[Mpls] PPERRIA Votes to Continue Excluding Students

[Michael Atherton]

Last night my neighborhood association voted to reject
an amendment that would have allowed "dorm" students
to become members.  It has been argued in this
forum and others why PPERRIA believes it is justified
in excluding students.  Our councilmember, Paul Zerby,
had also previously stated that he supported the
exclusion of students.  I think that there is some
justification for discriminating against students if
PPERRIA wants to stop calling itself a neighborhood
association and terminate its contract with the NRP,
but if they want to serve as the NRP contractor, which
is required by law to involve all constituencies in 
its service area, then ethically it should allow
all students living within it boundaries to be members.

It will be interesting to see if the NRP forces the inclusion
of students via their Phase II contract, but the willingness
of PPERRIA be inclusive will always be in doubt, as will the 
equitable distribution of NRP dollars.

Michael Atherton
Prospect Park