SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) Sioux Falls City Council is being pushed to approve a direct vote by the citizens on the $25 million downtown city administration building project.
Freshman Councilor Theresa Stehley says there is precedent. Council approved a public vote for the Sanford PREMIER Center, for example.
"I'm trying to get the momentum within the council to step up, take some leadership, and to sponsor an advisory vote," Stehley tells KELO Radio.
There is already a grass-roots petition drive underway to try get the building on the ballot, but Stehley says she is concerned that there won't be enough time for the process.
Mayor Mike Huether used the first veto of his seven years in office to stop Council from blocking the bonds that would pay for the project. Council failed to muster the six votes required to squash the veto. Stehley says it only takes a majority to approve a city-wide vote by the people,
"There would be the slight possibility that the Mayor would veto that," says Stehley, "but then the Mayor is vetoing the citizens right to participate."