Of the Park Board reform movement and the DeLaSalle stadium issue, Peter Surmak writes, "I think these folks started out with legitimate criticisms of the MPRB's processes, but it has evolved into something far nastier and destructive," and he goes on to give his own endorsements of at-large Park Board candidates. To this observer, who lives nowhere near Nicollet Island and will not be personally affected one way or the other, the problem with the Park Board's approach to this was precisely the "MPRB's processes." The MPRB violated its own procedures by failing to solicit community input through a Citizens' Advisory Committee until the issue threatened to blow up in their faces. When the bright light of publicity isn't so hot, they go ahead with their back-room business as usual without the democratic community input that their own guidelines require. I don't think pointing this out is "nasty" or "destructive"; it's just attentive citizenship. So, after considering Surmak's recommendations, I urge list members to consider also the endorsements of Minneapolis Park Watch ( http://www.mplsparkwatch.org/node/261) and Minneapolis Park Board Reform ( http://www.parkboardreform.org/endorsements). In particular, with the Green Party under a sudden cloud of suspicion, we should support our at-large commissioner Annie Young, who embodies the values of integrity, openness, and community involvement that our Park Board desperately needs more of.
Jason McGrath Corcoran, south Mpls 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
