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| We build pride in the Southside! June 5, 2000 |
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| We build pride in the Southside! June 5, 2000 |
| 3200 Chicago Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407 telephone: (612) 822-4662wfax: (612) 822-0342 |
| email: adsales@southsidepride.comweditor@southsidepride.com |
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| Powderhorn Park Prairie Flower Garden Dedicated to Michael Swingley by Tamara Halbritter On Saturday, May 27th, friends, neighbors and Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA) volunteers planted over 25 species of prairie flowers and grasses in the Michael Swingley Prairie Flower Memorial Garden at 33rd Street and 14th Avenue in Powderhorn Park. The seedlings planted are native to this region and include switch grass and other grasses, cone flowers, vervain, indigo, milkweed, black-eyed Susans, prairie smokes and other varieties. Approximately 40 volunteers led by PPNA activist Paula Gilbertson, have been involved with this project — from planning and organizing; raising $4000 and finding equipment and supplies; removing grass from the Powderhorn Park hillside, bringing in compost and layering it over the dirt; and planting the prairie flowers, grass and three oak trees. Mary McGuire-Lerman, a horticulturist, is the planting supervisor, and Gilbertson coordinated the volunteers. She feels the garden will educate people about native vegetation and be a reminder of Michael Swingley’s “love of native landscaping, and naturalizing.” A former chair of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program task force for the PPNA, Swingley participated not only in planning, but oversaw improvements. He acted as a liasion between the PPNA and the park board’s contractors, making sure they met the neighborhood’s expectations. Described as very “persnickety” and detail oriented, he made sure the time spent on the planning process was worthwhile. A professional landscape architect and teacher, Swingley designed and managed gardens throughout the Twin Cities for over 20 years. He brought his discerning eye and green thumb to gardens such as the Bakken Museum, the Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, Sidney’s restaurants’ herb gardens and many other public locations and private residences. Swingley also spent several years working in New York City in landscaping design. According to his family and friends, Swingley challenged himself and those around him to do their best, but was known for his frequent intellectual jousting and for making his opinion known. A favorite family tale describes the bold efforts of Swingley and his brother, Joe Swingley, to revive a dying garden in Minnetonka. Without permission, they nurtured the garden into a radiant vision of flora that stopped people in their paths. Swingley had the audacity to send a bill for his time to the property owner, a doctor, and surprisingly, the bill was paid. Over the course of several years, Swingley continued to maintain and improve the garden, and he and the doctor matched wills many times. One day, the doctor ran out to the garden and announced, “I surrender, the garden is yours!” Swingley was also called in by the Swedish Institute for turf assistance before a visit from the King of Sweden. Swingley took one look at the lawn they had let go dormant and proclaimed, “I can’t work miracles!” But in no time, he had the grass green and inviting for the King’s visit. At the dedication on Saturday, Gilberston and Michael Swingley’s brother, Chris Swingley, rounded up several volunteers, another brother, three sisters and several relatives and friends into a tight circle underneath the clouds. One by one, all present introduced themselves and shared memories of Michael Swingley. His sister Valerie Palmer became misty when she spoke of the garden and “thought he would approve.” A neighbor, Mary Ann Johnson reflected, “I think he’d be really happy to see us here in the circle.” Council Member Kathy Thurber, who met Swingley in the late ’80s, dedicated a Merit Award from the city of Minneapolis in memory of him “for enriching our community life with his generous contributions of time and talent in service to our beloved Powderhorn Park.” Gilbertson, who described Swingley as giving, believes the Garden “embodies Michael’s spirit.” She plans to oversee the garden, with the help of neighborhood volunteers, in the coming years. |
| City Council’s Hi-Lake redevelopment could demolish fully-leased shopping
center Frank Fuller |
| by Frank Fuller The Community Development Committee of the City Council voted to establish a redevelopment zone just west of the Hiawatha Lake intersection that could eventually lead to demolishing the Hi-Lake Shopping Center for housing, offices and retail shops. Council Member Jim Niland, however, added to the wording that this is only the beginning of a long process and nothing will be done to the shopping center at this point. The boundaries of the Hiawatha and Lake Redevelopment Project Area are 29th Street on the north, Cedar Avenue on the west, 31st on the south and Hiawatha Avenue on the east, excluding the cemetery. Currently, the only property in the area that the Hiawatha and Lake Redevelopment Plan says will need to be acquired is the Hi-Lake Shopping Center, and the plan says that all properties acquired under the plan will be “demolished to allow for new construction.” Not everyone at the public hearing held May 9 thought this was a good idea. A number of business owners in the shopping center pointed out that the center is fully leased and serves the neighborhood well. David Rice, whose family has owned the shopping center since the 1950s, said, “It’s a vibrant community along Lake Street. It is 100 percent leased. All of our tenants are interested in staying.” He also said he would like to develop even more of the shopping center property but can’t because of limited parking. “It is a destination for many neighborhoods around there,” he added. “People come from all over to go there, especially to the hardware store.” The True Value hardware store has been in the shopping center for 50 years. Wayne Theosch, who has owned the store for the last 13 years, pointed out that many locally-owned hardware stores in the city have been forced out of business by large, warehouse-type, building marts. He asked that the City Council realize that “I do a service to the community.” Thomas Montgomery, who was representing Manny Perez, the owner of two Subways in the area, one in the Hi Lake Shopping Center, said, “Mr. Perez is typical of business owners there,” he said. “It’s a small business and they make a significant contribution.” The Hiawatha and Lake Business Association also sent a letter to Steve Cramer, the executive director of the Minneapolis Community Development Agency, asking that the city make “all reasonable efforts for the inclusion of our businesses in the redevelopment of the LRT Lake Street Station area.” The city is interested in developing the property because a number of studies completed over the years have said that this intersection is ideal for “transit oriented development.” These studies point out that light rail transit, Lake Street, Hiawatha Avenue, and the Greenway all merge at this intersection, which makes it accessible to a large number of people. So it is ideal for a mixed use development, including housing, offices and retail spaces. The redevelopment plans call for building as many as 1250 housing units in the shopping center area, as well as offices and 20,000 square feet of retail space. The shopping center currently has 130,000 square feet of retail space. Council Member Kathy Thurber, who supports the redevelopment area, pointed out that this action does not mean that the city will purchase the Hi Lake Shopping Center, that it only is one step and one vote in a long process that will require much community input. |
| Chaos reigns after CNIA election by Cheri Thompson |
| On May 16, the CNIA Annual Meeting and Board Elections were overrun by the raucous but well-prepared Vote Blue campaign. Newly elected Board members from the Blue Crew make and carried a motion to swear in new board members immediately. The newly sworn Blue Crew called a Special Meeting of the Board, to be held immediately, giving verbal notice to non-Blue Board members by shouting across the gymnasium in which the annual meeting was held. This was at 10:15 p.m. Several board members and others in the community have unanswered questions about whether the election was valid amidst questions of voter eligibility. The actions from the motion to the Special Meeting appear to be in conflict with CNIA bylaws and State statutes, but even the lawyers involved haven’t definitively sorted out any of this. May 18 The Blue Crew holds another Special Meeting this time giving one and a half days written notice to non-Blue Board members, still less than the five days required by state statute. Several board members not affiliated with the Blue Crew deliver a letter objecting to the illegal meeting. At the meeting, the Blue Crew elects officers, fires Executive Director Jana Metge, and places all remaining staff on a paid leave of absence pending the hire of a new Executive Director. Questions remain about whether Metge is fired in retaliation for grievances she recently filed against Blue Crew Board President Zachary Metoyer and newly elected board member Basim Sabri. Nobody seems quite sure yet whether this action, taken by a Board that may not have been legally seated while holding a potentially illegal meeting, is binding. The Blue Crew retains Steven Lundeen, who appears to share an office with Sabri, to act as CNIA’s attorney. May 19 Sabri purportedly calls Council Member Brian Herron to inform him that the Blue Crew will be changing the locks on the CNIA office in Sabathani Community Center; Herron purportedly tells them not to. Why Sabri felt the need to notify Herron is unclear. Council Member Herron hasn’t returned repeated calls to inquire. Acting on a telephone tip Metge instructs the staff to remove personal belongings from the office and takes the most critical financial documents and all check blanks to the State Auditor’s office to avoid allegations of file tampering. The Blue Crew demands keys to the CNIA office from Building Manager Elaine Dyer and attempts to have the locks changed. Dyer refuses the Blue Crew entrance and changes the locks of the CNIA offices — preventing anybody from entering until Board membership is established. May 22 Southside Neighborhood Housing donates office space to CNIA staff; staff continues working despite the office lockout. The Blue Crew sends letters, written by Lundeen and delivered by process servers, to all CNIA staff except Metge. The letters inform them of Metge’s termination “effective immediately,” notify them that the rest of the staff has been provided with a “paid leave of absence pending the hiring of a new Executive Director,” request that they contact Metoyer immediately about pending obligations so arrangements can be made to meet these obligations, demand that all property and documents pertaining to CNIA be returned to Lundeen’s office within three days, and forbid them to conduct business on behalf of CNIA or represent themselves as employees of CNIA to any individuals or entities. The Blue Crew sends letters, also written by Lundeen and delivered by process servers, to several ongoing Board members and at least some of those whose terms are ending. The letters inform them of Lundeen’s status as CNIA’s legal counsel, and demand that all property and documents pertaining to CNIA be returned to Lundeen’s office within three days. During an interview with this reporter, Sabri states that the Blue Crew has fired Metge, laid off all other staff pending the hire of a new Executive Director, and voted to sign an intermediate Executive Director right away. Sabri also claims that Heidi Christenson of the State Attorney General’s office “advised us beforehand that it’s all legal based on the bylaws, and our meeting and election of officers.” May 23 Board President Roxana Orrell responds to Lundeen’s letter emphasizing her belief that the Blue Crew are not legitimately seated board members, questioning Lundeen’s ethics in view of the apparent conflict of interest given the office space he shares with Sabri, requesting that Lundeen contact the Board’s attorney John Kenefick, and refusing to deliver personal files to Lundeen. Orrell calls a Special Meeting of the Board for the evening of May 31 to determine an orderly transition plan for CNIA. May 29 Sabri receives City Council approval to purchase the 4th and Lake building. His purchase of the building has been the subject of extensive controversy within CNIA. Metge’s opposition to the purchase has triggered several "hateful and ugly" letters from Sabri, which are the basis of her grievance against him. Council member Herron abstained from the vote. May 31 Metge is served with notice of her termination; the envelope is slit open when she receives it and the notice itself is dated May 22. Members of the PEACE Project and Herron open the Special Meeting by speaking about the need to put personalities aside, enter a “mind of service,” and find healthy ways to focus on finding a transition so that the business of the community can be addressed. Louis King announces the resignation of Summit Academy’s organizational seat early in the meeting, stating that the resignation is a direct result of the personnel actions taken, that Summit Academy “won’t work with those who can’t take care of business,” and describing the entire situation as an embarrassment. The Board votes to end the terms of outgoing Board members effective May 31, seat incoming Board members effective June 1, and disassociate themselves from the actions of the Blue Crew since the annual meeting. In a later motion, the Board votes to establish a subcommittee of both old and new board members to develop and present recommendations at the June Board of Directors meeting on the transition, retain all staff, open the office for business as usual, and pay June rent. There are no abstentions from the vote; Board member Pauline Thomas is the sole vote against the motion. At the end of the Special Meeting President Orrell, Treasurer Robert Schmid, and Housing Committee Chair Tony Didier resign their seats. In doing so, Schmid begs the Bell Foundation to be patient with CNIA, and to give the new board a chance. June 1 A board member, purportedly Pauline Thomas, calls Kenefick. She allegedly tells him that the previous night’s vote was only a recommendation to the new board, she doesn’t have to abide by it, and that she doesn’t want the office opened. This action delays drafting a letter which would allow staff to work by rescinding the previous actions against them until the end of the day, and when the letter does arrive it does not contradict the previous letters of termination. Metge is informed that she will not be allowed to sign checks or keep her title of Executive Director, but that she is expected to continue through the transition. One staff member quits, Metge and the remaining staff send certified letters to all board members stating that they will not work until their employment status is resolved. When asked about the phone call to Kenefick and subsequent staff turmoil, Metoyer responds that the call was the action of an individual and not of the board. His understanding continues to be that the office will be open and fully staffed. “This [phone call] shouldn’t have taken place,” Metoyer emphasized. “It’s a bad situation, and we’re going to have to deal with it as a board.” |
| Somali merchants innaugurate Suuqa Karmel at open house by Tamara Halbritter |
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| On Saturday, May 20th, the warm Minnesota sun shone down on the many Somali families joined together to recognize the grand opening of Suuqa Karmel, an incubator for new Somali businesses which opened this March. Live Somalian music by Kooxda Karmel pulsed through the air while people sampled Somalian foods and merchandise. Located in Karmel Square at 2944 Pillsbury Avenue South in Minneapolis, Suuqa Karmel houses 35 Somali merchants along with several other businesses. The brainchild of Basim Sabri, a local developer and owner of Sabri Properties, Suuqa Karmel was created to help Somalian startup retail businesses succeed. Similar in concept to an indoor flea market, it provides each vendor with a small space from which to sell his or her wares. Shoppers from all over the area can find Somali products and services in one place including: computer training, immigration consultation, tax assistance, international telecommunications, pagers and cell phones, Somalian CDs, cassettes and videos, international foods, international decorations and jewelry, traditional clothing, scarves, shoes, and perfumes. The building also hosts a dry cleaner, tailor, barber and hair salon and is a meeting place for a women’s advocate group. In the midst of these shops lies the Suuqa Karmel coffee shop complete with fountains and tropical foliage. A gathering place for Somali people, it often features live music for special events. The building owner, Sabri, a driven entrepreneur, is enthusiastic about the opportunities Suuqa Karmel provides for his tenants. He’s paving the way for immigrants like himself, and feels this low-risk enterprise is ideal. If a business fails, the renters suffer a minimal loss and aren’t tied into a long-term lease. If they succeed, as he hopes all the merchants will, they can grow out of this space, move on and make room for other new businesses. He also respects family efforts to build their businesses. “The woman takes care of the household in the morning and makes sure the kids go to school. By 11 o’clock in the morning she comes over here to the business. At 4:30, the husband comes back from his work, he takes over, and she goes home. It’s an effort between two parents to survive.” Many of the people at the grand opening were pleased with the progress of their new ventures and appreciate the community feeling Suuqa Karmel imparts. Najma Jama, the daughter of International Clothing Center’s owner, Hibo Jama, described the migration of Somalians to the US as a recent occurrence. She says many of the Somali merchants came here about five years ago; some have been here longer or immigrated more recently, but many of them have family in Minnesota. “It’s good for us to have a mall. Most of them don’t drive. If they can’t find it in one store, they can find it in another. It makes us feel like home.” Her sister Nafisa Jama chimed in, “Whenever I come here, it brings all the Somali people together and I get to see all the kids!” Although starting a new business is exciting for many Somalian families, one new shop owner voiced her and her husband’s concerns about the future of immigrants in Minnesota. “We have to keep up with our current bills, the mortgage and all that. Being Muslims, we try as hard as we can to run away from getting loans with interest,” she chuckled, then quickly became serious. “Our biggest challenge is coming up with the downpayment. The system doesn’t give us a break.” However, as the afternoon progressed, a little girl in purple with bright pink sandals seemed to have no qualms about Suuqa Karmel. She ran back and forth under the big red ribbon in anticipation of the dedication. Several families gathered around to watch the event. Council Member Jim Niland and Basim Sabri took turns cutting the ribbon. Sabri announced, “With Allah’s and all of your blessings… [I now announce the] first Somalian bizarre in the city of Minneapolis.” Council Member Jim Niland, who lives two blocks from the new businesses, congratulated the Whittier and Phillips neighborhoods. “I’m very proud that these neighborhoods are the heart of the Somali community. They’ve brought such richness to our neighborhoods. Their entrepreneurial spirit and all the contributions Somalis are making across the city — we are so lucky to have such a large Somali Community here in Minneapolis.” Osman Saharadeed, Associate Director of the Somali Community of MN spoke in his native tongue, just after the ribbon was cut, and then opened up a copy of his speech and read in English, “We would like to be a role model for other minorities in Minnesota…” It appears Saharadeed is about to get his wish. Sabri plans to purchase another building in the near future and start a similar enterprise for the Asian community. He estimates a spring 2001 grand opening for that venture. | |
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