Annie, I kind of get the feeling that you aren't interested
in what people in the boonies have to say about Minneapolis
politics - your line "We can't wait to hear about politics
out in St.
Michael as they apply to Minneapolis issues. :-)" seems to
say it all! I hope I am misreading your intent.
However, LRT is a statewide issue, not just a Minneapolis
issue. And many of us want a multi-modal transportation
system, we just believe that the financial investment stakes
are higher than we have been led to believe. And the
problem with the design on this bridge should not be blamed
on a design-build process. Even though I think that process
is dangerous for this project and others of this size, this
was a miss by those who manage the project. The guidelines
were clear and it was the Met Council's responsibility to
meet the city's requirements. And to rationalize more
spending from city tax dollars because "it was many people's
fault" is beaucracy at it's worst. Minneapolis can't even
pick up it's garbage or manage many basic services, yet it
can find dollars to fix a Met Council problem. I guess some
of us in the boonies just don't get it.
Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID
Founder
________________________________________
R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N
Architecture / Interior Design / Strategic Planning
"You can only fly if you stretch your wings."
Metro Minneapolis - Saint Michael
________________________________________
13715 Forty-Seventh Street Northeast
Saint Michael, Minnesota 55376
(763) 497-1003 phone & fax
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
Annie Young
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 3:08 PM
To: Russell W Peterson; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Mpls] re: Lake St lrt bridge
Welcome back Russell. We can't wait to hear about politics
out in St.
Michael as they apply to Minneapolis issues. :-)
Actually, I think the City Council did stickup for the
neighbors. As
Sheila states there were significant errors made by several
players on this
deal. And we have all learned lesons by this mistake.
However, the City Council and especially councilmember
Thurber did stand up
for the citizens because if they hadn't "coughed up" the
money we would be
getting the wall because there were also incredible
deadlines we were up
against. I think the biggest problem is this whole theory
about design and
build. With the kinds of bidding processes and regulations
about who can
talk to who and what kinds of changes can and cannot be made
we are very
lucky we got to make the change.
Ted Mondale also gets a hand in this - we stormed several of
the Met
Council meetings where there normally is not testimony or
comments from the
public and he did let us speak to the problems this would be
created for
the neighborhood.
So when throwing stones we must be careful who they hit and
this time you
have missed the target. They did fight for us. And from my
couch in
Phillips this is a very rare treat and deserves a toast to
the CC.
Although Barrett Lane will have to sit in the other room at
the celebration
party - but he is accustomed to that.
For now,
Annie
Organization is a means of multiplying the strength of an
individual.
Cryptogram of 3/28/01
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