Don Gemberling Keeping Public Data Public and Government Transparent Minnesota’s public data champion Don Gemberling discusses how the loss of government transparency threatens faith in democracy and how citizens can fight back. July 30, 2025 T Williams Timeless Lessons of Community Leadership and Partnerships Long-time Minneapolis activist T Williams discusses how the successful community coalitions of the past should be models for positive social change today. July 8, 2025 Peter Hutchinson Public Budgeting Through Transparent Priority Setting Former Minnesota commissioner of finance and superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools says rather than worrying about how much to tax and spend, policymakers should be focusing on delivering outcomes that taxpayers want and expect. May 27, 2025 Lucy Gerold and John Delmonico Better Policing Through Leadership, Accountability, and Partnership Former Minneapolis Police officers outline practical lessons from their time on the force, and recommend ways to build community trust with a guardian, not a warrior, culture. May 13, 2025 T. Williams Twin Cities community leader The early Urban Coalition was a forum to deal with issues of race, poverty, violence. We must learn from the past to face today's challenges. April 09, 2021 John Brandl University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute professor We're not angels; we need constraints. We think of politics only as a clash of interest groups. If that's all politics is, the government won't work. We need virtue. Placing virtue into the process becomes possible when nongovernmental entities that depend on good will are given an opportunity to provide services. September 14, 2005 David Durenberger Former U.S. senator from Minnesota Minnesota has lost its appetite for rebuilding civic infrastructure and developing creative policy ideas. We need to reinvigorate that legacy of community engagement for the collective good. October 09, 2015 Paul Ostrow Former City Council President Minneapolis voters must be given right to choose more effective, accountable, transparent form of city government January 8, 2021

Civic Directory