A number of people(including reporters) have contacted me offline and by phone to ask about whether a Buyout Olson Block Party was being organized. I am open to the idea and helping folks with such an event IF it is determined that it would help solve the crisis in police/community relations. The point of my post was primarily to make it clear that the crisis in police community relations needs a solution. If the question of buying out Olson's contract is being sidelined by the cost rather than it's efficacy or value in moving towards a resolution of the problem, I believe the community believes the base problem is severe enough that they would support the costs involved and thus the cost issue should be mute.
I understand that removing Olson could do nothing to resolve the problem and prove to be only cosmetic, aside from some cathartic value, if the change is not figured as a part of a plan to address the underlying problems. It also could be that a change in leadership would not serve or be as efficient in bringing about change sooner rather than later since new leadership would need time to acclimate to the department and explore solutions. Olson may be able to do more sooner than a new chief. The point is the problem is serious and a cost of $300,000 out of a $93 million dollar budget should not be the axis point of the debate over whether he should stay or go. If it is believed buying out the contract would play a significant role as part of a more comprehensive endeavor to address the problem, it is well worth the cost. If it would hinder rather than move forward efforts to address the problem, by all means-don't do it. Willing to help bear the cost of a solution, David Strand Loring Park __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________ 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
