Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a writer who seeks to take his education, activism and seemingly boundless energy to North Minneapolis, (NoMi) to help with a process of turning a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood into something approaching Urban Utopia. I am here to be near my child. From 02/08 to 06/15 this blog pushed free speech to the envelope, so others could take heart and speak unafraid. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com
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Friday, December 10, 2010
Wonk Fest 2010, Bike Walk Center Proposal Goes Before City Council Committee, Gets Closely Scrutinized...
Videos and blog post by John Hoff
These videos are long and dry and rather involved. Only those who are truly obsessed with the details of the Bike Walk Center proposal on Lowry Ave. N. should subject themselves to this long interlude in wonk-o-topia.
The video above is only part one. Parts two, three and four are below after the "Read More."
This video content is accessible online however it is a rather involved process, which may include downloading software and trying to find some particular portion of a long video which includes the entire committee meeting. For that reason, I have used this quick-n-dirty method of videotaping portions of the meeting off a computer screen and then slapping the stuff on YouTube. Don't judge me.
The issues documented here are vitally important to the North Minneapolis community and one gets the sense a lot is happening beneath the surface. Discuss...
Bike Walk Center, huh?
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the first thing they will focus on about walking is: USE THE SIDEWALKS!
Oh wow. I'm glad you put this up because just this week I have been trying to figure out some of this stuff after reading the little article that appeared in "The Line" online publication or newsletter or whatever it is. I had never even heard of this particular proposal until I read that article find it here: http://thelinemedia.com/devnews/bikewalkcenter120810.aspx
ReplyDeleteSo after reading that article I went looking around the city website and I did find that hearing video and watched it yesterday. I saw where Barb Johnson and others ask for more documents like the proposal and business plan etc.
So I made a call to Barb Johnson's office yesterday afternoon, and from what her office assistant told me is that they have not received this requested documents from the health department staff yet. That really bothered and perplexed me. Why 9 days later has the president of the city council not received copies of what she asked for, copies of stuff that was supposedly turned into the RFP deadline that was a long time ago?
What's up with that?
Are you kidding?! The president of the city council can't get the documents? Well, that is really interesting if true, anonymous commenter.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, I know, an anonymous commenter. Sorry. But what is a working person supposed to do when stuck at work on a boring friday afternoon, browsing the internet world.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I called the 4th ward office yesterday afternoon and asked. 612-673-2204.
OK, Let me get this strait?
ReplyDeleteA bike/walk shop should be publicly funded to help stimulate the local economy but- time is of the essence because another retail entity is looking at the property that the proposal has identified for a location. So the proposal could be pre-approved without a disclosed budget and business plan because the next meeting of the council will be dominated by discussions involving the "horrendous" budget shortfall?
LOL
Great point. In fact, the best approach would seem to be LET SOMEBODY ELSE MOVE IN THERE and put the bike shop somewhere NOBODY is going to move into.
ReplyDeleteLike, oh gee, isn't there a certain building at Penn and 26th which some folks are excited to see become a bike shop, maybe?
Troll comment rejected. I don't care if you agree or disagree with me, troll, I've told you I won't print your comments. Go stalk some other blog in an obsessive and psycho-sexual manner.
ReplyDeleteMidtown Greenway bikeshop has had more than $1 million in public subsidy and has YET to turn a profit, after three years, according to an informed source who passed this info to me.
ReplyDeleteConsidering that, how can the Cultural Wellness Center expect to make a profit? DO THEY expect to make a profit or keep living on subsidies? How will they continue after the grant money runs out in less than one year?
Perhaps we could add a couple dollars to the property tax of each property in the market area. This would be set aside for incubator funds for this new venture. If it fails to show a profit, funds from the incubator fund could be allocated to pay for merchandise, salaries etc.
ReplyDeleteCyclists may not ride on a sidewalk in a business district or where posted. While a business district is precisely defined in state law, the layman’s definition is a city block which has more than half of its buildings occupied by businesses. View a map of the City’s commercially zoned districts (http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/CommercialZoningDistricts.pdf) to see where businesses are located. In these areas, the lawful cyclist will walk his or her bike, or ride on the street. When riding on sidewalks, cyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. When necessary, cyclists should announce their presence to pedestrians on sidewalks, before passing.
ReplyDelete@Nomi Utopia, perhaps we could all up our property taxes by $20 or $30 and we can distribute it out to all the retail businesses in Nomi. No, wait, let's just all sign our paychecks and welfare benefits and retirement pensions over to all the businesses in Nomi and give them our full support.
ReplyDelete(sarcasm font notification)
Now you're just being snide. You know that it's critical for each property owner to pair their fair share to ensure that any new NOMI business is given a chance to thrive. Perhaps the more well established businesses could also ante up to help the newcomers to the area who are trying to start a business adding to the growing list of ammenities.
ReplyDelete"pair their fare share"
ReplyDeleteyeah, it's called go there and buy something. property owners and current business owners.
not give them a cut of property taxes. duh.
Once again you're being Snide and ignoring the real issue. Being a low income neighborhood many residents cannot afford to purchase items and services at new startup businesses. The wealthy certainly are not likley to venture into Nomi to try out the new bike shop so it falls on the neighborhood IE the property tax payers to pitch in and get these businesses up and running regardless of how many customers are really available. A certain phrase comes to mind. Fake it until you make it. Nomi must first appear to have a healthy business climate before one will actually be possible. So by using incubator funds we can keep these startup ventures running while the neighborhood catches up.
ReplyDelete