Minneapolis Ward 1 Ramblings

Giant Signs on Target Center Wall

2010-05-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Star Tribune is reporting that the Timberwolves have received 3 offers to place large sings on the Target Center, facing Target Field. Right now they are just waiting on receiving permits from the city to construct the billboards that will fetch them a cool $300,000. I really hope the City Council votes against this permit.

I can just see it now, beautiful Target Field, Twins playing the Yankees on national television, and as the camera pans to show the view over right field there's the Captain himself standing on a keg promoting that family friendly beverage. Or maybe we'll get a view reminiscent of the old Calvin Klein ads. Let's not pollute Target Field with some hideous billboard. I agree that the Target Center is an eye sore looking out over right field but let's cover it with something more Minnesotan than some advertising. Let's get a local artist to do a mural. I know this won't bring the $300,000 annual revenue to the Timberwolves but maybe they should try to boost their revenue by putting a winning team on the court rather than selling building space.

AFSCME Endorses Marcia Thomas

2010-05-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Just received an email from the Marcia Thomas campaign announcing the endorsement from AFSCME. This is a great endorsement as it shows that Marcia has the ability to work with not only teachers and administration but with everybody involved in keeping the Minneapolis schools running. AFSCME is a great union with some fantastic members that are sure to help propel Marcia to vicotry.

Congratulations!

Great Doorknock with Mayor Rybak

2010-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I braved the cold to do a little door knocking for my friend Hal Kimball out in Annandale. We made it through about 1,000 doors after it was all said and done. What was more impressive to me though was that Mayor Rybak came out to help with the cause, and he brought a handful of volunteers with him. I have a lot of respect for anybody willing to knock on doors, and I have even more respect for people that are willing to come out to a traditionally red district to do that.

SD 18 is a place where most people haven't seen any politician at their door in many years. Probably not since '06 when Hal and I knocked it last. For Mayor Rybak to drive an hour West, brave the sleet, and then knock on moderate doors is a testament to his dedication to the DFL. Thanks Mayor Rybak, and thank you to all the volunteers that came out.

Pothole Update #2

2010-05-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

SUCCESS!! After a phone call, and an email to 311, I received a work order saying that the potholes will be repaired by May 21st. I'm hoping that all of this rain doesn't push that completion date back a few days but even if it does I'll still be thrilled when they are repaired. In 2 short weeks I will be able to drive home to work without having to feel like I'm taking a ride on a jackhammer. Thanks Minneapolis!

No District 1 Forum

2010-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Just got word today that there will NOT be a District 1 School Board forum before this years endorsing convention. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was extremely disappointed, especially after getting my hopes up after initially hearing that both candidates had accepted. I understand that there a 3 forums for all candidates prior to the convention but considering the longest of these is only 2 hours, that's hardly enough time to get anything but a small 'soundbyte' from any of the 13 candidates.

I have an earlier email from the Marcia Thomas campaign that makes it sound like she was very willing, and almost eager to debate the issues in a District 1 specific forum. All I received from the Arneson campaign was what I would call a questioning phone call, that was more or less attacking my view that there should be a forum.

With the facts that I have laid out above, and without any official word, I can only infer that the reason we won't see this forum is because the Arneson campaign declined to participate. I have my own opinions as to why a campaign would refuse to debate their opponent but I'll let the reader come to their own conclusions.

I do plan to ask each candidate personally as to the reason there was no arena to compare our next representative on the Board side by side. I don't anticipate that I get many straight answers as to the reason but it's worth a shot. Also, because of the experiences that I've had with the Arneson campaign, you can expect to see me in a Marcia Thomas shirt at the convention. Next step is to figure out how I might be able to get my hands on one of those. Any ideas?

In closing, I have embedded my favorite political ad of all time. I feel the Paul Wellstone Looking for Rudy' ad really speaks to this issue. I only have one word for all of this, DISAPPOINTED!

We Need More of This

2010-05-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

My good friend Hal Kimball who is running for State Senate is SD 18 (Hutchinson, Litchfield, Annandale et. al.) wrote a great open letter to both Speaker Kelliher and Rep. Emmer about what the focus should be this election cycle. I think he hit the nail on the head with his pledges. I hope they really take a look at this letter, and that other candidates/elected officials follow his points.
This is the type of bi-partisanship that is so desperately needed in St. Paul.

Dear Speaker Kelliher and Representative Emmer,
Congratulations on your hard-earned and well-deserved victories at your respective party conventions over the last two weekends.

As the campaign for governor enters a new phase, I’d like to encourage each of you to remain focused on the critical issues facing our state and engage in the kind of substantive and spirited debate Minnesotans deserve regarding your ideas for the future.

Two years ago, the Senate race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman was a boon for political consultants, spinmasters and negative ad peddlers, but both candidates, with their heavy reliance on the politics of personal destruction, provided a grave disservice to the people of Minnesota. That’s not a path we can afford to go down again. Our state faced great challenges in 2008. Now, the stakes are even higher and all candidates owe those they seek to represent an honest conversation and real, workable solutions for Minnesotans.
Across my district, I’ve met countless people concerned about finding jobs, paying for health care, keeping their small businesses up and running and providing their children with every opportunity to succeed. These are bedrock principles across Minnesota and we once led the way in each of these areas. Today, sadly, we’re struggling on every front—and we’re losing the race for the future.
Unfortunately, at a time when we need the very best from our candidates and elected leaders, many of the people I’ve talked to in Wright, Meeker and McLeod counties have lost faith in the ability of government to do anything. Liberal, conservative, or something in between, Minnesotans have grown frustrated with the same old promises, the same old tactics and the same old results at the Capitol. That’s why I’m making the following pledge to voters in my district. I hope you’ll join me in taking these principles statewide:

I will tell the truth.

I will not promise things I know I can’t deliver.

I will not take my marching orders—in this campaign and after taking office—from interest groups of any variety. I will do what’s right without regard to politics.

I will acknowledge that government is not the enemy of the people, but there’s also not a government answer for every challenge we face.

I will never forget that our ideas must be paid for. Tax cuts and/or program expansions need to be offset with spending cuts and/or revenue enhancements.

I will always remember that my opponent is a good person who wants the best for Minnesota. Our debate must remain focused on who has the best ideas for achieving our shared goal.

Again, congratulations on winning your respective endorsement contests. I look forward to seeing you both on the campaign trail and I can’t wait to work with you starting next January so we can move Minnesota forward.
Sincerely,
Hal Kimball
DFL-endorsed Senate candidate, District 18

Pothole Update

2010-05-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

I received my May Newsletter yesterday from CM Reich, and hallelujah it talks about potholes, and what Minneapolis is doing to fix them. I'd like to thank CM Reich for voting in the funds to help solve what I'd like to call a crisis.

As you are probably aware, May also brings another month of potholes. Due to specific weather conditions that occurred this past winter, the pothole season is worse than usual this year. In response to the high volume of needed work, the City Council in April approved an additional $500,000 to double the number of repair crews for a 6 to 8 week period this spring.

First Ward residents who want to report potholes now have three options: call 311, go online at www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/311 or call the Ward One office.

So I was wrong, I thought it was a million dollars additional added to the 'pothole fund' but $500,000 is still a pretty nice number. Doubling the number of crews should mean that I see Industrial Blvd, and Broadway fixed up here soon. The potholes are actually starting to resemble rock quarries.

Anyways, you can bet that I've called 311, and I will also be going online to report the potholes. I'm thinking of maybe taking some pictures as well just to really drive home the point. Or perhaps I'll just send in the bill I get from the mechanic for an alignment...Nah, I think I'll just keep fightin' the good fight by going through the proper channels, and not pissing anybody off.

Richard Mammen Meet & Greet

2010-04-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

I received an email today about a meet and greet for Richard Mammen (at large School Board candidate). It would seem as if the campaign took my advice as this event is scheduled for Tuesday May 11th from 5-7 at the Minneapolis Club. The event is being hosted by Don Fraser, among others. Thanks also to the campaign for not including emails of everybody that it was sent to.

Ward 1 Pothole Situation

2010-04-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

I can't take it anymore! This pothole situation has gotten completely out of control. I've held off posting about this issue for quite awhile, trying to give the city some time to get out and work the miles of roads in our great city before complaining. I think enough time has been given, and now I'm turning my anger on the individuals that represent the Ward. Not long ago Mayor Rybak allotted an extra million dollars to be used on pothole repair. I'm beginning to think that all of that money was used to repair roads in South Minneapolis rather than the East Side.

Maybe my route to work is just the worst in the entire city but I'm beginning to think that I may need to start looking for a Lunar Rover as my next vehicle to maneuver the craters on St. Anthony Pkwy/Industrial Blvd and Broadway. I have actually seen hubcaps fly off of vehicles as their wheels disappear into a cavernous hole. The sound of your shocks and struts bottoming out is never a pretty sound, and it is something that I hear on a daily basis. I can no longer dodge the holes on my route due to the sheer number of them. I know this isn't the most heavily traveled route in the city but it's getting ridiculous.

I don't say this very often but I am thrilled when I hop on 280 and cross into St. Paul right now because they have done a fantastic job at filling every pothole, even on the very light traffic roads that I take into work. I'd like to thank the city of St. Paul for their hard work (even though some news stations would disagree with me). I'd also like to call out our Councilman, Kevin Reich, and implore him to do something about this situation. If it would help, I am volunteering to walk behind a tar truck to fill the potholes myself. I'm sure I could find more than a few volunteers for this activity. Mr. Reich, would you like to join me? Help me save our cars!

State Convention

2010-04-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been absent for a few days, I spent the weekend up in Duluth taking in the sights and smells of the DFL State Convention. Although it didn't turn out the way I had hoped when I rode into Duluth, it was a very good convention. Saturday was of course the most active day with the endorsing of MAK. I wasn't a delegate since I was married on the day of the SD59 convention but I did watch from the gallery all that took place on Saturday. I 'Tweeted' most of the event from my perch at the DECC so my play-by-play can be seen on my Twitter. MPP does have a great post up that really summed up my feelings of how things went in regards to the winners and losers of the convention so I'll let you head over there, and read that.

I'll try to get some more stuff up later today regarding the hopefully upcoming District 1 School Board Forum.

District 1 Candidate Forum Update 1

2010-04-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

So after a lot of digging I've finally been able to find a few answers regarding a proposed candidate forum for District 1. As I said in my previous post I emailed both campaigns, and only had received one response back. I've still only have that one response (from the Marcia Thomas campaign) in my possession, and have posted the email from the campaign below. I decided to post the email(s) so that I didn't get anything wrong in my attempt to paraphrase.

Hi Nolan,

Here are the currently scheduled forums:

April 22:
6:00-8:00 pm

Dowling School

3900 West River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55406
Sponsored by Area B PAC (parent advisory committee).
I understand that 10 of the 11 candidates will be in attendance

May 13
6:30-8:30
Sanford School
3524 42nd Avenue South
Hosted by Mpls DFL
11 of 11 candidates will be in attendance

May 22
Prior to convention – about 1.5 hours
Patrick Henry HS
4320 Newton Ave N.
All candidates – at least 11

Marcia Thomas’ campaign believes that forums are a great way for delegates to learn about the candidates and compare how candidates work together. Since District 1 is contested, we would like to see a District 1 specific forum to allow delegates to make a more informed decision about who to support.

Obviously the Thomas Campaign is ready and willing to attend a forum. So, since I didn't hear anything back from the Arneson campaign I decided to email PEN and SD59 to see if they had anything in the works. PEN informed that they are indeed trying to organize a forum with the help of SD59 on May 12th at NE Community Lutheran Church. Letters went our yesterday to both campaigns, and the Thomas Campaign has already accepted the invitation. At this time there has been no response from the Arneson camp.

I'm hoping that they is an acceptance from both sides on this forum to give delegates, and interested parties an opportunity to hear both sides. Forums are a great opportunity for individuals to get an understanding of where the candidates stand, and to decide who will best represent them on the Board.

I guess I'll take this opportunity to ask Jenny Arneson to accept the invitation from PEN and SD59 to attend and participate in the forum.

More to come on this later...

District 1 School Board Forum?

2010-04-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Earlier I posted dates for School Board forums that will involve all, or most, candidates. Being that this is a Ward 1 blog though I'm very interested in the District 1 race that is getting pretty heated. I have been unable to find any mention of a District 1 specific forum but would really like to see one show up. I have emailed both the Arneson and Thomas campaigns seeking comment as to the possibility of a forum. I've received an email back from one of the campaigns but will hold it until I give time to the other campaign to comment. If I don't receive any feedback from the other campaign by Monday I will post the 1 email I do have.

I've been getting several emails, and heard numerous rumors about this race. It sounds like things are getting pretty interesting between the campaigns which could make for a very interesting convention. With all the 'drama' surrounding this race I really hope that they can work out a forum in the near future.

More to come on this very soon.

New Owner for Block E

2010-04-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that Block E has a new owner (almost). Bob Lux, the developer of Grant Park and the Carlyle has signed a purchas agreement to take over 213,000 sq ft of the Block E building (excludes Graves 601). I think by having somebody that actually lives in Minneapolis owning this building we will see a pitch to get tenents that make sense. Now that Target Field is open, and attracting thousands of people to the area it could actually work out.

I'm hopefull that Mr. Lux doesn't make the mistake that the previous developers made by brining in mediocre tenents. I look forward to seeing a multitude of fun and trendy shops and restaurants open in the space.

One question that I have. Didn't Bob Lux also try to open the Pinnacle in St. Paul? Did that thing ever get built?

DeGrio Meet and Greet

2010-04-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Just received an Email from the DeGrio Campaign about a Meet and Greet this Saturday from 9-11 at Urban Harvest (2311 18th Ave NE). I know I've already stated that I'll be supporting David at the City Convention this year but I still plan on attending the event. I encourage everybody (even if you're not a delegate) to attend as many meet and greets as you can. Should your first picks be dropped from the ballot, it's always good to know who your #2/3 is so you're not scrambling at the last moment. If anybody has any other meet and greets that they know of feel free to shoot them over to me. I'd be happy to post them.

First Game

2010-04-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to upload a quick picture from the game on Saturday. I have to say that they did a great job on the stadium. We had a lot of fun, and look forward to many more games.

Target Field

2010-04-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well the time has finally arrived for baseball to return outdoors in Minnesota. For the past 4 years people have been battling over whether it was the right thing to build the Twins a new stadium. Well, let the bickering end now because the stadium is here, and the games will be played, and the seats will be full, and there's nothing that can be done. Politicians have battled for years over whether to use public finances to fund the stadium, Democrats and Republicans have both used this argument when running for office.
Well building the stadium was the right thing to do because baseball transcends political rhetoric, and holds a much different place in the hearts of Americans...be it Republican, Democrat, Green, Socialist, or Fascist; we've all picked up a stick and ball at some point in our lives. Baseball doesn't discriminate based on creed, color, political affiliation, or economic status. Baseball, is the great equalizer. Baseball gives us an excuse to forget all the chaos in the world, and give us the ability to just enjoy watching something as simple as hitting a ball with a piece of wood. Baseball has brought families together for generations, and dads around the state are bringing their kids to see the same game that their dads brought them to see. So for one day, on April 12th, I suggest we take a cue from baseball, and that when we see a fellow Minnesotan with TC branded across their forehead, that we simply smile and wave, and that we know that as a state, cheering for a group of boys, we all have something in common.
I'm rambling now so I think I'll just put up a quote from Field of Dreams that sums up what I was trying to say much more eloquently.
Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.

And Then There Were 5?

2010-04-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

I just read that Chanda Smith Baker has officially announced her at-large School Board candidacy. So, if my count is correct, I believe that makes it 5 official candidates now in the race.

David DeGrio
T. Williams
Richard Mammen
Chanda Smith Baker
Doug Mann (green candidate?)

I'm probably missing somebody, and if I am just let me know. So from what I can tell, as of right now we'll have 4 candidates that will be seeking the DFL endorsement in May. Like I said earlier I am supporting David DeGrio but am 100% undecided on who else to support for the at-large endorsement. I'll keep digging for as much information as I can find in my attempt to find a great candidate.

Minneapolis School Board Update #1

2010-03-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

I just received an email last night from the Richard Mammen Campaign (email below). I read this email on my phone, and my first impression was very good. He seems to have a pretty good resume that spans quite a time frame. Looking at an email on my phone usually means I only look at it quickly and don't give much thought to content, so when I looked at it on my computer I started having some reservations about the organization of the campaign.

First of all, they put every email in the 'to' line which means that all those emails are open for anybody to see. Obviously by having a blog I'm not worried too much about my email getting out but I know others don't enjoy this. Note to the Mammen Campaign: please start putting email addresses in the BCC line or invest in something like Constant Contact.

Second, is the timing of the meet and greet. I learned early on in my campaign days that you should avoid weekends and holidays for meet and greets. A lot of time and effort goes in to these things, and the worst possible outcome is that nobody shows up. Well, the Mammen Campaign managed to break both of those rules on their first try. This event is scheduled for April 3rd at 6pm. While my goal is to give everybody a shot by listening to what they have to say, I will be unable to attend this event because of the timing. Next time I would suggest a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday after the Easter and Passover Holidays.

I understand that sometimes weekends are the only time to squeeze in things like this, and that when running for the first time mistakes are often made. I just hope they learn from this, and that they plan a little better with their next email/event.

Don't worry, I won't be basing my support off of this one incident but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Copy of Email (personal Email's and phone number redacted):

Dear Friend,

I am proud to announce the the campaign kick off for Richard Mammen candidate for School Board and Team Mammen. The kick off will be held at Intermedia Art on Saturday April 3rd at 6pm.
This will be an opportunity to meet Richard and the members of our campaign team, and a way to meet other supporters and help our campaign by getting involved.

Richard Mammen is a candidate for one of the 2 at-large seats on the Minneapolis School Board this coming fall. He is a life long resident of Minneapolis and a democrat. A graduate of Washburn High and the University of MN. He is also the parent of 2 South High graduates and a current 8th grader at Seward Montessori. For the past 40 years he has been professionally involved in youth development work as an outreach worker with the YMCA, as the creator and director of a contract alternative school serving juvenile offenders, as the director of the MPLS Youth Coordinating Board under Mayor Don Fraser for 7 years, and as the developer and director of numerous programs and organizations that serve children and youth in our city.

If you cannot attend but are interested in donating checks can be made out to "Richard Mammen For Schools" and sent to PO Box 17132, Minneapolis MN 55417

Thank you!!

--
Peace-Love-Respect

David Gilbert-Pederson
2137 Minneapolis Ave
Minneapolis MN 55406

Another One Bites the Dust

2010-03-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Gameworks is shutting its doors, and the already empty Block E, just became more of a ghost town. I realize this isn't in Ward 1 but I'm trying to broaden my horizon just a little.

Gameworks occupied 34,012 square feet of the stone Goliath that has been on life support for several years now. Block E still has 24,000 square feet that Borders has been trying to unload for just over two years without any luck. All this, and Hooters is on the verge of eviction unless it can somehow come up with almost $450,000 that it owes in back rent.

Kieren's did take the leap of faith, and moved in to Block E two weeks ago today. I'm not sure how they're doing but something tells me that is one place that can't fail (famous last words). With the addition of Kieren's they did double the number of worthwhile businesses there, The Shout House being the other one.

Here's my opinion...If you're going to build a monstrosity in the middle of a downtown area, don't fill it with large chains that people can find in the suburbs where they don't have to pay for parking. I don't know many families that are getting home after work and saying, 'ok kids, hop in the minivan, we're goin' downtown to Applebee's!' No, I'm thinking that when working class people get home from work after a long rush hour commute, they're saying, 'ok kids, hop in the minivan, we're goin' 3 blocks to Applebee's (or a movie theatre, or Dave and Busters).

Block E is a good idea in principal but the company that owns it might need a little lesson in property management. If you're going to build something in an area where families don't live, then you need to fill it with things that those people can't get anywhere else. Or, you need to at least appeal to the people that do actually live in the area. I don't claim to have the answers, and believe me, I know the economy has a lot to do with this but Block E was failing before the recession so I don't know if I buy that excuse. No, I think it was just poor management, and poor solicitation to get tenants that would really bring in the people.

What thrives downtown? Live theatre, niche restaurants, bars, these are the things that needed to be looked at when filling the space. I said when the palce opened it wasn't going to make it, and it's too bad. I hope they can get it together and find some worthwhile tenants but it might be too little, too late with this economy. Although, maybe the Kieren's move is the start of something great for Block E.

School Board Forums

2010-03-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Just got some good dates on upcoming School Board Forums that will be held.

All Candidates:

April 22nd
May 13th

District 1 Cadidates:

TBD (I'm hearing early May)

I hope to attend all of the forums, and will try to live blog the events but will probably end up updating after the forums. Check back for more updates as I get them.

City Convention

2010-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

I am a delegate to this year's city convention, and it should actually be a pretty hot endorsing process. With two school board members announcing they won't seek re-election, and the new setup for school board seats, I'm excited to see how this plays out.

I've only just begun my research on the candidates, and have found a few things out there that I will be going through. TC Daily Planet has a good article covering the candidate forum, ~~and I also found a broadcast from KFAI that has an interview with all of the candidates~~ (dead link). I plan on reading~~/listening~~ to ~~both~~ (it) in the coming days to help me get a handle on all of the candidates.

I've worked with David DeGrio on several projects, and for this reason he will be receiving my endorsement for one of the candidates. David is a very devoted, and caring individual that I feel will have a lot to add to the next Board. I also got a great response from him when I asked about his thoughts on the recent Super appointment.

I don't have children, let alone children in the Minneapolis School system but I am very passionate about education, and I feel that what happens in the schools effects everything in the city. I really struggled with the decision to not do a search for a Superintendent, not because I feel that Super Johnson isn't qualified for the position, but because I feel that this Board owes it to the students to conduct a thorough search. I wrote to all of the Board members who voted in favor of the appointment to voice my concern over the process. I only received one response, and let's just say it was less than what I was hoping for.

In the coming days I'll report on what I've learned from my digging in to the school board candidate research. I'll try to get them up in short order since I know most people are on the edge of their seats to hear what I have to say about the candidates.

I'm back...sort of

2010-03-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

I've managed to neglect this blog for the past 8 months. Turns out blogging about NE politics can get pretty dicey. I've decided to start writing again though because, well frankly, I miss it. I'm not however going to advertise the blog anywhere, and if people stop to read, great, if not, it's ok by me.

When I started this blog I stated that it would be just my opinions and observations, and that's exactly what I plan on doing. I know some of the things I blog about won't be popular with some of the party elites but that's what makes it so fun. For others that read it, it might be exactly what they've been hoping to see.

I'll state it again, I consider myself a progressive liberal but that doesn't mean that I agree with everything that is said by current members of the DFL. I'm not going to back down anymore from writing what I think about some of our elected officials, or candidate hopefuls.

Game on!

Ward 1 Park Board

2009-07-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

Here is the list of candidates that have filed for District 1 Park Board.

7/09/09
Liz Wielinski
3519 2nd St NE
55418-1107
612-788-5688

7/17/09
Bernie Kunza
509 36 ½ Ave NE
55418
612-597-8874

7/21/09
John Malone
641 4th St NE
55413
612-810-6487

Ward 1 CC Candidates

2009-07-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

The below list isn't too surprising but I wanted to make sure I posted the candidates who filed for the race this year for CC in Ward 1. All candidates running for city office can be found here. I do have to say that my favorite candidate would have to be Joe Lombard running for Mayor for the 'Is Awesome' party. Thanks Joe for not taking life too seriously.

7/08/09
Kevin Reich
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
1018 22nd Ave NE
55418
612-263-3421

7/13/09
Mark Fox
Equity Advocacy Responsibility
2731 Pierce St NE
55418
612-789-8218

7/16/09
Susan Howitz Hanna
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
2015 19th Ave NE
55418
612-789-7668

7/20/09
Thomas Alessi
Ron Paul Conservative
1706 Pierce St NE
55413
612-216-1913

7/21/09
Larry Ranallo
Independent
2607 Ulysses St NE
55418
612-894-4488

Reich Labor Endorsement Update

2009-07-14T07:36:00.001-07:00

Early I posted about Kevin not seeking Labor Endorsements prior to the convention, and my disappointment with this. Some of the commenters were upset that I wasn't posting the truth since he does have labor endorsements now. I'd just like to point out that I actually say in the post that I had heard he had recently sought labor endorsements, and that is indeed the case.

I received a message from Reich after sending him an email with some questions. In the message Reich did say that after the convention he has picked up the endorsements of several labor unions including, AFSCME, SEIU, and the Building Trades. He was very vague in the message on whether he had sought any of these endorsements prior to the convention sighting logistical reasons, and time constraints.

So yes, it's true, Reich does have labor endorsements. I'm not looking to post anything false on here, I just want to make sure everybody is aware of what's going on, and the politics behind situations.

I'm Back

2009-07-14T07:34:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the extended hiatus but I've been busy being a grown up at work. Thankfully not a whole lot has happened around the ward over the last several weeks but there are some things that I would like to update people on. I plan on doing separate posts for each of the updates since I think it's only fair to give each of them the attention they deserve. Thanks for coming back and checking for updates. I'll have more posts up very shortly.

Felix Montez Newest Park Board Candidate

2009-06-18T06:16:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the stalker-like abilities that Facebook now affords us I was able to find that Felix Montez is planning to enter the District 1 Park Board race. Here is what his Facebook status read:

Our Park and Recreation system needs bold new leadership! Minneapolis needs Commissioners willing to analyze the Park Board’s failed policies, propose new actions, and follow through on some tough new initiatives. Resigning from Lutheran Social Services this week was the most difficult task I have undertaken in years, I will miss my clients and colleagues, but a serious candidate needs time to run a serious campaign.

Most people will remember that Montez was the Republican endorsed candidate that ran against Dianne Loeffler in 2008. This year however, Montez caucused with the Dems. I've shot Montez an email to get his side of the story on all of this. I'm not sure what he's referring to when he says 'failed policies' but I'm interested to hear what he thinks.

I think Wielinski has done a great job of campaigning for her seat thus far so Montez is going to have an uphill battle for this one.

26 New Full Time Police Officers

2009-06-17T09:06:00.001-07:00

I actually sat down to watch the news the other night, and quickly remembered why I don't like local news. For some reason the story of Jason Andersen being arrested on 5th degree assault was the top story (over a missing boy in Northern Minnesota). I have no intentions of getting into the whole Fong Lee debate but I did make some observations from the Andersen story.

I was first shocked that he is living in Big Lake, that's quite a drive from Minneapolis. Also, I happened to notice how nice his home was, and that he had a very nice looking boat in the driveway. Now I believe that Police Officers have a very thankless job, and I'm grateful to them for putting their lives on the line ever day. However, the story got me interested in what a police salary is. I did some digging on the Star Tribue website and found this story from 2007 that shows officer's base salaries and overtime pay. It's the policy of the MPD to have their officers work 4 - 10 hour shifts, with 3 consecutive days off. In theory this should have them rested and alert for their 4 days on. However, it is also a policy that they can work unlimited overtime. Apparently this overtime idea is in place to 'make do' with the force we have rather than hiring full time officers to cover the gaps.

I did some very crude math on the numbers from the article and found that in 2007 the MPD, as a whole, doled out $1,556,721 in overtime pay. If you figure an officer's base pay to be right around $60,000 a year, it would mean that the city could have added 26 full time officers. I'm not a criminal justice expert but I have to think that adding 26 officers would certainly serve the purpose of protecting us all better than stretching the current staff to work double their normal hours. If the purpose of 4 - 10 hour shifts is to keep the force fresh then what is the point of allowing them unlimited overtime?

Precinct 2 in Mpls has the least amount of officers patrolling the streets. As a matter of fact, in the year I have been in my home I have seen 1 squad car drive by my house on routine patrol. I think I speak for most people when I say that I'd rather be proactive in policing rather than reactive. If there is a presence of police in the area, crimes are much less likely to happen. Adding 26 officers to the street would be a great start to adding the presence that is needed. Am I totally off on my thinking here?

Hot Tip Update II

2009-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Kevin Reich made the decision not to seek labor endorsements prior to the endorsing convention in April. It didn't seem to hurt him during the actual endorsement but by bucking the labor tradition that exists in the ward, he may have seriously hurt his reputation.

What was Reich's reason for not going after these endorsements? Did he think that the endorsements wouldn't help at all? Did he think he wouldn't get any of the endorsements, so why bother screening? Did he not understand the history of labor in the ward?

I wanted to find out the real answer for not screening with any labor unions so I sent Kevin an email at the address on his website. I sent the email yesterday telling him that I planned on putting this post up today, and to please get back to me as soon as he could. As of yet I haven't heard anything from Reich or the campaign. So, I'm following through on my word and putting something up.

I'm not going to make any assumptions as to his reasoning for not seeking the endorsements (I'll let the readers do that) but I am seriously concerned, and disheartened, that I didn't hear anything back. Labor unions have a great history in NE and Ward 1, and are rightfully very respected in the area. By not acknowledging this history and tradition, Reich has managed to disenfranchise a large portion of his constituency. Whether he decides to seek the endorsements after the fact is really a moot point. Reich made his statement of not seeing the importance of unions in his ward by not screening. I hope he realizes that the people he may soon represent, and will have to work very closely with come from a proud tradition of union labor. Having myself come from a long union lineage I am personally offended by his decision, and I don't think that I'm the only one that feels this way. Reich managed to receive the endorsements of many other groups but ignored all unions in his quest for the endorsement. The fact that Reich didn't even have the courtesy to return my email just solidifies my anger over the issue. I also think that by not returning my email he has also shown his true colors.

When we started the Clark campaign the first thing that was mentioned was Ostrow's lack of followup with people. We had many people express their anger over the fact that Paul Ostrow doesn't return phone calls or emails. Kevin Reich has already started this trend, and he hasn't even gotten into office yet. I hope Reich wakes up to the fact that just because he's the DFL endorsed candidate it doesn't mean he can sit back and watch.

Hot Tip Update

2009-06-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in updating the tip that Doron is being pressured by people in the DFL to run again, and that he is considering the run. Below is the response I received from Doron when I asked him about this.

I’ve heard rumors about rumors, but I haven’t been directly contacted by anyone. I have been encouraged to think about how IRV affects the council races by many from within and outside the DFL party.

I am greatly enjoying being a husband and a father to my 11 month old daughter. I support the endorsed candidate and I have no intention to jump back into the race.

Doron

I'm not about posting up rumors but the source of this tip was very reliable. Doron's response seems a little canned to me, like he's maybe used it to respond to other people? I know for a fact that there are many people around the ward (including people involved with the DFL) that are less than thrilled with the level of involvement that Reich has given so far. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more on this in the near future. If Reich doesn't start to show some interest in being the next council member I know I'll be pushing Doron to jump back in.

Anonymous Comments

2009-06-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

So as promised I listened to the readers and have added the ability for anonymous comments. I'm hoping this allows everybody to comment, and give their opinions.

As a note - I unfortunately won't have much of an opportunity to update anything this weekend due to some family obligations. I'm going to try and get the Park Board post up today.

Park Board

2009-06-11T13:14:00.001-07:00

I figured I should shift gears a little and move to another 2009 race. Being a new comer to Minneapolis, a park board is a new concept to me but one that I find very interesting. I think the park board serves a great purpose in this city, and I for one hope it's around for many years to come.

With Liz Wielinski receiving 72% of the vote for the nomination at the DFL convention it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to focus too heavily on this 'race.' Michael Rainville stated that he would abide by the endorsement, and Steve Brandt has backed this up. I think that the latest fundraiser letter that was sent out for a Garden Party at Joyce Vincent's, with Diane Hofstede as a co-host, solidifies that fact that Rainville is out. CM Hofstede has worked for many years with Rainville in STAWNO, and the fact that she is now backing Wielinski makes this pretty much a done deal.

I do have to give Wielinski a lot of credit though for still going through the process of being a candidate. Just because she received an overwhelming majority at the City Convention, and will most likely have no opponent, she is still getting out there, and doing what a good candidate should...CAMPAIGNING! Wielinski had a huge presence at the Windom Park Carnival, she even went so far as to have a table staffed with volunteers...what a novel idea. It's obvious Wielinski is taking her Park Board candidacy seriously.

Whoever the next Park Board member is to represent Ward 1, they will have a big challenge. The idea of eliminating the board is far from gone. I think we'll start to see a battle between the Park Board supporters, and their detractors over the next year +. We'll all be bombarded with mail telling us the cost savings we can experience if we eliminate the board, and the Park Board supporters will counter with the benefits of having an independent body to govern the parks. I look forward to the fight but truly hope that all the fighting leaves us in the same spot we're in right now.

I plan on posting a little more on this subject since I still find it interesting that a Rainville could lose an endorsement that badly. I think there is a lot more on this story. Maybe a changing of the guard in NE?

Ward 1 Convention Observations Part Deux

2009-06-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Kevin Reich's turn...

My first observation of Reich was that he didn't make it to the convention until after most of the delegates had arrived. I figure he either slept in, was very confident of the outcome, or (hopefully) was home making phone calls to delegates.

Reich did a much better job of shaking hands, and meeting with delegates than Howitz Hanna did. His team was fairly well organized with numerous signs, and what appeared to be a good floor plan. I enjoyed the fact that his volunteers had headsets, I'm not sure they were necessary but it at least gave me a good chuckle. I wish somebody would have mentioned to the Reich campaign early on that by having a 3 color scheme they're going to be spending a fortune on signs and lit. I'm a believer of the 'signs can't vote' thinking but also realize you have to have them. Keeping them cheap should always be the goal.

Anyways, I tried finding some video of Reich's speech, answers, or acceptance speech but had no luck in my search. Since I don't have a photographic memory, far from it in fact, I'll have to paraphrase what was said. Please comment if my memory is again fabricating things, and I get some of the paraphrasing wrong. It's also good for you since it means a much shorter post.

Reich's speech was much more organized than Howitz Hanna's, and had more of a conversational feel. He spoke a lot about his grassroots campaigning in both his speech and acceptance speech. He really talked up the success of the small house parties, and how they energized the people, and allowed him to get his platform out to the public. Grassroots campaigning takes an enormous amount of passion and devotion, I just didn't get that out of Reich. He came off almost shy at times, and didn't speak with much emotion. He spoke a lot of bringing job growth to the Ward, and building up areas with green jobs. His points in the speech were on target with what the delegation wanted to hear. Though his plan was right, I didn't hear how he planned to accomplish any of those plans. As was mentioned in the previous post, the next council is going to have a real budget crisis and tough decisions will need to be made. I'm not sure what Reich sees as areas that need to be cut but it will need to be addressed soon. I realize that the 'plans' are probably out there, and I intend on doing a later post about websites and conversations with candidates that I'm sure will address these issues. This is simply observations I made at the convention.

It was a pretty anti-climactic convention, with the outcome becoming fairly obvious after the first ballot. Riech had put together a good team that was able to turn out loyal delegates in masses, and that's the name of the game. Reich's acceptance speech I thought was very good. He accepted the nomination humbly and thanked the people he needed to. He also gave me hope by talking about his plans to be at the summer events around Ward 1, and to connect with his constituents.

Losing an endorsement isn't easy but I walked out of the convention with my head up thinking the delegates had made a good choice with a candidate that would be ready and willing to take on a job that is difficult, time consuming, and stressful...

Ward 1 Convention Observations Part I

2009-06-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I'm a little late commenting on this but I figure better late than never.

Since I was running around behind the scenes for most of the convention I didn't get to observe a lot of what was going on. I did get to see all of the candidate speeches (most are still on YouTube), and was also there for the votes as well. To save time I'll only focus on my observations of the two remaining candidates, Susan Howitz Hanna and Kevin Reich. I realize Reich won the endorsement but to stay fair I think I should cover both.

I'll make this a two part entry, focusing on one candidate per post. I'll start off with Howitz Hanna.

Howitz Hanna had a very late entry into the race, and put herself at a severe disadvantage at the convention. Her 'campaign' obviously lacked any form of organization during the convention. I believe I saw 4-6 very oversized signs scattered throughout Edison. I think having a female candidate is great but to have this as your sole purpose for running doesn't make it the right reason.

Howitz Hanna's speech was one of the more interesting endorsing speeches I've seen. I'm not sure that I buy her explanation of, 'you're endorsing me,' as the real reason she was alone on the stage. I think the 9 votes on the first ballot back up my thinking as to the real reason she was up there alone. I'm usually a fan of the 'casual' speech, the kind where it seems the candidate is talking directly to the people. However, it's a real art form to be able to do that, and until somebody has that ability they need to stick to the tried and true method of writing things down, and practice, practice, practice.

During her speech, Howitz Hanna focused very heavily on building up Central Avenue. I agree that Central could use some help in the development arena but to focus only on this area is unfortunate. If you want to talk about potential business growth in NE there are so many other areas that can be lumped in with Central...Shoreham Yards, Johnson, Mid-City, the list goes on. I think she would have been better to just talk about creating growth in Ward 1 as a whole, rather than just on Central.

I did like her points on Wants vs Needs. The next council is going to come in with a serious budget crisis and will need to make some very tough, and unpopular decisions. It was apparent from Howitz Hanna's speech that she is willing to weigh her options, and make some of those tough decisions. I'd be interested to hear a lot more about this since in her speech she lacked a lot of real examples but if she has some cost saving ideas I'm open to hearing them.

I'll follow up with post-convention activities in a later post but this is about all I can offer from the actual convention since she sat for about 90% of it, giving me little to talk about other than her speech.

About the Author

2009-06-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

I figured I should give everybody a little background on myself, I'm not going to say it will legitimize this blog but it might help a little.

I was a Political Science major in college, and am a self proclaimed political junkie. I don't allow myself to stay out of the political scene for too long at any given time.

I'm a new homeowner in NE. As of yesterday (6/9/09) I have lived in Waite Park for 1 year with my fiancee and overly excited dog Sophie. I love the suburban feel in an urban setting that the neighborhood has offered us (that was way too cliche). Not long after getting into the neighborhood I decided to get involved with my first Minneapolis campaign.

I was the Campaign Manager for the Doron Clark for City Council Campaign. I should probably point out at this point that Doron in no way has endorsed this blog, and the views expressed here are solely my own opinions. I really enjoyed my first soiree into Minneapolis politics, it's unlike anything else I had experienced. We ran a great campaign, that I'm very proud of, even if the end result was less than desirable.

Doron's campaign was not the first campaign I managed. Back in '06 I ran a State Senate race in SD18 (Hutchinson, Annandale, Litchfield, and countless other small towns) for Hal Kimball. I know what you're thinking, who in their right mind would work on a progressive campaign in the belly of the Republican beast? I loved it though, and what made it great was that I had a candidate that was willing to work tirelessly to gain every single vote. The outcome was about what you'd expect, 60-40 loss but that was a 20% swing from 4 years prior. Hal and I would knock at least 200 doors a night in an area that was less than friendly to an idealistic kid just out of college. I loved the energy of a grassroots candidate, seeing somebody that literally ran at every parade to shake as many hands as he could gets everybody excited, no matter their political views.

Hal got me started with a love of grassroots campaigning and Doron allowed me to continue with it. I'm greatful to both of them, and look forward to working with more candidates like them in the future.

What is This All About

2009-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

After perusing the blogsphere, and the Internet I have found that there are no sites that are keeping up to date posts regarding the 'State of the Ward' for Ward 1 in Minneapolis. My hope for this blog is to change all of that, and to keep an honest, (somewhat) non-biased look at politics and life of NE and SE.

For too long it has seemed that Ward 1 is the forgotten ward, and has become the dumping ground in Minneapolis. From the underdeveloped 'main street' of Central, to the over industrialized Mid-City Industrial, to the under-utilized Shoreham Yards, this ward needs some work, and more importantly, some attention. I'm not saying I'll have the ability to change the landscape by any means but I can at least offer a sounding board for the residents of this ward. I won't be censoring any posts (unless spam) and welcome any comments as they pertain to the posts. I also welcome your thoughts on the ward, and the direction of this blog to help better serve the community.

Let the fun begin.