Simplified: The Sioux Falls City Council is gaining three new members at the end of this week (and hanging on to one incumbent). Sioux Falls Simplified chatted with all three of the newly elected councilors to see what they're prioritizing now that they're off the campaign trail and set to officially take office.
Why it matters
- On an eight-member council, three new faces is a big deal. James Oppenheimer will fill the at-large seat vacated first by Sarah Cole and then by interim Councilor Vernon Brown. Sara Pankonin will fill the southeast district seat vacated by the late David Barranco, and Zak Okuwe will represent the central district succeeding Curt Soehl.
- Councilor Rich Merkouris also held onto his at-large seat for another term.
- The immediate priority for new councilors is to address the next city budget and five-year capital plan. Mayor Paul TenHaken left a capital plan before his term ends, which means the budget is also likely well underway, but Mayor-elect Christine Erickson will also be able to set some of her own priorities, too.
- For James Oppenheimer, who received about 400 more votes in his at-large race than Erickson did in the mayoral race, an early goal is also to try and bring the community together after a divisive election cycle.
"We need to find out what we have in common and what we can all pull towards," Oppenheimer said, adding that Erickson will be a "very strong mayor" for Sioux Falls.
Tell me more about the new councilors
In addition to bridging gaps in a divided city, Oppenheimer said he's focused on learning.
- A few topics he'd like to dig into early on and learn more about include public safety – specifically what can be done about people who run red lights. He's also interested in learning more about the city's nondiscrimination ordinance.
For Okuwe, the early days of his council tenure – in addition to a focus on the budget – are going to consist of meetings with city department leaders and fellow councilors. He's also looking to engage with Central District neighborhood associations to really listen to constituents.
"One of my visions is just building solid neighborhoods, and I think neighborhood associations will play a huge role in that," Okuwe said.
For Pankonin, building relationships with fellow councilors is also one of her initial goals upon taking office. She said she's read TenHaken's proposed capital improvement plan, and that it was a "pleasant surprise" as a civil engineer how much it all made sense. Long-term, she's also focused on expanding the bike trail.
"I am really looking forward to serving the people and listening to the people," Pankonin said.
What happens next?
All three new councilors, along with returning councilor Rich Merkouris and Mayor-elect Erickson, will be sworn into office on Friday afternoon at Carnegie Town Hall.
