Third Ward Race

A few random thoughts on this race.
Owning a coffeeshop in NE, here's a few things I hear from NEers.  
The pre-endorsement time and process was especially truncated 
and thus the process was more telescoped than normal, even for 
us DFLers,  remember Jerry Janezich's endorsement.  The 
disturbing fact here was that the Party Chair, Mike Erlandson, had 
a  fundraiser event at his South Mpls. Parkway home BEFORE the 
endorsement.  ( Olin is of course married to the 5th 
Congressional District Party Chair)  This sense of early and 
unnecessary  interference in a local affair upset  plenty of NEers.   
(In the DFL, We seem to have a problem with dynasticism and 
entitlement,   Skip  H. . Buck H, etc. etc. )  And we seem to have 
gotten away from winning.

In this case Olin's only claim to fame and resume item, appears to 
be his employment for the congressman, who appears in nearly 
all of his campaighn material.  Olin also regularly  referenced his 
boss at the debate at Mill City. This may or may not be enough for 
him.  Nonetheless, it's dynasticism racheted up one.

I don't know alot about NEers, but I know they get rankled when 
important "Southsiders" get in their business.  See the old 394 
freeway fight of 35 years ago.

These things continue to be amplified because of the near dearth 
of community involvement Mr. Moore has had.   Mr. Moore appears 
as a new  young player  to many .   He's NOT been  involved in the 
Upper River Plan,  the Arts Action Plan,  MEND,  The Grain Belt  
charrettes,  NECDC,  the old NE reps,  Central Ave task force, 
Marshall Avenue Task Force, Lowry Avenue Task Force,  Bottineau 
Park Redevelopment ,  The Bottineau Library Redevelopement 
Task Force,   SNO board or the always fun Sno Ball (coming up 
again next month). 
He's, frankly, not been around, and his appreciation of NE seems 
skin deep.
 
For example, at the debate at Mill City he was asked about his 
most important priorities. He responded by saying " clean streets 
In NE."  A studied but ultimately  condescending remark to many.  
Or perhaps just plain ridiculous. To many he sounds as if he 
doesn't know why he wants  to be on the Council.  And this is, 
sadly, probably true.



John Kremer
Live In Whittier/  Work and Play in Bottineau


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