Tag Archives: city council

Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and me

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Me, a secessionist?

I never saw myself that way. I don’t want to tear the union asunder, divide the nation, and risk plunging our country into another tragic civil war.

But there was my name, or at least Tom L, on the petition to allow South Dakota to secede from the union. I think it has been removed, and I am trying to ensure that happens, but for a few minutes anyway, there it was.

I am writing a story on the secession movement in South Dakota, and was reading the petition at whitehouse.gov, when I clicked on a button that I thought would take me to a list of names. Nope, it added Tom L to the petition.

So this is a heads-up. Beware of adding your name to a petition, however accidentally. I don’t sign petitions in grocery store parking lots, on street corners or anywhere else they are stuck in your face. But the whitehouse.gov website snared me.

Just to put it on the record: I like the United States of America. Hell, I love this country. I put my hand over my heart when we say the Pledge of Allegiance at City Council meetings, I stand up and croak out the National Anthem at ballgames and other events, and I enjoy baseball, apple pie and have owned and driven Chevrolets.

There. I hope I succeeded in making my point.

 

Ken Tracy and FDR

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Ken Tracy celebrates his victory on Election Night, June 5. (Chris Huber/Republic)

Ken Tracy has been mayor of Mitchell for 77 days.

You’re forgiven if it seems much longer. Tracy has been a busy man, and Mitchell has seen a truly amazing run of activity. Monday night, the City Council authorized issuing $13.9 million in bonds for four major projects that could impact the city for decades.

Since Tracy took office after winning a six-candidate race for mayor, steps have been taken to expand and improve the Corn Palace, build an impressive new city hall at the south entry to downtown, add a second sheet of ice at the Mitchell Activities Center, as well as expanding and updating the Mitchell Public Library.

That’s where the $13.9 million will go, and almost assuredly more than that.

The city will have 25 years to pay it back at a very low interest rate. Other projects are coming off the books, sales tax revenue is on pace for a record year and studies are to be released next week on how to provide more housing while disclosing how Mitchell and area residents earn their incomes.

A building boom is predicted by the chamber’s top official, Bryan Hisel, who also said more jobs are being added to the city economy.

Tracy, a retired state employee, was a council veteran before filling the mayor’s chair after Lou Sebert retired from public life. Sebert served two terms marked in the end by public rejections of city decisions, including adding a city manager, converting three streets to two-way traffic, and offering off-sale alcohol on Sundays.

Of course, big steps on these projects were taken and the city’s finances improved despite a rocky time in the national economy. Give Sebert credit for manning the helm when that happened. But Tracy has taken control and led the council, and the city, have no doubt of that.

During the campaign, Tracy, 65, said he was ready for the promotion and the challenge. Since he became mayor, he has teamed with Council President Jeff Smith, whom he has known and worked with for years, the rest of the council and an experienced city staff to create all these plans and progress. It’s one of the most vital periods in city history.

Oh, and Tracy also showed up during the Traffic Commission meeting before the start of the council meeting Monday to call for a ban on texting and driving in the city. Smith then asked to have it added it to the commission agenda for Oct. 15.

That’s all. There hasn’t been any proposals to pave Main Street with corn-colored squares, double the size of Lake Mitchell or annex Mount Vernon.

Yet. I’ll check on those in the morning.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt took dramatic action when he was sworn in as president in 1933. Since then, presidents are always assessed on what they accomplish in their first 100 days.

Tracy still has 23 days to go. What’s next?

Instant runoff voting: Could it be right for Mitchell?

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With six candidates in the race for mayor of Mitchell and nothing in our city laws requiring or allowing a runoff, there’s been a lot of talk about a candidate potentially winning with far less than a majority of the votes cast.

It’s likely that some sort of discussion about runoffs will ensue for future elections, but that can get complicated. Making voters come back for a runoff election two or three weeks after the original election is asking a lot, and it’s likely to decrease turnout and add the expense of another election.

Here’s a video sent to me that explains an alternative proposal.

A picture of evil

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We’re running the photo below with a story about sidewalk alcohol service in tomorrow’s paper. The story examines practices in other South Dakota communities.

After seeing this horrifying image of three young women imbibing the devil’s concoction, I can see why we would never want such a thing to happen in downtown Mitchell.

A warning: This image may not be suitable for young viewers. The Daily Republic is not responsible for any sudden acts of immorality that may result from viewing this image.

Image courtesy of Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau

A fuel and his money …

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Mitchell Councilman Phil Carlson was blunt: Drivers in Mitchell are being cheated.

At the start of Monday night’s City Council meeting, Carlson accused Mitchell convenience store and gas station owners of charging too much for gas. It was selling for $3.27 a gallon locally at some stations, including Casey’s across the street from City Hall.

It was higher at other stations. Several websites offer prices and we will check them as well.

He pointed out that he bought gas for $2.94 a gallon in Sioux Falls this weekend (I paid $2.99 in SF Saturday morning but he got 5 cents off at a discount shopping center).

Carlson also said he saw gas selling for $3.14 a gallon at towns and cities across South Dakota in recent days. He blasted the gas merchants from the council platform and repeated the comments to me after the meeting.

A lot of people have been complaining. We have published stories and letters on the topic.

How do you explain such a wild fluctuation in prices? How can gas cost 30 cents more in Mitchell than it does in Sioux Falls?

Are we getting held up at the pumps? Is there a good explanation?

Has Carlson, a local lawyer who ran unopposed this year and claimed his first term in any office, harmed his just-launched political career? Or has he bravely sounded a note that needed to be heard?