Oh yes, Commissioner Hauser does have a conflict of interest and it does not go away because Mr. Scallon wants it to!
This is not "voting on any issue"! The decision to surrender Park Board land to a private high school to build a football stadium on a very small island that is primarily a park and a historic district is a significant issue. This is not some shared use agreement to preserve park land, this is not a collaborative effort to improve Minneapolis parks, this is not co-sponsorship of a park program, this is a decision to build a private football stadium for De La Salle high school. The question being asked of Commissioner Hauser and Commissioner Olson is whether they are putting the interests of the Minneapolis park system and the people of Minneapolis ahead of the interests of De La Salle high school. As supporters of De La Salle and as parents of De La Salle alums it seems blatantly evident that there is certainly a reasonable degree of doubt about whose interests they are advocating and therefore, they should abstain from voting on this issue. As a personal matter, I am a graduate of Augsburg College which surrounds Murphy Square, a small Minneapolis park. I am also a past member of the Augsburg Alumni Board. If I am elected to the Park Board and Augsburg College made a request for a parcel of Murphy Square to expand its athletic field, there is absolutely no way that I could be allowed to vote for that sort of project! The conflict would be there for all to see. (FYI, I would never vote to cede park land to a private entity of any sort to build a stadium for itself!) I too appreciate the efforts of De La Salle high school to serve Minneapolis youth. Without a football stadium on Nicollet Island, De La Salle will still be able to serve those interests and serve them well. Jim Bernstein Fulton Candidate, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, Dist. 6 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TONY SCALLON Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:15 AM To: mpls Subject: [Mpls] reaction to Commissioner Hauser Also, there is no conflict of interest. There is not even a special interest or an appearance of a conflict of interest. If I followed Jim Bernstein's logic, I could not have voted on any issue that effected the University of Minnesota while a Councilmember. Yes I am University fan and an alumnus. I regularly cheer for the U of M. I have even belonged to the Alumni Association. Calling this a conflict or appearance of conflict is absurd. I must now declare my conflict of interest according to Jim Bernstein. My youngest daughter graduated from De La Salle. Worse I respect and appreciate the efforts of De La Salle to serve Minneapolis youth especially inner city. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.6/69 - Release Date: 8/11/2005 REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
