Supporters to raise funds to preserve Spike Moss' job Terry Collins and Randy Furst, Star Tribune May 29, 2004
The job of Spike Moss, the longtime Minneapolis civil rights leader, looked a lot safer on Friday. Less than 24 hours after it was made public that The City Inc. could no longer afford to pay Moss, the nonprofit group announced that prominent members within the black community have offered to raise funds to keep him on the job. "We feel there are ... people in the community who have offered to step up to the plate and help us solve this problem," said Bill English, president of the group's board of directors. "These are organizations and individuals who have a history of making this happen." Fred Easter, the group's president, said Friday that he plans to meet with other community leaders to develop a strategy to help pay for Moss' salary and programs that would cover a five-year period. "We all agree that Spike's work is very important and critical in the community," he said. Easter called Moss The City Inc.'s "moral compass." Moss, 58, has been regarded as a vociferous advocate for blacks since the civil-rights battles of the 1960s, gaining a reputation as a peacemaker during tense moments. He disclosed earlier this week that he was told by Easter that because of cutbacks, he would be allowed to keep his desk, phone and benefits, but be paid only $1 a year. Moss said it sounded like he was being fired. After word spread, The City Inc. got many phone calls. On Friday, Easter and English met with Moss and several community leaders, including state Rep. Keith Ellison, DFL-Minneapolis, and businessman Alfred Babington-Johnson. "They said they are going to work on it," a smiling Moss said after the meeting. "I'm going to keep doing my job. ... I believe the community will raise the money." English said Moss' salary, including benefits, payroll taxes and support staff, comes to nearly six figures. A fundraiser for Moss is scheduled for June 18 at the Minneapolis Urban League. Easter said Friday he should have used more discretion when he met with Moss earlier this week. He agonized over telling Moss his strategy on how to remedy a budget shortfall totaling $155,000, saying that keeping Moss on the payroll might mean eliminating several positions and programs. "I take full responsibility for not taking him step by step through all of my thinking," Easter said. "I did not fully think of the emotional impact it would have." http://www.startribune.com/stories/1557/4801871.html Posted by Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood -- ___________________________________________________________ Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
