The Sioux City Council met on September 8, 2025, with members O'Kane, Shanner, Scott, and Waters present. The meeting opened with a moment of silent prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council considered a consent agenda, a hearing on a fence ordinance, a street vacation request, a zoning definition amendment, and several other items. Public comments addressed a water main break, tree limb damage, and a proposal for public restrooms downtown.
The consent agenda was passed unanimously.
But it's still like this is wrong. It's one of those things where it's wrong. More here. O'Kane. Here. Shanner. Here. Scott. Here. Waters. Here. Please stand for a moment of silent prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible Liberty and Justice Fraud. You're applying for a couple committees. Tell us why you want to serve. Mostly it's because I I don't want to just complain anymore. I want to be an active participant. I want to be in the room where it happens and helping to enact change. The transportation committee, I want because as a cyclist as a person that cares deeply about the infrastructure of the city and uh persons who are at risk who who say don't have a driver's license or don't have a means to get to work or not the money, you know, having that infrastructure available to them to ride a bike to work and do so safely. I I've spent a lot of time in Sioux Falls, and their cycling path is magnificent. It's wonderful, and you can get darn near everywhere. And I don't see why we don't have something on par with that, and something that is as beautiful as that. Um the uh environmental board because I care deeply about the environment. I care about having a clean city, and um I know that it was suggested that there was a possibility that I could be allowed to be on both boards. Um I think that you know, if you build it, they will come if you have that strong uh infrastructure. If you're getting people outside and invested in the cycling paths and trails, that then they are uh stakeholders in the environment, and then they also want a clean city. They see you know, they're out in nature and they're invested in that, and I feel that uh if I were on both boards, then I would be in a position to like create a bridge and uh affect that uh from both sides. I think those are all good reasons, um and you saying that instead of just complaining because that is what it takes. You know, I've had emails from citizens with a complaint or maybe a harsh suggestion, and I say, Hey, we can't do this, but we can do this. Have you ever thought about getting on one of our committees? And people have actually done it, and then once you're in the trenches, it helps you to understand the process more, and sometimes even changes do happen from someone else's perspective. So I do really appreciate that you made that statement and said, Well, I'm just gonna stop complaining, I'm gonna do something. Right, exactly right. Everybody wants us to do something, but there has to be change if there's gonna be change. So this would be a great step. Yeah, I'd like to be that person. I'd like to be a part of a team that helps do that. Great. Well, thank you for applying. There I don't even know, I haven't checked, but if it what what would be your number one preference just so we know that uh the environmental board, I think they need uh persons more I think that they need you more, yeah. They have four vacancies, I think, or three four. So yeah, thank you for making the applications. Yeah, and just so you know in full transparency, too. Like I appreciate that the mayor asked that because I'm all for if you're willing to serve on both. I think that's amazing. I don't want any boards just sitting with a whole bunch of vacancies. That wouldn't be my hope either.