 |
|
November 1993: Sharon Sayles Belton is elected the first black and first woman mayor of Minneapolis, outspending opponent John Derus by 2-1.
December 1994: Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a $17.3 million judgement against Minneapolis in a lawsuit filed by French developer La Societe Generale Immobiliere.
February 1995: Amid controversy over police misconduct and high crime, the mayor appoints Robert Olson to replace retiring Police Chief John Laux.
December 1996: President Clinton considers Sayles Belton for the head of Department of Housing and Urban Development; she loses the post to Andrew Cuomo.
November 1997: After a contentious and sometimes divisive campaign season, Sayles Belton defeats Barbara Carlson to serve a second term.
December 1998: Downtown Minneapolis Target Store project approved, subsidized in part by tax-increment bond financing.
June 1999: The mayor temporarily halts demolition of the Glenwood-Lyndale housing projects after protesters are arrested at the site. The units are eventually razed and the shortage of affordable housing continues to dog the city.
October 2000: After years of failed plans and at least eight different developers, the mayor officially breaks ground on the Block E downtown development project.
March 2001: Ebony magazine names Sayles Belton one of the 10 most powerful black women in America.
July 2001: Eighth Ward City Council Member Brian Herron resigns after pleading guilty to extortion. Critics fault the mayor when it's revealed the investigator appointed by the city attorney is a supporter of Sayles Belton's campaign.
November 2001: After two terms in office, Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton is defeated by Internet consultant and political newcomer R.T. Rybak.
Minnesota Public Radio researcher Betsy Cole assisted in the production of this timeline.
© 2024 | Home : Terms of Use : Your Privacy RightsRadio Listening : News & Features : Events Calendar : Your Voice : About Us