I've been viewing this list for quite some time and am puzzled by the "weak
mayor system" reference. Has anyone considered the possibility that,
currently, Minneapolis may indeed just have a WEAK MAYOR? One who's
invisible until there's an election in her midst? I remember at the start of
her first term how she swore she'd never move out of her ward. A few months
later, it was "hello Edmund Blvd". Her supporters lamented how her "little
tiny house just wasn't adequate". Poor thing. A lot of the citizens in this
city don't have a choice! And that little property tax fiasco at her lake
home? It was shrugged off, by her darling husband in the Sayles Belton
Tribune as a simple little accounting error. Aww...
I must say, after viewing the comments on this forum, that most
Minneapolitans don't feel she's measured up. I was puzzled why she was
elected to a second term, and equally floored when I heard she's got the
huttspa to seek a third. If the citizens of Minneapolis are frustrated with
her performance, then WHO pray tell is the voting majority that keeps
electing her?
JBurns
Cleveland
>From: Annie Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [Mpls] Number of councilmembers
>Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 13:37:15 -0600
>
>I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer to the question about
>restructuring the council until it is actually tried. HIstorically, there
>were days when there were 26 councilmembers and other configurations which
>I am not sure about.
>My issue with citywide members (for any of the Boards) is about Equity and
>balance. I believe the weak mayor system in Minneapolis leaves the Mayor
>out there all alone trying to balance the needs of the entire city. When
>working within the Council member fiefdom as it operates today it is
>extremely difficult for the Mayor to portray and bully pulpit for the large
>city wide vision including the wants and needs of the entire city.
>On both the city council and the Park Board, members generally follow the
>wishes and position of the ward/district member and everyone else stays out
>of the fray. The advantage of the city wide member is that they can also
>be part of that district/ward dialogue and weigh in with support, choice of
>thinking and assessment of the needs in that particular district/ward.
>When attending National League of Cities and visting with councilpeople
>from all over the country... many, many, many of them are elected at large.
>IMHO it really does even the playing field in thinking about the overal
>needs of the city.
>Yes, it is more expensive and harder to run city-wide but it does give the
>citizen some options in garnering support for their projects and
>activities. And I stated earlier the at large city wide perspective helps
>to insure equity and balance on issues for the entire city.
>However, it doesn't sound like anyone has a grand scheme to take some
>wording and the concept before the charter commission in the next couple of
>months.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 09:56 AM 2/14/01 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >Having at-large Council Members will not necessarily make "your"
>designated
> > Those who are going to work at the job are going to work
> > What it really
> >comes down to is people making the commitment to public service and not
>just
> > Those who are truly committed are most likely to be the
> > Having at-large, in my opinion, will not solve any
> > In fact, I think it's a mistake for the Park Board to have
> >
> >
> > With the population of
> >Mpls being what it is, it would seem to me the number could be reduced -
> > In the "old" days, CMs
> > That position didn't evolve until the late 70s,
> > Most of the Assistants do the majority of the constituent service and
> > The balance of the CM
> > The whole
> >structure needs to be re-examined.
> >
> >Karen Collier
> >Linden Hills
>Annie Young
>Ward 6 - East Phillips in Minneapolis
>Citywide at-large Park Board Commissioner
>Working to build a sustainable community
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