1. Apology to Urban Ventures: In my last post I said:
> EY: Robert Lilligren also indicated to me, that he believes it is > premature for the council to consider any zoning changes until Urban > Vultures clearly shows they have raised the funding for the project. This was an unfortunate typo. While it is no secret, I do NOT think much of Urban Ventures, they do not deserve to be called names on the Minneapolis Issues list. I would like to apologize to Urban Ventures and the list. 2. Does MCDA hold Citizen Participation Organizations to their Contracts? Yesterday I sent the following to CNIA Chat. Mailing-List: list [EMAIL PROTECTED]; contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Delivered-To: mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 01:16:20 -0000 Subject: [Central-chat] Bob Cooper: Does MCDA hold CP organizations responsible for CP contracts? The following is being forwarded with permission of Bob Cooper..... I did finally get some meeting notes from cnia this month, and the next CNIA meeting is this coming Tuesday, at 7PM to 9:30 PM at Sabathani. My understanding from talking in city hall, that unless another neighborhood group applies for CP status, MCDA will probably renew the contract should CNIA apply, and no other organization apply. I also understand that though the criteria for being approved for citizen participation status includes having an organization and board that is at least a year old, this requirement gets waived sometimes. As I understand it, Jennifer Gahnstrom, a central resident filed two grievances in writing (email) to the CNIA board. Copies of these grievances were sent to Bob Cooper of MCDA, Bob Miller of NRP and Joe Horan of NRP. In addition, these grievances were posted to CNIA chat. The CNIA board (as is their wont), failed to act on these grievances. Robert Lilligren, council member for the 8th ward, wrote several weeks ago, that he would follow up with MCDA to find out what happened with these grievances. Robert, I'm curious what has happened on this. I am also unclear why an organization which released a "disclaimer" of responsibility for a "lost" 100,000 in funds, continues to get taxpayer funds. Foundations won't give CNIA a penny, because they have not shown the ability to manage money. Yet, the city continues to look the other way, when they continue to mismanage money. As I have said before: Are the Minneapolis Taxpayers Chumps or what? Eva Young Central Attached: 1. Correspondance with Bob Cooper regarding how MCDA does not hold organizations with a citizen participation contract accountable to the terms of the contract. --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Eva Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 10:13:47 -0600 >From: "Robert Cooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "Eva Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >User-Agent: Microsoft Outlook Express Macintosh Edition - 5.0 (1513) >Subject: Re: [Mpls] Open Records > >Eva: > There are probably several answers to your question. If a group is not adhering to the terms of the citizen participation contract, we usually become aware of the situation through a grievance filed against the group. (The stuff that I sent you several months back details the grievance procedure to be followed.) If the grievance is upheld, the MCDA can take several actions, from mandating future procedures to be followed, ruling the specific vote invalid, or outright termination of the contract (the bureaucratic equivalent of nuclear war). The response depends on the severity of the complaint. As for audits, we require groups to correct any findings enumerated in the report. In CNIA's case, the audit was indeed horrendous. CNIA reps have recently renewed their efforts to clean up the findings. Some of the findings affect the "MCDA side" of the ledger; other findings are specific to their NRP contracts. We are working closely with the NRP office to rectify all findings. Finally, if there is no group under contract in a neighborhood, the MCDA would still be mandated to "provide for the direct participation of citizens, in an advisory role, in all stages of the MCDA decision- making process." (This is based on State law and City ordinance. I may not be quoting directly since I am at home and don't have the stuff in front of me.) So, yes, we would have to have some process in place, although it would not necessarily replicate that of neighborhood group. Does that answer your questions? Let me know if I have missed something. Also, please note, I am at home so it is probably better to send any other questions to me at work ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), otherwise it may get lost (my daughter has a new fondness for e-mail). Robert Cooper Minneapolis Community Development Agency Community Outreach Department 105 5th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55401 > >e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >phone: 612-673-5239 >fax: 612-673-5212 > >web address: http://www.mcda.org > >> From: "Eva Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 21:33:22 -0600 >> To: "Robert Cooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: Re: [Mpls] Open Records >> >> Hi Bob: >> What happens when a group does not fulfil their contract? Because I looked through the requirements you sent me several months back -- and CNIA isn't doing any of it. Their audits are horrible. With a budget shortfall like we have in Minneapolis, what justifies giving money to an organization that cannot manage it? >> >> Eva At 09:13 PM 02/23/2002 -0600, you wrote: Eva: Thanks for the note. The MCDA has not extended any deadlines for CNIA. CNIA did get their application in on time for the citizen participation program. They were included in the funding recommendations report and approved for funding for Year 27 (June 1, 2001 - May 31, 2002). The Request for Proposals for Year 28 (June 1, 2002 - May 31, 2003) will be sent out to interested groups in about 2 weeks. >>> >>> Robert Cooper >>> Minneapolis Community Development Agency >>> Community Outreach Department Hey Bob -- thanks for clarifying on the list [Minneapolis Issues]. I've got a question for you. I have heard that MCDA has been giving CNIA extentions on the deadline to apply for Citizen Participation status. What is the current status -- that is, is CNIA still have an extended deadline to get paperwork in to apply for CP status? Or has the final deadline passed, and they don't get CP status this year? If CNIA does not have this status, my understanding is that MCDA is responsible to do the work that CNIA was contracted to do (and has not been doing for the last 2-3 years). Eva Eva Young Central Neighborhood Minneapolis "You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone - not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be." --Article II of the Bill of Non-Rights. _______________________________________ 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
