Petition signatures
February 7th, 2008 by 
Alica
The city council declined to waive the signature process for the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department’s petition to create a fire protection tax district. That means department members will have to collect 820 signatures from registered voters in Brandon. To complicate matters, only registered voters who own land are eligible to sign.
Collecting the signatures will take a while, but councilors say the process will be a good way for the fire department to educate the citizens about their mission.
In addition, the department would need 275 signatures from Brandon Township registered voters, and they don’t have to be landowners. Strange thing about how the law has the landowner clause for the city but not for the county. But that’s how it’s written. The Minnehaha County Commission can waive the petition process for the township, but the fire department hasn’t made that request of them yet.
What do you think of the city council’s decision to not waive the petition process? Do you think the fire department will be able to get the required 820 signatures? They should get more than that, just in case some names have to be disqualified because they are renters and not landowners. And I pity the county auditor’s office, that will have to check each signature against the tax rolls to see if it qualifies.
Have you signed the petition yet? Do you plan to? Why or why not?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
February 7th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I support the council decision to get the signatures.
I like it when a major decision has to be voted on by the people (taxpayers) versus just building a 2.25 million dollar bus garage w/out a vote.
Yes, it is more work but it is the correct process. Could the fire dept have tables at the basketball games or parent / teacher conferences coming up? There will be plenty of legal signatures at those events.
Good Luck.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Not to get off the subject, but #1 is the pot calling the kettle black. How much was spent on the middle school addition and on the tennis court project without a public vote?
February 7th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Amazed, if i recall correctly the middle school addition was done with capital reserves, under the control of the school board (an elelcted body) and the city only gave about half the money for the tennis courts (another action taken by an elected baody)the rest was raised by the tennis association. SO you are aguing apples and oranges. if you didn’t like those decisions, then run for council or the school board and change things.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Wes, question what are the capital reserves that the school borad has to be spent on, any thing they want?
February 7th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I just drove by the Fire Hall and see they are hosting another open house 2/1/08. This is great but I really think the BVFD needs to bring their info to the people. As Todd said above, make use of places that people congragate - conferences next week, sporting events, etc. Unfortunately, we are a lazy bunch and are probably not going to go to the Fire Hall. Just my thoughts….
February 8th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Thanks Wes!
Also, the middle school addition was a project where the school held numerous informative meetings to allow the public to educate themselves and gain buy in.
The tennis courts was a project for under 400k where the city , BTA(Brandon Tennis Assoc) and school shared in the costs. I know that the public had numerous opportunities to voice their concerns prior to construction.
Most campfire kettle pots are black but Amazing was just trying to stir the pot which is easy for an anonymous blogger. It sure would be a different story if they used their name so they could be judged publically.
I double dog dare you!! HAHA
February 8th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Another place to have a “booth” would be at the Wellness Fair in the high school. It is held sometime in early March. They get over 1,000 people! Could be a great place to share the message!
February 11th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
always listening, “capital reserves” are usually spent on “capital” improvements, hence the name. A new building is most deffinitely a “capital” improvement.
February 11th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Wes, you might want to get your apples and oranges arranged regarding your response to #2. Capital outlay funds were used to finance the bus facility as well. There was no bond issue involved.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
4ever, no offense, but who the heck was talking about the bus barn? Or a bond issue for that matter?
February 12th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Wes, #1 above was complaining about the bus barn. You mentioned capital reserves, and I was just tying the two together in that the school paying for a project using capital reserves doesn’t require a public vote. And I would assume that #1 knows that since he was on the school board and the middle school addition was built with capital reserves during his tenure. No offense taken. By the way, I do support having the BVFD get signatures and put it to a vote.
February 13th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
My mistake. i was primarily answering #2 and didn’t factor Todd’s comment about the bus barn. i dont know what was used to fund the bus barn. But I do know that if an elected board has a capital fund they should have the authority to spend it without taking everything to a vote. After all a capital fund is for capital imporvements. Can anyone argue that the middle school addition was NOT a capital improvement? If every single expenditure needed to have a seperate vote then why elect a board in the first place? Let them do thier job,if they do a bad one, replace them in the next election or conduct a recall. a bond issue would be an entirely different issue. For that would effect the taxpayers directly. I support the FD gettin enough signatures as well as their proposition would increase taxes, so it should be a matter for taxpayers to decide.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Wes, I agree with your position on generally trusting a board with their authority until they abuse that authority. By the way, the school board took it a step further on the bus facility and did hold a public hearing on 1-26-04, according to the school board minutes. Anyway, enough on the bus facility.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I feel that after reading some of the blogs that most people do not understand the purpose of the petition. What the fire fighters are petitioning is them having to go and get the signatures. So all in all the petition of signatures was to save time and bring the issue at hand to a vote, it does not waive the public vote.