Dean: thanks for filling me in. I was going to send a note to the list
asking Annie for more specifics, since this is a public matter, but your
note fills the gap. Do you mind sending it to the list at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(our new posting address)? I think the public would really appreciate your
take on this, and it's exactly what the list was set up to do.
I can also forward this for you,
Best,
David
-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Zimmermann [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2001 10:46 AM
To: David Brauer
Subject: RE: [Mpls] Park Board
David:
The business you have been reading about lately about the Park Board sounds
a bit more titillating than it really is. Actually on most things the Park
Board has almost universal agreement and when there is a divided vote, the
majority/minority split is always configured differently. There are some on
the Board now who feel the current leadership, President Solomon and VP Fine
tend to cut off debate at meetings and to bring some items to the board so
late in the process that they are done deals before some commissioners know
they are happening. In particular, it seems that the leadership has been
negotiating with the city to give away some of the Park Board's police
responsibilities to the city police. This is a significant issue, and in
other cities where the Park Police have been folded into the city police,
the parks end up not getting the police service that is needed.
The city charter requires the Park Board to hold its annual meeting on the
first business day of the year and at that time to elect officers. At the
meeting on Jan 2, 2001 President Ed Solomon was absent due to a serious two
month long illness. In a vote for president of the board, Commissioner
Berry-Graves received 4 votes; Commissioner Neiman received 3 votes and
Commissioner Dziedzic abstained. It is the opinion of Berry-Graves that
she was elected president. It is the opinion of the Park Board lawyer that
5 votes are needed to elect officers. This opinion is based on some court
decisions that may or may not apply to this situation. Commissioner
Berry-Graves has shown up at subsequent meetings with legal opinions in hand
that suggest that, yes indeed, she was duly elected on Jan 2.
On January 24th, a new election was conducted, over the objections of
Berry-Graves and Commission Mason, in which Ed Solomon received 5 votes and
Berry-Graves received 4 votes. To most, it would seem that Ed Solomon is the
newly re-elected president of the Park Board. Whether or not Berry-Graves
will pursue this issue in court is a question that you will have to ask her.
Personally, I feel the matter is settled.
Dean Zimmermann
Commissioner (District 3)
Mpls Park and Recreation Board
612-722-8768
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
David Brauer
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 6:55 PM
To: Mpls list
Subject: RE: [Mpls] Park Board
First, I hope Steve Brandt starts a trend of Strib reporters publishing
"bonus" coverage of their Minneapolis stories here. I think it's a joke that
newspapers don't use their Web outlets to print longer versions of edited
stories that are cut only to fit in the dead-tree version.
Speaking of jokes...threatened lawsuits over leadership votes? Pretty
pathetic. Don't these commissioners know the taxpayers are watching?
Or maybe they're not. I know grown-ups can play mean, but this sort of
immaturity is one reason people keep thinking about abolishing the park
board.
Thanks to Annie Young for NOT being mentioned as one of the
lawsuit-threateners. BUT I do hope Annie will take advantage of this list to
tell us what is fueling the huge leadership fight. If it is a mere pissing
match, well, we can debate the maturity necessary to effectively serve the
city. But if there are more substantive differences, please, please, Annie,
let the public know!
David Brauer
King Field - Ward 10
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