Good Morning...Let me introduce myself to list participants because I've
never written before. My name is Kim Carlson, I live in Bottineau in
glorious Northeast! I work as a consultant and sometimes lobbyist, I've
been very active in every neighborhood I've lived in Minneapolis and I at
one time worked as an aide to a Minneapolis City Council Member. In
addition I've worked for a Senator in Washington, and volunteered to do
non-paid, non-formal work at the State Legislature. I used to be (long ago)
very active in party politics but have not done so for years...
I find the discussion regarding the Council and appropriate responsiveness
very compelling. However, I 'll admit readily I'm no expert but can bring a
little different
-----Original Message-----
From: j burns <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001 9:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Number of councilmembers
>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
>>_______________________________________________
>>Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
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>
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