OUTFRONT MINNESOTA E-News for January 9, 2004
Families and Fairness, MPLS Chief of Police
1. Families and Fairness
A Town Hall Meeting on Federal and State Issues Affecting GLBT Relationships
Saturday, January 17, 2004
2 4 pm (Reception at 1:30 pm)
Macalester College Chapel
1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul
Register now at <http://www.outfront.org/>www.outfront.org.
Sponsored by OutFront Minnesota, the Human Rights Campaign, and Rainbow Families
The Federal Marriage Amendment would amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. And now, Minnesota families are being threatened by a proposed state constitutional amendment that would do the same. Both amendments are rapidly gaining support. We need your help!
Featured Speakers: Liz Seaton, HRC senior counsel; Ann DeGroot, Executive Director, OutFront Minnesota; Deborah Talen, Executive Director, Rainbow Families; and Esera Tuaolo, openly gay football star and former Minnesota Viking. Moderated by State Senator Scott Dibble.
Get Informed. Defend our Families. Fight Back. Be There!
E Democracy's mn-politics-national is discussing this issue. The state list mn-politics-discuss discusses this issue as it relates to the possible state constitutional amendment.
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3. OutFront Minnesota and the Next Minneapolis Police Chief
How has OutFront Minnesota been involved?
Calls and emails have been coming in to our offices asking, Where has OutFront Minnesota been regarding the selection of the next Minneapolis chief of police? Of course you must be lobbying for the one out lesbian candidate&
Where have we been? Right at the table! Doug Federhart of our staff served on the Community Advisory Group to the Mayor during the police chief search process. Along with over 20 other community leaders, representing all interests and backgrounds, Doug reviewed all the applicants, actively discussed each person, and then, along with the whole advisory group, gave both individual and collective feedback to the Mayor as the final step of the process. The Community Advisory Groups task was not to recommend any one specific candidate, but to identify what they saw as strengths and weaknesses for each person.
There were several strong candidates, and Deputy Chief Sharon Lubinski was definitely in that group. But the reality is, Mayor R. T. Rybak, for a variety of reasons, has chosen to bring forward William McManus, an outside candidate and current chief in Dayton OH. (Prior to that, McManus was in the department in Washington DC and emerged as the key liaison officer with the GLBT communities there.) The City Council is the group that ultimately votes yea or nay on the Mayor's recommendation, and they are presently divided. While OutFront Minnesota directly expressed to the Mayor that he would have done well to bring forward Deputy Chief Lubinski in recognition of her excellent qualities, there is not a "lobbying role" that makes sense for OutFront Minnesota to play at this point. OutFront Minnesota has to be ready and able to have a strong, assertive relationship with whomever makes it through the City Hall process. Therefore, we are being careful not to endorse one specific individual.
OutFront Minnesota was there, representing the GLBT community and working with the broader community, and we remain committed to working vigorously with whomever clears the final hurdles.
Krause's Gay Agenda Column covers this:
http://www.lavendermagazine.com/225/225_news_34.html
It remains to be seen how the GLBT community will weigh in on Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's nominee for Police Chief, William McManus.
Rybak has stated that one of his top priorities for the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is to increase diversity on the staff and improve relations with minority communities.
So, it raised some eyebrows when Rybak chose McManus, a white male from Dayton, Ohio, over an African American and two women (one of whom, Sharon Lubinski, is lesbian) who have risen through the MPD ranks.
McManus apparently had a decent record of building the rank and file in Dayton, and filling top management positions with women and minorities.
No word on how he got along with the GLBT community in Dayton.
Rank-and-file police officers in Minneapolis are skeptical of an outsider's ability to manage the troublesome and politicized MPD.
Although the mayor nominates the police chief, the nominee must be approved by the Minneapolis City Council's Executive Committee, where Rybak appears to have four of five votes, and then by the full council.
But the three gay members of the Minneapolis City Council as yet have not announced their support for McManus. So, the necessary seven votes to confirm the Mayor's choice may not be there.
If Rybak's first choice is rejected, and he does not bring forward a new nominee within 30 days, the process bypasses the mayor, and moves directly to the Executive Committee and the City Council.
It would not be the first time a mayor was denied his choice for police chief. And only a few outside candidates ever have made it through.
EY: From the sounds of it, since Benson and Johnson are now on the fence, this nomination is likely to pass (especially if it requires 7 and not 8 votes).
The Mayor's Office PR strategy on the McManus nomination has been impeccable. The Star Tribune had another puff piece. (Rochelle Olson is usually above puff pieces - but this one seems rather gushing over McManus - does he walk on water?).
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4311442.html
Eva Young Near North Minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blog is up: http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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