Gene et all,
I think Dan's post is pretty clear that he is running for the council to be
part of a change in city leadership. Since the day Dan showed up at the
neighborhood to become an active volunteer 10 years ago, he has been
critical of the priorities of the current City leadership. Since the day he
was elected president of the the Lyndale Neighborhood Development
Coorporation and struggled through the nuts and bolts of building and
maintaining affordable housing, Dan has been calling for changes in how the
city works and who is leading it. Since the day he showed up at the DFL
Convention and called on the delegates to open the door and allow the 15,000
registered Democrats in the 10th ward to be part of the decision-making
process, Dan has been communicating his desire for there to be new
leadership and a new model of civic leadership.
If Dan earns the support of the residents of the 10th ward he will be a
strong and vocal leader on the council for new leadership. I hope this
leadership not only includes a new Council president, but a new council
majority leader, and a fundamentally different way of determining who the
committee chairs are. I hope it is a leadership that includes, involves and
engages around city priorities rather then marginalizes and "barters" for
votes.
I am all for holding individual councilmembers and candidates to who they
will elect for council leadership (see "A City for Neighbors") At the same
time replacing one figurehead with another is not the right direction.
Replacing someone we never see with someone who wield a divisive sword does
not build and stregthen our community. Replaceing someone who dominates
from the top with another "dominiator" will only result in the same drive
toward visionless mediocrity.
New leadership must be about whose voices are brought to the table, how they
are brought there, and how they hold themselves accountable to
demonstratable outcomes.
In my 10 years of working with Dan Niziolek in the community I have never
met a leader more willing and capable to activly engage diverse voices in a
meaningful way which results in real and tangible change in the community.
>From affordable housing, police accountability to the community, youth
development, traffic calming, rental property improvement and safety,
environmental programming -- Dan has a unique record of results in the
neighborhoods of the 10th ward.
Beyond his vote for Council president, I believe Dan will have a profound
impact on the leadership of the Council.
Joseph Barisonzi
Lyndale
Ward 10
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Martinez" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'hkdjn'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'minneapolis issues'"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 11:14 AM
Subject: RE: [Mpls] Campaign Clarifications...
> Dan,
>
> You say "you are not committed" to supporting Jackie Cherryhomes, but that
> is not the same thing as saying you will not support her under any
> circumstances. Will you vote for her under any circumstances?
>
> Gene Martinez
> Minnehaha, Ward 12
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> hkdjn
> Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2001 12:55 PM
> To: minneapolis issues
> Subject: [Mpls] Campaign Clarifications...
>
>
> In response to a few recent posts, I would like to dispel some false
> rumors.
>
>
> 1) No I am not committed to supporting Jackie Cherryhomes for Council
> President.
>
> 2) Yes, I want new direction in Minneapolis City leadership. That is why
> I am running! My experience, vision, and commitment to community clearly
> shows that I am looking for and am committed to creating new leadership.
>
> 3) Who will I support for Council President? The person who I believe is
> best able to lead our city in engaging community members in building
> strong urban communities that are safe, affordable, and livable. This
> individual will need to have proven leadership ability and a strong
> knowledge of the workings of the city.
>
> 4) At the Horn Terrace forum, I also spoke about how I would work to
> create change in city leadership.
>
> One person (like Jackie) does not constitute a majority; however, one
> person can create a majority for change. I will work to create a new
> majority with a new vision for our city.
>
> Organizations are changed by individuals who can shape a vision and
> create a majority of people who are willing to support and work for that
> vision. I have demonstrated an ability to shape a vision, form
> majorities and change organizations. As a volunteer on my neighborhood
> association, I was a leader in restructuring our association from a
> program delivery organization to a community building organization that
> is nationally recognized. As a board member on my neighborhood
> development corporation, including being president, I was a leader in
> taking an organization which was not being refunded and staffed to an
> organization that is funded, staffed, and a leader in maintaining and
> creating affordable housing in south Minneapolis. As a city employee
> (not a council president) I initiated and lead a citywide initiative
> that focused on building communities that are naturally safe and
> desirable. This effort resulted in changes to the zoning code,
> Minneapolis Plan, and the creation of a new position in the Planning
> Department (funded through existing resources) that I currently occupy.
> If as a city employee I can shape a vision and create a majority of
> people willing to support that vision, think of what I can do as a
> council member.
>
> 5) As for gun control, at the Horn Terrace forum I spoke of 2 things.
> 1) The need for strong gun licensing.
> 2) The need for creating communities that provide youth the
> opportunity to dream and achieve those dreams. Youth violence is often
> the catalyst for gun control. Having worked in juvenile corrections and
> on the Minneapolis police department, I know that healthy youth and
> adults come from healthy communities. Gangs often serve as substitutes
> for families. Violence is a sign someone does not even love themself. To
> a kid who has no dreams and does not care about him or herself, violence
> and death means nothing. Our focus as a city needs to be on building
> great neighborhoods that meet the needs of the people who live there.
>
> 6) As for the reference of me being a "special interest" candidate -
> my special interest is working with others to build great communities.
> My experience, vision, and commitment to community clearly indicate whom
> I will represent and what I will work for. Besides when people say that
> $100, $200, or event $300 dollars is going to buy my vote, I chuckle, as
> does my wife. If money meant that much to me, I would not spend hundreds
> of hours volunteering in my community (when I could be doing part-time
> or overtime for pay) and I would not have chosen a career in community
> organizing. My interest and commitment is working with others to build
> great neighborhoods. My experience speaks for itself.
>
>
> Dan Niziolek
> 10th Ward City Council Candidate
>
> Off to knock some more doors...
>
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