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News Tribune Editorial: High expectations remain for post-firing comp plan 1
<br /> • Duluth Planning and Development The following editorial ran in the November • Encouraging "open dialogue and
<br /> Director Mike Conlan made a deci- 25, 2001 issue of the Duluth News citizen investment in the out-
<br /> sion to fire the city's comprehensive Tribune. Reprinted here with permission. comes ''planning consultant, in consultation • More closely involving "both the
<br /> with only a handful of people, half- The unilateral firing decision— done City Council and the Planning
<br /> way through the two-year process. without consulting the comprehensive Commission."
<br /> "We can do better," he said as he plan steering committee (other than ■ At the end of six months, the may-
<br /> placed the process in his own hands: the two co-chairs), neighborhood
<br /> planning district representatives, the or and City Council should evalu-
<br /> City Council, the Planning Commis ate Conlan's performance based on
<br /> sion or city physical planning staff the agreed upon objectives —and
<br /> PLANNING MINNESOTA • working on the project—comes at a with the same consequences.
<br /> Published by the Minnesota chapter, terrible time. It dissipates much of the This change of hands in the compre-
<br /> American Planning Association MnAPA) ' momentum and good feeling coming hensive planning process comes at a
<br /> monthly{except fore combined . out of the Nov. 14-15 Economic Sum- key time. Neighborhood planning dis-
<br /> Januaryjfebruary issue). mit, where participants, including trict draft plans are due at the end of
<br /> Mayor Gary Doty, acknowledged the this month. A citywide draft is due at
<br /> CHANGES OF ADDRESS: • need for a new "leadership paradigm" the end of January. Then the difficult
<br /> You mast send these to APA-National, ; that was inclusive, broad-based and task of meshing neighborhood and
<br /> not MnAPA.Please send to: collaborative to overcome distrust, citywide issues begins Much work
<br /> Membership Coordinator • divisiveness and gridlock. remains The consultant was expected
<br /> facil-
<br /> American PlanningAssociation to deliver a land use plan, public To regain that momentum, to rebuild ities plan, parks and open spaces plan.
<br /> 122 S,Michigan Ave„Ste, 1600 trust will take some doing. But it can capital improvements plan for long-
<br /> Chicago,1160603.6107 be done. range infrastructure needs, an imple-
<br /> . Editors: Going forward with the city's first mentation strategy. Now that task falls
<br /> Suzanne S.Rheas,MCPcomprehensive plan since 1958, we to Conlan.
<br /> 612.373.65509 and all Duluthians, we hope, will hold With 30-year planning veteran Bill
<br /> suzannearhees@urscorp.com • Conlan to the same high standards — Majewski retiring, Dec 21 being his
<br /> ,fill Mazullo and consequences —that he held con last day, the first thing the city should
<br /> 612 728 0245 sultant Smith GroupJJR to in the coin- do is hire a technically capable in-
<br /> jmazullo@hhh.umnedu prehensive planning process The City house senior planner who has guided
<br /> Council, after negotiations with Con- a comprehensive planning process in a
<br /> Planning Minnesota welcomes articles, lan, the mayor and the comprehensive comparable-sized city. The aim should
<br /> announcements,letters,pictures end plan steering committee, should draw be to bring professionalism to the job
<br /> advertising.JCai/Cindy Carlsson far up a list of objectives and a work plan and to get physical planning out of
<br /> advertising information.)Deadline for the for Conlan with specific completion political hands—to bring credibility
<br /> January/February issue is December 20. dates (just as was done with consult- and trust to the process That planner
<br /> Please send articles electronically to ant Smith GroupJJR). This work plan should then be given the leeway to
<br /> Suzanne.For other MnAPA business or should be agreed upon no later than hire a cadre of up-and-coming plan-
<br /> membershipitrfornzation, Dec. 31. ners who keep up with technology and
<br /> please Contac Now that the process is in his hands, cutting-edge planning ideas — some-
<br /> Cindy Carlsson Conlan should be held as accountable thing currently missing in the under-
<br /> 1080 Laurel Avenue for the same things he held Smith staffed physical planning department.
<br /> Saint Paul,MN 55104 . GroupJJR accountable for: Conlan has taken on the comprehen-
<br /> 651.229.0587 ■ "Leadership and all-encompassing sive planning project and we have
<br /> carls128@tc.umn.eduvision." high expectations that he will deliver
<br /> For other news gndinformation visit the • results nn a timely fashion. The city
<br /> ■ "Delivery and timeliness of techni- and the people of Duluth have invest-
<br /> MnAPA web site at cal support services."
<br /> lyttpliwww.mnapa Com ed much in the comprehensive plan-
<br /> • ning project and we all expect results.
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