A Cautionary Commentary On The M P R B's Contracts With Skipperliner And Paradise Lady, L L C
A CAUTIONARY COMMENTARY ON THE MPRB'S CONTRACTS WITH SKIPPERLINER AND PARADISE LADY, LLC
It is interesting to observe that the Park Board commissioners are going to be voting at the September 1, 2010 meeting on a new vendor for the two cruise boats that have been docking on Boom Island since the I-35 Bridge collapsed. SkipperLiner is out of the picture due to insolvency and the Park Board is preparing to sign a new agreement with Dave Lawrence and Paradise Lady, LLC. Dave Lawrence previously operated the Paradise Lady and the Mississippi Queen for SkipperLiner, who held the contract with the Park Board since 2004. We know that there are still outstanding payments due from the SkipperLiner contract; but when Park Watch asked for information about these outstanding payments via the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGCPA), we were told we could not have it.
What Park Watch does know is that, because there are so many unanswered questions about the Park Board's relationship with SkipperLiner and about the new agreement with Paradise Lady LLC, there needs to be a comprehensive staff report justifying this enterprise project before the vote so that the commissioners understand what they are voting on--not just rubber-stamping what is being placed before them. For example:
1. How much did the Park Board lose when SkipperLiner became insolvent?
2. What did General Manager Siggelkow do to protect the Park Board's interest in the Wisconsin 128 action?
3. Exactly what improvements are being made on Boom Island for the benefit of Paradise Lady, LLC, and what is the cost of these improvements?
4. Because the Park Board is entering into a new agreement with a new vendor, shouldn't this be new business and not unfinished business?
5. Why didn't this item come before the Board earlier?
6. Why isn't the board issuing an RFP?
7. So how much is this new agreement ("Initial Annual Permit Fee" on page 4 indicates an on-going relationship) going to cost taxpayers to subsidize this private venture?
8. Shouldn't the Park Board be able to inspect the books and records of Paradise Lady, LLC, before entering into an agreement?
9. Shouldn't there be an indemnification clause in the contract?
10. Shouldn't the contract have a personal guarantee signature?
The seven page agreement that the commissioners will be voting on can be reviewed here:
http://minneapolisparks.org/documents/agendas/2010-09-01/8-1-042REG.pdf
Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch