SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- It was a bizarre moment at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.
Councilor Pat Starr left the Council chamber in an awkward moment during the mixed use parking ramp vote. He tried to abstain, but was later told he couldn't do it.
Then Mayor Mike Huether chimed in and that was met with applause.
"We've got an elected official who has not been willing to perform his role," Huether admonished Starr.
Huether then admonished the Council for the applause. Huether said Starr leaving during the vote was unprecedented during his two terms a Mayor.
The Council went ahead and passed the mixed use parking ramp and hotel project on a 6 to 1 vote.
The Council met for over three hours on Tuesday night, the majority of it spent debating the new mixed use parking ramp downtown.
During the debate, community development director Daren Ketcham said the city needed the additional 500 or so parking spots the project will create
"The need for this investment has never been greater," Ketcham said. "This is a $50 million investment in downtown. This will be accomplished without the use of taxpayer dollars."
Grounbreaking for the Village by the River project is expected in April.
(KELO.com News' Tom Savage contributed to this report.)
