BELATED ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE: Meeting City Councilman Don Samuels

Photos By Jeff Skrenes, (top) John Hoff, (bottom)

So I ran into Don Samuels at the DFL victory party, the second time I've met Samuels. As you can see, I'm proudly wearing the "Hawthorne Neighborhood colors."

Samuels and I talked about...

...communication and responsiveness, or LACK OF THESE THINGS, from some public officials. Don took out one of his business cards, which opens up to reveal the names and emails of EVERY city council member, Mayor Rybak, and assorted important people. And here is what Samuels said to me, in so many words.

He said, "Let us suppose that I, Don Samuels, ignored your needs. Suppose you lived in my ward, and sent me an email, but I just never got back to you and ignored you. So you sent me another email. And another. But you didn't hear back. Here is what I'd want you to do..."

He flipped open the card, revealing all the other email addresses.

"Send an email to ALL THESE PEOPLE as well as me, and say, 'Don Samuels isn't helping me or getting back to me. Can YOU help me?' Now, I'm not going to like to hear that. It's not going to make me happy. But we're here to serve you. If we're not serving you, what are you going to do? Protect us? Shield us? Pretend like everything is all right?"

I solemnly took the card. And, later, at the Hawthorne Housing Committee meeting, I gave it to one of the members of the committee who has voiced a problem with communication from City Hall.

The photo below was also taken at the DFL victory party. It expresses well the mood of the night.