[Mpls] Disappointing Mayor Memorial

[David Shove]

What with Sharon Sayles Belton starting out with promise but ending by
disappointing, and RT Rybek starting out with promise but middling by
disappointing, I suggest we honor them (and perhaps earlier mayors) with
the

              Disappointing Mayor Memorial

There could and should be the initial hoopla of discussion and voting
(perhaps by referendum). Then the even bigger hoopla and media show of the
announcement and award, to the mumbling of assembled tens of thousands of
disappointed Minneapolitans.

All fine and wonderful, but it all passes. We we clearly need:

* a permanant structure, the Disappointing Mayor Memorial building and
park, where future generations could come to ogle and meditate upon
smaller-than-life statues of SSB & RT etc;

* an interpretive center with pictures of the initial promise of each, and
the slow but steady and in retrospect certain decline into wretched
disappointingness;

* a Homeless Then, Homeless Now section of the center, with directions to
places under bridges, secret places along freeways and atop business
buildings etc;

* a Disappointing Appointments section of the center, with pictures and
home addresses of the developers appointed to administer funds to
developers, entered thru a revolving door;

* major chain fast food concessions so that the grounds can be littered
big time with wrappers paper cups straws pop cans etc, a fitting tribute
to their records;

* access via new freeways that would cut thru more irreplacable sections
of Mpls but would help some suburbanite somewhere get somewhere or other
faster much faster AND provide lucrative contracts for developers and
building trades unions;

* huge surronding parking lots and big box mega-chains where, after
ratifuying your disappointment, you can drown your sorrow in buying
stuff AND make sure your cash winds up in some city (or offshore
island) far far from here, another fitting tribute;

* and more.

The Memorial would be advertised world-wide, become bigger (if that's
possible) than the Aquatennial (I know, hard to believe), as tens of
thousands of disappointed people pour into Mpls to find somewhere that
makes their mayors look like Solomon. "You think YOU have a disappointing
mayor??? Well, let us tell you..." could be the theme.

I know I'd visit.

--David Shove
Roseville



 Re: [Mpls] Mayor Rybak needs to do some explaining

On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 m1r3201@AOL.COM wrote:

>
>   Regarding Jim Mork's comment on the appointment of the two development
> directors
>
>  "It looks like tax dollars going to what should be lower priorities.=A0
> It looks like an elite taking care of its own and blowing off those of us
> who pay the bills."
>
>       I think Jim's point is well taken.
>        Mayor Rybak needs to state his position on the 35 W access project=
=2E
>        He needs to withdraw those two appointments. I don't play tennis s=
o I
> do not have a tennis partner to recommend for high paying jobs with the c=
ity.
>         and...I do not know anyone who belongs to a law firm that serves
> corporate interests at the expense of Minneapolis residents.
>        This seems to be the basic criteria that seems to be in place with=
 the
> current job giveaway program underway at the Mayor's office.
>        The previous city adminsitration operated with similar arrogance a=
nd
> cozying up to fat cats (no offense to cats everywhere).
>         I do believe Mpls. residents made it clear they are fed up with t=
his
> type of attitude.
>         Margaret Hastings-Minneapolis-Kingfield
>
>
>
>
>
>