The DFL’s Minneapolis Ward One Convention Saturday, April 29, ended with a “no endorsement vote” for city council member after the top two candidates, Jillia Pessenda and Kevin Reich, failed to secure 60 percent of the vote after three votes.
Third candidate Zachary Wefel secured only 2.1 percent of the 384 votes cast on the first ballot. Per convention rules, candidates receiving less than 10 percent are dropped after the first ballot.
There were 384 valid ballots cast on the first vote: Pessenda got 191 votes, or 49.7 percent, and Reich got 183 votes, for 47.7 percent. On the second vote, there were 383 valid ballots; candidates needed to secure 230 votes for 60 percent. Pessenda received 198, or 51.7 percent, Reich received 182, 47.5 percent. Vote three had 379 valid ballots with 228 needed by a candidate to attain 60 percent. Neither got it: Pessenda’s count was 193, or 50.9 percent, and Reich’s was 186, or 49.8 percent.
After the third vote, one representative each from Pessenda’s and Reich’s campaigns moved that the group vote for no endorsement. A resounding voice vote approved the motion. The convention, which began at 10 a.m., adjourned at 3:40 p.m.
The candidates
The auditorium at Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes st. NE, was nearly full last Saturday. Pessenda and Reich had lively, vocal groups of sign-waving supporters; Pessenda’s wore aqua-colored t-shirts, Reich’s wore bright yellow.
Pessenda is the individual donor program manager for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable food, farm and trade options. She was finance director for U.S. Representative Ihan Omar’s campaign and development director for Outfront Minnesota. She describes herself as a “champion for progressive issues.”
Reich, the incumbent, is running for his third four-year term. Reich was Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association’s executive director and project director from the mid-1990s until 2010, when he won the council seat. He serves on the Transportation and Public Works, Zoning and Planning, and Community Development council committees.
Wefel is an attorney who has owned his own law firm since 2013 and co-founded the Northeast Tool Library. He has been active on the board of the Windom Park Citizens in Action (WPCiA) neighborhood group.
The questions
Questions from the floor included budget priorities, police accountability, affordable housing, small businesses, livable wages, and provisions for artists and minority groups. All candidates answered the first question, “Will you suspend your campaign if someone other than yourself is endorsed by this convention?” in the affirmative.
Although Pessenda’s style was the most aggressive—she criticized some of Reich’s past votes or what she perceived as his lack of action on certain issues—the candidates agreed on many topics. All addressed climate change and discussed local solutions such as clean energy, renewable energy, and solar power. Wefel and Pessenda attacked city funding of the Vikings stadium. They urged their supporters to encourage Governor Mark Dayton to veto a Republican-backed “pre-emption bill” that would strip local governments of their ability to improve state or federal workplace standards. (In Minneapolis’ case, the bill could overturn the city’s sick leave policy.)
When Pessenda accused Reich of cutting funding to a Green Zones pilot project two years ago, Reich shot back that the first proposal had been “half baked” and only favored the south side. After the plan was rewritten to include Northeast, he said he voted to approve it. (Green Zones are areas set up to improve residents’ health and support economic development in vulnerable communities. A city resolution passed on April 17 established two Green Zones, one in the midst of Northeast, the other in part of South Minneapolis.)
While candidates agreed that the city has an affordable housing crisis, they offered different solutions: Reich proposed cleaning up polluted land and using it for housing. Pessenda wants more money put into the city’s housing trust fund. Wefel proposed more housing density and changes to the housing code.
Reich included “more funding for community groups” in his budget priorities. He referred to a 2010 city council action to freeze more than $9 million in neighborhood groups’ Neighborhood Revitalization Program funds in an attempt to lower residents’ property taxes. Recently, the council agreed to unfreeze the money. “Funding our community groups is essential and we have proof of that,” he said. “This year we clawed it back; I want 20 more years of stable funding so you folks can do what you need for your community.”
Wefel proposed that Minneapolis establish its own bank. Such a bank, he said, could lend funds to credit unions, local banks and others; this might be one way to ensure that small business owners are successful. A small business might be considered a large business, “with the City of Minneapolis behind them,” he added. On a question about transportation, Wefel said that while transportation is a huge priority, the city cannot continue to fund it through TIF district money. He called streetcars an example of “spending more money and getting fewer results.”
Police accountability
Each tackled a question on police accountability differently, although Wefel and Pessenda agreed on the use of police body cams. (“It’s a good start,” Pessenda said.)
Reich said, “First off, let’s admit there are issues. These are solvable things and we have made many incremental changes.” He said the city needs to create the culture of a professional environment, where candidates need to “have the right mindset in their heart in the beginning.” The police department’s efforts are paying off, he added, and the ethnic makeup of the recent cadet class is diverse. “They protect and serve because it’s their community,” he added. “When people battle down funding, saying it’s to punish the department, it’s wrong. We need safe communities and we need to heal. Let’s move forward and do it.”
Pessenda said, “Everyone in our community needs to feel safe and feel supported. The city has a lot of power in budget when it comes to the police. Not everyone feels safe calling the police.” She said that police should be “brought to the table” with the community, and there should be support on getting de-escalating training. The city should invest in a co-responder program, and provide more social services aimed at youth violence. She added that she is proud of her Neighborhoods Organizing for Change endorsement.
Wefel said, “Accountability is missing. The city does not discipline officers. He said that the city council should not approve any settlement (of lawsuits brought by residents against the police) until the officer is disciplined. Also, he called for publicly posting information on lawsuits that the city is involved in on the city’s website. “Accountability starts at the city council, and I want to be held accountable,” he said.
The arts community
All expressed pride in Northeast’s arts community. In response to a question about improving things for artists, Pessenda said, “The arts are central to who we are as a community. We need to center on artists’ voices and put our values into action in our buildings.” She cited work done in St. Paul, where they have been “investing millions of dollars in artists.” She proposed adding more combination artists’ living and studio spaces, and make sure that artists can afford to live in Northeast. Also, she said she would make sure that NEMAA (Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association) “is at the table.”
“I have a good relationship with artists of color and LGBT artists. I’m a part of the artists’ community,” she said.
Wefel said, “Obviously, we have the best arts district in the nation, so we can be proud of that.” He said the city must address affordable housing, “if artists can’t afford to live here,” and adopt the provisions of the city’s Small Area Plan adopted in 2008, which included more art and better defined crosswalks. “We need to feel safe when we’re walking and biking. I’m a big sponsor of Art-A-Whirl; I open my office to a potter,” he said.
Reich said, “Many artists know that I walk with them to advance their needs. Artists are not an extra to a community, they are “essential,” he added, and they draw economic activity to the city. He said the current plan to rebuild Lowry Avenue offers opportunities for the arts district. He also pointed out that in 2015, he worked with fellow council member Elizabeth Glidden to secure more dedicated funds for public art. Minneapolis allocates five percent more money to art than St. Paul, he added.
More details
Convention chair Greg Oliver opened the meeting; convention business included a vote to name him and Michael Sund as next year’s co-chairs. Marion Greene and J.P. Barone facilitated convention business, with Greene asking candidates questions and Barone overseeing the agenda.
Many politicians dropped in to give short speeches regarding their future candidacy, including Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and mayoral hopefuls Jacob Frey, Tom Hoch, Raymond Dehn and Aswar Aman, State Representative Diane Loeffler, gubernatorial hopeful and current St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, and park board contenders Liz Wielinski, Meg Forney, Bob Fine, Londel French, Devin Hogan and Russ Henry.
Minneapolis uses ranked choice voting for municipal offices, so conceivably these candidates and any others who file willl be running until November 7, 2017. The filing period will be August 1 through August 15, 2017.
Below: Pessenda supporters took the stage in light blue to match her campaign signs, while Reich supporters wore yellow and dark blue. (Photos by Gail Olson)