Flickr.com Photo, Barbara Johnson AtA Union Event
This blog is now in possession of two documents dated January 16, one a press release from "New Majority" leader Kip Browne, the other a letter co-signed by Barbara Johnson (City of Minneapolis Council President, Fourth Ward Rep) and Don Samuels, City Councilman, Fifth Ward...
The letter from Johnson/Samuels, on the official council stationary of Don Samuels, does not allude to any JACC controversy, but appears calculated to quickly recognize and confer legitimacy on the "New Majority" JACC board.
New And Old Sit On One Board, Together
It should be noted that "Old Majority" board members are on this "New Majority" board, too. There was never an ouster, except with the positions of board officers. (The "Old Majority" disputes the legality of the officer elections on January 14)
Indeed, the elections themselves do not appear disputed at this point, not even by "Old Majority" board members, though who knows what to expect next in this drama?
E.B. Brown, Benjamin Myers, and Steve Jackson are part of the composition of the new board though, at this point, clearly representing an outnumbered and severely outvoted faction. According to the Johnson/Samuels letter, "our offices recognize the following members of the JACC Board:"
Michael Browne--Chair
P.J. Hubbard--Vice Chair
Robert Hodson--Treasurer
Anne McCandless--Secretary
Monroe Vladimar
Tyrone Jaramillo
Todd Heintz
Dave Haddy
Daniel Rother
Benjamin Myers--ex officio member
(Readers please note; "ex-officio" means "by virtue of office. It does not mean "ex-official.")
Shannon Hartfiel
Keith Reitman
E.B. Brown
Steve Jackson
Robert Wilson
The letter is addressed to "Board Chair" Micheal "Kip" Browne, sent to the address of the JACC office on James Ave. N. It says "As City of Minneapolis Council Members representing the Jordan community, we would like to congratulate and officially recognize the newly elected board and officers of the Jordan Area Community Council."
The letter closes without saying much.
"Congratulations, we look forward to working with the new JACC board."
"Livability Concerns" And "Bring The Whole Community Back"
A press release by Kip Browne says "the reason for the press conference will be to introduce the new JACC leadership as we seek to heal the conflicts and divisions in our community, as well as discuss and clarify recent events pertaining to the status of the Jordan Area Community Council, the Board of Directors elections, the Board Officer elections and the recent removal of office equipment and organizational records."
Browne continues with the following account, written in the sparse, direct language of lawyers stating facts:
"On Monday, January 12, 2009, the membership elected six new members of the Board of Directors.
"On Wednesday, January 14, the board of directors voted to remove the current board officers and elect new officers.
"Sometime during the night of January 14 and morning of January 15, 2009 office records, equipment and computers were removed from the JACC office located at 2009 James Ave North. A police report was filed and this is being investigated by the MPD."
The press release promises a "public statement" will be released at the press conference and available afterwards by calling Kip (Browne) at 612-388-9878. The press release bears the simple emblem of the Jordan Area Community Council.
Two quotes are appended near the end:
"We are going to bring the whole community back in to the Jordan Area Community Council. Our focus will be on bringing people together to address our community's most pressing livability issues." Michael K. Browne
"I am looking forward to working with the Board of Directors to engage the community and to address livability issues together." Councilmember Don Samuels, Ward 5, City of Minneapolis.
"Neighborhood Stuff" Instead Of "Social Justice"
The boldface in the words "livability" is added by me, and does not appear in the original text.
Compare these quotes with the editorial I wrote, click here, saying no other neighborhood in Minnesota had neglected "livability" issues in the last couple years like the Jordan Neighborhood, and that it is impossible for a neighborhood association to tackle "social justice" issues and be effective while faced with such an overwhelming array of livability issues.
It appears the "New Majority" leadership is (and always was?) emphasizing "livability" issues, something also evidenced by Daniel Rother's statements, click here, that he ran for his board position on "livability" issues.
It remains to be seen whether things are about to quiet down in the Jordan Neighborhood, or get even more exciting. Clearly, the missing records and office equipment are a potential flash point, and if that stuff remains locked up in the Jordan New Life Church...a conflict that is already boiling over will get even hotter.
3 comments:
I couldn't decide which blog post to comment on, but I guess I'm glad I waited since there have been several in the past few days. Chances are, most read the last one posted. But, who knows and in the end, who cares?
I'm no politician and I sure as heck don't want to be. I'm a Realtor with a capital R. I have an ethical duty to make sure my clients live or buy a home anywhere they feel like. I'm not going to bad mouth any Neighborhood in North Minneapolis or any other Neighborhood in the rest of Minneapolis.
I'm sorry that there are issues and arguments in Jordan because my client has bought and sold homes there. We have not had any problems with the neighbors. The places that we look at in Jordan are usually pretty nice.
Maybe I'm naive, but I happen to have grown up in the City of Detroit and I think I know a thing or two about life in the city. Compared to Detroit, Jordan (and the rest of North) is a good place to live.
You all should quit your bickering and stop the goofy (costly) politics. It's silly, really.
Jeanie, that is like saying "you all should quit bothering the drug dealers and leave them alone" - the bickering as you call it revolves around some pretty serious stuff. Why should residents who are so deeply invested, financially and emotionally and with decades of their lives, just sit back, shut up and let people get away with potentially criminal behavior. Why do you think it is so important for them to hide/steal records on computers and on paper? If there wasn't so much to hide, do you really think they would go to that great of efforts? I can't even begin to list all the reasons that neighbors have worked so hard to get some new board members involved and we were all hoping for some sounder decisions that benefit the neighborhood. Jeanie, I don't think you realize the depth of the issues. Perhaps reading this blog it seems like just bickering, but it's way more than that.
Well, clearly Jeanie isn't saying they should back off on drug dealers. I think she wishes aloud for a JACC that doesn't bicker and have these soap operas. Clearly, Jeanie has said NOTHING about whether anybody should remove computers, etc. Jeanie's statement is along the lines of "can we all get along?"
But the anonymous commenter seems to hint that some JACC folks are actively opposed to stuff like cracking down on drug dealers. There is a vital debate taking place here about what shall be the emphasis of JACC: livability or social justice. And the removal of office materials has heightened that debate, those passions.
In a perfect world, JACC could have this debate--yes, even THIS debate--without a bickering soap opera. (And lets not forget the LAWSUITS) But, clearly, we don't live in that perfect world. The passions here run deep.
This neighborhood needs to play out its politics and achieve a kind of equilibrium. We're not there yet.
But, yes, there are FANTASTIC housing deals in Jordan. And every new home buyer in Jordan is potentially another positive player in the neighborhood politics.
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