[Mpls] Barret Lane won't run for re-election

[David Brauer]

In the new issue of the SW Journal, the 13th Ward independent says he's=20=

stepping down after his current term ends.

It won't come as a surprise to some, but now he's declared it.

Because our Web site has been phlegmatic lately, here's a good chunk of=20=

the story.

Let the speculation on successors begin.

---

By Scott Russell
City Councilmember Barret Lane (13th Ward) says he will not seek=20
another term, citing family reasons and saying it was a family=20
decision.

=93My 7-year-old came home one night and said, =91Daddy, you need a job=20=

with fewer night meetings,=92=94 said Lane.

Lane, 41, made his announcement during a Sept. 27 interview with the=20
Southwest Journal. The 13th Ward covers the city=92s Southwest corner. =
It=20
includes Fulton, Linden Hills, West Calhoun, Armatage, Lynnhurst and=20
Kenny neighborhoods.

During the past five years, the Fulton resident has shown a drive for=20
tackling difficult financial issues, such as pushing for the city=92s=20
first five-year budget, department-level business planning and finding=20=

a long-term fix for Neighborhood Revitalization Program funding.

=93I think I am going to walk out of here in a year feeling like this =
has=20
been time well-invested =97 by me in the community and by the community=20=

in me,=94 said Lane, sitting in his City Council office. =93Despite its=20=

bumps, on the whole, this has been quite positive.=94

Lane is one of three Councilmembers that isn=92t a part of the=20
Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party and is the Council=92s only=20
independent. Dean Zimmermann (6th Ward) and Natalie Johnson Lee (5th=20
Ward) are Green Party members.

Lane got nosed out of the Ways and Means chairmanship in 2002. His=20
self-appointed role as financial watchdog has put him at odds with=20
colleagues at times. Yet he said he didn=92t think he had any more=20
political dust-ups than any other Councilmember, and any perceived=20
internal wrangling =93is not a big driver=94 is his decision.

=93When I started this, this really was sort of a sabbatical,=94 said =
Lane,=20
an attorney. =93I never was going to be a career politician.=94

Lane is the second incumbent to announce he would not run in 2005.=20
Councilmember Dan Niziolek (10th Ward), father of young twins,=20
announced earlier this year he would not run for a second term, also=20
citing family reasons.

...

Opening doors
Lane used to practice law in the small, now-dissolved law firm Hanlon &=20=

Lane. He does not know what he will do when his term expires, he said.

=93I am wide open to all types of alternatives, whether it is returning=20=

to the practice of law, working in government service in some fashion=20
or going to the private sector,=94 he said.

He only recently decided he would not seek re-election and wanted to=20
let other potential candidates know as soon as possible.

Lane first won a seat in a May 1999 special election, defeating DFLer=20
Karen Wilson. Lane replaced Steve Minn, who stepped down to take the=20
Commerce Commissioner=92s post in Gov. Jesse Ventura=92s administration.=20=

Lane defeated DFL-endorsed Greg Abbott in the 2001 general election.

His advice to new 13th Ward candidates is to pick an issue to run on=20
and stick to it.

=93That is the hardest thing =97=A0because everybody is going to pull =
you in=20
a different direction,=94 he said. =93You have to decide where you have =
the=20
most leverage, where you will make the most difference, where your=20
talents lie.=94

Going out gracefully
Taking the high road, Lane declined to name any particular job=20
frustrations =97 such as losing the top Ways and Means spot =97 saying,=20=

=93You just have to go with the flow.

=93Ultimately, the majority decides,=94 he said. =93That is part of the=20=

understanding of being here. It is not a matter of whether I am=20
frustrated or not frustrated, it is a matter of whether the work is=20
moving forward or not. In retrospect, it is important just to be=20
thankful that we have got as far as we could.=94

The next Council will continue to face financial challenges, but he is=20=

generally optimistic, Lane said. Credit for creating the five-year=20
budget plan should be shared =93broadly and widely.=94

He singled out praise for Mayor R.T. Rybak for making the plan the core=20=

of his budget proposals.

Some constituents have criticized Lane for not taking early strong=20
stands on development proposals, such as The Boulevard at West 54th=20
Street & Lyndale Avenue South.

Lane said he would not change his approach =97=A0which is to go through =
the=20
formal city process and listen to all sides before weighing in.

=93For me, with my values and my background, it is the only thing I =
could=20
do. I have to have the facts to make the decision,=94 he said.

To do
Lane said the top priorities for his last year in office include making=20=

the 13th Ward a prototype for a more intensive Community Emergency=20
Response Team (CERT) effort, something other wards could copy.
CERT offers training for citizens to learn how to better prepare=20
themselves, their families and their community for emergencies, and=20
respond in a safe manner. Lane said he is ready to support it with his=20=

office budget and campaign for neighborhood groups=92 NRP support.

=93Would it be useful in case of a terrorist attack? Sure,=94 said Lane,=20=

who has taken the CERT =93train the trainer=94 class. =93But it is much =
more=20
likely we will have a big ice storm or blow-down or tornado.=94
Lane also wants to continue to work on the Lyndale Avenue improvements=20=

from Minnehaha Creek to the Crosstown, he said.

David Brauer
Kingfield
Editor, SW Journal & Skyway News=