[Mpls] More coverage on civil rights director selection

[Mark Snyder]

I thought this was an illuminating article given that it contains
perspective from one of the citizen advisory committee members.

Rybak considers U student for civil rights position

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2004/04/30/9531
________
Excerpted from the article:

University junior Ibanga Umanah served on the 20-member citizen advisory
committee that interviewed the four finalists for the position.
  
³We went through the pros and cons and gave those to the mayor,² Umanah
said. ³He was very responsive to what I had to say. He was very interested
in making this a good person for the job.²

Umanah said he liked Khalifa¹s management skills and philosophy of
participatory leadership ‹ involving community members and organizations in
decision-making processes.

³I liked her a lot,² Umanah said. ³When she came into the room she had a
clear idea of what she wanted to do. She has 19 years of public service, and
she knows the institutions involved.²
________

Also, for those, like me, who may not have paid as much attention to this
issue until a few days ago, resumes are still posted for the four finalists:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mayor/news/20040416civilfinalists.asp

After having looked them over, I'm having a difficult time understanding why
anyone would have an issue with Ms. Khalifa's selection. It appears she
easily has the best combination of management experience and civil rights
experience of the four finalists.

Question to her detractors: is there someone else among the four finalists
that you think should have been selected instead? If so, what made that
person a better candidate in your eyes?

Mark Snyder
Windom Park