For several years (I think since approximately the time of the demise of "People of Phillips"), a group has existed in the Phillips neighborhood that calls itself "Phillips Partnership".
"Phillips Partnership" has a great community-oriented ring to it, doesn't it? Who exactly is the Phillips Partnership? According to the Phillips Partnership website, http://www.phillipspartnership.org/About_Us/about_us.html "The Phillips Partnership is comprised of top executives of prominent corporations and non-profit organizations, Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, Metropolitan Council Chair Ted Mondale, and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. The mayor and Gordon Sprenger, Chief Executive Officer of Allina Health System, serve as the Partnership�s Co-chairs." Are residents of the community involved at all? It would appear that the Phillips Partnership is very much a "top-down" organization, created to achieve the goals of almost everyone but the residents in Phillips. Is this the trend in community participation? The website also lists the "partners" as follows: Phillips Partners Jim Campbell, Co-Chair Chairman and CEO, Wells Fargo Bank Peter McLaughlin, Co-Chair Commissioner, Hennepin County Board Denny DeNarvaez CEO, Abbot Northwestern Hospital Brock Nelson C.E.O., Children�s Hospitals and Clinics Missy Thompson Director, Minnesota Partnership Office, Fannie Mae Emmett Carson President, The Minneapolis Foundation R.T Rybak Mayor of Minneapolis Ted Mondale Chairman, Metropolitan Council Further, Louis Smith of Smith Parker PLLP is listed in the newsletter as "counsel" - interestingly, Tom Johnson of Smith Parker is the coordinator of the I35W access project. As I recall, Phillips Partnership received something in the area of $5 million for the Access Project after the initial corporate seed money ran out. I'm interested in finding out what additional funds have been solicited by Phillips Partnership - I've heard that a letter was written to MNDOT by the partnership requesting additional funding. David Piehl Central __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.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
