2005 Commissioner Election
In this recent article by Britt Robson at the City Pages, we learn that after a large amount of developer financed help funneled through a front group PAC, there was a nice quid pro quo for at least one contributor.
The New Patriot writes "The Minneapolis Observer also saw a big win for Rybak, and additionally found that the park board reform movement came up short. The reformers have three seats on the board, with a swing vote from Tom Nordyke. The ossified park board incumbents all survived. Disappointing."
» Both mayors should enjoy harmonic relations with their respective city councils. Coleman's disposition and experience as a former council member should help. Minneapolis' newly elected body is, if anything, friendlier to Rybak than the previous model.
In an entertaining article subtitled "This election season, the dysfunctional Minneapolis Park Board is ripe for reform," Britt Robson reports on the higher profile the Park Board has in this election:
The Star Tribune gets it half wrong, half right with their endorsements, endorsing Jason Stone, Tracy Nordstrom, Scott Vreeland and Tom Nordyke. While arguing for reform, the editorial strangely endorses a few of the very commissioners causing the problems the Star Tribune criticizes.
» Last month's Star Tribune series on skyrocketing prices for property in northern Minnesota underscored how highly people value the chance to live near natural resources and places for passive and active recreation. If such properties are coveted in remote areas, imagine what public parks mean to urban dwellers who, unlike our friends in rural and suburban area, have yards the size of postage stamps if we have them at all.
In an October 28 Star Tribune Commentary, Charles A. Birnbaum, founder and president of the Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, D.C., writes about how the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is considering privatizing, selling off and even giving away precious Minneapolis public park property:
The Fourth Judicial District Court trial for the $1.8 million lawsuit by McCrossan et al versus the Park Board et al has been postponed / rescheduled. It is currently on the docket to be heard by Judge Isabel Gomez in February of 2006.
Scanned copy of the letter Marie Hauser sent to some residents in the 8th Ward just prior to the pri
In its October 24 editorial, the Star Tribune writes:
» .... Hauser was not a standout on the Park Board, where she often voted with the old-line faction that has abused the process and embarrassed the city. The Park Board's procedural habits shouldn't be copied at City Hall. Moreover, Hauser's campaign produced misleading literature during the primary, seeming to claim support from Park Board candidates who did not endorse her. «
Steve Nelson recently clearly outlined just some of the reasons that Mary Merrill Anderson is a very bad choice as a Park Board commissioner. On the Minneapolis Issues List, he wrote the following in response to Tim Bonham's clarification about City DFL mailing lists:
Jeremy Wieland writes in his blog about the debate between Park District 1 candidates LuAnn Wilcox and Walt Dziedzic. Among his observations were these:
Come meet the candidates and ask them hard questions!
Park District 1 incumbent Walt Dziedzic will join his opponent LuAnn Wilcox in a discussion of park related issues.
SLIP SLIDING AWAY
Here's an update on what's happening to our public parks. Chunks of our parks and parklands are being sold off or rented away. The concept of public parks is being eroded. Here are some examples:
Park Watch is a volunteer citizen watchdog group formed after the Park Board's 5 member majority faction hired a superintendent who had not applied or interviewed for the position in 2003. For the past 21 months, Park Watch has been attending Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meetings and maintaining a website, mplsparkwatch.org.
Sponsored by the Kenwood Isles Association and moderated by the League of Women Voters. For more in
«What do you think of when you think about parks? Children at play? Summer League teams locked in a little friendly competition? A stroll around the lakes? A family picnic?
