Forum on Minneapolis Budget Cuts vs NRP ======================================= The meeting called by Mayor Rybak and Council President Ostrow was a good first step on which to begin the dialogue regarding the status of NRP Phase 2 program funding levels and continued, or rather enhanced integration of neighborhood-based planning and prioritization into existing municipal processes. I appreciated RT's acknowledgement at the outset some snafus in the e-mail meeting notice (not sent to all 2003 Policy Board members). Others questioned the short time frame between calling this meeting and the council consideration next week and anticipated council action to decide "how big the pie will be" on January 17.
I suggest that the mayor and council leadership ought to engage their partners on the full NRP Policy Board early on in these matters to seek creative solutions. Future meetings to consider the status of NRP Phase 2 should be noticed well in advance, well publicized, and coordinated so as not to conflict with neighborhood meetings. A model of public participation is the process undertaken when the Phase 2 Framework was developed. Ex Officio members of the NRP Policy Board, the governing body of the NRP, include the Mayor, the Council President, the Chair of the Hennepin County Board, the Chair of the School Board, the President of the Library Board, and the President of the Park and Recreation Board. A very good start indeed for a "blue ribbon" commission to find resources and ways to continue this nationally recognized program! Or, I ask, do we lack the will? We ought to demand that city leaders take full advantage of the knowledge, experience and resources of the broad representation on the Policy Board. In addition to the 5 governing jurisdictions already mentioned, the Policy Board includes elected representatives from the neighborhoods/residents and appointed representatives from other community representatives from the foundation community, the minority community, labor and business, and the state legislature. Jim Graham's comments on this subject should be well taken. I look forward to posts from Policy Board members who were present today, such as Ron Ravensborg, Carol Pass, Cameron Gordon, Gail Dorfman, Peter McLaughlin et al, as well as neighborhood board chairs and other residents who attended the meeting. I also look forward to members of the media responding to the information or disinformation about NRP. Namely, today the Star Tribune reports that "Minneapolis city leaders Friday began discussing a series of austerity measures that could cut the police force by 200 officers, limit future salary increases to 2 percent and abolish the Neighborhood Revitalization Program during the next five years." (Rochelle Olson) I did not hear RT Rybak or Council President Ostrow today call for abolition of the NRP, or did I miss something? In fact, we heard Mr. Ostrol harken back to the original purposes of the NRP as a multijurisdictional program designed to facilitate collaborations and for citizens to have greater input on redirecting municipal resources! Why the disconnect between published reports and rhetoric? Another example, The Business Journal (Scott D. Smith) on 12/27/02 (see December 2002 NRP Clips) reported on the appointment of attorney Lee Sheehy to head Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED). The article stated, "In January, Sheehy will start the job of creating a super department by consolidating the Planning Department, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency and the Neighborhood Revitalization Program." I served on the NRP Policy Board during 2002. I recall no formal action taken by the Policy Board to fold the NRP into CPED. Rather a working group on "Focus Minneapolis" has been studying the issue. Again, why the disconnect? I applaud the actions of elected city officials such as Mayor Rybak, Council President Ostrow, Ways and Means Chair Barbara Johnson, and CM Lane to actively "fix our own problems" resulting from tax shifts, economic downturns and the state budget shortfall. I think we will all look back with regret (those who choose to remain in a cold Omaha, as Sid says) if certain officials choose to kill off the NRP as part of the cure. As the Star Tribune pointed out, "As a candidate, Rybak promised full funding of the grassroots NRP." Let's also hear more about County Commissioner McLaughlin's proposal that city officials in the county come together to review resource sharing and cost savings. Jeffrey L. Strand Shingle Creek =========================================================== Subject: RE: [Mpls] Saturday NRP session with neighborhoods and mayor Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2003 14:05:15 -0600 Steve Brandt writes: > I'd be interested in hearing offline the reactions of anyone who > attended today's Logan Park session with the mayor and some Council > members regarding the city budget and community development funding _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
