Simplified: Former Mayor Rick Knobe told the Charter Revision Commission that having Sioux Falls' top executive sit on the City Council was the "biggest political mistake" he advocated for earlier in his career. Here's a look at how Knobe, alongside Joe Kirby and other community leaders are advocating for a switch-up in city government.

Why it matters

• Knobe was mayor of Sioux Falls in the mid 70s and early 80s before it transitioned to its current strong-mayor form of governance in the mid 90s. When that transition happened, Knobe said he advocated for the mayor to be a member of the council.

"It was actually one of the biggest political mistakes I've ever made," Knobe told the Charter Revision Commission this week.

• Knobe spoke in favor of community activist Joe Kirby's proposal to the commission to ask voters to decide if the mayor should be part of the City Council. Kirby said his proposal would help elevate the role of the mayor and free up time for the person holding that position to be more strategic.
• Any changes to the City Charter – Sioux Falls' primary governing document – have to be decided by voters, and one of the ways to get on the ballot is through recommendation by the aforementioned commission, to which Kirby pitched his idea this week.

"Give the voters a chance," Kirby said. "Give us all a chance to reconsider and to make changes – not just fine-tuning changes but significant changes like this."

Tell me more

Kirby's idea faced some pushback from commission members, including former City Councilor Rick Kiley who said he fears the move could isolate the mayor.

Commissioner Carl Zylstra also questioned whether the move would actually free up the mayor's time if they were expected to still be present at council meetings.

But Knobe said this plan is something he's seen support for among his peers – particularly in seeing more separation between the city's executive and legislative branches.

"The other part of this is: he who has the gavel has a lot of power," Knobe said in response. "If the mayor decides he or she isn’t interested in other people’s thoughts ideas and input, the gavel can take care of that. That’s wrong."

What happens next?

It'll be up to the commission as to whether the proposal makes it to the council and, ultimately, to the ballot.

No action was taken during Wednesday's meeting, but the commission could make a decision one way or another at the next meeting in November.