Gary Schiff, Ninth Ward council member, who is raising money for a possible campaign for mayor, has filed a document declaring the formation of a committee to support his candidacy.
"The law requires you to register a campaign committee within 14 days of raising $100," Schiff said Friday. So it required him to create a committee since the first contributions came in on Thursday from a fundraiser at Dangerous Man Brewing, a microbrewery at 1300 NE. 2nd St., which plans a public opening next month.
Schiff repeated on Friday his intention to announce in January whether he plans to run for mayor of Minneapolis. Mayor R.T. Rybak has stated he will decide by the end of the year whether will seek a fourth term.
Betsy Hodges, the Thirteenth Ward council member has announced she will run if Rybak doesn't. But Schiff said he may run regardless of Rybak's decision.
Schiff said the Thursday fundraiser drew 85 people, but he declined to say how much was raised. "We will disclose it at the end of the year when the disclosure deadline comes through," he said. He said his event "was co-hosted by 25 small business owners and it was to celebrate the recognition I received from Twin Cities Business magazine which gave me the recognition of most business-friendly council member in Minneapolis."
The document creating Schiff's committee lists three co-chairs, Kim Bartmann, Bill Ziegler, and Mohamud Noor, and a treasurer, Rebecca Kloek-Waggener. Bartmann is a prominent restaurateur, Ziegler is president of Little Earth United Tribes and Noor chaired the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota and has run for a number of local offices.
