Heavens to Gilson (inside joke) we are going to resume regular publishing of Neerland & Oyaas Online beginning the week of January 12 on a more or less bi-weekly schedule. Oh gosh there’s so much to tell you! The Firecracker Committee caught up with us around Thanksgiving so the first issue will be an executive summary of their selection of the 2014 Firecracker of the Year award winner.

Since we last dropped an issue of Online on your virtual doorstep more than a year ago, much has happened. Most importantly we have moved. After more than twenty years patrolling the skyways of the Minneapolis downtown core we have relocated to the North Loop of the Warehouse District. Our new world headquarters is the Union Plaza Building, 333 North Washington, Suite 107. Our emails and phone numbers remain the same. It was very hard to say goodbye to our many friends in the venerable Young Quinlan Building, beginning with the ownership/management group led by Bob and Sue Greenberg. They run an operation that is at once professional and elegant with a family feel. The faces of the family are, of course, Darlene and David, the elevator operators, along with the united nations of valets in the cozy parking facility.

It took a while for both Neerland & Oyaas and CastleVisions to shake the idea that our respective identities are tied to place. In fact it is quality communication and uniquely focused customer service that we provide so a physical retooling was in order.

We have buffed up our web presence—neerland.oyaas.com—and with this beta issue are launching new delivery technology for Online. As a reminder to long-time readers and new ones alike, this is not a service we charge for and under no circumstances do we release our mailing list to any third party. As always if you don’t want to be annoyed by “N-oyaazus” just reply “unsubscribe” and we shall.

This inaugural issue of Neerland.Oyaas 2.0 contains one potential morsel of information somebody out there may find useful. Our downsize from the core to the North Loop left us with a suite of office furniture for which to find a home. This includes a conference table and chairs, four desks, credenzas, chairs, side chairs and some assorted shelving, all in very good shape. If you are aware of an entity, nonprofit or business, in need we can forward a PDF with photos and descriptions.

So we leave you now, Dear Reader, with heartfelt wishes for a Healthy, Happy and Fruitful New Year and look forward to prodding and provoking regularly beginning two weeks from now.

WINDOWS ON…Shopping Local

From Peggy Lucas:

Let me recommend Regala de Oro, a great fair trade gallery at 28th and Lyndale! They have a wide variety of the work of local artists and are very active with the nonprofit community. Do good and shop local at the same time!

From Ginny Craig:

Local D’Lish at 212 North First Street. Great food gifts!

[Ed. Note: We might add, they offer great cooking classes, too!]

From Dave Albersman:

My first stop for Christmas Shopping is always Ax Man in Minnetonka.

From Ann Bodensteiner:

I have two favorite small shops, run by local independents, really fine shop owners. I’m happy to recommend them to you.

1. Gather, a small gift shop across from Salut on France Avenue, near the corner of 51st and France. This sweet little place, owned by Mike Hagie, offers an assortment of gifts ranging from fine European imports to fun/funky inexpensive trinkets. Michael lives in the neighborhood and is a good guy—he gives you just the right amount of personal attention. This hidden gem is always a fun stop when you need a gift but have no idea what to buy.
2. Vinaigrette, on 50th Street and Xerxes Avenue. This locally-owned shop has wonderful vinegars to sample, the owners always have fun recipes to share, and they are dedicated to customer service and promoting the neighborhood. A fine place for holiday shopping, or anytime shopping and cooking inspiration!

From Bill Gabler:

For a great small floral shop, try Martha’s Gardens at 1593 Selby Avenue in St. Paul. It is the winner of many “Best of the Twin Cities” types of awards for flower arrangements for weddings, corporate events, etc., but a trip to the shop is a delight as well for all sorts of knick knacks, chocolates and, of course, flowers. You should be able to find it, as it is basically kitty corner from O’Gara’s Bar and Grill (don’t tell me that you don’t know where that is!). Of course, I am biased here. It is not run by Martha Stewart, but rather by Martha Gabler Lunde, my sister. We refer to her as the unindicted Martha. Thanks for promoting small businesses. I’ll be doing some similar shopping in Grand Marais on [Thanksgiving weekend], where there are really nothing but small businesses.

From normally frugal banker Matt Clark:

My wife and I are raising our two little Golden Gophers in a house in the Highland Park neighborhood in St. Paul. The last few years we have a tradition of returning to the Minneapolis North Loop. We start with a bowl of soup at the Monte Carlo and begin shopping across the street at Martin Patrick 3. They have great clothes for men, interesting books and accessories not to mention lots of high design items for the home. We walk up to North First Street and stop first at Askov Finlayson. This year we bought a unique painted canoe paddle for our home and some cold weather gear for the kids. Kiddy corner from AF is the Foundry, a store which features an amazing array of useful goods for kitchen, service and decorating. Foundry’s founder Anna Hilegass has an interesting network of local craftspeople and artists and a great eye for inexpensive treasures.

Our last stop shopping is the next door down, Arrow. Somehow this little store manages to always have something we want and can afford in terms of practical yet fashion forward women’s and men’s clothing. We bought several animal-themed rings and necklaces from their XXXX collection as gifts. Finally, it’s my job to go back to the Monte, load our purchases into the trunk, and move the car to the 3rd Avenue North extension next to Bachelor Farmer. We love to end the afternoon at the Marvel Bar. Nothing better than to have Moe or John assess the mood and whip up an appropriate cocktail! We always get a toast and another small plate, then it’s back home, well under the .08 allowed in these parts. It is a great afternoon and is becoming a wonderful tradition!

BULLETINS and BYTES…

Normally we would take this opportunity to remind you about Hennepin County’s Holiday Giving Program. This year people have been so generous with gifts and gift cards that the program is doing quite well. If you would like to contribute to their Special Gift Fund that is used for needs clients have throughout the year, you can mail your check made payable to “Special Gift Fund” and mail it to:

Jackie Connolly
Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health
Volunteer & Community Partnership Program
1800 Chicago Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Christie Rock Hantge, Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association Coordinator, sent the following: Below you will find a link to the Annual Downtown Minneapolis Perception Survey hosted by the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID). We would appreciate if you would participate in this survey and share it with others. Forwarding this link to your tenants, colleagues, members, employees, students, HR departments, etc. and on posting a link on your social media pages will help the Minneapolis DID collect the much needed feedback from the Downtown Minneapolis community.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PerceptionSurvey2013

The survey will be available through December 31, and anyone participating in the survey will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a gift card valued at $20-$50! If you need to cut and paste the link into your Web browser, the survey can also be found on the DID Web site: http://www.minneapolisdid.com.

QUARKS and QUOTES…

From David Feehan, President of Civitas Consultants LLC in Silver Spring, Maryland:

I’m remiss in not applauding the appointment of Steve Cramer to head the Downtown Council. I can’t think of a better choice. My only fear is that replacing him at Project for Pride in Living is going to be a daunting task. As you know, when I was at the International Downtown Association, I pushed and prodded Minneapo- lis to create the Business Improvement District. Sarah Harris finally got that job done, and the downtown is so much better as a result. Now, with Steve’s leadership, downtown can move beyond “clean and safe” and solve some of the tough problems that still need attention.

Dear Reader, last week we succumbed to the wiles of the “Journal” Publisher, Sarah MacKenzie, and offered up our junior editor to “grade” the twelve year tenure of outgoing Minneapolis mayor RT Rybak. A very profes- sionally edited version (boy, we are not used to that!) has appeared in the SW Journal online. We have known RT a long time and have always been fond of him and inspired by all of his energy and some of his ideas. “Junior” has been quick to add that to whom much is given much is expected. We decided to publish here the unplugged version he submitted, not because the Journal short-sheeted it but because it credits some of the Mayor’s partners who deserve acknowledgment for some of the high points as well.

Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on Mayor Rybak’s three terms in office. While I understand that you would like to format the piece around letter grades I am hesitant to do so. History will have the final grading responsibility, as it always does in these matters. An easier analogy for me is percentage rankings like those one finds in baseball. As a mayor, RT will end up in the hall of fame. He leaves office batting over .700 in terms of popular support, the statistic he covets the most. The citizenry wants to feel good about Minneapolis. No mayor, including Humphrey, enjoyed this level of popularity at the end of their term. Mayor Rybak’s Hall of Fame seat is a fait accompli.

The achievement is even more incredible given his percentages in the various statistics that comprise the art of mayor-ing: Civic Accomplishment, City Services and Intergovernmental Relations. Overall RT is a slap hitter, will take a swing at anything that catches fancy. He has governed by sound byte and press conference which often gets him on base (at least .333). The problem is most of his efforts have been left on base. Too often the Mayor has been picked off, distracted by illusions like Washington Boulevard. By any measure his North Minneapolis Initiative deflated when RT’s hot air ran out. It takes a lot more than a cruise on a Nice Ride to address the public safety fears in the core and our neighborhoods, but there is no photo op during the long hours and tough struggles to get our cops properly supported and deployed.

For purpose of illustration here are some clips from RT’s highlight reel in the various categories:

Civic Accomplishment (instilling pride in place):

RT will long be remembered as the “show time Mayor” and this should be his strong category. Clearly he deserves all the credit for “The City of Lakes Loppet,” a spectacular celebration of our city’s natural resources and zest for activity. It is a grand week of fun enjoyed thoroughly by the upwardly-mobile Patagonians he so aims to please. Mission accomplished. The lakes crowd won’t shed any tears that he also presided over the last Holidazzle and that unless there is a miracle the Aquatennial will be sinking like a bad milk carton boat entry before it sees its 75th birthday in 2015. Those pennies were not shiny enough for RT. Maybe it’s just natural progression, Pride, the Basilica Block Party and the various art fairs seem to appeal more to knowledge workers but will never hold the context, the history that underscores community of an Aquatennial. There had to be a way to capture some of the energy of the former events to revitalize the latter.

Career average, .250

City Services:

Candidate Rybak came into office on the promise of throwing open the doors and windows of city hall so that the people could better understand city finances and ultimately shed light on the funny money, like the city’s parking fund. RT wisely kept city CFO, Pat Born, a Sayles Belton appointment, in place and brought Lee Sheehy and Mike Christiansen, both also closely identified with the outgoing mayor, into the fold to lead restructuring of planning and development functions. Rybak ignored many voices—internally and those with experience in the community—and made unpopular choices for Police and Fire Chiefs. It seemed their unique qualification was sharing the same barber/stylist as the mayor, this proved out with short and unsuccessful tenures.

As the years went by the Mayor stuck with his promise for financial reform relying heavily on Born’s leadership and Council allies Barbara Johnson, Paul Ostrow and Betsy Hodges. The efforts included both pension reform and a hiring freeze. During his last term RT boldly took a City budget roadshow into many neighborhood and civic group meetings. He suffered the slings and arrows of those outraged by soaring property taxes and deftly shielded himself by deflecting much responsibility onto the state. In this subcategory of services called financial responsibility RT had managed .900 until the great football stadium caper of 2012.Without major revision of the public’s share of the stadium financing there will be serious shortfalls on the City’s ledger trying to juggle payments for the stadium, Target Center renovation and maintain the existing Convention Center on one small sales tax meant for the convention complex alone. The bulk of city service delivery has muddled with little or no improvement under the Rybak watch. Snow plowing is still an art better delivered in every surrounding community. Minneapolis now has a unique leaf pick up policy based on newsletter dates rather than dates that leaves fall. The ballyhooed streamlining of planning and development has left planning adrift and the development process a new and different sort of byzantine. In the past few years the city has leveraged available federal funds to try and stay ahead of burgeoning demand for bike transit. Unfortunately, rather than lead by adopting standards that would bring certainty into bike travel, most of the city investment has been in paint. Green intersections, white “sharrows”, dotted lines and solid lines crisscrossing the streets and avenues, confuse drivers and are often ignored by the “bike community.” How many scratch their heads with bemusement about the protect lanes on First Avenue? If this is such an advancement why aren’t they implemented across the city and made standard? Slap hitting leadership should at least recognize what works and what doesn’t.

City Services, .310

Intergovernmental Relations:

The role of big city mayor has changed. Resources for municipal services are shrinking. Mayor Rybak has responsibly handled nasty cuts in local government aide, relying largely on property tax increases. Many observers of the legislative process feel Minneapolis took more of a burden than warranted due to the City’s poor image among legislators. This mayor did not create this condition but clearly there has been little improvement. The same is true with the city’s historically rocky relationship with Hennepin County. City officials, after building a spankin’ new main library they could not afford, were thrilled to hand off the entire sinking ship to the county. But for all intents and purposes the “cooperation” ends for Minneapolis when it isn’t a one way street. There is no valid excuse for Minneapolis not folding the 911 system into the County’s. Clearly there was a better way to fund and manage the Metrodome replacement, Target Center Renovation and oversight of Target Field. Combining the county’s ballpark sales tax, and the city’s convention center tax with the obvious efficiencies of one governing body to oversee operations and one vendor to manage them, would have built a much more rational and secure financing platform.

There are other nagging inefficiencies that existed long before Mayor Rybak took office but there has been little to show in terms of improved relations.

Intergovernmental Relations: .100

So given the spotty averages in three important job statistics, why nominate Rybak for the first seat in the Mayor Hall of Fame? The good people of Minneapolis, from all walks of life across every neighborhood, believe in RT. They sense his passion for this city and belief that we are evolving into a sustainable model for urban cores that rival any in the world. They tolerate quality of life issues that see little improvement because citizens have faith that this talented caring guy is making the right changes at the right time. Restoring faith in local government is a grand accomplishment and is what RT will and should be remembered for.

WINDOWS On…

Spokes for Folks

As we begin our holiday journey walking in other people’s shoes, we’ll clamp on a pair of silver Shimanos and reach out to our brothers and sisters of bicycle advocacy to salute a tremendous grassroots effort, Spokes: Bike Walk Connect. This program, a child of the Seward Neighborhood Group, is dedicated to promoting biking and walking for transit, recreation and exercise. Located on 19th Avenue and East 22nd Street, just south of East Franklin and Minnehaha, many of the neighbors Spokes serves are new Americans, largely from East Africa. The organization offers learn-to-ride programs, basic bike repair workshops, and earn-a-bike programs for those willing to spend extra time at Spokes. The group’s executive director, Sheldon Mains, can regale visitors for hours with scores of stories of timid souls who access the program full of trepidation and leave empowered with both new transportation and confidence. Spokes is always in need of used bikes, tools, parts and of course cash. So come on, bikers, put some of that inventory stacked in your garage back into good use. FFI www.spokesconnect.org.

Growing Clean and Green

Next we pull on a pair of Wellingtons to bring you on a very modern farm tour. Dave Roeser and his Garden Fresh Farms (GFF) continue to pull in the accolades both locally and nationally for their innovative aquaponic farming operation. In September GFF won its category in the MNCUP, Minnesota’s new venture competition. The award, a joint venture of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship and the University of Minnesota, not only provides visibility but includes a cash stipend to further research and development. This last week GFF accepted the National Sustainability Award at the CleanTech Open Global Forum in San Jose, California. Roeser and his team are working on their ambitious plan to grow a network of inner-city indoor hydroponic farms. The flagship Maplewood operation already has a new sibling in the form of GFF2 opened in St. Paul’s Midway district this fall.

Testing the Christmas Spirit

We unearthed a pair of mismatched Doc Martens—one brown, one black—at the Richfield ARC Value Village in order to view the coming Christmas season through the lens of avant-garde theater leaders Josh Cragun and Liz Neerland. Their theater company, nimbus, has eschewed “Miracle on 34th Street” in favor of “Morose on Central Avenue.” Nimbus’ last production in what has proven to be a successful year will be The Lower Depths. Its author, Maxim Gorky, made a career describing the lives of the lowest strata in the early years of Soviet Russia. Gorky’s base notes are always hardship, humiliation and brutalization. Think Dickens but instead of a happy ending complete with Christmas goose, think a cold bowl of goose detritus soup. We encourage those of you weary of yuletide cheer to take a look at humanity from Gorky’s bottom-up POV at nimbus this December (7-22). FFI www.nimbustheatre.com.

Shop Small

Finally, this coming Saturday* your editors will don a pair of Nike Airs and be strolling the back streets of Minneapolis and Sarasota looking for locally crafted gifts of the season. Good exercise, great people watching. Our goal is to publish the last 2013 issue two weeks hence, in plenty of time for shopping inspiration. So, Dear Reader, if you have a favorite shoppe or restaurant gift card suggestion, send it here. We will help you spread the good word. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

* November 30 is Small Business Saturday sponsored by American Express. Register your eligible American Express Card and get a $10 statement credit when you make a purchase of $10 or more at a qualifying small business location. www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small.

Careful readers of Online have noticed a dip in our frequency. We were proud pioneers of micro publishing when we began publishing via the fax machine in 1994, but the internet and social media have crowded the space we operate in. Our mission hasn’t changed: to inform our networks of clients, potential clients and friends on matters where politics, civic affairs, and commerce converge. Infomarketing, to coin a phrase. Social media has opened an “open mic” night, creating a din difficult to penetrate useful information through.

We’re not conceding just yet, however. Given the region’s main print news has completely eschewed its fourth estate responsibility in favor of schilling for real estate sales that benefit the owners—certainly not the public—and that MinnPost, the internet counterpart, is woefully wonkish and undersourced, we think there is value in what we provide. This January we are launching Online 2.0 in a new format. Punchy, pithier, and a guaranteed asset in your civic road map.

Your editors have been immersed in projects largely political and theatrical and not generally useful, but permit us to scare the establishment this Halloween with some observations along the way.

• Congratulations to Carmichael Lynch Spong. The firm was recently awarded a branding assignment by the City of Brooklyn Park. This community is on the move, offering the cultural diversity of tomorrow’s America today and the economic opportunity of post-World War II growth in a world of tomorrow. City leaders recognize a new image needs to be presented. There is nothing wrong with that image that can’t be fixed with what is right about Brooklyn Park. The CLS team is ideally suited to take on the challenge. We boldly predict that Brooklyn Park will be recognized as the state’s third-most important economic center behind Minneapolis and Rochester by the year 2025.
• Dear Reader, we know that you are weary of our shameless Target Field boostering. You can’t be blamed for rolling your collective eyes. Given the loud cry of objection for ballpark funding and outright derision for potential economic development, we are compelled to offer some fun facts three years after the ballpark opened. Since construction began in 2006 there have been $459,160,345 worth of projects built in proximity to Target Field. Yes, some, including the transit interchange and related transit projects, are public sector in nature, but more than $400 million of these projects are pure private sector investments. You can see the numbers and the projects for yourself on the handy-dandy, recently spiffed up 2020 Partners website, www.the2020partners.com.
• This next stanza also begs some forgiveness to start. It is the letter we wrote last night and should have torn up. We react with an equal mix of sadness and anger at the shambles of what remains of the integrity of the Star Tribune’s editorial board. Once an important guidepost in matters concerning the electorate, it has diminished to a singularly focused tool of its anonymous owners. Geez, at least the world knew who Randolph Hearst was and what he wanted.It seems nearly every endorsement for Minneapolis elected office this year has been colored by the candidate’s view of the Vikings Stadium and its uniquely crafted financing foundation, whether anyone asked or not. We were especially impressed with their willingness to grant mayoral candidate Hodges redemption. Although she was never for a Stadium (wink) she is now all on-board and in it with both feet “to make it work.” Hooray for her willingness to lead the parade down a road she once warned we should not go. Hopefully Betsy’s Blahniks won’t get too muddy. “Making it work” means that the taxpayers will be in far beyond their feet. Can you say necks? It’s time that the house organ formally known as the editorial board accept what the general public already has: the scheme to sell the Strib’s land has succeeded. You need not fear Mark Andrew or anyone else. City and state general funds will save the day and your land sale will commence. Close the deal, take your money, move what’s left of the Strib from its iconic building into three floors of a generic office tower. Then please, get the hell out of town.

Next issue, our bilious urges purged, we will give thanks and return to bringing you happy news. Hopefully news that you can use.

WINDOWS ON…

Cameras, Lights, Action

School officials at Minneapolis Southwest High began the journey to light its athletic field, located in the already well-lit Pershing Park, in 1955. Back in those days funding was the issue; in more recent years neighbor opposition kept the home field a day game only proposition. A serious effort began anew three years ago and thanks to the support of Principal Bill Smith, the tenacity of Athletic Director Ryan Lamberty and the generous matching donation from Class of ’61 alum Harvey Feldman, tonight

[Thursday, August 29] the purple and white will play under the lights. A celebration of this accomplishment begins at 6:00. Comedian Liz Winstead, SWHS Class of 1979, will entertain the crowd, expected to be large, sharing some humorous memories including a heretofore unrevealed secret regarding her classmate Chuck Simpkins, he of Hubert W. White fame. Dorothy Benham, former Miss American and SW alumnus, will sing the national anthem. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. FFI http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us.

Help Out the Little Rug-er, Will Ya?

Another Southwest graduate made good looks to be headed towards greatness. Nate Augspurger, Class of 2008, is training in southern California with others hopeful of making the U.S. Olympic Rugby Seven squad. Nate recently returned from a successful series of matches in England with the New York City Sevens. The team took home “the plate” and Nate made quite a name for himself on and off the pitch. The little bastard, in addition to world class rugby skills, has a very unique charm and crazy good looks that caught the serious attention of the European press. As our official Online parent of an Olympic hopeful, Chuck Leer (yet another SW grad—yikes!) will tell you, serious training for these endeavors is a costly proposition. Although Nate, who played both at Southwest and with the highly successful Rugby Club at the University of Minnesota, has played professionally since graduating, he still needs support to make ends meet. Visit Nate’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/nateaugspurger, and then come back to this link if you are interested in helping support this special young athlete: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-nate-get-to-rio.

Can $39 Change Your Life?

We have touted the benefits of the GWERX exercise system developed by Phil Martens in past issues and we have had several readers take the road to better living the system offers. One of the system’s most voracious devotees is our own Nick Koch, he of HGA Architects and Firecracker of the Year award winner fame. This week 501 Fit, 501 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis, is featuring an introductory package in www.livingsocial.com. If you are not one inclined to use these sites, call Diane Broshka, 612-767-4415, or email [email protected] and ask for the deal. You’ll be glad you did.

Summer Reading…

Our call for suggestions for summer reading was at an all-time bust this season with just one formal submission from planning wizard David Albersman:

• My wife Deb and I hit an antique store in Cook, Minnesota, on our way to a vacation on Lake Vermillion. I found a first edition of Sinclair Lewis’ “Elmer Gantry” and was able to talk the proprietor down from her $20 asking price to $19.75. It was the best $19.75 I have ever spent. I had no idea how rich Lewis’ prose is and could have read on and on simply for the imagery he paints and the emotions he evokes. It is the story of a handsome college athlete turned charlatan preacher. Across Gantry’s career he contributes to the downfall, even death of key people around him. While set in the Midwest of the early 1930s, Elmer Gantry is a analogous of today. He is Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or any one of the notorious TV evangelists who prey on people desperate for explanations for their own sad stories. Think Bachmann with the T-Party—read “Elmer Gantry.”
• Finally, let us recommend a book soon to be published. Brian Lucas—journalist and public relations veteran now of public affairs with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health—will be celebrating the publication of “Here Comes the Sun: A Young Family’s Journey Through Cancer” on September 23 at the Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis. The book is the chronicle of a young father’s compassionate and heart-rending experiences as he learns that the love of his life has been diagnosed with a serious form of leukemia. Lucas’ daily journals on his wife Betsy’s CaringBridge site were poignant. They shared the difficulties and courage it takes to battle this disease and offered hope even in some very dark hours. We caught up with Brian and wife Betsy, coincidentally on the 8th anniversary of Betsy’s bone marrow transplant. We finally figured out what this charming and vivacious woman sees in her man; he hits the living crap out of a golf ball. We think it’s fair to say that he writes a pretty darn good book as well and hope to see you on the 23rd. FFI www.brianlucasauthor.com.

QUARKS and QUOTES…

From Paul Melbostad:

I’m remiss in not applauding the appointment of Steve Cramer to head the Downtown Council. I can’t think of a better choice. My only fear is that replacing him at Project for Pride in Living is going to be a daunting task. As you know, when I was at the International Downtown Association, I pushed and prodded Minneapo- lis to create the Business Improvement District. Sarah Harris finally got that job done, and the downtown is so much better as a result. Now, with Steve’s leadership, downtown can move beyond “clean and safe” and solve some of the tough problems that still need attention.

I agree with you completely about honoring Allan Spear for his fight for LGBT equality long before it became politically popular. I will always be grateful that thanks to the McGovern campaign I got to know him. Thank God that Michelle Bachmann will be leaving soon. The last time I ordered a plant for my mother I was pleased that Bachman’s nursery disclaims any connection with her. I hope that Minnesota will be known for some decent politician soon instead of her. My first grade friend Jean Abby went to Winona State with Michelle and Marcus and says he used to be a decent person before he met her. I hope your family is all doing well. I’m just working hard trying to make money to make up for all the political contributions I made last fall to try to save our former progressive majority on the Board of Supervisors. Sadly, SF is becoming an expensive suburb for Silicon Valley.

From Aron Kahn:

A large pothole I did enter
About which I’m a venter.
It moved me to weep
It was so deep,
And had its own interpretive center.

 

Annual Firecracker of the Year Issue!

It was a beautiful sunny Monday afternoon. We should have been golfing. The phone rang on the main line here at World Headquarters in the Young Quinlan Building. Caller ID said it was the Minneapolis Club. “Hey, do you guys know anything about a Firecracker of the Year Award banquet that was supposed to be held today? We had a room reserved for 20 persons under the name of Ann Barkelew and the event listed as Firecracker of the Year banquet. When our servers went in to start beverage requests, there wasn’t a soul to be found. We waited more than a half hour, went back to the room, and all that was there was a tattered Red Owl grocery bag and what appears to be a rusted Arco coffee tin inside. We’re calling because you guys were listed as the contacts on the reservation.”

We drove over to the Minneapolis Club to fetch the bag and its contents. (We know, it’s only two blocks, but we love to pull in to the parking ramp at the Minneapolis Club and sign Walter Mondale’s name on the parking chit.) We brought the bag back to World Headquarters, popped the tin, unwrapped the now-too-familiar Peach sports section, and found our 20th message from this mysterious committee.

Yeah, we made you guys work a little bit to get this one, but our favorite Ukrainian couriers from Untiedts Farmers Market on the Mall have not been available. The rotten late spring and early summer weather has put a big damper on the availability of produce. Apologies to our friend and Firecracker Ann Barkelew, but we knew we could get a room reserved at the prestigious club if we bandied her name about.

This year’s nominees really can’t be lumped into one central theme. They all really hearken back to our original purpose: recognizing members of the community who do their all to make this little part of the world a better place. Our first nominee comes directly from the private sector. David Albersman, principal of Albersman & Armstrong, has made his professional mark in recent years as a designer of parking facilities, primarily those serving major airports around the world. Among his accomplishments in this arena has been the successful integration of rental car facilities with public short- and long-term parking. Mr. Albersman is collaborating with other consultants in the design of an adaptive use parking facility at an airport in Kuala Lumpur. The idea behind this is that eventually the structure can be converted to accommodate other uses as the need for parking diminishes. While it is hard to find work in his own backyard, David continues to forward the civic discussion about major land use issues here in Minneapolis, specifically in the Farmers Market area. He has become a one-man champion of a big vision for redevelopment that should occur as the Southwest LRT line is developed through the area. Our Committee hopes that sooner or later Mr. Albersman finds a government champion to partner with him in expanding and making this vision a reality.

Our next nominee, Kathie Constantine, is leaving the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney and her successful practice in the firm’s finance and restructuring department to accept an appointment by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit as a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the District of Minnesota. Across her prestigious career Ms. Constantine has overseen difficult and high-profile bankruptcy cases, both in Minnesota and across the country. She will be remembered at Dorsey for her firm leadership of the firm’s bankruptcy and financial restructuring practice group and for being an effective mentor as part of that firm’s aggressive diversity program. Our Committee knows she will bring great energy and incredible wealth of experience and insight into the bankruptcy bench.

Our third nominee also has considerable private sector experience which she has already converted into fabulous public service. State Senator Terri Bonoff—a DFLer who represents District 44, which is comprised of the cities of Plymouth and Minnetonka—is making a name for herself as a no-nonsense, willing to compromise to get the job done kind of legislator that the public has been crying out for. A throwback? Perhaps. This committee hopes it’s a “throw-forward.” Terri has deep roots in the area’s business community. Her grandparents and parents have operated successful businesses that many of you will recognize, including Justers, Jackson Graves, and, in recent years, Creative Kidstuff. Terri’s experience in family business and later at Tonka Toys does much to inform how she makes decisions regarding our state’s economy and the extent of taxpayers’ ability to shoulder financial responsibility for all of the problems facing our communities.
Senator Bonoff would also be quick to tell you that her family life as a mother, wife and daughter are also critical lenses through which she views her job. Last legislative session as chair of the Senate’s higher education and workforce training committee, Terri was credited with making considerable progress in restructuring finance with both a struggling economy and needed outcomes in mind. She has forged a no-nonsense relationship with University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler and observers feel that she will be a critical player as the University gets its own internal financial house in order. Senator Bonoff has suffered considerable slings and arrows from the state’s teachers union as a strong proponent of Teach for America. She is not afraid to push the discussion knowing that successful cooperative and coordinated outcomes will only benefit young students in need. As a political force Terri Bonoff waxed a once-popular former GOP state senator in her last legislative race even though the district has an extremely high Republican index. She stands as proof positive that if one’s ideals and sensibilities are in line with the voter base that they can enjoy a successful career in elected politics regardless of party designation.

Now on to our award winner. He is also a highly-celebrated public servant and as is often our wont a past nominee for this prestigious Firecracker award. We know that there will be groans among some of you in the Online publishing offices as you read that our Firecracker of the Year award goes to outgoing (in more ways than one) Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. Students of Minneapolis government, especially the historians, will tell you that 12 years in that office is more than enough. Incumbents get lazy and more importantly disconnected from the people who elect them. The last two years of Mayor Rybak’s term have been anything but lackluster and/or ineffective. In fact they have been perhaps his most productive. With a stalled economy, a shrinking tax base, and no help in the form of local government aid from the legislature, two years ago Mayor Rybak took an educational campaign neighborhood-to-neighborhood across Minneapolis. He personally presented a simple budget exercise to promote understanding of the problems Minneapolis faces and stood willing to accept the sting of criticism from people of all quarters, those who thought the city is not doing enough as well as those who feel the city charges way too much to do what they do. This exercise has given the Mayor much-needed credibility and support as his office fashions its last budget for fiscal year 2014.

Like the outcome or not, Mayor Rybak went from zero to sixty last year, and was arguably one of the five individuals who can be credited for pushing the Metrodome replacement across the finish line at the legislature in 2012. The Mayor’s accomplishments at this year’s session may not have been as ballyhooed but perhaps represent his finest hour as a lobbyist and a negotiator. Rybak was able to get the attention of key legislators in the tax reform movement and strike a compromise which allowed for public moneys to large projects in Bloomington and Brooklyn Park as well as a “tax capture” plan to fund a vision for streetcars in downtown Minneapolis. Many of us on the Firecracker Committee believe that tax capture is merely lipstick on a pig we once called tax increment financing, but that does not take away from our admiration for somebody who can wade deep into a process and come out with exactly what he wants.

So, congratulations go to the Honorable R.T. Rybak, now the 20th recipient of our prestigious Firecracker of the Year Award. Along with the historic significance and the ability to call oneself a member of this unique fraternity, Maryor Rybak will receive the customary packet of Black Cat bottle rockets, with report.

Mayor Rybak is our 2013 Firecracker of the Year!

Previous Firecrackers of the Year:
Sam Grabarski, Lifetime Achievement, and Will Leer (2012); Todd Andrews (deceased, 2011); Kieran Folliard (2010); George Brophy (deceased, 2009); Arvonne Fraser, accepting on behalf of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barbara Alivato (deceased), Rochelle Olson, Kathleen O’Brien, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Barbara Johnson, and Julie Kramer (2008); Joe Kimball, Lifetime Achievement, and Peter McLaughlin, accepting on behalf of Anita Duckor, Friends of the Minneapolis Library, Colin Hamilton, Sheldon Mains, Gary Thaden, Kit Hadley, Amy Ryan and John Gibbs (2007); Shane Nackerud (2006); Michael Opat (2005); Joe Baier and Julie J. “JJ” Haywood-Palmer (2004); Nick Koch (2003); Ann Barkelew (2002); Betsy Hodges (2001); David Barnhill (2000); Judy Zaitz (1999); Cornell Moore (1998); James Lileks (1997); Rick Stafford (1996); Coral Houle (1995); and Michael Rainville, The Original (1994).