Council, school board hopefuls talk visions for Sioux Falls in lightning round format

Change Agents of South Dakota brings candidates together for unique forum

A timer, pictured over the shoulder of City Council candidate Jordan Deffenbaugh, was used to keep schedule during Change Agents of South Dakota’s Sioux Falls City Council and School Board Candidate Public Policy Roundtable. The group’s organizer, Rick Knobe, led the forum. (Joe Sneve/The Daktoa Scout)

It’s like speed dating, but with political candidates instead of potential love interests.

A handful of Sioux Falls residents looking to have the title of school board member or city councilor participated in the first-of-its-kind candidate forum Saturday morning.

All nine in attendance spent 12 minutes talking about their visions for the city of Sioux Falls or the Sioux Falls School District at a table with select community leaders, before a buzzer sent them to another table where participants were ready to volley another round of questions at the candidates.

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“This is the longest job interview of my life,” joked Miranda Basye, a candidate in the Northeast Sioux Falls City Council race who attended the Sioux Falls City Council and School Board Candidate Public Policy Roundtable, hosted by the political nonprofit Change Agents of South Dakota.