t want to hear what you think. They just want to hear themselves.