Having played politics once, I'm not so sure I'd jump out there this time around, though I did pretty well, considering I spent something less that $1,500, if I remember correctly.
Also, Gregory Grey was a good choice for the library board to make as a replacement for George Garnett; it's important that he be there now and into the next 4 years. There are some others who need to step down; for example, Virginia Hot should step down. The unfortunate possibility is that if Rybak does not win, we stand to lose Laura Waterman Wittstock who has really done a good job as chair of the board this year. Course she could run for office, striking out on her own rather than carrying water for RT, which she is appointed to do at present.
I think the city council owes it to all of us to appoint someone to replace Kathleen Lamb. Kathleen Lamb dithers; it takes her a long time to make up her mind about issues and she holds up the flow of the work which says to me that she has too tough a time agreeing to a strategy and moving it forward.
I think Anita Dukor is not a good fit at this point; she keeps trying to run the library "more like a business." That's a mistake (running it in a more business-like fashion is a different issue). The library is not a business, it's an institution. There is a huge difference between the two. As a taxpayer, I'm supporting our most important institution, not a business.
We have a new and excellent director who needs to be given a real chance to push this rock uphill with her nose. The changes in the attitude of the staff and the changes in the way staff approaches difficulties have a long way to go to refurbish the library's commitment to us. There is an enormous paradigm shift underway and a change in focus will set it back at a time when setbacks are hard to pay for.
Personally, I hated the process of running for office. I don't like big, milling crowds, going to every gathering in town to meet people wore me out so much more than I expected. All the politician stuff like that wore me to a frazzle. I don't think I have the strength for it as I had when I was younger.
Nor do I have $5,000 to run for office, and I'm sure that's would be the minimum necessary to do the job in any kind of systematic way, since it's a city-wide office. It's a shame, too, since I'm really in tune with what Director Hadley and the board are trying to do and I know how to do some important work in the communities where new readers are really demanding proper service. Most of the board members are not very conversant with those populations. Communities around Franklin, Sumner, East Lake St., North Regional, and Hosmer--five out of 14 branches which have been underserved for the last long time in one way or another. Those are the populations I'm conversant with.
Such is life.
WizardMarks, Central
LEE EKLUND wrote:
Dear Candidate, As we our nearing the half way point of the current Mayor's term, a discussion of your campaign fund is in order. Although I realize it is early to declare as a candidate, your fundraising effort should have been netting $1000 a week since the current Mayor took office. This is a rough estimation based on 52 weeks times 4 years times $1000 to arrive at a modest $200,000 war chest. Since the first two years of the term have slid by, we will now have to double our efforts, netting $2000 per week. I am aware with the presidential year 04 upon us, and not wanting to announce when citizen interest in municipal elections is limited, you choose not to declare till January 05. Unfortunately, we then will have only 40 weeks to raise to raise $200,000 or a net $5000 a week. Although, I should be more honest and indicate (in a tight race) we would need to spend the entire $200,000 in the primary, thus our new goal is a net of $6500 per week. Should we prove successful in the primary, another $100,000 would be required, which is a bit of a chore because as we do not have the entire 8 weeks between the primary and general election to fundraise. I would set a goal of 5 weeks maximum to hit our target, a net of $20,000 per week. Once again to be a little more honest the fundraising effort is larger than it appears as we will have to hire professional fundraisers to meet the aggressive targets. I look forward to your campaign.
Lee R. Eklund Victory
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