Who's Running?
The following item by Steve Brandt appeared in the June 10 issue of the Star Tribune:
PARK BOARD POLITICS
The recent DFL endorsements for Park Board contests this fall, or the absence of them in some cases, create some interesting scenarios, especially with Superintendent Jon Gurban's contract expiring in mid-2010.
A 5-4 Park Board vote last month against putting the contract issue on the board's agenda may indicate the narrowness of his support. President Tom Nordyke said he expects to recommend in the next two weeks a process for handling the matter
A shakeup in the board could be ahead. For three citywide seats, DFLers endorsed two commissioners (Nordyke and Mary Merrill Anderson) and one former commissioner (John Erwin). Greens endorsed incumbent Annie Young, raising the issue of whether her long tenure and name recognition can offset the power of the DFL sample ballot. Someone will be the odd person out.
There also are six district seats. In north Minneapolis, Natalie Collins, a public health researcher and former council aide, denied incumbent Commissioner Jon Olson endorsement. She's running this fall; he didn't respond to a Star Tribune inquiry.
On the East Side, Liz Wielinski, a founder of Park Watch, which has looked askance at Gurban, got DFL backing, and veteran neighborhood activist Michael Rainville, who also sought endorsement, said he'll abide by that.
In southwest Minneapolis, Brad Bourn was endorsed over incumbent Bob Fine. But don't count Fine out; he's had better luck winning when he lacked party backing.
Newcomer Anita Tabb looks like an early lock for election in the Calhoun-Isles area; Scott Vreeland was re-endorsed in District 3. The Nokomis area seat could provide a good test for the new ranked-choice voting, with no endorsement and Steve Barland, Martin Demgen and Jason Stone running.