Lost in the shuffle of things or just lost in the tedium of things was the election of the neighborhood reps to the NRP Policy Board on November 29. Announced December 3, the folks and their neighborhoods are:
Carol Pass (East Phillips--Redirection Rep) Jeffrey Strand (Shingle Creek--Protection Rep--and, interestingly, one of the eight DFLer's who have called for the DFL Central Committee meeting that Mayor-Elect Rybak so appropriately criticized) Julia Burman (Holland--Revitalization Rep) Ron Ravensborg (Hale--At Large Rep--former city council candidate) While the neighborhood reps to the Board are limited by the type of neighborhood (redirection, protection, revitalization), it's interesting to note that the representation (including alternates who were also elected) is predominantly South-centric. More significant is the lack of real ethnic diversity, both in those elected and those who ran. I was disappointed to see that a Hmong man from the Jordan neighborhood did not make it on the Board as a rep from a redirection neighborhood. I know NRP faces incredible financial issues in the future. I believe it also faces incredible representation and diversity issues as well, particularly in a city that has a number of neighborhoods where the populace has become or remains a majority of people of color--who are not truly represented in the NRP system. NRP was rightfully criticized for this in the evaluation of Phase I, but I'm not seeing active efforts to change this in Phase II. Sure, it's a difficult road to attract and engage those who have not participated in the past--but it's that difficulty that NRP folks, neighborhood reps, and others must pursue if NRP is to have any future vitality. Maybe that is what is partially included in Mayor-elect Rybak's 90-day plan to "promote inclusive involvement in neighborhood-level and citywide planning." I hope it is. Gregory Luce North Phillips (work) _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
