[Mpls] NEW STAR TRIBUNE

[[EMAIL PROTECTED]]

   I opened my new Star Tribune Wednesday morning and was greeted by what a 
Rupert Murdoch scandal sheet must look like.  The top three quarters of the 
front page were taken up by a story about the teenager charged with involvement 
in the murder of his parents in the upper left ("Why Matt, Why?") and a story 
about the Vikings wild sex party in the upper left.  "If it bleeds, it leads" 
could account for the selection on the left.  I cannot think of a catchy slogan 
for the story on the right but, if I could, it probably would not be printable.
   The bottom quarter of the front page was taken up by a story on stem cells 
but it was short and did not have much depth.  The same can be said about all 
the other news stories in the new paper, short and not much substance.
   I have a few months until my subscription expires to sample the newly 
designed paper.  But if my initial impressions stay the same, I think I'll be 
getting my news from the Internet thereafter.
   Robert Halfhill   Loring Park  


http://halfhillblog.blogspot.com

http://halfhillviews.greatnow.com
http://www.thepen.us


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[Mpls] An additional comment to the PCRC review of the PS & RS Committee meeting

[Guy Gambill]

Hello Minneapolis,

  One other interesting note that is worthy of
mention:
As we all know, 71 new officers are to be hired by the
MPD. Deputy Chief Harris indicated that 72
applications
from OUTSIDE Minneapolis have already been received by
the Department. How many applications have been
received
from the citizens of Minneapolis? Oh, that's right...
we can't find qualified applicants here in our own
city. With the largest campus in the country at the
U of MN...with St. Thomas, St. Catherine's, Hamline,
and so many other colleges in the Metropolitan area
we cannot seem to locate any qualified applicants.
How is that even possible? 

Guy Gambill
(Uptown)




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Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
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[Mpls] An additional comment to the PCRC review of the PS & RS/schools

[Gregory Reinhardt]

Because an applicant must have licensure from the MN POST Board (Police 
Officer Standards and Training) or reciprocity from the military/or another 
state,   Law enforcement classes  must be from one of the college/schools 
approved by the  Minnesota Professional Peace Officer Education Program. 
See the list at MN POST website 
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/newpost/PPOE%20Programs.htm.


To increase the number of Minneapolis residents, have the Legislature exempt 
the city of Minneapolis from State POST Board requirements.  A neat trick if 
you can do it and a step backwards in employment standards.


Greg Reinhardt
Excelsor 


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[Mpls] 10th Ward race & LNA's $83,000 [long]

[List manager]

I'm forwarding this at the request of Jeanne Cunningham, in regards  
to the 10th Ward controversy over Lyndale Neighborhood Association  
spending and Scott Persons. -- David Brauer, list manager


To: Wendy Pareene
CC: LNA Steering Committee
From: Julia Copeland, Jeannie Cunningham,Leslie Nitabach, Scott
Persons
Re: Unprofessional and unwarranted allegations against LNA volunteers  
and Staff by Wendy Pareene


This letter will respond to the allegations in your letter of February
10, 2003.  Your letter displays a profound lack of understanding, not
only of the facts, but also of the appropriate way to raise concerns you
may have.  As a member of the Steering Committee you have the right to
raise questions and discuss matters of concern.  In fact, far from being
prevented from raising your concerns, you have had ample opportunity to
discuss them.

Your right to raise questions, however, does not give you the right to
make unfounded accusations or to belittle and berate staff and other
volunteers who dare to disagree with you.  Your letter is unfair,
inaccurate and unsubstantiated, and verges on being defamatory.  Threats
and slander are no way to behave towards your neighbors and colleagues.

The allegation concerning  "missing" money has no basis in fact.

Your allegation that $80,000 is "missing" and that someone might have
stolen it from the LNA accounts is, as you well know, completely false.
As has been explained to you on several occasions, due to disagreements
that arose in 2000 about the way that staff time should be accounted for
and reimbursed, NRP declined to reimburse LNA for a sum of approximately
$83,000.  Bob Thompson, the succeeding LNA Executive Coordinator,
changed the manner of accounting for staff time as part of an overall
restructuring of our accounting systems, but kept the sum on the books
in the hopes that an agreement could be reached to obtain reimbursement.
During the most recent audit, Jeannie Cunningham, Treasurer, Leslie
Nitabach and the NRP auditor, Mike Wilson, agreed that reimbursement for
this sum was unlikely, and that it should be written off.

Far from being hidden, this action was discussed in three separate
meetings.  Leslie and Jeannie notified the Executive Committee, it was
discussed and approved by the Steering Committee (at a meeting you
attended), and in July the information was presented to the meeting of
the General Membership.

As you well know, there has never been any possibility that this money
was stolen, and any suggestion to the contrary is completely false.
The outside auditor proposed and approved the write off. (Copy of letter
attached).  This matter has been discussed with you and the Steering
Committee and you had the opportunity to raise questions at the time.
Apparently you did not understand the answers, but that does not mean
that insufficient explanation was given.

The decision to hire Leslie Nitabach as Executive Coordinator was made
with extensive consultation and discussion.

In January 2002, Bob Thompson, the current Executive Coordinator,
notified the Executive Committee that he intended to resign in June.
The Executive Committee notified the Steering Committee at the next
meeting in February of his resignation.  The Executive Committee
recommended that, since there was going to be substantial turnover on
staff and the Steering Committee, that it would make sense to conduct an
internal hire and promote Leslie Nitabach to the Executive Coordinator.
There was considerable discussion and the Steering Committee recommended
that Scott Persons, President, work with Leslie to formulate a staffing
plan.  At the March meeting, which you attended, the Steering Committee
gave preliminary approval to the staffing plan.

It wasn't until the April meeting that you raised the mysterious
"concerns" about Leslie, and attributed them to nameless neighbors.
Your concerns were discussed, but they did not convince the other
members of the Steering Committee, and the Steering Committee, including
you, voted unanimously to offer Leslie the job.  There is a difference
between being heard and being agreed with.  Simply because the Steering
Committee did not do what you wanted does not mean they have violated
appropriate procedures, and it is odd that you object to it now, almost
a year later.

LNA's committee structure is in compliance with LNA's bylaws.

It is also very odd that you do not know the whereabouts of the finance
committee, since the Executive Committee, of which you are a member, has
been acting as the finance committee for the past year.  You and the
other members receive regular monthly updates concerning the financial
condition of LNA.  The reason that Jeannie Cunningham is providing
reports to the Steering Committee is that this is what the Treasurer's
position is supposed to do, pursuant to LNA bylaws and previous
practice.

The fact that the personnel committee is a standing committee does not
mean that it has secret monthly meetings - in 

[Mpls] Federal Mediation Agreement and Community Relations

[Shawn Lewis]

It is clear to me and others the the US Justice Department needs to 
begin action to take over and control the Minneapolis Police Department.
Come on, enough is enough


U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Special Litigation Section

The Special Litigation Section is an office within the 
Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, 
charged with enforcing federal civil rights statutes in four major areas: 
conditions of institutional confinement; 
conduct of law enforcement agencies; and 
access to reproductive health facilities and places of religious worship; and 
religious exercise of institutionalized persons.
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/split/overview.htm

Shawn Lewis, Minnetonka, MN


-- 
___
Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com/

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Re: [Mpls] Federal Mediation Agreement and Community Relations

[Michellehill64]

I agree, especially since the Mayor showed total disrespect by NOT showing up 
at the Mediation/Community Relations meeting yesterday. It is the same 
disrespect that he has shown since the process began. Ironically there were 
police 
officers present, to show their support for the mediation process and 
community/police relations as a whole. I applaud them for their show of respect 
and 
support to our communities.




Michelle Hill

Cleveland
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Re: [Mpls] Looking for piano teachers

[nikkicarlson001]

We have this really wonderful piano teacher named Joan Johnson. She has been 
teaching my daughter for several years. My daughter is a reluctant student and 
Joan is very gentle and encouraging. If anybody wants her number, send me a 
note.
 
Nikki Carlson
Linden Hills
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Re: [Mpls] Police Accountibity

[Becca Vargo Daggett]

I think Aaron, Jim, and Bob are all right on.

But I don't think any kind of preference or even incentive program by  
Minneapolis would be legal under Minn. Statue 415.16.


415.16 Employment; residence requirement.

Subdivision 1.No exception for on-premises residence.

  Notwithstanding any contrary provision of other law, home

 rule charter, ordinance or resolution, no statutory or home rule

 charter city or county shall require that a person be a resident

 of the city or county as a condition of employment by the city

 or county except for positions which by their duties require the

 employee to live on the premises of the person's place of

 employment.

Background on the issue, I believe, is that there was an exemption  
from the state preemption of local authority over residency  
requirements for Mpls. & St. Paul until the 1997-98 session. (I know  
Wes Skoglund opposed removing the exemption, but I don't know who  
else opposed it.)


So, as Aaron pointed out in his original post, it requires talking to  
our Mpls. & St. Paul legislators. Whether or not you agree with  
residency requirements, this is the kind of thing that local  
governments, not the state, should decide.


Becca Vargo Daggett
Seward

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Re: [Mpls] Police Accountibity

[Steve Nelson]

At ACORN we have repeatedly brought up the issue of residency requirements 
for police to cut down ont the US against THEM mentality that seems to creep 
in when the police come into our communities to work but go home elsewhere 
to live and play.  The fact is that Minneapolis used to have a residency 
requirement but about 20 years ago the police union went to the state 
legislature to request that this be struck down as they often felt they and 
their families could be singled out for retaliation when neighborhood 
tensions were high.  The legislature agreed and made residency requirements 
illegal.


I imagine part of the thinking back then was how many officers would feel so 
threatened that they would pack up and head for the suburbs and, since they 
had 100% of the force within the city, many officers would still remain.


Of course, over the years those officers have retired and recruiting has 
gone on outside the city since the residency requirement was dropped and 
today we have very few officers who actually live in, are neighbors to and 
know intimately the communities they police.


Since the state already weighed in on the residency issue, maybe we need to 
make residency a recruitment requirement.  To be hired you must come from 
the city but once hired you can live where you want.  That way we will get a 
lot more officers who have roots in the city and know at least the 
neighborhoods where they were raised, or, if someone from elsewhere wants to 
be a Minneapolis police officer, they will have to take an apartment 
somewhere in the city while applying and get a little taste of what part of 
the city is like during that process.


Steve Nelson
Willard Hay
ACORN Board, Northside Chapter


Bob Velez
Shingle Creek
Ward 4-1
board member, Minneapolis Civilian Police Review Authority

wrote
I believe that offering incentives for officers to live within Minneapolis 
proper is a very good idea.  Ultimately, I would prefer having a residency 
requirement for officers, but I don't believe that desire ought to stand 
in the way of at least getting more officers to live in the city.


No one would automatically lose their jobs if other municipalities enacted 
such rules.  Grandfathering and/or transition periods would provide 
workers with plenty of time to either move or find other employment.  I 
viewed Mike's remark as somewhat of a red herring.  No offense, Mike. 
:-)





Michael Hohmann wrote:


Aaron Neumann says, in part,


Let's advocate at the Legislature for a Minneapolis residency requirement
for all City employees...



[MH] I believe this issue has been discussed on this list in the past.  In
general, I think residency requirements simply serve to limit the pool of
qualified individuals eligible for any given position-- a result that is 
not

in the best interest of city residents and taxpayers.  Residency
requirements also unfairly restrict an individuals ability to choose where
they want to live, etc.  Consider for a moment what would happen if all
surrounding municipalities enacted residency requirements-- all Mpls.
residents employed outside Mpls. would loose their jobs!

Mike Hohmann
Linden Hills


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[Mpls] The Buckthorn Menace

[kellyobrien]

Issues Listers,
Jim Proctor is an incredibly talented sculptor, and this is a fantastic project.

Artist Thwarts the Buckthorn Menace!

Buckthorn is an invasive alien shrub or small tree that is choking out native
plant communities in the deciduous midwest. It is originally from Europe and
has been widely planted in yards as a hedge. From people’s yards it has escaped
into the wild. With no natural enemies and aggressive dispersal, it outcompetes
native wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Our natural areas are rapidly
becoming buckthorn monocultures. The problem is very severe in the Twin Cities
area.

“The Buckthorn Menace” is a temporary public art project by Jim Proctor that
will involve the creation of 20+ sculptures which resemble giant alien
dandelions in seed (see picture on page 2). This ‘infestation’ will be made
from dried buckthorn, unable to propagate, that is removed from parkland
overrun with the plant. Sculptures will be installed along the Winchell Trail
in the
Seward Neighborhood of Minneapolis (trail begins at the intersection of East
24th Street and West River Parkway). The ‘dandelions’ will be 8 to 10 ft tall,
mounted on existing buckthorn stems at the site of their removal. The
sculptures will be left to decompose, or removed after at least one year.
Afterwards the site will be maintained as a native plant community by the
neighborhood. Viewers will be shocked into a heightened awareness of the
problem of buckthorn, and gain a greater understanding of the nature of
invasive species.

Saturday, October 15, 2005 – Buckthorn Removal Event
9:00 am – 12:00 noon / Seward Neighborhood at the intersection of East 25th
Street + West River Pkwy, Minneapolis
Join with the community and artist Jim Proctor to help remove this invasive
species and gather art materials at the same time. The buckthorn we remove will
be used to create the ‘infestation’ installation of giant dandelions in the same
area along the Winchell Trail. The removal event is sponsored by the Friends of
the Mississippi River www.fmr.org. For more information on this event, please
contact Elizabeth Storey, 651-222-2193 x16 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Saturday, November 5, 2005 – Sculpture Dedication Event
2:00 – 3:30 pm / Seward Neighborhood at the intersection of East 24th Street +
West River Pkwy, Minneapolis
All are invited to come celebrate the installation of “The Buckthorn Menace” and
learn more about what the Seward Neighborhood has done to restore its natural
environment. Special invited guests include Mary Maguire Lerman,
Coordinator of Horticulture Programs for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Board, Elizabeth Storey, Watershed Education Coordinator with Friends of the
Mississippi River, and artist Jim Proctor.

Kelly O'Brien
Kingfield
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Re: [Mpls] An additional comment to the PCRC review of the PS & RS/schools

[Steve Nelson]

Greg Reinhardt
Excelsor

wrote
Because an applicant must have licensure from the MN POST Board (Police 
Officer Standards and Training) or reciprocity from the military/or 
another state,   Law enforcement classes  must be from one of the 
college/schools approved by the  Minnesota Professional Peace Officer 
Education Program. See the list at MN POST website 
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/newpost/PPOE%20Programs.htm.


To increase the number of Minneapolis residents, have the Legislature 
exempt the city of Minneapolis from State POST Board requirements.  A neat 
trick if you can do it and a step backwards in employment standards.


OR

Start recruiting in all the high schools and set up a scholarship fund to 
send graduates to college for training and licensing with the agreement that 
they will serve on the Minneapolis Police Department for 5 years after 
graduation.  A mini form of ROTC, if you will.  That way you get a police 
force with ties to the community and you don't have to bend any rules or 
change state law.


Steve Nelson
Willard Hay 


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Re: [Mpls] Publicizing Community Forums & Debates

[David Weinlick]

Michael Mackey wrote:

(2)  Are there other online sources I should be aware of that might keep me
better informed (community calendars, etc)?



There is a great resource available in the Community Connections Calendar:
http://ccc.localevent.net/

This is a great way for people to find events in one centralized 
location.  However, more people need to participate and post their 
events.  If every community organization committed to posting events on 
this calendar, it would be easy to see how many different ways people 
could become engaged in their communities.  It would also help to avoid 
scheduling conflicts, as groups could easily see what else is happening 
on a particular date.


To get more information about how to become a calendar participant, 
e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]


David Weinlick
Armatage

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[Mpls] Minneapolis Public Schools to hold American Indian Community Forum

[Josh Collins]

On Tuesday, October 18, 2005, Minneapolis Public Schools will host an 
American Indian Community Forum. Attached is a flyer about the event. If 
you have questions, please feel free to contact Tim Brown, director of 
indian education, at (612) 668-0611.


The American Indian Community Forum will provide an opportunity for 
American Indian families to share their thoughts and hear about the 
district's plans for the 2005-06 school year. The event will include a 
wall of hope activity, where community members are invited to write, 
illustrate and share their hopes and visions of success for students.


The event will include a feast, drumming and dancing, and a raffle for 
backpacks and school supplies. This event will be co-hosted by the 
Little Earth Community Partnership and Eleanor Coleman, former associate 
superintendent for Area B, which includes schools in the Central, 
Longfellow, Near North, Nokomis, Phillips, Powderhorn and University 
communities. These communities are home to a majority of American Indian 
students attending Minneapolis Public Schools.


EVENT:  American Indian Community Forum
DATE:   Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005
TIME:   6-8 p.m.
LOCATION:   Little Earth Community Partnership
   2501 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis

The forum is supported in partnership by:
Golden Eagle Program - Native Path to Wellness Project
Little Earth Community Partnership
The School Success Project of Hennepin County' Human Service/Public 
Health Dept.

Migizi Communications
Minneapolis Indian Education
Minneapolis Public Schools

--
Josh Collins
Director of Media Relations
Minneapolis Public Schools
807 N.E. Broadway Street, Room 100
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: 612-668-0228 | Mobile: 612-490-8410
Fax: 612-668-0235   | E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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[Mpls] Re: condo conversions

[clindau]

Barbara Lickness wrote:

"The building across the street from has converted to condominiums. The 1 bedroom condos range from $70K - $120K. Calculating 100% of the cost of the condo at a 5.75% interest rate I arrive at a monthly payment of $408 - $700. The association dues on this building run a little over $100 month. 


That seems pretty affordable to me. Way cheaper than paying rent for a one bedroom 
apartment."

--

My little block of the Wedge is being converted into condos--my apt 
included. The marketing brochure lists prices of $119,900 to $249,000 
for a one bedroom and $164,000 to $329,000 for a two bedroom. There are 
lots of incentives being offered to current tenants, but no one I've 
talked to is interested in staying. We all have our reasons for renting; 
saving to buy a house doesn't appear to be one of them. Not to mention 
the fact that these developers plan to "tear everything out--down to the 
studs--and start over." That means, to me, that in order to stay, you 
first have to leave.We are all going to have to leave by the end of 
January 2006.


I'd say more, but I have to keep packing.

Cindy Lindau
tip o' the Wedge for now


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[Mpls] Brighton rocks - Is this a model for community wi-fi?

[Steven Clift]

Hello Brighton & Hove, Minneapolis, and St. Paul Issues Forums all 
together.

The one issue all of your forums have had in common is the discussion 
of community wi-fi or wireless Internet connections.

For those in Brighton & Hove, how is wireless Internet making a 
splash in your community?  How did you make it work? (See newspaper 
article below.)

To prevent spam and the like, you can't just reply to all three lists 
at the same time, so reply locally, and watch each other's web-views 
for replies:

http://forums.e-democracy.org/brighton-hove/groups/bh/messages
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Brighton rocks 

With near-blanket coverage, no Brighton resident is more than 10 
minutes from a free connection. Peter Judge reports on the wireless 
service that carries public sector, commercial and educational 
traffic 

Thursday June 16, 2005
The Guardian 

Want to see the future? Go to Brighton, where it is being created 
through a blend of anarchy and civic pride. A partnership between the 
free Wi-Fi movement and the local council has now delivered wireless 
broadband via a new WiMax service.

...

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,1506911,00.html

Steven Clift
E-Democracy.Org
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[Mpls] The Buckthorn Menace art project

[Mark Wilde]

I second the idea that this is a great public art
project.  It is not mentioned in the original post,
but I am pretty sure this is funded with a grant from
Forecast in St. Paul.  

Check out more of the artists work 

http://mnartists.org/work.do?pageIndex=1&rid=7440

including squirrel resistent acorns.

Mark Wilde
Windom Park




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[Mpls] Colfax and 24th

[mphilip451]

Is anyone aware of what was happening on the corner of 24th St. and Colfax 
South last night around 12:20. I looked out my window and saw the sky 
flickering like a fire. I walked down to the corner of Dupont and 24th. There 
was a fire truck blocking the road and tape taping off the whole intersection. 
On the Northeast corner of 24th St S and Colfax was what looked like a flare 
and a bunch of fireworks all going off at once. I couldn't figure out what was 
going on exactly. Anyone know?
 
Matthew Philip
The Wedge
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[Mpls] Scouting values

[Emilie Quast]

"Leurquin, Ronald"  asked, I wonder then if we should uphold the Boy Scouts 
for its efforts at discrimination against the GLBT community then?


I'm a currently inactive Scouter.  That question is one that has bothered 
lots of us.  It's been my experience that in Minneapolis, the expression of 
loyalty among Scouts and Scouters trumps the directives coming out of the 
national office.As long as I've been involved in Scouting, going back 
to the mid-1950s when I rode shotgun with my father to take people to Many 
Point, there have been gays in Boy Scouting.  Almost invariably, if they 
were Scouters, they were  highly valued, creative and reliable 
leaders.  I'm sure there were exceptions, but I don't recall them.


A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Friendly, Helpful, Courteous, Kind,
Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent!

For Michael's list, I'd have to drop the word "successful" because there 
are so many kinds of success.  Financial success is nice as long as it's 
not at the expense of other kinds of success that I value more highly.


--Emilie Quast
SE Como

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[Mpls] Re: [SPIF] Gopher Stadium, the new No Stadium Tax Yahoo Group and Patagonia

[Dann Dobson]

I think Jane's idea is brilliant. Take the existing
grandstand and build the Gophers stadium onto it.

It is also remarkable that I find myself in agreement
with both Jane Prince AND MITCH BERG. The only
dissenter I see out there is Dave Shove, rubbing 2
sticks together trying to stay warm.

The next time the Gopher stadium idea is raised I will
say, "If they are going to build it, it should be on
the fairgrounds."

But, not to be a naysayer, isn't the whole purpose the
U wants a new stadium is so that it's on campus?

Dann Dobson


--- Jane Prince <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> A friend of mine is on his way to visit the Texas
> State Fair.  That's
> where the Cotton Bowl is.  
>  
> He said, "I don't understand why the U doesn't build
> the new Gopher
> Stadium inside the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.  The
> grandstand is old
> and crummy.  You could build a new Gopher stadium,
> which could double as
> the grandstand during the State Fair.  All the rest
> of the year, it
> would be easy to get to, easy to park and it's near
> the U."
>  
> Why don't we build the Gopher stadium inside the
> Minnesota State
> Fairgrounds?  
>  
> Jane Prince
> Mounds Park
> 
> 
> Jane  Prince
> 
> More info:
>
http://forums.e-democracy.org/stpaul/contacts/janeprince
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[Mpls] The Buckthorn Menace art project

[Mark Wilde]

I second the idea that this is a great public art
project.  It is not mentioned in the original post,
but I am pretty sure this is funded with a grant from
Forecast in St. Paul.  

Check out more of the artists work 

http://mnartists.org/work.do?pageIndex=1&rid=7440

including squirrel resistent acorns.

Mark Wilde
Windom Park





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Re: [Mpls] Police Accountibity

[Peter Vevang]

wmmarks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
To see the other negative possibilities of a requirement to live in 
Minneapolis, remember Charlie Stenvig. From all reports, that guy was a 
walking disaster. When he was elected, cops had to live in Minneapolis 
and they used the federation to get him elected. Oi and vey too.


Peter Vevang writes:
Its interesting, the exact opposite is happening now.  The Police Union 
isn't really a force in City elections, they don't have a critical 
mass.  They can still make donations and endorse, but they can't show up 
in great numbers, and they do not have the capacity to mobilize voters 
or the community in a big way.  If 350 people show up, that can 
sometimes be enough to swing the vote for one candidate or another.  Its 
an odd situation, where they can't really directly affect the voting 
results for the people that control their pay, benefits and how many 
jobs are available.  The result is that they are treated like a product 
that can be bought and sold like shares of stock.  I think that is 
terrible. 

I think the reason for this situation is that they don't have neighbors 
that know them, or know their kids, or go to the same church, many don't 
have roots here.  I would much rather see them embedded in the 
community.  Police living here would connect the job of being a cop to 
also being a neighbor, that would make law enforcement something your 
neighbors did, not something an outsider does.  No outsider cop will 
ever be as connected as someone who lives in your city.  No matter how 
good they are as a cop, if they don't live here they aren't going to get 
the same level of community support as a cop asking over the fence to 
his neighbor for a helping hand.  Living here would help citizens see 
them as people, not just cops.  Right now, cops are treated like a 
service job, they come in and eliminate crime, they drive around in 
cars, hand out tickets and arrest people, and then vanish into thin air 
when their shift ends.  I think some cops must resent the way they are 
treated.  They don't get the respect or support they need in order to do 
their job right.  I don't think that is a healthy thing for our city.


I would contrast that to the Fire Department members.  The Fire 
Department Union activism was a huge component in the last city 
convention, if I had to make a wild guess I would say they had at least 
300+ members and supporters there, I think that gives them an advantage 
in advocating for themselves.  If we hadn't had record turnout, they 
almost certainly would have swung the convention.  The reason I think 
they could get that turnout is that it is much easier for average people 
to relate to them, they know them from the fire station, they know them 
as the person down the street, and when they get job cuts or unfair 
working conditions, their neighbors are going to be there to support 
them.  The way I see it, average people have more of a sense of 
solidarity with the Fire Department because they see them as friends and 
neighbors, not just public servants.  That gives them a measure of 
community support in anything they do.  People are glad to help them.


I think it would be a good idea for Police to be given a stipend to be 
able to afford living in Minneapolis, or an added incentive to live 
here.  I think it would make fighting crime easier, and I think it would 
be beneficial to the community and the police by adding a level of trust 
and support.  I think it would make it less stressful for Cops to do 
their job because they could feel the support of the community, and we 
would be less likely to lose experienced cops.  I think it would give 
the police an added incentive, if they were protecting 'their' 
community, and not just their employers community.


Peter Vevang
NE Minneapolis
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[Mpls] Re: "today's city council budget presentations" ***CORRECTION*** posted yesterda

[c lee]

I failed to mention that one other council member was present at Wednesday's 
presentations on CPED/NRP/ and mpls. library (as well as later 
police/citizen review)


  ***Council member Paul Zerby

CM Zerby has rarely missed a council, committee, budget presentation or 
study session these past 4 years.


There were 6 CM's present at library board presentations, out of 13 council 
members (7 missing).
Those present: Paul Zerby, Paul Ostrow, Natalie Johnson Lee, Barbara 
Johnson, Lisa Goodman and Dan Niziolek

Again, my apologies to CM Zerby.
Best wishes,
Cheryl Luger

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Re: [Mpls] 10th Ward race & LNA's $83,000 [long]

[Chris Johnson]

To: Wendy Pareene
CC: LNA Steering Committee
From: Julia Copeland, Jeannie Cunningham,Leslie Nitabach, Scott
Persons
Re: Unprofessional and unwarranted allegations against LNA volunteers  
and Staff by Wendy Pareene


This letter will respond to the allegations in your letter of February
10, 2003.  Your letter displays a profound lack of understanding, not
only of the facts, but also of the appropriate way to raise concerns you
may have.  As a member of the Steering Committee you have the right to
raise questions and discuss matters of concern.  In fact, far from being
prevented from raising your concerns, you have had ample opportunity to
discuss them.


And etc. etc. ad nauseum for many pages, filled with straw men, red herrings 
and "righteous" indignation.


The one item for me that gives this whole treatise the clinging malodor of 
obfuscatory, well-spun cover for misdeeds is this:  "Your allegation that 
$80,000 is "missing" and that someone might have stolen it..."


I did not see any allegation of stolen money, but I did see questions about 
what how $83,000 was spent and not reimbursed.  If the money is spent, but not 
reimbursed, as the writers freely admit, then where did the cash come from? 
Which account or other purpose was raided to spend it?  It's not like someone 
lost a pocketful of change and it was covered from petty cash.  $83,000 is a 
lot of money.  LNA wrote it off -- but all that means is hay had an 
unrecovered loss.  They still LOST $83,000 somehow.  How?  That's what Ms. 
Pareene seems to be asking.  And that's what many of us would like to know, too.


Confused statements about libel, slander, defamation and threats don't add 
much to the argument, either.  If they have a legal case, file it.  Otherwise, 
such comments sound like empty threats to me -- sort of like the pot calling 
the kettle black, if one is to believe the statements.


The real questions seem to be about the malfeasance, misfeasance and 
nonfeasance at LNA under the watch of Scott Persons and his friends.


I'd also like to know why some neighborhood associations spent tens of 
thousands of dollars of NRP money on staff time and related expenses (e.g. 
telephones at $8,000) and others spent nearly zero on staff, making do with 
almost all volunteer efforts.  That difference really does add ammunition to 
the critics of NRP who say that political hacks just abuse NRP as yet another 
way to belly up to the public trough.



Why is it the guilty are those who always protest the loudest?



Chris Johnson
Fulton

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mpls@mnforum.org

[Przynski, Marie]

The Minneapolis Police Department has all ready stepped off in this
direction by involvement, participation and support of the Edison High
School SLC (small learning center) in public service which exposes and
trains Minneapolis high school students in the areas of law enforcement,
education, public works, fire fighting, etc.  In additional the MPD is
has an Explorer's group (law enforcement exposure, open to Minneapolis
youth from 15-21).  Both programs always welcome community involvement
and support, and are a way of "home growing" to the police department -
but as Lt. Reinhardt pointed out earlier, it takes years and continued
dedication and commitment to the endeavor of recruitment for "community
police."


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Steve Nelson
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 9:53 AM
To: Reinhardt, G; mpls@mnforum.org
Subject: Re: [Mpls] An additional comment to the PCRC review of the PS
&RS/schools

> Greg Reinhardt
> Excelsor
wrote
> Because an applicant must have licensure from the MN POST Board
(Police 
> Officer Standards and Training) or reciprocity from the military/or 
> another state,   Law enforcement classes  must be from one of the 
> college/schools approved by the  Minnesota Professional Peace Officer 
> Education Program. See the list at MN POST website 
> http://www.dps.state.mn.us/newpost/PPOE%20Programs.htm.
>
> To increase the number of Minneapolis residents, have the Legislature 
> exempt the city of Minneapolis from State POST Board requirements.  A
neat 
> trick if you can do it and a step backwards in employment standards.

OR

Start recruiting in all the high schools and set up a scholarship fund
to 
send graduates to college for training and licensing with the agreement
that 
they will serve on the Minneapolis Police Department for 5 years after 
graduation.  A mini form of ROTC, if you will.  That way you get a
police 
force with ties to the community and you don't have to bend any rules or

change state law.

Steve Nelson
Willard Hay 

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Re: [Mpls] Brighton rocks - Is this a model for community wi-fi?

[Becca Vargo Daggett]

On Oct 13, 2005, at 10:33 AM, Steven Clift wrote:


Hello Brighton & Hove, Minneapolis, and St. Paul Issues Forums all
together.

The one issue all of your forums have had in common is the discussion
of community wi-fi or wireless Internet connections.



http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,1506911,00.html


What I'm seeing in this story is that the Brighton & Hove council:
1. Had a need - faster connections in the schools
2. Identified a possible solution - contacted a local wireless ISP  
about fixed wireless


The result was that the city was able to purchase what it needed at a  
lower cost than the other alternatives, and the local company found  
the impetus it needed to expand its business model to include long- 
range wireless. It doesn't interfere with the growing number of free  
wireless hot spots in town. Everyone wins.


Note that this fixed wireless - it substitutes for running a copper  
or fiber line to the building. Also note that the council already has  
a fiber network.


This is really very different from the citywide wireless cloud  
Minneapolis is seeking, though Minneapolis is also seeking fixed  
connections that could be met in this way.


Becca Vargo Daggett
Seward
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[Mpls] -$82,000 -$42,000 Scott Persons not for my city council

[Wendy Wilde]

The -$42,000 overspending during Scott Persons' 2nd year presidency speaks
for itself. The $8000 annual phone bill speaks for itself.
 The -$82,000 write off and the response to my call for a transparent
investigation and full report into what that money was used for also speaks
for itself.
 I don't care how many former employees and board members stick together, I
stand by my call for a full and transparent itemized accounting of that
money. The $82,000 was not itemized for the board, merely listed on a year
end financial statement as a lump sum. Nor was the $82,000 itemized for the
executive committee on which I sat. In the time I sat on the executive
committee there was never a "financial committee" discussion.
 The board was not successful in my removal until it first removed 2
African-Americans from the board on technical issues, and campaigned to
convince others. I sleep soundly at night knowing I stood up for what was
right, and would do it again in the same situation, no matter how strong the
peer pressure to go with the crowd.
 Reportedly that same summer, at the annual meeting, another resident
requested an investigation on where a $50,000 grant went. According to one
longtime neighbor, that money may have been part of the $82,000 write off.
To my knowledge there has never been a full report and itemized statement.
 I do not accuse anyone of stealing, but I do accuse the leadership of
refusing a simple request for a clear and transparent accounting of that
money for all to see.
 And I fully assert my First Amendment right to speak out against poor
leadership in political office. Scott Persons could not balance a budget as
President of a neighborhood organization how is he going to do it in city
hall? Scott Persons fought a request for transparency in spending, I don't
want to see smoke and mirrors with my taxpayer money in city hall. Scott
Persons is not a good candidate for Minneapolis City Council.
 Wendy Pareene
Minneapolis
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[Mpls] Simple solution to -$82,000 question

[Wendy Wilde]

The former treasurer of LNA says that -$82,000 write off was fully accounted
for within the board of directors. Although I was on that board and never
saw anything but a lump sum write off on the final year budget audit.
 So... it just occurred to me that the simplest way to resolve any question
about that money is to make that ITEMIZED ACCOUNTING OF EVERY PENNY OF THE
-$82,000 write off available for all to see! That is, after all, what I
asked for in the first place. How simple can this be!
 LET'S HAVE IT! Can you post it on the internet? Do we need to request it by
mail? Please let us know how to obtain the itemized accounting of the
-$82,000.
 Thank you. Sincerely,
Wendy Pareene
Minneapolis
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[Mpls] The Blimp

[Annie Young]

Part of a much larger article on The Blimp and its NEWS worthy purpose...


"It's been a fun campaign," Rueppel said. "Besides our own air, we really 
wanted to do some guerrilla marketing for the new newscast. We felt using a 
blimp was a way to create buzz and curiosity. A blimp flying overhead still 
gets people talking. There's so much clutter out there, but that's still 
something and I think this campaign demonstrated that. I felt we were 
successful in getting buzz from newspapers, talk radio, internet and even 
television."


Annie Young
East Phillips






















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Re: [Mpls] The Blimp

[Dann Dobson]

Yesterday I saw a new V.W. beetle with a small version of the blimp on top of 
it with the logo, "Enough is Enough".
 
Dann Dobson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


Annie Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Part of a much larger article on The Blimp and its NEWS worthy purpose...


"It's been a fun campaign," Rueppel said. "Besides our own air, we really 
wanted to do some guerrilla marketing for the new newscast. We felt using a 
blimp was a way to create buzz and curiosity. A blimp flying overhead still 
gets people talking. There's so much clutter out there, but that's still 
something and I think this campaign demonstrated that. I felt we were 
successful in getting buzz from newspapers, talk radio, internet and even 
television."

Annie Young
East Phillips






















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-
 Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.
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RE: [Mpls] Today's city council budget presentations: CPED, NRP, Mpls public library

[Alan Hooker]

Cheryl Luger is right about Kit Hadley's presentation being a giant positive 
step forward on the path toward a better dialog between City Council and 
Minneapolis Public Library about the allocation of funds to our library 
system.  It will be up to the next Library Board and Council to make sure 
that this discussion continues.  I consider myself fortunate to personally 
know, and to have my candidacy endorsed by, many of the current council 
members or those seeking election.


Should I be fortunate enough to be elected to the Library Board, I will look 
forward to working with Kit and the Friends of the Minneapolis Public 
Library to continue building this relationship with our Council, as well as 
with other city, county and state elected officials.


Cheryl wrote:

 Unfortunately, only 5 of the 13 council members were there to here 
it--Natalie Johnson Lee, Paul Ostrow, Barbara Johnson, Dan Niziolek, and 
Lisa Goodman.  I realize other council people can listen to it on tape (if 
they can find the time) but nothing beats being right there to ask 
questions.  The Mayor was not present.


Although I agree with Cheryl's sentiment that this is an important 
conversation that needs to engage all council members, it should be noted 
that this was not a city council meeting.  This was a hearing of the 
council's Ways and Means/Budget Committee which is chaired by Council Member 
Barb Johnson and has Council Members Colvin Roy, Zerby, Lane, Johnson Lee 
and Niziolek as its additional members.  Naturally, any council member can 
be present and pose questions, as did Council Members Ostrow and Goodman.  
Still, it is the job of the committee to take back information to the 
council as a whole.


Also, from where Cheryl was sitting she may not have been able to see Mayor 
Rybak seated along the wall back by the rear door.  It appears he was able 
to observe part of the presentation and discussion before he had to leave.


I encourage everyone to attend as many candidate forums as possible -- 
whether for Library Board, Council, Mayor, Board of Estimate and Taxation 
(although I don't think there are any forums slated for the last office) -- 
and ask the candidates where they stand on issues vital to library funding.  
It's all interconnected and we are in this together.


Alan Hooker
Victory / Camden Neighborhood
Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board
www.alanhooker.com


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[mpls] MPRB meeting 10-5-05 highlights part 2

[Elizabeth Wielinski]

Report from Admin and Fin Committee

7.1 Adopt the Commissioners budget priorities for the 2006 budget ( 
based on surveys turned in by 7, vs the 4 last meeting, commissioners )


GM for Administration Don Siggelkow

The duty of the board is to..
  Decide property tax policy
  Set fee policies
  Define services we will provide
  Define service levels
  Set salaries and benefits
  How these policies are then implemented are up to the superintendent 
and staff to work out (I hope that there are SOME boundaries on how )


Do you have a line item budget? yes  Can you have one?  just ask ( Can 
the public ask???  I am asking)


He then showed the compilation numbers that staff arrived upon from the 
7 commissioner surveys they received


Commissioner Hauser asks for the differentiation in Fees 1 and Fees 2

1) what the MPRB presently collects ( as a percentage of the total 
cost) and 2) the average % the commissioners would like to see 
recovered


Commissioner Young asks how the MPRB is dealing with increased costs 
for energy, health insurance and pensions and where would these costs 
be found


GM Siggelkow points out the healthcare will rise 20% this year ( 1/2 
million ) but there is a one time increase in LGA this year so the 
board is not facing budget cuts.  Energy costs are expected to increase 
between $150,000-$175,000 and pensions are handled by the city and 
historically have not been an issue for the MPRB


Commissioner Young as head of the Operations and Environment committee 
notes that Maintenance seems to take big hits when the staff chooses 
where to cut.  How can the Commissioners vote to keep more maintenance.


GM Sigglekow responds that they need to specify this and pick a 
different area to cut


Commissioner Erwin points out that the top 10 are in pretty basic 
categories like tree removal and replanting, youth sports and 
supervision and building and field maintenance he also mentions some on 
the bottom like the horse patrol and storm response (gee, just after 
the last meeting storm response was very important in reality) he then 
asks when the there will be specific discussion and if the board will 
meet as a committee of the whole to do this?


Commissioner Dziedzic points out that when they we last elected there 
were 137 parkkeepers and now only 115, can the dept absorb more cuts


GM Schmidt admits it could be done but the system would have to change 
(Hey Mike... are you talking about outsourcing union jobs here?  )


Commissioner Dziedzic and President Olson have words over how long 
Commissioner Dziedzic has been speaking


Commissioner Mason states that in her 8 1/2 years there have never been 
discussions about the specifics in regard to budgeting (amongst the 
commissioners) and that it mostly came to picking where to do 
eliminations.  She then makes a motion for a meeting of the board as a 
Committee of the Whole where the budget talks will be the only agenda 
item.


Commissioner Berry Graves seconds the motion and would like more 
details from GM Schmidt about his last statement ( Liz would too)
She is hearing that we are maintaining at the current level and that 
people want it better so what options would be needed.


OPEN TIME

President Olson has 11 people signed up for OPEN TIME and 15 minutes 
available so doing the math comes up with 1 minute 20 sec per speaker 
(but there were not 11 people and he should maybe have confirmed that )


Barb Stevens of the West Calhoun Neighborhood shows maps of Lake 
Calhoun and points out where they need Stop signs for safety.  There 
are 5 stop signs on the other side of the lake along the Parkway and 
they have ZERO.  She mentions petitions ( 95% of those asked, signed )


Mary Tate presents the resolution and the signed petitions requesting 
stop signs at W 36TH ST, W 32ND ST, and at the exit for the parking lot 
at the Lake Calhoun Executive Center.  They would like to prevent a 
tragedy from happening in a 25mph zone where speeds average nearer 40 
mph


Meg Fourney
In light of the Board recently taking the initiative for a 
comprehensive look at Lake Calhoun, and now taking into account these 
residents' comments, I would like to remind the Board of 3 items:
1)  In 1997, appointed to the Park Board's Parkway Traffic Study, I 
served to address effective and consistent traffic calming methods. 
Clearly West Calhoun is inconsistent with East Calhoun, as they have 
stop signs at every intersection and West Calhoun has none. The 2004 
Traffic Study Addendum suggests raised pedestrian crosswalks are 
effective.
2)   The Chain of Lakes Study, with architect Michael Van Valkenberg, 
addressed commuter use of the Parkways through the continuous parkway 
intersections, and suggested breaking the continuous path with 
t-intersections.  Commuter traffic has seriously increased since his 
recommendations.  Breaking the pattern is essential. These 
t-intersections, as well as other alternatives to decrease commuter 
traffic ne

Re: [Mpls] 10th Ward race & LNA's $83,000 [long]

[Scott Moore]

Wendy Wilde wrote:
>  So... it just occurred to me that the simplest way to resolve any 
question about that money is to make that ITEMIZED ACCOUNTING OF EVERY 
PENNY OF THE -$82,000 write off available for all to see! That is, after 
all, what I asked for in the first place. How simple can this be!


List manager wrote:
I'm forwarding this at the request of Jeanne Cunningham, in regards  to 
the 10th Ward controversy over Lyndale Neighborhood Association  
spending and Scott Persons. -- David Brauer, list manager


To: Wendy Pareene
CC: LNA Steering Committee
From: Julia Copeland, Jeannie Cunningham,Leslie Nitabach, Scott
Persons
Re: Unprofessional and unwarranted allegations against LNA volunteers  
and Staff by Wendy Pareene

...
This letter will respond to the allegations in your letter of February
10, 2003.  Your letter displays a profound lack of understanding, not
only of the facts, but also of the appropriate way to raise concerns you
may have.  As a member of the Steering Committee you have the right to
raise questions and discuss matters of concern.  In fact, far from being
prevented from raising your concerns, you have had ample opportunity to
discuss them.
...
As you well know, there has never been any possibility that this money
was stolen, and any suggestion to the contrary is completely false.
The outside auditor proposed and approved the write off. (Copy of letter
attached).
...




Contact the "outside auditor". Ask him/her for a copy of their paperwork.

What did the "Copy of letter attached" say? I assume Ms. Wilde(Pareene) 
still has the response letter, a copy of which was posted by the list 
manager, and the attached letter.


What was contained in Ms. Wilde's(Pareene's) February 10, 2003 letter?

--
Scott Moore
Lyndale
612.791.2333
Happy Accident Productions, LLC
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RE: [Mpls] Police Accountibity

[Bruce Leier]

What part of that language says anything about incentive?  I believe St.
Paul give incentive to live in PHA housing.

Bruce Leier
Powderhorn

Commit random acts of literacy! Read & Release at 
http://www.bookcrossing.com/friend/agitator


> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
> Of Becca Vargo Daggett
> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 08:59 AM
> To: mpls@mnforum.org
> Subject: Re: [Mpls] Police Accountibity
> 
> I think Aaron, Jim, and Bob are all right on.
> 
> But I don't think any kind of preference or even incentive program by
> Minneapolis would be legal under Minn. Statue 415.16.
> 
> 415.16 Employment; residence requirement.
> 
>  Subdivision 1.No exception for on-premises residence.
> 
>Notwithstanding any contrary provision of other law, home
> 
>   rule charter, ordinance or resolution, no statutory or home rule
> 
>   charter city or county shall require that a person be a resident
> 
>   of the city or county as a condition of employment by the city
> 
>   or county except for positions which by their duties require the
> 
>   employee to live on the premises of the person's place of
> 
>   employment.
> 
> Background on the issue, I believe, is that there was an exemption
> from the state preemption of local authority over residency
> requirements for Mpls. & St. Paul until the 1997-98 session. (I know
> Wes Skoglund opposed removing the exemption, but I don't know who
> else opposed it.)
> 
> So, as Aaron pointed out in his original post, it requires talking to
> our Mpls. & St. Paul legislators. Whether or not you agree with
> residency requirements, this is the kind of thing that local
> governments, not the state, should decide.
> 
> Becca Vargo Daggett
> Seward
> 
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> democracy.org/discuss.html
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> 
> Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-
> Democracy
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[Mpls] You are invited to an evening with Cam Gordon Candidate for Minneapolis City Council for Ward 2

[Tom Taylor]

You are invited to an evening with Cam Gordon Candidate for Minneapolis City
Council for Ward 2

When -  Monday,  October  17,  7:00 p.m.

Where - Trinity Lutheran Congregational Office
2001 Riverside Avenue, 2nd Floor (Back entrance)

What -  Community, conversation and positive politics

Why -   To discuss how we can all make this a better city for everyone. Come
learn more about how Cam will fight for the Cedar Riverside community with
the passion, effectiveness and civility that only he can provide. Cam knows
our neighborhood. He knows our city. He knows the issues. His victory on
November 8 will be our victory and an important step towards making this a
better city for us, our children, and all the people of Minneapolis.

Who -   You and all your friends, family and neighbors. Children are
encouraged to come.

Tom Taylor
Sheridan

"Raise less corn and more hell."
Mary Elizabeth Lease

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Re: [Mpls] 10th Ward race & LNA's $83,000 [long]

[List manager]

Scott Moore wrote:




What did the "Copy of letter attached" say?



Here's the text of the letter from Michael S. Wilson, CPA,  
Minneapolis. It's undated, addressed to the LNA board.


Dear Board members:

This letter is in response to written comments expressed by your  
board member, Wendy Introwitz Pareene. Ms. Pareene suggested an  
estimated $80,000 is missing from LNA accounts and cannot be  
accounted for. I would like to present my audit findings from the  
fiscal year 2002 audit to the board of directors to clarify this  
issues. Please contact me at 827-6426 to schedule a time for this  
meeting.


While the Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA) suffered a financial  
loss, it is not accurate to describe the loss as "misappropriated,  
perhaps illegally." The audit adjustment was a write-off of an (sic)  
$80,000 in accounts receivable. The Lyndale Neighborhood Association  
requested $80,000 of funding from the Minneapolis Neighborhood  
Revitalization Program (NRP) chose not to reimburse the request. The  
LNA was engaged in activities that a major funding source, the  
Minneapolis NRP, chose not to fund. While these activities appeared  
to be consistent with the LNAs overall mission, they were not  
consistent with the NRP's contracts. Overall, the issues regarding  
this non-reimbursement of expenses are related to the quality of the  
accounting system, and program compliance with funding source  
requirements.


I have audited the annual financial statements of the Lyndale  
Neighborhood Association for the prior three years. The Minneapolis  
Neighborhood Revitalization Program has engaged me to perform these  
audits. I am independent of the board of directors and the management  
of the Lyndale Neighborhood Association.


Sincerely,
Michael S. Wilson, CPA

Forwarded by David Brauer, list manager


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Re: [Mpls] An additional comment to the PCRC review of the PS & RS/schools

[gemgram]

No Gregory, Minnesota does NOT have to relax the licensing standards. All 
Minneapolis has to do is make a priority out of hiring those residents of 
Minneapolis who are licensed by the State of Minnesota who have gone to our 
colleges and have passed the exams.  No special treatment other than 
recognizing that having grown up and actually owning a house in Minneapolis 
makes one more qualified to be a police officer in Minneapolis.  Just as 
having grown up in Detroit should make someone more qualified to be a police 
officer in Detroit.  And by the way, it takes more than a few years to teach 
someone to be part of a community and to feel that City and community is 
his, hers, or theirs.  I am not sure the Hessians hired by the British to 
occupy America ever really thought of themselves as Americans in the several 
years they garrisoned New York.  I know most of my buddies never felt they 
were FROM Viet Nam; even those lucky enough to spend a couple of years 
in-country.  Ask the GI guys stationed in Germany and Korea for two or three 
years if they are now German or Korean.


I am not saying only hire people from Minneapolis, I AM saying make it a 
priority to hire those who grew up in Minneapolis and who KNOW Minneapolis 
and are PART OF Minneapolis!  And Gregory and others, I know for a fact that 
there are such people waiting to be hired.


Should officers be given an incentive to by houses and live in Minneapolis? 
I think so, lets face it police officers do not stop being police officers 
when off duty.  It is why they carry guns off duty.  We simply would get 
more service for our money from an officer living in the City.  Both from 
actual policing and from the public relations and community involvement 
stand point. Since they are giving greater service pay them a little more, 
it's only fair. Remember HUD use to make a priority of selling repossessed 
homes to police officers who worked in the City where the house was located. 
Minneapolis should do the same.  If officers like Greg wish to live outside 
the City that is fine, but lets realize we get less service for our dollars 
because he makes that decision.


We should empower our own residents first!  Another good idea.  Those living 
in a Federally designated "Empowerment Zone" should be given even more 
priority in hiring and added incentive in pay.  Again because it is our 
mission to empower those individuals, and because we get even more service 
from them. Greg and other seem to think it adds an additional burden to an 
officer to live in the City, and particularly the inner-city neighborhoods. 
We should reward those who willing  bear that burden! Keep the budget 
balanced by slightly reducing compensation for those who do not.


But lets start by giving those who are from our inner-city (and qualified) a 
chance to serve us their families and communities.


Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, Phillips Community, the inner-city of Minneapolis


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[Mpls] Tenth Ward debate

[wmmarks]

Wendy Pareene's blog and postings to this list illustrate an unfortunate 
and disastrous way to behave as a member of a community organization's 
board and steering committee. What she has done may very well be the 
primary catalyst for blowing up Lyndale's organization.


The auditor's letter, posted by our fearless leader, shows the problem 
Lyndale Neighborhood had with NRP--using NRP money for initiatives which 
do not, in the opinion of NRP, meet their criteria for contract 
parameters. Other neighborhoods, including my own, have made similar 
expenditures and found that they did not meet NRP contract criteria, 
even though the neighborhood organization thought, in making the 
expenditures, that it was meeting the criteria.


To make the cheese more binding, Ms. Pareene, in throwing up a blog 
site, is using the issue as a way to make Mr. Persons look like a bad 
choice for Tenth Ward council member in the coming election. One is 
automatically led to the conclusion that Ms. Pareene supports the other 
candidate. Candidates are often unfortunate in their supporters.


I want to emphasize here that I have no preference in the race. It's not 
my ward and I don't know the issues or the parties well enough to have a 
preference. I've never met Mr. Remington and only know Persons 
slightly--not enough to say him aye or nay.


Regardless of the election's outcome, Lyndale Neighborhood stands to 
suffer from a board member who 'put their business in the street,' 
rather than dealing with the issues she raises with the board itself. It 
makes me feel bad for Lyndale Neighborhood. The neighborhood does not 
deserve to be treated this way.


WizardMarks, Central
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[Mpls] Park Board District 3 and the status quo

[Svattheriver]

The ideas of  reform or strategic planning without context may seem vague to 
some folks. But  here is  what the status quo is in my District.

What residents want are  bathrooms, services in their parks and to see broken 
things get fixed and  to be able to know what is going on. In my District, 
District 3  which  includes the Phillips, Cedar Riverside and Seward 
Nieghborhoods,  let's  look at our parks. 

Peavey Park is closed with all its programs  transferred to other Parks- no 
explanation or coordination with the  community.

East Phillips was promised a much needed community center 12  years ago. 
Every year, for 12 years the Board has spent its time and money on  such things 
as 
a failed sports complex outside the city limits, a marina  proposal for a 
location that could not work for a marina, a proposal to build a  restaurant in 
Loring Park, adding another expensive layer of adminstrators to  suprervise non 
existant constituant services.

Riverside Park (another  highly used park with no park services)-  bulldozers 
just show and just rip  things up without anyone in the adjacent homes being 
informed or involved. The  park Board has  ripped up the tennis court, pulled 
out the back stop for a  much used ball field that has been used by picnicers 
and neighbors for things  like- parents against the kids games, for more than 
20 years.
The backstop  was supposed to be replaced. Where is it?

Bluff Street Park- hard working  neighbors get door slammed in their face for 
trying to improve abandoned park  property.

Matthews Park- We have tons of kids from new African immigrant  families. 
Soccer is a great passion in the African community but are these kids  in the 
Matthews soccer programs? No they aren't.
Outreach means going out-  you have to recruit. Instead the Park Board 
cancels its mailed out newspaper  that tells residents about programs- now you 
have 
to go online. When my kids  were teens, the Park directors knew where the kids 
were and went out and got  them. They knew which kids were starting to get 
into trouble and needed  something positive to do.

I hear a constant drone of lip service from the  Park Board majority about 
programs for kids. But the reality is we are not  serving our teens.
Matthews Park has 2 foot by 3 foot sign on the front door  telling teens they 
cannot enter the Park Building in the evening unless they  have already 
signed up for a program. 


If it is broken, don't  fix it. 
I build things, I fix things at my day job. We could save the tax  payers 
hudreds of thousands of dollars at 26th Street if there would be some  routine 
repair of a washout. Instead the sidewalk and trail are about to  collapse.

In Seward, the Park benches are broken along the River.  Three 2x6's and six 
bolts takes how many years to replace?

In my District  the most glaring neglect is how the Park Board Majority and 
its District #  3 Commissioner have ignored the needs of Phillips.

Thanks,
Scott  Vreeland   Seward 
 
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[Mpls] Star Tribune Web Site

[Charles Gimon]

Forwarded message:

> Nathan Hunstad wrote:
> 
> A couple things I've noted.  Overall there are no problems with the
> new design.  When I load the site in Firefox, however, the Flash items
> jump all over the page momentarily until it is entirely loaded.  I
> don't think this happens in Internet Explorer, so maybe it is a case
> of not testing the site on alternative (<*-cough-*> better
> <*-cough-*>) browsers.  
> 

I have an older Mozilla 0.9-something for testing, and a newer 
Firefox 1.0.6. The Flash jumps around in the old Mozilla, but not
in the new Firefox.

> 
> On 10/12/05, Steve Brandt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Yes, it crashed around 6:30 a.m., after demand overwhelmed the servers in 
> > North Carolina.  Back up around 10.  Curious what people think iof the 
> > site's new look.
> >

You know, if a manufacturer or other big company outsourced work to
a lower-wage state, there might be questions about their commitment to
the community. I know this stuff can be hosted literally anywhere on
the planet, and I don't mean to bust anybody's tender parts about this,
and I know the decision may have been made at McClatchy corporate or
some faraway place...but that was the gut reaction I just had.

--Charles Gimon
  Waite Park

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[Mpls] Stonewall DFL Tea Dance and fundraiser

[Paul Skrbec]

Meet Stonewall DFL endorsed candidates at the Saloon on October 23 from
4-6 pm at the Stonewall DFL Tea Dance/fundraiser featuring:

Dancing
Shake your grove thing on the dance floor to the retro 70s and 80s
sounds of our guest DJ. 

Drink specials
The creative staff at the Saloon has concocted the Stonewall Special in
our honor and to benefit our candidates. Partial proceeds from the sale
of the Stonewall Special will be donated to our candidates.

Food 
What's a party without food? Enjoy a selection of delights from GLBT
kitchens across the twin cities! 

Silent auction 
Place your bid on a wide selection of items donated from some of your
favorite GLBT (and friendly) businesses in the metro. 

Stonewall DFL Tea Dance
Sunday, October 23 
4-6 pm (join us after the Vikings vs. Packers game!)
Saloon Minneapolis (9th & Hennepin) 

Suggested donation of $25 per person. 
All proceeds will benefit our endorsed candidates listed below.  

Minneapolis Mayor - Peter McLaughlin
Saint Paul Mayor - Chris Coleman 

Minneapolis City Council
Ward 1 - Paul Ostrow 
Ward 2 - Cara Letofsky
Ward 3 - Diane Hofstede
Ward 4 - Barb Johnson 
Ward 6 - Robert Lilligren 
Ward 7 - Lisa Goodman
Ward 9 - Gary Schiff 
Ward 10 - Scott Persons 
Ward 11 - Scott Benson
Ward 12 - Sandy Colvin Roy
Ward 13 - Betsy Hodges

Saint Paul Board of Education
Elona Street-Stewart, John Brodrick 

Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation
Carol Becker, Jill Schwimmer

Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees
Alan Hooker, Rod Krueger, Laurie Savran, Gary Thaden, Laura Watermen
Wittstock 

Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board
District 1 - Walt Dziedzic 
District 2 -  Jon Olson 
District 3 - Scott Vreeland 
District 4 - Tracy Nordstrom 
District 5 - Carol Kummer
District 6 - Bob Fine
At-Large - Mary Merrill Anderson, Rochelle Berry Graves, Tom Nordyke


Hope to see many of you there! 

Peace & pride,

Paul R. Skrbec
Chair, Stonewall DFL
Inver Grove Heights, MN
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 



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[Mpls] haunted house cartoon

[wmmarks]

Strib cartoonist Steve Sack has a haunted house cartoon at this address:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Kewl!

WizardMarks, Central
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[Gregory Reinhardt]

No, any incentives to public employees smack of an unethical Quid pro Quo pro 
no matter how noble the intent.   Employment with the city exists to serve the 
public not to be served by the public.  House the homeless, create affordable 
housing for all (not just for city employees), provide hope, jobs, and 
opportunity to citizens first.  Once done you won't need a zip-code qualifier.

 And in spite my heritage (Ein Deutsch- Amerikanaisch, albeit Volga) 
nevertheless , ein Freir Burger, nich ein grobes Hessian!

Gregory Reinhardt 
Excelsior
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mpls@mnforum.org

[Anne McC]

Jim Graham says:

I am not saying only hire people from Minneapolis, I AM saying make it a 
priority to hire those who grew up in Minneapolis and who KNOW Minneapolis 
and are PART OF Minneapolis!  And Gregory and others, I know for a fact that 
there are such people waiting to be hired.


Jim,

Please march these people down to the civil servicce office ASAP and hace 
them apply.  If they qualify, I agree with you that they should be hired. 
Without a doubt.  Please.  Get their butts down there ASAP.  If they are 
not, then you should look into why they aren't.  Prthaps even sue the city 
for not hiring them.  If in fact they are qualified, lisenced, no criminal, 
addiction or psychological problems.

Anne McCandless
Jordan and retired MPD who lived and lives in the city



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[gemgram]

What it smacks of is not Quid pro Quo pro, what it smacks of is getting 
better service for our dollars from employees who have a greater stake in 
their community than just a job.  It also smacks of offering opportunities 
to our own young people.  It smacks of offering positive role models for our 
kids.  Role models who they know and trust.  Yes, what it smacks of is 
getting value for the dollar.


Now some might say that a police officer should not have to live in bad 
neighborhoods, and should move to more affluent neighborhoods when they get 
their middle class pay.  Personally I think that is a bunch of bunk!  Many 
of us who also make that middle class pay check make a conscience effort to 
stay in our communities and make those communities better.  Because they are 
our HOMES, our communities.  Probably that is quality that we do need to 
recruit in our Police officers.  A qualification that is measurable both 
qualitatively as well as quantitatively.  Personally I would rather have ONE 
great cop that is absolutely committed to making HIS or HER community better 
than six cops who come into MY city to do a dirty job, and then go back to 
THEIR world afterwards.  People interested in building THEIR community and 
protecting THEIR people.  The influence of such officers greatly exceed the 
job of cop. It is the influence that changes other young people's lives. The 
role model that leads to different ways of living and thinking.  The role 
model that gives hope! With only those viewed as strangers and "occupying" 
forces it is no wonder officers are feared rather than looked up to by 
children in some communities. We need to change that.


Do we need more police officers?  We sure do, and we certainly need more 
officers from our own communities who think of our communities as their own. 
We need more people from our communities willing to fight an dedicate their 
lives for building and uplifting those communities, rather than just doing a 
job and going home. Many of us "civilians" do so willingly, why should we 
expect less from OUR employees?


We need more police officers because we had TEN rapes in my community last 
month.  Just a statistic to some one who comes to town with a gun, does a 
job and then goes home.  That number probably means a lot more to me because 
I live in that community and women I care for also live in that community. I 
am sure it also means more to any officers who live in my community. If we 
have any!


Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, Phillips Community, City of Minneapolis

"It is always an utter folly to underestimate the lure and attraction of a 
great evil.  The whitened bones of their victims litter the highways and 
byways of mankind's history. Stopped only by the few willing to pay the 
ultimate price and make a stand."


- Toe < 


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Re: [Mpls] Star Tribune Web Site

[Chris Johnson]

Charles Gimon wrote:


On 10/12/05, Steve Brandt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:


Yes, it crashed around 6:30 a.m., after demand overwhelmed the servers
in  North Carolina. Back up around 10. Curious what people think of the site's 

new look.



You know, if a manufacturer or other big company outsourced work to
a lower-wage state, there might be questions about their commitment to
the community. I know this stuff can be hosted literally anywhere on
the planet, and I don't mean to bust anybody's tender parts about this,
and I know the decision may have been made at McClatchy corporate or
some faraway place...but that was the gut reaction I just had.


I'm a frequent visitor to the Star Tribune web site.  Since the redesign, I 
have not visited quite as often.  But I wanted to wait a few days and get used 
to the new design before commenting.


I find the experience more frustrating.  The things I most want to see 
(breaking stories, lead stories, top stories in categories such as politics, 
business, opinion, news) are harder to navigate to.  The site looks better at 
a distance, and no doubt there are some improvements and more information. 
But the user interface has actually suffered over-all.


As someone else mentioned, fly-out/drop-down menus on mouse-over without a 
click can be annoying on an information-dense website where they both cover up 
information and make compatibility with some browsers an issue.


The fixed-width page is a design cop-out. It makes it much easier for the 
designer.  I am guilty of having done the same thing myself numerous times. 
But in reality, the right way to do it is to have a minimum width and a 
maximum width, and make it liquid (resizable) in between.  The minimum should 
be as small as sanely possible so that people like me who like to be able to 
see 2 windows on their large screen at the same time are not forced to 
horizontal scroll.  Horizontal scrolling of a page is a huge no-no when it 
comes to making a friendly user interface.  Unfortunately, the Star Tribune's 
fixed-width is way too large, and causes exactly that problem.


The new site breaks bookmarks that frequent readers like myself have made for 
themselves to get to favorite sections quickly.  Given that the URL scheme 
appears to be of the same nature, there's no reason to do this.  It's just 
annoying.  Example:  http://www.startribune.com/weather/ used to work just 
fine, but now it drops one on a nondescript "Search" page which has virtually 
no useful links on it, and IN PARTICULAR, no link to the HOME page. 
Inexcusable -- that's web design 101, folks.  Always have a link to the home 
page unless there is a very pressing reason not to.  Note that 
http://www.startribune.com/weather -- without the trailing / -- works just fine.


Lastly, I echo the concern about hosting the web site from North Carolina. 
Unless it has to be there because parent company McClatchy already has a big 
investment there, it's nonsensical to ship data across the country when 99% of 
it is destined for addresses located in the metro area and its surrounds. 
There are plenty of good, secure data centers available for lease right here 
in the Twin Cities, e.g. ipHouse.com, Visi.com, inFlow.com (now known as 
SunGard.com), Vericenter.com, etc.


In sum, I'm not happy with the redesign.  It's not terrible, but it's also not 
an improvement.


Complete disclosure:
I design and develop software for web sites for a living, and built my first 
web sites starting in 1994.  I was a principle at Visi.com but no longer have 
any financial interest in the company.


Chris Johnson
Fulton

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Re: [Mpls] Living Wage

[ken bradley]

Hello Minneapolis Folks,
 
Supporting a living wage policy should not take a lot of thought for 
Minneapolis elected officials, if they truly care about helping the poor, and 
resolving the core issues of poverty.
 
Ken Bradley
Kenny Neighborhood

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

A living wage policy for Minneapolis:

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/10/07_scheckt_wage/

Ostrow: is supportive
Zerby: is supportive

Progressive MN: supports it, is pushing it
Mpls Central Labor Union: supports it, is pushing it
several faith organizations: support it

McLaughlin: fully supports it
Rybak: isn't sure...

What's the deal?

Nikki Carlson: supports it
Linden Hills





















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Re: [Mpls] Star Tribune Web Site

[Mark Snyder]

On 10/12/05 10:41 PM, "Jon Gorder" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Does anyone have any comments on the actual newspaper, the one that
> you unfold while you drink your coffee? That's what I've been reading for
> fifty years (I learned how to read from the funnies and comic books) and  I
> intend to keep on reading it in that manner until my feet are free from this
> earthly domain. I just like the tactile response, the feel of the fresh news
> in my hands. Marshall Macluhan (sp?) once said "reading a newspaper is like
> sinking into a warm bath" and I think he was right. You can't envelope
> yourself in a screen.

I was skeptical on Sunday when I saw the preview section on the new design
for the paper version. And after two days of the new design, I can't say I'm
too impressed. 

I think the new fonts and layout look fairly cheesy. One friend of mine said
it reminded him of USA Today. I thought it reminded me more of the silly
advertising/promotion junk mail I get periodically from my HMO.

One thing I'm glad about is that my eyeglass prescription is still current
or I think I'd be basically screwed as far as reading the moving listings,
the horoscope or the scoreboard page in the sports section. What is that
font size, about 6pt or so?

My guess is there's probably a lot of very annoyed elder folks breaking out
their reading specs or possibly even magnifying glasses the past couple
days...I suppose I should be happy that the Strib didn't use the redesign as
an excuse to jack up the price some more - at least not yet...

Mark Snyder
Windom Park

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Re: [Mpls] Southwest Journal Oct. 10-23 issue

[ken bradley]

Hello Minneapolis Folks,
 
Ramsey County (St. Paul races) requires any organization that spends more then 
a $100 dollars file a campaign finance report. That is a very good policy that 
Hennepin County should adopt.
 
Ken Bradley
Kenny Neighborhood



A cleverly designed insert by Park Board Reform in SWJournal (ad to every 
household and in stores). In catching up with forum letters, I see there 
is, on the other end of the political spectrum, a People for Independent 
Parks.

This is expensive stuff...are these groups PACs?, does anyone know where the 
financing is coming from (maybe they don't have to disclose), from 
individuals, developers, businesses? What is the connection between these 
groups, the candidates...new and incumbent? Well, it's good for the 
economy.

cheryl luger/

_
Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee® 
Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

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Fwd: [Mpls] Come and meet Log Cabin Republican's Patrick Guerriero

[Eva Young]

All are welcome to attend this - Republicans and Democrats.  Paul Skrbec 
posted about the Stonewall event which is after this.  This event is before 
the Stonewall event.  Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak has agreed to stop by, 
schedule permitting.  So has City Council member Don Samuels (again 
schedule permitting).


There will be a small silent auction which will feature a number of unique 
pieces of Bachmannalia.


Eva Young



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Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

We're thrilled to welcome Patrick Guerriero, national president of the Log 
Cabin Republicans, to the Twin Cities later this month. You have an 
opportunity to meet Patrick on Sunday, October 23rd from 2 to 4 pm at the 
Wilde Roast Cafe in NE Minneapolis (where Hennepin and Central avenues meet).


Patrick is in town to work with the local LCR board on chapter development 
and fundraising.  We were recently approved for provisional status with 
the national organization.  In an effort to become a full-fledged 
participant, we need to grow our numbers and our checkbook balance in the 
next few months.


Contributions to the Minnesota chapter are welcome and encouraged at the 
October 23rd event.


Whether you're able to contribute or not, Patrick's visit gives all of us 
a great chance to talk one-on-one with an important player in the historic 
battle being waged in our country to protect rights and liberties for all 
Americans.  Bring a friend, and don't miss this chance.


Mark Hanson
Secretary and PAC Chair
Log Cabin Republicans of Minnesota


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Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Lloydletta's Nooz
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
Dump Michele Bachmann
http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary 
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759,
US author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician, & printer (1706 - 1790)
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1381.html  



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Re: [Mpls] Southwest Journal Oct. 10-23 issue

[Elizabeth Wielinski]

Hennepin County has a rule that if any group spends more than $100 you 
must register as a PAC.  Park Reform and People for I. Parks are both 
registered on the Hennepin County website(  
http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us   and go into campaign finance).  You can 
see where donations come from and who is in charge etc..  for free.  
The same is true for all candidates.  You can look up the individual 
candidates on the website as well.  Any donation over $100 must be 
itemized and if you look at the itemized donations to Park Reform  on 
their pre-primary report you will see big as life that I gave $101, and 
no I am not a developer, just a housewife with a part time job at 
Office Max.   You can also see all of the PACs that have donated to 
various campaigns and if you want  you can go to the state campaign 
finance board website  http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us  and see just who 
lobbies for the pacs etc...  I will give you fair warning that you 
might find yourself praying for more campaign finance reform after 
doing this.


Liz Wielinski
Columbia Park

co-founder of Minneapolis Park Watch
Not a PAC but a group of citizen volunteers

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