I went to the web site and read further.
Phillips Partnership seems to be an organization that many here would be ecstatic over. Corporate heads who take a serious interest in the surrounding community, by working with civic leaders to improve neighborhood conditions. Safety, job training (and hiring), affordable housing and infrastructure are focus points. They put their own foundation money up and receive some grants as well.
Would it make some feel better if only non-profits worked on these issues? Of course it would, but how long have people demanded that corporations begin to invest in their physical community?
There also seems to be some insinuation that the goals of the Partnership are mutually exclusive with those of the surrounding community. Can you explain further or did I just jump to a conclusion? I do know that in the five years of its existence, Phillips has become the neighborhood with the fastest growing property values.
If more corporations took a vested interest in their community, it would lighten the burden and numbers of the operating non-profits.
Eric Mitchell
Maple Grove
Dave Piehl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
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
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