It isn’t looking good for a League of Women Voters candidate forum for the two candidates for mayor of Maplewood, even though there is interest in a forum in the community; a Facebook poll showed overwhelming support.
Update: incumbent mayor, Nikylan Knapper didn’t commit to participating in a League of Women Voters candidates forum — making no contact with 40 South News — by March 1, the league’s deadline, so there will be no forum. Write-in candidate Barry Greenberg had agreed to participate.
The League of Women Voters won’t hold a candidate forum with just one candidate. Write-in candidate for mayor of Maplewood, former mayor, Barry Greenberg has agreed to one of the dates the league has available, but incumbent candidate, Mayor Nikylan Knapper hasn’t responded once to multiple attempts, through multiple means, since at least Feb. 15, to ask if she was interested in participating.
After the Maplewood City Council meeting on Tuesday Mayor Knapper responded to the question if she was aware of efforts to organize a League of Women Voters forum. Her answer was, “I have to take care of my babies. Have a nice evening.” Her children were in a room adjacent to the council chamber. That was essentially her answer a minute earlier when she was asked if she had a minute for a couple questions.
The league’s cutoff date to organize a forum is Friday, March 1, so unless Mayor Knapper changes her mind quickly there will be no forum.
Barry Greenberg wrote this statement for 40 South News: Why I am running for Mayor of Maplewood as a write-in candidate
Mayor Nikylan Knapper is free to do the same.
Is Greenberg really a Canidate? He chose not to get the required signatures to be officially on the ballot. Is he above the rules? If someone, anyone claims to be a “write-in” candidate, they should be in the debate? Of course not.
Mr. Greenberg followed the rules that are required to REGISTER as a write-in candidate–he isn’t “claiming” to be a write-in “CANIDATE”. He IS a write-in candidate. It’s important to understand the facts.
Some extremely disturbing information about how mayor Knapper chooses to treat city employees and shadily spend public funds came to light after the deadline to file. The system to register and run as a wrote-in candidate is just that: an official system. It exists for a reason as a secondary method to engage in politics. Discrediting the method just makes people look foolish as they stomp their feet.
Barry addresses this in his article about why he’s running for mayor. “After the candidate filing deadline of October 31st, the news came out regarding the process to hire a new City Manager, and I couldn’t be complacent.”
It’s incredibly dishonest to suggest that he’s above the filing rules by running as a write-in. In fact, the filing deadline rule is the only thing keeping Barry from appearing the ballot. There should be nothing “concerning” about a citizen exercising their right to run for office. If anything, it’s concerning that a citizen would try to discredit the only other person running for mayor just because they entered the race after some arbitrary deadline.
Any resident of Maplewood can be a “write-in” candidate. It’s worth noting it’s harder to get elected if prospective voters must write in a name, as opposed to clicking a button. For that reason, it’s not a great choice. But it’s legal.
Maybe Mayor Knapper should have responded, but I’m not surprised that she did not. The 40 South editor has been posting campaign announcements and liking posts from Barry’s campaign. It has been said that the Greenberg campaign has access to/control of the 40 South blog to post whatever they want and make whatever comments they would like. Of course Barry has every right to fight his fight as a write-in candidate. However, as someone who regularly reads 40 South, it does seem the content has become more slanted the last several weeks – to the point that it seems this blog has been co-opted as an arm of the Greenberg campaign. I can’t blame the current mayor for not responding to 40 South leadership’s invite for a debate when you cannot be sure who is controlling things behind the 40 South curtain.
Mayor Nikylan Knapper simply doesn’t respond to anything from me — an invitation to post a campaign statement, participation in a forum — anything. The last time she responded in any way was in March 2021 — an email, declining to participate in a League of Women Voters candidates forum. It may look like Greenberg has access to 40 South but I’d say that’s because he contributes things like a candidate’s statement, which was posted under his name, unedited, or commented on. Knapper has the same opportunity. I’ll add that she recently had a trip to the White House, and as far as I know the only report Maplewood got was an Instagram post, saying that it was “a lovely day.” She reported nothing about it at the following council meeting in the mayor’s report. I wanted to ask her about it after the meeting but she said she didn’t have time for questions. It’s a frustrating situation.
Is there a plan to campaign against/ replace all council members too? Per section 3.1 “all power of the city shall be vested in the council.” Barry seems to be running on the same platform when he was defeated last time. What has changed? Are we wanted to go back to old Maplewood? Is the city manager not performing? I’ve seen the city manager out at events with the police chief and fire chief and they seem happy. Is it just anger how things are done? There was a payout to an unhappy employee but there has also been a $3.25 million dollar settlement Maplewood had to pay for activities from 11/1/2011 to 11/18/2021? Wasn’t Barry mayor or council person during that time? Why are we promoting “us” vs. “them” and who can “shout” louder on social media. We all live in town and I hope we can walk down Manchester and say hi to each other and not worry.
40 South news seems to have turned into a campaign page for Barry. It’s like Fox News for republicans.
Oh boy-the Nikylan spinners are in full-on reactionary mode.
Good luck with that!
Mayor Knapper fails with transparency. The fact she did not address many concerns from the series of Post articles have many questioning her ability to lead in the best interest of Maplewood, rather then her own agenda. I’m not a Barry supporter, I voted for Nikylan last time, not this time. Debate Barry Nikylan. Many of us in the public would like some transparency.
You asked what had changed. The difference is that we were full of hope that mayor Knapper would be fantastic.
That didn’t pan out.
I voted for her. I was optimistic she would deliver on what she said she would, in terms of transparency and other community services. She has abandoned those things, and instead is implementing her own agenda. She is soft on crime, doesn’t care about the local economy, and does not have the skills to interact with people disagree with her. See has alienated business leaders.
She has failed to deliver.
The difference now is that we realize she has been a horrible mayor. That she is sneaky, systematically alienates her allies, is a terrible steward of public funds, and continually blames everything on racism, instead of turning the light on herself and her deficits.
the one thing that she does reallllly well is play the victim/make everything personal. Zero accountability and zero transparency.
I am disappointed she would not be willing to have a debate with Barry. I voted for her in the last election but things I continue to read gives me pause.
Ditto. I’m not happy with the Mayor, I also supported her in last election. Too many unanswered questions. Seems more interested in her own agenda rather then Maplewood’s
Sadly, yes.
“Mayor Nikylan Knapper hasn’t responded once to multiple attempts, through multiple means, since at least Feb. 15, to ask if she was interested in participating.”
LOL–shocker! The same elected official who never answers questions at city council meetings but humble brags about allll her “achievements” on social media.
Mayor Knapper is playing all of us for suckers, and sadly many of you are gladly along for the ride.
How long before the next $131k payout ???
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