Vicky, my question is how they advertised that the McCaffery building was for sale? I do not know anyone who knew the building was up for sale. Any building at 7th and Hennepin that has retail space for a restaurant and room for 11 housing units has got to be worth more than 2.5 million. The Strib article says they bid the “Minimum” amount. Why was the minimum that low? This $4 million difference may seem like chump change after what was squandered on Target and Brookfield, but it is almost half of the annual amount that the Council wishes to kill NRP for. A little better marketing might be in order.
Also, isn't this the same outfit that promised to do certain things with Block E and then did what ever they wanted to do? Who at the City does these Real Estate deals? Haven't they ever heard of a "Conditional Deed"? How about the words "Performance Bond"? It is my opinion that ANY City property turned over for a specific "Improvement" purpose should contain a "Conditional Deed". If the condition is not met then the building and all improvements revert to the City. This "Condition" would be a great incentive to do what is agreed upon. A Real Estate “professional” would insist upon it, but I guess we are dealing with a different kind at the City. The sweetheart deals the City has been doing are more, " I know you are my friend, so here take my money and Real Estate and please, please keep your promise to love me and do what you said you would do." Sounds like something out of a bad romance novel, or our City Hall. Vicki you are wrong about cutting the number of City Council people. The secret is to create more of them and pay them a part time salary, so they can be regular people with regular jobs. Twenty-five thousand a piece for fifteen or twenty part time council people. Shared staff. We would get better service, and it would attract better people. People who really want to do the public service and keep REAL jobs in the REAL world to support themselves. They will tell you the City needs professional policy makers. Give me a break! This is the best job most of these people will ever have, unless they make "Deals" about their retirement after "Council Life". (The kind of "retirement" deal that a certain Middle Eastern Businessman was seen on television making to Brian Herron.) Amateurs who suddenly become "Professional" politicians just do not seem to be working. I think "Professionals" who do amateur public service would be better formulae. Minneapolis ran a whole lot smother and there seemed to be less political corruption when we had more 'Part Time" Council Members who were elected to two year terms. You are correct about the more than 60 smaller councils. These Neighborhood organizations have to review and advise the council on everything anyway. Have their decisions reviewed by the Council and overturned if improper or not in the interest of the City as a whole. The neighborhoods have been or are in the process of creating Neighborhood Master Plans for their discreet areas. This duplicates and makes superfluous most Planning activities. Those Master Plans and NRP make superfluous most MCDA functions for Community Development. DO NOT LOOK FOR ANY CHANGE WITHOUT A REFERENDUM. Jim Graham, Ventura Village >>>The rarest of gems, with the greatest clarity, >>>and with the greatest brilliance, >>>is not the diamond. >>>The rarest of all gems is the truth. >>>Yet as scarce as truth is, the supply has always far >>>exceeded any demand for it. >>>In fact it may well be the lest desirable commodity in the Universe. >>>Ask any politician TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
