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Please see below for an announcement regarding the appointment of the new Empowerment Zone Administrator by Lee Sheehy, Director of Community Planning and Economic Development for the City of Minneapolis. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, and please join us in welcoming Jonathan to the City of Minneapolis! For Immediate Release Jonathan Palmer to Head Minneapolis Empowerment Zone MINNEAPOLIS, MN. November 16, 2004--The Department of Community Planning and Economic Development is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Palmer to the position of Empowerment Zone Administrator. He was enthusiastically recommended by a search committee of the Empowerment Zone Board, led by Chair Paul Williams. His appointment will be effective on December 1. "Jonathan has served as an inspiring community leader in Jordan and now we're asking him to bring that to other Empowerment Zone neighborhoods", said Chair Williams. With this staff transition and the funding cuts across the nation, the Board sharpened the Empowerment Zone's focus and sought to improve citizen understanding of Empowerment Zone investments. Jonathan's extensive community organizing and development experience positioned him as the best choice to lead this effort. Joining Paul Williams on this EZ committee were Karen Kelley-Ariwoola, Theresa Carr, Craig Lewis, and Arlene El-Amin. They offered sound recommendations for this position within a larger vision of the Empowerment Zone's future. Jonathan comes to this position from the Jordan Area Community Council (JACC) where he served as Executive Director. During his tenure, he doubled the budget, expanded operations and partnerships, and increased the connection between community members and the organization. At a time where Jordan has confronted crime and other challenges, Jonathan has been part of the community's reach for solutions. He was one of the initiators of the process that led to the Northside Partnership and has worked extensively with a number of elected officials and City Departments on developing realistic, sustainable strategies for addressing community concerns. He has assured JACC that he will be available through a transition there. Jonathan has also served as the chair of the Stevens Square Community Organization Board and as a member of the Capital Long-range Improvement Committee for the City. Over the past year he has served as Vice-Chair of the Empowerment Zone Board, recusing himself when he applied for this position. He is also on the board of the Citizen's League, the Victory Neighborhood Association and Loring Nicollet Bethlehem Community Centers. Jonathan lives in Minneapolis with his wife, J.J. Haywood-Palmer, the CEO of Pizza Luce, and their daughter Siobhan Isabella, who will be two in January. He holds a BA in Psychology from Morehouse College and will complete his Masters in Public Administration at the Humphrey Institute next year. He is an artist, singer and poet and his most public writing, "My Neighborhood", is featured on the Stevens Square community mural painted onto the north wall of the Ace Hardware Store at 18th and Nicollet. He originally hails from Washington D.C. where his folks worked in public service as well. Please join me in welcoming Jonathan into public service in Minneapolis. Becky Boland Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) City of Minneapolis 105 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55401 612.673.5133 (office) 612.673.5100 (fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped 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
