Where's well-paid Sioux Falls mayoral Chief of Staff Jody Schwan, you ask?

Chillin' her heels on her KELOLAND non-compete.

A source tells me that she'll be soon be hosting a new show on the City's cable channel--after her one-year non-compete clause runs.

At $100,000 plus, she'll likely be the highest paid broadcast talent in the market.  Who knew that governmental TV paid so much better than commercial TV?

Maybe Shawn Cable should try and get a similar gig.

Technorati Tags: Jody Schwan, Mayor Dave Munson, Sioux Falls, TV, cable

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Yesterday, the Argus interviewed Jodi Schwan, Mayor Dave Munson's Chief of Staff, in their podcast.  Listen: McKenzie Show - November 30, 2006.  And today, the Argus has an editorial cartoon (online, at least) basically calling Jodi an empty suit.  See: Cartoon.

But who first asked the question of what was up with Jodi?  S.D. Watch, my good friends, on November 27th. Read: Where's Jodi Schwan?

To my friends at the Argus, I'm happy to be of assistance in the idea department for you.  Glad you're reading.

Where's Jodi?I like Jodi Schwan, the former KELOLAND-TV reporter and now Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson's well paid chief of staff.  Jodi is bright and articulate.  She was always good to deal with when she was a reporter.

But where has she been?

Has anyone seen her on TV, on the radio, or in the paper doing the public relations thing?  Have you heard her speak before a community group?

Mayor Munson needed a chief of staff.  Many of us thought he needed a COS who was a manager, like a former executive of a fairly large business.  But Dave thought he needed help in the PR department.  He hired someone quite capable to do that.  Where has Jodi been?

Perhaps Jodi is working on internal processes and the like.  

If anyone knows what Jodi is up to in her new job, let me know.  And Jodi, if you're reading, I'll post what you've been doing.   I'm not leveling criticism, I'm just wondering.

From the City of Sioux Falls website:

City of Sioux Falls Annual Financial Report for 2005 Mayor Dave Munson announces the release of the 2005 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the City of Sioux Falls...

KELOLAND-TV announced at 5 p.m. that Sioux Falls Dave Munson decided to not run for reelection to a second term.  The Argus Leader has the story up on their site: http://argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060202/NEWS/60202010/1001.

An excerpt:

Mayor Dave Munson said late today that he will not run for re-election.

He said he didn’t want other candidates to be bogged down in controversy.

“I love the city so much. I want this to be a positive campaign,” he said.

Munson said he reached his decision last night after talking with his wife, Linda.

“It was hard on her,” he said.

Munson then called friends this afternoon to tell them he would not seek re-election.

The dramatic turn of events ahead of the April 11 election comes after several weeks of scrutiny over Munson's campaign finances.

In his conversation with Ray Trankel, a member of his inner-circle, he told him not to try and talk him out of it.

More to come.

Mayor Dave Munson is supposed to help shed light on one of the several mysteries of his administration: 

Fund-raiser details will be released  (Argus Leader) 1/31/2006   Mayor Dave Munson said Monday that the details of a private fund-raiser would be released today, almost four years after the event happened. "We'll have that available at 10 a.m. tomorrow," Munson said late Monday night.

"Hey man, is Dave home?" "No man, Dave's not here. Or Georgia."For those of you fellow babies who grew up in the 1960s and 70s like me and are a guy, you can probably rattle off a couple of old Cheech and Chong routines.  Today on KELOLAND-TV, Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson did his best impression of the "Dave's not here" bit, only it was "Georgia Hanson's not here" variation.

As Woody Allen notes, showing up is 80 percent.  That's what KELO's Don Jorgensen and a camera person did--showed up on the City Hall steps and waited for Mayor Dave to emerge so they could ask him about the so-called 2002 "debt retirement" fundraiser.

Believe it or not, miracles do happen in KELOLAND.  Mayor Dave emerged and walked down the front steps to the waiting microphone of Donny J.  (Memo to Munson staff: Next time look out the window and tell the boss to go out the BACK door when pesky media you are trying to avoid are afoot.)

What follows is perhaps the most confusing, disjointed, and odd 1:53 exchange in local TV history between Mayor Dave and Don about why no finance report.  Dave keeps talking about "her" being out of town--presumably Georgia Hanson, who filled out Mayor Dave's campaign finance reports.  It was something like "Is Dave home?  No, Georgia's not home.  She'll be back next week. Oh, and Dave's not here either."  Huh?
Mayor Dave Munson's campaign reports for the 2002 "debt reduction" event aren't home either.

To view the hjinks from KELOLAND, click here: Click Here To Watch Complete Interview With Mayor Munson.  Here's the print story: http://keloland.com/News/NewsDetail5440.cfm?Id=0,45504.

Props to Don and KELOLAND for a nice piece of work.  And Dave, happy early birthday!

 

I have not been able to independently confirm this yet, but it looks like Down Town Sioux Falls is holding a "surprise" birthday party for Mayor Dave Munson.  Below is the email that was forwarded on to me.  Click to open: surprise party for Mayor Munson.pdf 

It reads:

DTSF

Please be advised that there will be an appreciation gathering for Mayor Dave Munson, Jan 31st, 4:30 PM at Shriver Square. This a surprise! Please make this a must-attend event. This mayor has done so much for downtown, his passion for the heart of the city has helped make us what we are today. I have a list of 30 accomplishments that he has succeded in completing for the downtown area. Please show up and let Mayor Munson know that we truly appreciate all he has done for us. This is NOT a fund-raiser.

Downtown Sioux Falls Visionary Partners:

Electric Pulp	First National Bank	First Dakota National Bank
Holiday Inn City Centre	Meierhenry Law	US Bank
	Wells Fargo

To unsubscribe from future Downtown Sioux Falls mailings, please click here.

-----

If true, this sounds a lot like an endorsement to me. If anyone has any other information, please let me know.

 

With apologies to Warren Zevon, Mayor Dave Munson must be thinking he needs to send lawyers, guns, and money, because it has hit the fan.

Today's Argus Leader continues to give Dave's failure to report a 2002 post election fundraiser legs, thus necessitating the above commodities.  The story is at: http://argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/NEWS/601250328/1001

The lawyer will be the City Attorney, Gary Colwill.  The money is well, the money Dave raised at his "second chance" party in 2002.  The guns?  Well, that's all the well-heeled people who want to keep him ensconced where he is for their beneift.

Dave, just fill out the forms and this will go away.  No, better yet, DON'T fill out the forms and keep this alive for the mayoral election in April.

Dave, don't be a hollaback guy! SHOW US THE MONEY!Bad Mayor.  Bad, bad Mayor Dave, the Sioux Falls City Council told Mayor Dave Munson last night, according to today's Argus Leader:

Councilors want money public Argus Leader, Jan. 24, 2006.  Seven of eight City Council members said Monday that Mayor Dave Munson should disclose how much money he raised during a private fund-raiser after the 2002 election. The amount of money and those who donated it is a mystery. The event occurred after Munson took office, but long before he was a declared candidate for the 2006 election.

Dave.  Do the right thing and report the 2002 "debt retirement"/second chance to get on Dave's good side event.  It's just one little amended form.  And then we'll know.  Simple.

With apologies to Abba, "Money, money, money, it's a rich mayoral candidate's world."Today's Argus Leader has a story about a fund raiser Mayor Dave Munson had after his 2002 victory--and didn't report.

The story: http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060122/NEWS/601220342/1001

The Munsonites proclaim they didn't have to report the contributions from the event, which was essentially a "second chance" for those who supported Dick Brown to get on Dave's good side with a little cash. 

So much for open government and open campaigns in Sioux Falls.

Rep. Casey Murschel (R-Sioux Falls) declares for Mayor of Sioux Falls, leaves for Pierre.The Argus Leader reports this afternoon that Republican state representative and former Sioux Falls city councilor Casey Murschel has formally declared she is running for mayor.

The Republicans and downtown bunch must smell blood in the water from a wounded Mayor Dave Munson.

Oddly, however, Murschel made her announcement on a Friday afternoon, the traditional time that politicians "take out the garbage" for bad news they want to minimize during lower viewership and readership over the weekend.

Also odd is the fact that Murschel would declare just days before a two month stint in Pierre for the S.D. Legislature.  Can't imagine there are a lot of Sioux Falls votes to be had in the Capital City.

Anyone, an interesting twist on what is already an interesting race for mayor.

For details, click here: http://opengovernment.squarespace.com/cogse-home/2006/1/6/score-one-for-openness-argus-obtains-zip-tower-environmental-results.html

Christmas Sunday, the Argus Leader tried to sneak their "20 Questions" with Sioux Falls Dave Munson interview under the radar while most people in the area were celebrating Christmas with their families and worried about more immediate concerns.

Here's the article and the link which I did feature on December 25th's "must reads": Mayor: Sealing Zip deal my job

But Dave's interview deserves your attention if you are Sioux Falls voter or care about our state's largest city. After all the crap Dave has caused and been involved in in 2005, you'd think he'd be a lot more forthcoming. Alas, no such luck.

Here's a review of his, um, "performance."

Of the 20 questions posed in Sunday's article, he responded to 6 (or nearly 1/3 of them) with "I'm not getting into that"; "I don't know"; "I hate to say"; "I don't want to use a date"; "Not that I know of"; and "I don't know when it was".  With answers like that, you probably don't want Dave to be a witness for you in a civil or criminal case.  Wow, Mr. Evasive.  He gave lots of non-answers.

And again, he engaged in his trademark ramblings with incomplete or hard to understand responses.  They look worse in print than they sound coming out of his mouth, but still, they were ever present throughout.

The other problem Mayor Dave had was sounding defensive in responding to city council criticism.  He kept referring to conflict with the city council too many times. Guess he doesn't bear any of the responsibility.  Right.  Mayor Dave, the "Communication Mayor"--not.

I think Dave needs more than a chief of staff to salvage this term of office, let alone win re-election in April. 

Does Mayor Munson says he knew zip about Zip.If you thought I was hard on Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson, you need to read today's editorial in the Argus Leader.

Bam!  Ouch.

They hit Dave right between the eyes on this whole Zip fiasco.

An excerpt:

Under our form of government, the mayor or his hired hands take care of such negotiations, and council members either approve or reject the results.

But it's just plain dumb not to keep council members informed. Hold briefings or updates, for heaven's sake. This isn't rocket science, after all.

It's on the mayor's shoulders to direct this process - smoothly and efficiently and openly. Munson, though, acts like he was out of the loop, too.

Get all the information out before the public and the council. Make a decision on this deal.

And then, let's get some high-quality candidates for the April election.

Amen.