Re: [Mpls] Today's Z&P meeting

[KarenCollier]

I did see the meeting on TV.  I thought the final vote was a little strange too.  However, I have a question for you as a Park Commissioner.  Whether you or the Park Board knew that the property was up for sale is one thing.  However, would the Park Board have had the money to purchase?  I think the dilemma facing the committee today was that Mr. Baylor had a Purchase Agreement for the property.  The Park Board had nothing to show that they could or would be willing to pay for the property.  They wanted too, agreed, but financially could they have handled it?  Then you get into a situation whereby you are challenging the property rights of Mr. Baylor just because the Park Board may or may not want to purchase.  I think that's where the problem arose.  Not whether it should or should not be developed, but legally did they have a right to deny.  A sticky situation at best.

Karen Collier
Linden Hills

a message dated 11/13/01 8:40:59 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

In the Z&P meeting today regarding the JADT developemtn -
Did anyone besides me find it odd that for awhile there it looked like
nobody on the committee was going to make a motion about approving the
permit and plans.  It seemed that Joe Biernat and the old team of cronies
managed to paint Mr. Ostrow in a corner (who clearly had his doubts about
doing the right thing).  Joan Campbell and Dore Mead kept mumbling about
come on Paul show some leadership. What I saw was ugly.  Of a six-person
committee one person was out of the country, four others are not around
after January 1st and didn't want their name on this "boondoogle" so that
left Paul all by himself. And then when they voted  a couple of folks
abstained adding fuel to the already burning fire.

I kept throwing out a flag about "why couldn't they table the motion for 3
months?" I heard Joan mumble "we can't do that."

For some reason I did not get to speak although I thought I had signed up
on the speaker's list.  But I am still befuddled by all of this and
actually very pissed.  I want to know why lots of us didn't know that piece
of property was ready to go up for sale.  As a Park Commisioner it would
have been my duty to do everything I could have to get hold of that
property...
but you know what folks, I never knew that property was available until the
development plan was presented by Mr. Baylor.  
In my opinion, yes things are rotten in Denmark on this project and I plan
to search for some answers.  I still want that piece of land for the
citizens of Minneapolis and I mean all 7 acres.

For the moment,
a very upset Park Commissioner about losing a piece of land today (and not
even to affordable housing so I could at least be not quite so upset). More
fancy townhomes on the River - nice, but gag me with a spoon.
But who am I?