Riverview
It's a crying shame that it's closing for good. I can't believe it can't be incorporated into the development in a way that will allow new life to be breathed into this North Minneapolis icon. Surely someone has some original thought on how this place can be saved. What a great club it was. Is it too late? Is there a savior lurking out there who might be interested in keeping the legend alive? Barb Lickness Whittier and and old honorary Northsider Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! http://photos.yahoo.com/
Milwaukee Depot/Residence Inn
Can anyone tell me if the hotel will have a swimming pool or water park? I heard that a water park was also part of this development. I watch it being built everyday as I work across the street from the development. I just haven't seen any evidence of a pool location yet. I think the skating is great and will be a popular attraction. But these old bones haven't seen skates in 25 years, so the best I could do with that venue is watch, applaude and sip hot apple cider. After I am done watching the Ice Skating, I would just like to think there might be a pool and perhaps a hot tub too. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
NRP
Just a short couple of things. Yes, police buy-back is at 1 1/2 times regular pay. That is because it is done as overtime just like any other off duty assignment a police officer accepts such as liquor store duty or K-mart duty etc. It is also volunteer, not a manditory assignment so an officer must volunteer to accept the buy back beat assignment. In some neighborhoods the concept has been very successful, in others it did not work as the neighborhood had hoped. To the person who said NRP evolved because the City Council grew out of touch from their constituency. I personally like the idea that decision about projects are formed by the minds of 5,000 people in the city not just 13 people. Through the NRP, citizen volunteers have pushed the envelope, brought about some creative ideas, and in many ways changed the way the city does business. I think that council members can only become better decision makers when so many citizen advocates are out there giving them information. Have a good weekend everyone. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Met Council/Affordable Housing
A good article today in Metro/State about the Met Council's attempt to overcome barriers to affordable housing production in the suburbs etc. This is tied to the new smart growth program. Some questions I have here. How does this policy impact Minneapolis in terms of funding it receives from the Met Council through program like Livable Communities? Will those areas that are considered saturated or impacted be able to compete for funding with projects that add more affordable housing units? Will projects that rehabilite existing affordable housing stock be considered? What is the target market for these fund? Is it 30%, 50%, or 80% of median income? Is it Metro median? My concern here is that what poorer neighborhoods in Minneapolis consider market rate, may be considered in the affordable catagory by the Met Council or State based on using Metro Median income without consideration to Minneapolis Median income. I have already run into this dilemma with a couple projects I have worked on with neighborhoods. My other concern is that suburbs may opt to do housing projects for those who earn 80% of the Metro Median income to qualify for the funds and completely ignore those people with 30% median income. That leaves a very large population which is underserved. I just want to start a discussion on this issue and see what we hear from the experts out there. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
NRP
This might get a little long winded, but bear with me. I would like to infuse a little clarification to the discussion on NRP. There seems to be some confusion between the funds that are allocated to a neighborhood and those funds which are contracted directly with with neighborhood groups (associations) or other agencies such as NEDC. In addition, there is some lack of clarity on financial oversight. Each neighborhood is allocated a specific amount of funds that will be spent within those geographic boundaries. Neighborhood groups or associations formed non-profit corporations and applied to contract with the NRP to facilitate the NRP planning and implementation efforts. In most cases, only one group applied from each neighborhood. In a few cases more than one group applied. In those cases, the neighborhood voted to decide which group would represent them for MCDA Citizen Participation and NRP. There are also situation where groups of neighborhoods formed consortium groups to plan and implement NRP (i.e. Longfellow Community Council, Nokomis East, Hale/Page/Diamond Lake, Field/Regina/Northrup.) These neighborhoods pooled their NRP dollars and conduct planning and implementation activities together. When implementation activities take place, projects are contracted on a project by project basis. The majority of NRP funds ARE NOT contracted directly to the neighborhood association. If the funds are used for park projects, they are contracted to the Park Board directly. If the funds are for educational programs or school projects, they are contracted directly with the School Board. Planning projects go through the planning department, public works projects go to the public works department. Housing and Commercial Development projects are administered by the MCDA on behalf of neighborhoods. Social Service programs are administered by Hennepin County. In most cases when a sub-contractor is hired to administer projects on behalf of a neighborhood, the contracts for those vendors are with city departments or agencies, not the neighborhood association. However, there are cases where the neighborhoods administer some of their own programs. The funds that are contracted directly with neighborhood associations tend to be for administrative funds. Funds for staffing, office rent, copiers, copying, postage, utilities, etcand for community programming such as crime and safety programs, some social service and educational programs, resource centers, etc. In most cases, these administrative funds represent 10% or less of their total neighborhood plan allocations. Program funds generally tend to be smaller amounts as well. As NRP staff to several neighborhoods in South Minneapolis I can say that most of my neighborhoods are very financially astute, keep excellent records, have great accountability to both the government and the neighborhood residents, and have excellent audits from the state to prove that. Since the State Auditors have been working with neighborhood to audit their financial practices, many neighborhoods have developed good financial management systems. NRP has offered MANY training opportunities for neighborhood volunteers and staff to learn sound financial management practices. Many of these required mandatory attendance. I have neighborhood staff and volunteers that are highly sophisticated at monitoring the public dollar. I have been at several meetings between neighborhoods and public departments or agencies where the neighborhood volunteers and residents are inspecting every line of financial detail with relations to expenditures on specific projects. In turn these same volunteers or staff people can account for every line of every dollar spent on projects when asked by people at their neighborhood meetings. When people think of the downfall of People of Phillips they think that $18 Million went down the drain. That wasn't and isn't the case. The majority of the Phillips NRP funds were contracted through city departments and city agencies and were subcontracted by those governmental entities to private non-profit corporations selected to provide services on behalf of Phillips. These projects were successfully implemented and the funds were spent for their intended purposes. The NEW Phillips has organized regionally into four smaller operating groups and is now charged with spending the remaining $4 million. Ventura Village has formed a corporate entity and has an excellent financial management system in place. They have already contracted several housing programs not directly through the neighborhood association but through other agencies. The other three regions have decided to find other agencies to act as fiscal managers on their behalf as they do not currently have the capacity to conduct these activities on their own. East Phillips has chosen Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA) as their fiscal manager. PPNA has an excellent reputation for sou
Park Avenue
NRP did not specifically address the historic area issue. However, the new Phillips Park project certainly keeps the mansion theme in perspective in it's construction. Even though Honeywell has been merged, bought out, or whatever it's end destiny doesn't mean that the work they started won't be continued, even if they no longer provide financial support to Phillips projects. Remember they sold the building to Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is already at the table on many issues. I expect that they will be at the table in the future as well, not to continue Honeywells legacy, but, to continue their own legacy of community interaction. It is getting really exciting in Phillips these days. There is a huge development proposal for all four corners of Franklin and Portland. This will be privately financed for the market rate and perhaps a partnership of public and private financing for the affordable housing peice. It is a high density multi-level project with retail at street level. It will really change this corner of Phillips. There are several other development proposals on the table for areas all along Franklin Avenue in Phillips. Property values in Phillips have skyrocketed. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
storm water run-off
Speaking of raking leaves into the street, I was speaking with someone about storm water run-off and how the waste running into the system went unfiltered into the lakes and river. I was told that certain portions of the city are connected to the city sewer system for storm water run-off and certain portions are not dumping that run-off directly into the lakes. Can somebody out there talk about what areas of the city are connected to the sewer system and which ones are not. And maybe how when and why that happened? Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
RE: DFL Delegate Letter
The previous post obviously wasn't meant for the list. It shouldn't have happened. I definately will be more careful in the future. Barb Lickness __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
DFL Delegate letter
Carsten called me today. Said he was working on a version of the DFL letter too. I agree my opening statement was weak. I guess that must epitomize my confidence when it comes to the DFL. Anyway, he will forward his version to me tomorrow. Will forward that to you and Fred when I get it. I know you are leary of Fred. So am I. But would rather have him on my side than agin' me. Dean has dissed him and I am going to capitalize on that. But I also know not to bring him in too closely. He will be an asset on the DFL strategy stuff. He has already produced a map of all the "green" party people in the ward. I can target them all directly with a letter and hopefully defuse some of the people that may consider supporting Dean Zimmerman. And as far as the DFL fundraiser goes, let me know if you need Robin and I to make chocolates or if you would prefer I didn't get involved in that. I need to know in advance so I can plan the time. I also forgot that I will probably be getting some money from the fundraiser on Wednesday so should be alright on the financial front. But I don't want to spend too much on this DFL party cuz I won't make much from the fundraising. These people give $5 and $10 bucks and stuff. I really want to support you in this role, I just don't know how so I need you to tell me. O.K.? Later gater. __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
Rural, Urban, Suburban
R.T. - I agree with you on the rurual suburban thing. There is an acceptance level required for density as well as diversity. I saw it when I worked in Eden Prairie. A good portion of the employee base there came from Shakopee, Belle Plaine, Watertown, etc. And that was before the big booms in these communities. Moving into the city for most of these people meant Eden Prairie (until it got too expensive), Hopkins, Minnetonka, and maybe even Richfield. But never Minneapolis. I think the discomfort comes from too much traffic, too much closeness in living, and too much diversity (both of architecture and people). I thrive on all of these things because I grew up with them. I often times describe myself as a "city girl". My brother lives in a very small town south of Mankato. While I love to visit (except when the farmers are rendering pigs - whatever that means) I COULD NEVER LIVE THERE! It is just too foreign to me. So..I guess I should expect the same attitude from those whose childhood environment was on a farm or small town. That obviously isn't the case overall. This city is full of people who came from small communities and they have become city people. It would be interesting to hear from some of the small town transplants. I would like to know what it was like moving to the big city and what it was that made you decide to stay in the city versus the suburbs or another small town. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 = __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
Re: Suburban Fright
Your right!! Thanks for speaking up. It's risky sometimes on this thing. --- "Greg R." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Fri, 10 Nov 2000, Barbara Lickness wrote: > > > I think this attitude has nothing whatsoever to do > > with the image of Minneapolis or whats going on > here. > > It has everything to do with perception from > people in > > the suburbs who simply aren't comfortable with the > > density in the city life and the diversity. They > fear > > anything that looks different than they do. Oops, > > there I go generalizing. Sorry about that. > > It's the typical fear of the unknown. They've been > fed, through a > variaty of sources, the idea that the Inner City (da > da dum!) is a Bad > Place. This fear can be unlearned. > Most of my experience with this is in the teenage > age-group. > This last autum I was a referee for High School > soccer in the SE suburbs. > One thing that struck me at most every game was the > lack of racial > diversity on those teams, as compared with the teams > I played with/on back > when I was at North. As a capper to the season, I > got to do a playoff > game at Rosevelt's field (Rosevelt vs. South) where > there were more > identifiably minority players on the field then I > had seen in quite some > time. > The most effective diversity training one can have > is to live and > work (attend school) in diverse situations. The > kids I officiated for > this Fall don't seem to have that same advantage as > those of us who grew > up in the Inner City (da da dum). This is one > reason why I'd like to see > the High School athletic leagues of Mpls and StP > start playing non-City > teams. > > I had my fear of the racially-unknown worked out of > me by > attending the Minneapolis Public Schools. It > started in Kindergarden, > where we had a batch of Hmong kids who didn't speak > english yet. Later, > when the school I was in was reorganinzed, I > attended a school in the > heart of one of the poorest parts of this city. And > finally, I myself was > a racial minority at my high-school. Immersion > learning, as they say in > language classes. > But had I grown up in the high-school of the town I > now live in > (South St Paul, older than chunks of Minneapolis), I > wouldn't have. The > largest racial/ethnic minority around here is a > sizable Hispanic > community. We have some Somali around, but not all > that much yet. This > is an o-l-d blue-collar community that saw a sizable > immigrant influx > during the last bout of european migration, lots of > eastern Europe, so > this isn't anything truely new. It is only the > current generation and > their parents that haven't had the same > indoctrination as the Inner City > folk get all the time. > > And those $150-220K townhomes developers love so > much will, quite > probably, look very different in 50-75 years. After > the lumber has > settled down finally, all the construction kinks > have been worked out, and > an addition or two slapped on, the housing stock > will look not quite so > Bright 'n Shiny Suburbia. In a hundred years those > very housing tracts > may look like those "Victorian Slums" did back in > the '70s, targets of > urban removal, er, renewal. > Towns have an aging process like people do. Most > of those 'burbs > weren't even in existance in 1950. Some were > villiages that once were > surrounded by farmland, and now are begining to face > the first twinges of > 'urban problems' like poverty, and crime. > I'm lucky enough to live in a town, considered a > suburb, that has > been in existance for over a hundred years. The > housing stock ranges from > the late 1800's to a new development, a small one, > that went up two years > ago. My own house was built in 1909, older than my > parent's house in > Seward (1928, if I remember right). In terms of > diversity we've been > through this once before, just not in the last 30 > years. We HAVE a 'poor > section' of town. We've got housing stock that is > falling apart from lack > of maintinence, and enough of it to drive a > city-sponsored redevelopment > program. > Some of these other suburbs have housing stock old > enough that > maybe half of the houses /may/ have two layers of > shingles by now. I like > to think of Minneapolis (and Saint Paul) as mature > Cities. These other > towns are still in their childhood years, though > some are getting into > adolesence. Adulthood is scarry, it always is. > > Greg Riedesel > South St Paul > __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
Suburban Fright
The Suburban fright syndrome is not new. In the 70's and 80's I worked in Eden Prairie and lived in Loring Park and then by Lake Nokomis. My friends at work used to be scared to visit me, even by Lake Nokomis which I consider to be Golden Pond. I used to love to drag my timid suburban scardy cat friends down to Moby Dick's to show em' what city life was all about. It was usually a pretty good hoot and we were always guaranteed a great show! The company I worked for frowned on me dragging clients in there,but, even they enjoyed the experience. Block E was hoppin' then! I think this attitude has nothing whatsoever to do with the image of Minneapolis or whats going on here. It has everything to do with perception from people in the suburbs who simply aren't comfortable with the density in the city life and the diversity. They fear anything that looks different than they do. Oops, there I go generalizing. Sorry about that. It also has a lot to do with the media. When I was crime and safety chair for the Whittier Alliance during the "Murderapolis" years, we couldn't drag the press kicking and screaming into our neighborhood when we were doing something good or positive. But, let there be a shooting, a rape or a murder and the press would be there with bells on sometimes before the cops. On another subject, does anyone know why George Bush has a bandage on his face? Did someone clock him? Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Privacy Folders
If those were meant to be privacy folders, they aren't very good ones. When I voted the booths were full and I had to sit at an open 8 foot table in the middle of the room to vote. Then the election helper took my ballot out of the folder and put it through the machine for me because the machine was being touchy. I have to believe these little infractions happen regularly and all over the country. Normally they haven't been raised because the usual outcome is that one candidate generally beats the other candidate soundly enough that it wouldn't change the outcome. But here we are in the first election year of our new millenium and all Hell has broken loose, at least in Florida. The closeness of the election outcome has spurred conversations around every water cooler in town and through out the nation regarding all the little irregularities that occured during this election process. I know once the supposed outcome is determined and released to the public, every possible conspiracy theororist that exists will continue to cast aspersions about the validity of the election process. I just hope and pray the we aren't sitting around our Thanksgiving tables talking about who our next president will be. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Voter Turn-out
Whoever wins this election (and I do care who wins), I have to say this is the most exciting election I have seen in a very long time at least during my mid-life crisis. My precinct 6-1 generally has mediocre turn out. Today it was packed. I saw a couple neighbors there today who I know haven't voted in years. That made me happy. I saw old and young, and a larger number of people of color. A couple of friends I have were working the polling places today called and said they were mobbed. THIS IS GOOD! I will be very interesting in hearing what the overall voter turn out percentages were. My gut instinct is that they will be very good. PARTY ON! Here a some parties I heard about SD 61 - Karen Clarks house 2633 - 18th Av. So after 8:00 p.m. Neva Walker Campaign Headquarters 3100 Chicago Av. So. Mpls, MN 6:00 - 8:00 SD 62 Chatterbox Pub 2229 E. 35th St. 7:00 p.m. SD 60 Dulono's Pizza 607 W. Lake St 7:30 p.m. __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Stealth Candidate Adds
Like R.T. I too was out flyering for Neva this weekend. But..I didn't see any literature for anyone else anywhere. As many Nader signs as are in my neighborhood, I would have thought at least someone would be out delivering something. H..guess my neighborhood doesn't have any target voters. Oh well. WHATEVER YOU DO TOMORROW..REMEMBER TO VOTE!!!And may the force by with you. On another note, the CUE awards were tonight. I have been in past years but this years event was hopping. There were a lot of really great projects. A lot done with NRP funds. The cutest was the little elf on Lake Harriet. At any rate, a great night tonight. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
A One Day Free for All
David- How about a one day free for all on the election. Rules: All personal..no cut and pastes. No being mean and insulting. You get 3 paragraphs. That's it. Just a thought to liven it up some. You know people are dying to talk about it. __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
VOUCHERS
Hence comes the Charter School. I am currently working with Advantage Schools of Boston to bring a new Charter School into the Phillips and Whittier neighborhood. My purpose for working on this project is to find ways to provide as much school choice for parents in these two neighborhoods as possible. Currently, the children in Whittier are bused to 59 different schools in Minneapolis. Our neighborhood school Whittier Community School for the Arts, serves 552 children in a neighborhood of 3,300. I know Phillips numbers are probably higher. I am the past chair of the Governor's After School Enrichment program steering committee in Whittier and Phillips. The program has difficulty engaging children who are bused long distances from home to school, because their arrival time back in the neighborhood is often times too late to get them hooked into any of the programs. These kids miss out on a very important community connective piece here. Whittier has one private school for parents to choose from. The tuition in that school is very steep, however, very reasonable compared to other private schools. While they do offer scholarships, I do not believe any of them are 100% or even close to that. There are 5 tuition free alternative schools. These schools generally have pretty specific focuses beyond general education. Some other parents in the neighborhood and myself wanted to find a way to offer some alternatives to busing your child around town for an hour or two every day. An option that would be tuition free! We approached Advantage Schools of Boston because they have an incredible reputation and the financial stability to run successful charter schools. We visited an Advantage Charter School in Phoenix. We chose that school because the majority of their students are new immigrants like Whittier and Phillips would most likely be. I was overwhelmed at the atmosphere I saw. They use a specific teaching curriculum. (Direct Instruction) The test scores for children in their schools is very high. We are going through the process right now of submitting the application and beginning the long journey through to approval. Anyway, enough of the sales pitch here. If you don't like Direct Instruction then find one that suits your purpose. What I am trying to say is there is an alternative between giving people vouchers for use in private school and being forced to send them to public school. And it is free. If you read "Come Back Cities" you will see that one of the ingredients for a successful come back inner city neighborhood is school choice. It specifically talks about Charter Schools. And Russell. I know Longfellow folks would rally around this idea. Go for it. AND PLEASE - GO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7TH!!! Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Candidate School
I would welcome the idea of candidate classes. I have spent many years preparing for this job in both my volunteer activities in Whittier and my professional life as NRP staff to 13 South Minneapolis neighborhoods. I feel that "I can hit the ground running" as they say. However, I am sure there is a vast amount of knowledge you need and gain only from the inside or from gracious insiders who decide to share it with you. All you intellectual pundits out there who are dying to train in a better class of candidate can start with me. I am willing to be your guinea pig on any seminars, or classes you want to put together. I think it would be interesting for you to organize past council members so we can pick their brains. After all they have been there done that. Who better to get the real life accounting from. The only other thing I ask is that this be organized at the grassroots level. (O.K. maybe with the help of the League of Women Voters) No think tank organizations please or groups pushing specific agendas. So.go for it David and whoever. Give me the where and when. I'll be there. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? >From homework help to love advice, Yahoo! Experts has your answer. http://experts.yahoo.com/
Nicollet Avenue
The subject of re-opening Nicollet has been on the table for as long as I have lived in Whittier (1991). It was addressed in the Whittier NRP plan, but, with no funding dedicated in the plan or by the city at that time, it became only a dream. The discussion has both dropped off and livened up during that time, but, I have never seen a real live "let's do this" plan until now. And yes, perhaps it lacks detail, design elements, square footage and all the other architectural language, but at least there is finally a plan out there. And if K-mart is at the discussion table along with the guy who owns the land underneath K-Mart, then more power to Sherman, Lisa McDonald, Jim Niland, Bruce Rasmussen, Dean Devolis and whoever else is driving this bus. Re-opening Nicollet is equally important to both Whittier and the Lyndale neighborhoods along with a string of other neighborhood both North and South of it. Quite frankly, I am excited about the possibilities of what could ultimately happen there and say it's about time. The fact that private developers are carrying the water on this is even better. Hip Hip Hoorah The TIF issue is a whole other e-mail and a whole other discussion. I will limit my thoughts at this point to the thought of an open street and Lake and Nicollet. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? >From homework help to love advice, Yahoo! Experts has your answer. http://experts.yahoo.com/
Brown Field Clean Up
I know for a fact that both Hennepin County and MCDA are playing a very active role in the brown field clean-up at least for three sites that I know of. They are working with the folks in Whittier and the Soo Line Garden people to deal with the garden site which has been identified as a brown field. There are also two sites in Phillips they are working on. I have not been involved with the Phillips sites other than to connect MCDA to the appropriate people in the two regions those lots are located in. In my own neighborhood of Whittier, I have attended meetings where both the county and the MCDA were very helpful in working with the garden people at Soo Line and the South Whittier people. I will remind you that these sites are identified with potential pollution NOT confirmed. The first phase of the project is to do a Phase I environmental assessment to determine whether pollution does exist and whether or not further testing and soil remediation should be done. Both the MCDA and the County are very knowledgable and very helpful. They have taken great care to ensure that all potential stake holders of the site have been notified and have an opportunity to participate. If you are a Soo Line Gardener do not push the panic button. Because the gardens are done in raised beds, the produce you are growing is most likely very safe. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact the Soo Line Garden people. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? >From homework help to love advice, Yahoo! Experts has your answer. http://experts.yahoo.com/
LRT
A big public thanks to Jim Niland for thwarting the effort to plant a transfer station smack dab in the middle of the Cedar Hi-Rise parking lot and garden space. WOW! GREAT JOB! And thanks to Linda Berglin and Karen Clark for their concern here as well. Nuf' said. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
NRP Conflict of Interest
The conflict of interest policy was being worked on long before the story about Jackie Cherryhomes appeared in the paper. The incident involving Jackie was just one more in a long string of incidents that have raised questions about conflict of interest. This discussion has been going on within the policy board for a long time, just ask Judy Schwartau. Judy has been complaining for years about special interest group influence on the policy board. Not to sound too simple here but it is no surprise that NRP has a lot of money and that a lot of people want NRP funds. There is a constant stream of solicitors at Bob Millers door every day, all showcasing projects and programs, and all wanting to know how to get ahold of NRP money. People have tried many ways to get NRP money through one angle or another or to influence how NRP funds should be used at both the neighborhood and the policy board level. While it seems very strict, I think the new policy removes any and all possibilities for special interest groups to influence NRP funding policy by becoming policy board members. If you noticed, the people complaining the loudest in this mornings article all have inherent conflicts according to the new policy. That should tell you something. As am employee of NRP I am entitled to apply for NRP housing loan funds in my neighborhood but chose not to because I think it would look bad. It simply removes any and all questions regarding any conflict I might have, percieved or otherwise. I agree wholeheartedly with the new policy and hope it passes. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
Rampmeters
I am lucky that I have the great privelege to both live and work in the city. I go 28th to Park to work and Portland to 26th home. Nice easy little commute. I used to make the reverse commute from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. On a good day it was a half hour, on a bad winter day it was 2 1/2 hrs. All those years, I dreamed of having a job in the city. I never dreamed of living in the suburbs. I am definately a city girl! And...I wouldn't trade what I have now for the world. I think your right David, that perhaps if the freeways weren't so efficient, that maybe more people would consider living in the city instead of battling that horrible commute everyday. I truly believe we would all be better for it. Is that selfish of me to think that way? I don't know. I know from working in Phillips that almost 60% of the residents do not drive so the freeway isn't serving them. Yet, the people along 18th Street are forced to look at 17 lanes of freeway with more to come in the future. God knows what the air quality is like? Is that fair? And why is it everytime the subject of freeway expansion comes up, everyone living within proximity of it fears theirs will be the sacrificial block? Is that fair? Ask the people along 38th Street. There's my two cents on the issue. Next? Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
Ballpark/Dogpark
Oops, I was having so much fun I forgot to sign my post. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
Ball Park? Dog Park?
Thanks David for bringing a little light humor into the mix of the ball park discussion. I didn't have time to read the paper this morning before I left and got to work to find a long line of calls from people in Phillips. In fact, East Phillips is meeting tonight to discuss their planning effort surrounding the Hi-Lake area. The citizen group is not at all happy with the current plans that are being developed so are working furiously with a planning architect to develop their own rendition for that area. I have to be honest, a ball park has not once entered the discussions. In looking at the reality of it, I can imagine that the existing Hi-Lake businesses, the Midtown Greenway folks, the Green Institute, and the people protecting the states oldest cemetary might have plenty to say. I work in Elliot Park and I can tell you that neighborhood has weighed in regularly about the affects of the stadium on their neighborhood, namely the volume of surface parking lots that lay dormant and dark when no game is in play. On the lighter side, and as long as we are having this discussion in fun here, why not throw a Casino into the mix. It would stop the hourly bus rides to Mystic Lake, keep the gambling money in the city, produce the revenue to pay for the ball park and the doggy doo doo scoopers, and there might even be enough left over to give us free cracker jacks or a Big Dip Frosty Malt once in awhile. Just having a little fun before this discussion gets serious. __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
Modular Homes
I work in Phillips and am aware that there is a modular home between 28th and 27th Street on Bloomington Avenue. The issue in Phillips was not that it was a modular home, it was the design of the home. The home was turned sideways with the primary entrance to the home on the side as opposed to facing the street. A variance is needed for it to remain like this. The Fire Department expressed concerns that the distance between the entrance and the neighboring fence is so narrow, they question their ability to access the house in an emergency. Nonetheless, there is a city policy stating that the primary entrance must face the street. I can't remember whether the region approved the variance request or not. In the Ventura Village region of Phillips, they are working to bring modular homes into the neighborhood. In addition, they are working to bring in a modular manufacturing group in as a business. The difference here is that Ventura Village developed a Master Land Use Development Plan for the entire region. This plan included design elements for nearly every type of structure planned in the region. When developers come to Ventura Village they are given the plan. They are also told that if they agree to develop according to the plan, they will receive regional support. If they choose not to, they will not receive a recommendation from Ventura Village. Since the completion of the plan, there have been several projects approved with developers agreeing to develop in accordance with the Ventura Village Master Plan. Some of the developers are non-profits, and some are for-profit. The other three regions of Phillips are also working to develop Master Land Use Development Plans for their regions in addition to the Elliot Park,Whittier, Stevens Square and Loring Park neighborhoods. This will give all of them a very strong tool in focusing NRP Phase II spending and will be a good instrument to leverage additional investment into these neighborhoods. The point of this long story is that if neighborhoods take control of their development opportunities in a well constructed cohesive plan that has full neighborhood buy in, then it gives potential developers a much better focus in proposing development projects, including modular houses. Modular homes can be produced with any variety of design elements. I have seen some really nice ones. I have also seen really bad ones. If a neighborhood can hand a developer design guidelines, most of them will be happy to adhere to it. Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free! http://photos.yahoo.com/
THE GALA
Franklin and Penn tonight. The north end of Lake of the Isles. __ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/
