Dear Aurin,
On occasion – less than I would like, but still, sometimes – you have shown independent judgment and have not voted with the DSA majority.
If ever there was a vote to take, opposing the other knee-jerk votes, it would have been on the plan for 38th and Chicago. Actually, that would have been an easy vote to show some independence. For the council members supporting a pedestrian mall, their votes meant this:
- Disregarding years of consultation with the local community
- Disregarding the views of the affected businesses right there at 38th and Chicago
- Disregarding the CM whose Ward abuts 38th and Chicago and who has worked tirelessly to work with stakeholders to achieve a real plan
- Delaying any solution for a year, but probably much longer
- Adding $500,000 in taxpayer expense to $2.2 million already spent
- And most of all….voting for something that can’t happen anyway because it is certain that the DSA plan has no chance of garnering the required support of affected property owners
Easy vote, Aurin! Just cast a common-sense vote, for the plan that was put forward, and then to sustain the Mayor’s veto.
Why do anything else? What’s the sense – political, civic, good governance, take your pick?
Had you cast a common-sense vote – actually, a pair of them – I would have written an open letter to Minneapolis Times congratulating you on your good sense and independence.
Aurin Chowdhury is the City Council Member representing Ward 12 in Minneapolis.
David Therkelsen has been a homeowner in Minneapolis for 50 years, and attentive to city and school affairs for all of that time. Professionally, he headed two American Red Cross field units, and at one time was co-chief of staff to the President of American Red Cross. Later he was executive director of Crisis Connection, a state-wide mental health counseling agency. Dave held faculty appointments at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and recently co-authored a book about the history of transfusion medicine and blood banking.
Here is the word salad I got back Chavez:
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Thank you for reaching out about George Floyd Square. At the November 21st, 2024 Climate and Infrastructure committee, the Public Works Department presented 3 different options for the future of George Floyd Square: flexible-open, transit mall, and pedestrian plaza. In order to proceed, the City Council had to vote on and approve a recommended concept layout.
In December 2024, a majority of the Council disagreed with Public Works’ flexible-open recommendation. At our City Council meeting on December 5th, 2024, I brought forward a resolution expressing our support for the pedestrian plaza concept layout. This action underwent Mayoral review, where it had the opportunity to be vetoed or approved, and it was deemed approved and not vetoed. Since then, this has been the direction with which we have been moving forward. If the Mayor had disagreements, he should have vetoed this months ago and could have communicated that clearly.
Since then, the Public Works Department asked for even clearer direction (although we were very clear), so at our City Council meeting on February 13th, City Council passed a legislative directive based on a memo from Public Works staff that lays out the steps needed to move forward with the pedestrian plaza option. Unfortunately, the Mayor vetoed this action. However, at yesterday’s City Council meeting, we overturned his veto. If we did not do this, the future of the 38th and Chicago would have been in limbo.
This veto override means the City is moving forward with a concept that guarantees pedestrianization. In addition to cultivating and protecting the existing memorial from non-delivery, maintenance, and emergency vehicles, the pedestrian mall concept would also provide new boulevard spaces that will allow for plantings, trees, and stormwater treatment areas and prioritize traffic calming, safety, and accessibility improvements.
I also wanted to address the CURA survey. It was not reflective of the diversity of Ward 9, where George Floyd Square is located and has its flaws. It also does not reflect the communication my office has received from constituents.
Ward 9 Demographics:
38.1% White
21.2% Black
28.8% Latino
3.9% Native
2.2% Asian
5.2% Two or more races
Ward 9 is a majority renter.
CURA Survey: 6946 responses were logged by the online survey service.
75% of respondents were homeowners
21.78% of respondents were renters
69.78% of respondents were White
11.03% of respondents were Black
9.9% of respondents were Latino
1.34% of respondents were Asian
3.23% of respondents were Native
On December 4, 2023, the organization Crime WatchMpls posted news of the survey on social media. The text of their post included the link to the survey and the following message:
“This is a BS survey about what should be done with George Floyd Square at 38 and Chicago in Minneapolis, but fill it out anyway. We suggested a jail facility should go in place of the abandoned gas station. Get creative.”
In two days, December 4 and 5, 2,019 responses were logged to the online survey, constituting 34% of all responses received.
Jason
Thank you David. I wrote an email to her a couple of weeks ago asking her to explain her line of thinking on this because it makes zero sense to me. I have yet to hear back.