Vision Fund flap reveals residents want the right to participate

RAPID CITY – Numerous residents were visiting Founders Park on Sunday. It was a windy day and thunderstorms threatened but the sun was warm, and people were enjoying walking and riding the bike path, reading a book under a tree, spending time at the edge of Rapid Creek and visiting the food trucks which have become a regular staple in the parking lot. Others were reading the historical information provided at the Founders Park Plaza telling of the 1972 Flood and was an original spot.

Not long ago, the Park consisted of a little bit of parking, restrooms and “The Fish” statue. But now it is 60 acres of open space that also connects with a couple of other parks. Founders Park is one of the many projects funded in part by Vision Fund money.

Many residents are upset at City Council action to make changes to the ordinance without citizen input and have been gathering signatures to present to City Council on Friday in support of putting the changes to a vote.

Organizers held a drive-through petition signing event at Founders Park on Sunday and seemed to have a steady influx of signers. At the beginning of the event organizer Laura Armstrong said they needed 3000 signatures by Friday. Today, she estimated they need about 1,000 more signatures but she would know more by Wednesday.

Resident Marci Christensen-Burdick, who was helping to gather signatures at Founders Park said when she heard that Council wanted to change the ordinance to give them more flexibility, she started researching what that meant. “To me this isn’t about good idea versus bad idea, this is about process. In essence what we would be doing is handing this mayor and council and every future one basically a blank check for $90 million dollars every 5 years. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Particularly since this specific fund was authorized by the voters with a specific purpose and a specific process. I think it just lets the voters down.”

Mayor Jason Salamun has said this will provide for more flexibility for the developers and streamline the process, so projects won’t languish for long periods. Christensen-Burdick said she likes some of the ideas that the mayor has and said that he could still accomplish those with the ordinance as-is.

Salamun has also said that the changes return it to the 1995 ordinance. Christensen-Burdick said that is inaccurate. “Show me where the ordinance is as precise as the 1995 ordinance which says ‘and shall hold at least one public hearing.’” Christensen-Burdick said during a discussion with a council member said they did have to enact it at a public meeting. “But that’s different. At a public meeting, I only get three minutes, there is no give and take, no Q and A. A public hearing is we talk about it, we ask questions, we vet, we discuss – it’s not the same thing. What was even more concerning is that I’m not sure that that council person was even aware of it until I pointed that out.”

She said she is concerned that what the council is saying is not what the ordinance says. “I don’t hold any ill will. There are some good ideas and I think those ideas can be achieved that allows the public to have input.”

She said that future mayors may not have their constituents’ best interest at heart. “When the fund was created, there were two dozen meetings to discuss. Mayor Allender held 28 meetings when he wanted to use the funds for the new arena. This mayor and council had two public meetings that were ill-advertised, that wasn’t even posted on  their own website, to fundamentally change a process that has been in place for 30 years.

Resident Bruce Junek stopped by to sign the petition and said simply, “I think people should be able to vote on the Vision Fund.”

The year the Founders Park improvements were completed, the Vision Fund Projects gave an update on the project that had been completed from 2006 through 2009. Here is that list:

-Playground equipment upgrades at Scott Mallow and College Park, and through the park system

-A tennis court complex and restroom facility were built at Parkview Park

-The School of Mines football field was converted to artificial turf

-Safety issues were addressed at the ASA Softball Complex

-A portion of the Skyline Wilderness Area was purchased

-The Steven’s High School gym/multipurpose room was constructed with intent for public use

-Roosevelt Park received some outdoor amenities including drainage improvements

-The Chuck Lien Family Park property was purchased with a portion of Vision Funds

In 2012, Rapid City utilized the remaining balance of $390,000 dollars to match grant dollars from the South Dakota Department of Transportation Enhancement Program and Federal Highway Administration to complete the Greenway Trails and Pedestrian Facilities Project.

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)

 

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