I find it amusing that Chris Johnson claims that he/she will be voting in five of the six Minneapolis Park Board Districts and for candidates in races not subject to the primary. The former, due to residency requirements, would be a violation of law and the latter is simply impossible.
Martin Demgen Standish-Ericsson Message: 8 Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 16:44:14 -0500 From: Chris Johnson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Mpls] My Park Board Choices To: Mpls Forum <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed The following are the people I will be voting for in the Primary Election tomorrow for Park Board seats, and some of my reasons as to why. (These are entirely my own selections and reasons. It is true I had input into Park Watch's endorsements, which were reached by consensus among all of its members, but Park Watch neither endorses nor has approved this message.) These are the Park Board candidates who deserve your vote. They are people of high integrity with a strong sense of responsibility to the public and the greater good of the community. Park District 1: LuAnn Wilcox LuAnn has exactly the kind of qualifications one would want among leaders of the park system. Her Masters of Education from the University of Minnesota in Youth Development Leadership could hardly fit the needs of the urban youth in our parks better. Her monograph, titled "Does Your Community Value Youth? A Commentary on Values and Behavior," demonstrates a deep knowledge of, and a commitment to, providing high-quality programs and services for youth. LuAnn also exudes the positive, up-beat, can-do attitude that is both a pleasure to work with and a catalyst for getting the best out of her work associates. Born and raised in Minneapolis, a graduate of North High, with extensive experience in community and Park Board youth programs in 15 different city parks, LuAnn is a fantastic choice for Park Board commissioner. Park District 3: Scott Vreeland Scott is perhaps the most modest of candidates. On the surface, he looks like a reasonably good selection as a Park Board commissioner. But as one learns more about him, the more impressed one becomes. Scott has worked actively in numerous civic and community organizations for many years. Forest management, land acquisition, water quality, neighborhood organizations, advisory committees and more, Scott has and continues to do it all. Talking to Scott about issues, one rapidly discovers he has a wealth of knowledge, and that he brings wisdom, thoughtfulness and open-minded consideration to the Park Board issues. Yet one may not hear Scott say these things about himself. He is a humble person. But he is a true Renaissance Man. Park District 4: Tracy Nordstrom Tracy gets it. Like the rest of my endorsements, she understands that our park system was designed to be, and needs to be, available to all of us. But more than that, Tracy has a deep understanding of how the process must change to continue to meet the changing needs of the populace as a whole, rather than catering to smaller subsets of interests. She has a breadth of experience in civic and government organizations and roles. Tracy has been very active through the years in her involvement with parks recreational and environmental programs. Her exemplary abilities to coordinate and organize will also be an asset to the Park Board. Park District 5: Jason Stone One key asset needed to successfully address the more difficult problems facing the Park Board today is the ability to pursue and see through to an end the finding and implementation of a solution. In this situation, Jason Stone is your man. He is quietly tenacious. He is a careful listener who is deliberate and respectful of all view points. He is fair minded and non-judgmental. Jason will make sure the Park Board serves the whole community and focuses on its core mission. Park District 6: Jim Bernstein While Jim has the political experience to understand how to work with people from a variety of political view points, he also has the courage to stand up for the the right idea even when it is not popular among the power brokers in government. There will be instances when it will be necessary to stand up for what is right at unpopular moments to preserve our park system's integrity and long-term quality. Jim will not be intimidated into silence at those times. He is also an approachable and receptive individual. Jim likewise brings a sense of fiscal responsibility and restraint that is in short supply at the Park Board these days. At Large (city wide): Rochelle Berry Graves Rochelle has been fighting the up-hill battle at the Park Board for a number of years. She understands on a much deeper level than most the crucial role the park system plays in the quality of urban neighborhood life, and the opportunities for a better educated and more responsible youth. Rochelle knows how particularly important these aspects are for many city neighborhoods where the youth are not so privileged as perhaps others are. She can relied upon to ask the hard questions about who will actually benefit from a proposed course of action. Her ethics are impeccable. At Large (city wide): Tom Nordyke Tom has the critical understanding of how the park system contributes to the livability and vitality of a community in ways that may not seem obvious or tangible to all. He is a quick study who can quickly grasp the salient facts of a situation. His experience as vice president of Artspace, an organization which serves the facilities and real estate needs of the local arts community, will serve him well at the Park Board. Tom will bring valuable understanding of how to facilitate political and policy goals in an environment which by nature must involve other government bodies. At Large (city wide): Annie Young Annie has also been fighting the good fight against increasing mismanagement, lack of process and public information, and lack of long-term stewardship for the parks. Annie may well be the most accessible park commissioner, ever present at community and city events and gatherings, active on-line and in politics. She's pragmatic and practical, but always pursues the higher standards and sustainability of park programs. She recognizes when she has made a mistake and is quick to admit or rectify it. I hope you will consider voting for these fine public servants. Chris Johnson 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
