We are Preserve Rondo, a group of concerned community members, residents, and descendants of the Historic Rondo Neighborhood, in Saint Paul, MN. This petition has been enacted, as we are demanding that ReConnect Rondo (RCR), and its Board of Directors provide full transparency and details, regarding their seven-year effort working toward building the, "Rondo Land Bridge" project.

We have come together as, we have not received a genuine response from ReConnect Rondo, regarding: accountability for their lack of community outreach, not utilizing best practices as a community organization, as well as, an apology from the entire Board of Directors, for their continuation of exhibiting dismissive, condescending behaviors toward community members, and/or not acknowledging all of the questions raised by community members, during RCR community meetings, to date. 

We are calling for a cease in funding, planning and development of the Rondo Land Bridge until there is full transparency around the impact that it will have on the property taxes, health of area residents during construction and full racial and financial impact analyses conducted. Since the earliest stages of planning for the Rondo Land Bridge - powered by ReConnect Rondo - community members have been shut down, silenced, and discouraged from inquiring about ReConnect Rondo’s plan to combat displacement as it relates to the construction and presence of the proposed Land Bridge. We can no longer allow this.

Development without displacement is a must within BIPOC communities, specifically, legacy communities such as The Historic Rondo Neighborhood, with a tragic history of displacement due to the construction of I-94, which led to a multi-million-dollar loss of Black wealth in the form of land, home ownership, business, jobs, and more. We demand more of Reconnect Rondo and the Land Bridge. We demand that the city, county, state and federal government cease funding this initiative until the following demands are met. And, we are calling on the State, and City's Elected Officials to represent the citizens, who have voted them into office. 

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens, residents, and descendants of the Rondo Neighborhood, who urge our leaders of the City of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, The State of Minnesota, and The Federal Government to stand behind their commitments to Racial Equity, Economic Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by ceasing to fund ReConnect Rondo and The Rondo Land Bridge until ReConnect Rondo, and its Board of Directors, are held accountable for:

• Provide Authentic Community Engagement, surveying the current Rondo residents and descendants before publicly claiming that Rondo desires, wants or needs a Land Bridge to lead Black people to prosperity and informing them of the full potential impact
• The Formation of an advisory Committee comprised of Black Residents who currently live and/or work in Rondo and/or are descendants of Old Rondo
• A Racial Equity Impact Analysis, a Fiscal Impact Analysis, a Health Impact Analysis, and an Environmental Analysis, are each conducted by external entities selected by the advisory committee
• Providing a release of a full financial report of funds spent and obtained as it pertains to the Rondo Land Bridge

• The Formation of an advisory Committee comprised of Black Residents who currently live and/or work in Rondo and/or are descendants of Old Rondo

• A Racial Equity Impact Analysis, a Fiscal Impact Analysis, a Health Impact Analysis, and an Environmental Analysis, each conducted by external entities selected by the advisory committee

• The release of a full financial report of funds spent and obtained as it pertains to the Rondo Land Bridge

• Make public the scope of the property tax impact by neighborhood, zone, and address

• Public endorsement of the “Right to Return” policy, by ReConnect Rondo, each of its collaborators and supporting public officials

• Make public the relationship, past and present, with the Urban Land Institute, in detail

• Make all future data collected from surveys, digital chats and public meetings available to the general public

• Release a record/report that indicates that each resident, business owner, property owner and Old Rondo descendent was verbally informed of the Land Bridge and its progress, categorized by date, address and methodology

• Produce an RFP that is open to the public for any and all future Land Bridge construction/development initiatives

• Issue an organizational apology for the negligence evident in their work to date, along with the harm caused by staff and Board members, who behaved and responded less than professionally to residents and descendants who asked critical questions about this project

• Revoke the voting rights of Noel Nix and Matt Hill, Mayor Melvin Carter III and Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter’s aides, respectively, as their having voting rights presents a clear conflict of interest given their position

• A bi-weekly progress report, disseminated to community about the progress of this project which includes, but is not limited to: financial updates, leadership updates, development updates, community engagement efforts and more

We have a right to be both, informed and heard, as citizens, and hard-working taxpayers of this neighborhood, city, and state. We have a right to have a say in what happens in our community. The Rondo Neighborhood should be preserved, historically, with integrity and invested into, in a way that is inclusive, and positively reflects the needs, wants, and dreams of current Rondo residents, descendants, and future lives to come.