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Difference between Hanks and Kooiker is a matter of degree
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FarkRAPID CITY -- Both believe the Vision 2012 program should be reprioritized.
Both believe in open government.
Both say they are fiscally conservative.
All we need now is Dick Butkus and Bubba Smith arguing which of the two candidates for Rapid City mayor tastes great and which is less filling.
After a two month campaign to the June 5 first-round that whittled eight candidates down to two, and another three week mini-campaign featuring the Sam and Al road show, voters will finally decide Tuesday whether Sam Kooiker or Alan Hanks will be the city’s next leader.
Most people may have made up their minds by now. Those who haven’t might be struggling to tell the difference considering both share similar views on nearly all the issues save one -- the incentive package the city voted to give outdoor retailer Cabela’s last week.
Kooiker opposed it. Hanks supported it.
That one issue aside, the difference between the candidates boils down to style and experience.
Kooiker, 33, an operations manager for Golden West, said the difference is a matter of substance between specific experience and the ability to lead an organization the size of Rapid City.
“I’m currently responsible for a large organization in the private sector, and being on the city council the past five years, I’m ready to step in,” he said. “I understand many of the issues facing Rapid City. I’m ready to step in to the budget challenges that lie before us. I believe that’s where the distinction is.”
Hanks, 47, agreed. However, he said, his track record of experience and leadership in private business, on the city council and in the state legislature are far superior to Kooiker’s.
“I served as president and vice president, which means that my fellow council members felt I was the person to lead that council. I was very appreciative of that and their acknowledgement of my ability to lead. Sam doesn’t have that,” Hanks said. “Sam has no leadership experience. He’s never been elected to any leadership positions in city government. I have.”
Kooiker, who grew up in Iowa and has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice/Psychology and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Dakota, has continually highlighted his education as an administrator in making his case for mayor.
Kooiker said Rapid City needs a mayor capable of performing management functions. Some cities have a full time mayor and full time city manager, but a city manager can cost up to $150,000 in salary and benefits. Kooiker said the city would not need a city manager if the mayor is qualified to manage.
“If voters are looking for exciting, real, reasonable change at city hall, I ask them to support me. I am consistent in my positions. Cabela’s is an example,” he said. “The other key distinction is voters have an opportunity for a two for one deal. Someone who was specifically trained in city administration, and someone who is currently responsible for a large number of employees in the private sector.”
Hanks said that he and Kooiker have similar education backgrounds. Where Kooiker has a degree in public administration, Hanks has a degree in business administration.
“The difference is, for the last 25 years, I’ve been using mine because I have been in the real world running multi-million dollar businesses. Sam hasn’t. Sam has been an employee,” Hanks said.
Hanks said that he meant no disparagement but that he was only noting Kooiker has no business ownership experience while Hanks does.
Hanks said while both have similar philosophies on a lot of issues, the big difference between them is management style. Hanks said he has always believed in cooperative decision making, Kooiker has played the role of watchdog on the council.
“He’s never been what anyone on the city council would call a team player,” Hanks said. “Sam has always been the one who has raised a skeptical voice, which has its place. But I don’t believe it has a place in the mayor’s office. The mayor really has to have the support of the council to get anything done.”
Kooiker doesn’t believe he will have trouble working with the city council if elected mayor, despite taking a contrary view on some high-profile issues in the past.
“Although I have had disagreements from time to time with some of my fellow council members, my disagreements have always been respectful, and I’ve always disagreed without being disagreeable,” he said.
As examples, Kooiker cites working with the council to preserve M Hill and to implement water and sewer master plans.
“These are some of the examples of issues where I’ve worked with all council members to develop a broad consensus,” he said. “As mayor, I would understand the role of the city council and the role of mayor in terms of the mayor being responsible for making sure the city council has adequate information for them to make their decisions.”
Hanks, while saying he didn’t want to be too critical, urged people to ask council members which candidate would make a better mayor based on track records and the ability to work together.
“Let’s face it; the mayor can only accomplish his goals with the support and help of the council. If you have a council who isn’t willing to follow you, you aren’t going to accomplish anything,” Hanks said. “I’m very confident that I have that ability because I’ve worked with many of the council members, and they’ve expressed confidence in my leadership ability. I don’t think they have that confidence in Sam.”
Kooiker said the most important thing for people to know about him is he is approachable and consistent. He pledged to have an open door to the community and council members.
“One of the things I’ve always believed in is that city council members as part time public officials need to have the adequate information provided by the mayor to be able to effectively do their jobs,” he said. “As your mayor, you will see a new era of open accessible government.”
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415, or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com
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