SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- City Councilors have three ordinances dealing with public input on their agenda for tomorrow's regular business meeting at 7 p.m.
The first ordinance is the so-called "Selberg" ordinance that was passed on first reading last week. It would move public input to the end of the City Council meeting agenda. It was sponsored by Councilor Marshall Selberg and seconded by Councilor Rick Kiley.
The second ordinance is the so-called "compromise" ordinance that would make a number of changes in the current public input process but not move it to the end of the meeting. It is also sponsored by Selberg and Kiley, though it has been publicly advocated by Council Greg Neitzert. It is up for a first reading.
The third ordinance is proposed by Councilor Janet Brekke and seconded by Councilor Pat Starr. It would alternate public input from the front to the back of the agenda on a monthly basis. It is also up for a first reading.
Councilor Theresa Stehly has posted on her Facebook page that she is concerned about the "compromise" ordinance not being a true compromise and still overly restrictive. Stehly also sent out over three thousand postcards over the weekend asking citizens to contact Councilors and Mayor Paul TenHaken about the issue.
Starr is also not happy with the process of how the "compromise" ordinance has come about.
"It's odd to call it a compromise if you don't go along with us (the ordinance's supporters)," Starr said. "I didn't get pressured like this under Huether."
Council Chair Christine Erickson says all the controversy was news to her.
"We put our heads together to find workable solutions and compromise based on feedback we heard," Erickson wrote KELO.com News in an email today.