Sept. 1 Park Board Meeting Highlights
This was the first meeting which was televised live on cable TV.
5:00PM
Recreation committee called to order by Vivian Mason in chairwoman Rochelle Berry Graves absence.
* A resolution honoring the work of lifeguard Meagan Norlin-Weaver is adopted, and she is praised and photographed with the board. A large contingent of the Park Police including chief Brad Johnson are on hand for this award.
* A report on a youth sports Golf Tournament is given by Assistant Superintendent nee General Manager Don Siggelkow.
Recreation committee adjourns.
Commissioner Carol Kummer arrives.
5:10PM
Planning committee called to order by Walt Dziedzic in chairman Bob Fine's absence.
* Action item 4.1 to approve the Victory Memorial Parkway park master plan will be delayed until after the Public Hearing on the same subject scheduled for 5:30PM so that commissioners can hear public opinion before voting.
* Action item 4.2 is to authorize staff to provide comments to Xcel Energy on its proposed [and FERC required] aesthetic adequacy flow plan. Some potential changes requested by park staff to Xcel's proposed plan were outlined in the Park Board's previous meeting. [One assumes it was formalized in writing for this meeting, and one might further assume a copy of it was in the commissioners' information packet for the meeting.]
Comr. Kummer praises the staff for the "good job" they did on this.
Comr. Dziedzic comments that St. Anthony Falls are critical to Minneapolis tourism and the water going over the falls must be protected for that reason. He says the idea of putting "more turbines" on the river is dead.
4.2 PASSES.
* Study Item 1 -- Parkway lighting. Staff is seeking direction on whether the board wants to continue having distinct lighting (that is, different from surrounding city street lighting) on the Parkways, as the City is developing a city-wide lighting policy and wants the Park Board to use the same fixtures to allow easier maintenance and volume purchasing. In this context, "fixtures" does not mean the style of the lamp, but is at a more mechanical level it seems.
There is some discussion as commissioners seem at first confused by what staff wants, and it gets sorted out as to what distinct lighting means, versus selecting a style of lamp, etc.
5:15PM -- commissioners Rochelle Berry Graves and Annie Young arrive.
Comr. John Erwin says he thinks distinct lights are good, and comments on need for lighting for bike commuters. Someone remarks that the parks supposedly close at 10PM. Another staff comment is that park lighting is no where near enough to be compared to city street lighting. All of the lights in the parks are designed more for visual aesthetic sense, rather than safety. There are not enough of them.
Comr. Marie Hauser remarks she does not like the 1970s style lighting. She is also concerned about enough light for safety versus too much light pollution into the sky instead of on the ground.
Direction to staff to continue with distinct lighting.
5:25PM
* Public Hearing on Victory Memorial Parkway master plan. Staff brings commissioners up to date on plan. Motivation is bike path renovation to get Metropolitan Council funding.
Greg Ingraham of Ingraham and Associates, landscape architect, gives a presentation on their plans for the parkway. He goes back over the history and vital statistics of the parkway [again]. In 1921 when the parkway opened, 1200 Elms were planted to memorialize soldiers from Minneapolis. 568 wood markets also were added for each of the 568 WWI dead. These eventually became bronze and then were laid flat into concrete to make maintenance easier and to reduce vandalism. Dutch Elm Disease killed many of the elms, and they have been replaced mostly with hackberry, although some disease resistant species of elm are now being used.
5:35PM -- comr. Bob Fine shows up.
Comr. Erwin comments on the problem with a tree mono-culture of all elms or all hackberry and future diseases which might wipe them out. He wants to know more about the proposed road closures.
Comr. Berry Graves is also concerned about the road closures and wants to hear what the public has to say as that will determine her vote.
* Public Hearing:
- John Trombley of 4xxx Upton Ave. N. and Victory Neighborhood Association chairman supports the proposed master plan. He also supports the uniformity of the trees, saying the consistency is part of the memorial itself.
5:40PM
- John Hugoland (?) of 34xx ?? and chairman of the Cleveland Neighborhood Association, is also in favor of the master plan, and supports connection to other bikeways.
- Ralph Johnson of 37xx Washburn says the plan is 20 years in coming, thinks the park benches need to be moved out of the middle of the parkway where people sleep on them to sides where senior citizens can use them to rest while out walking, says more trash cans are needed, mentions a low spot that always floods that needs filling, and thanks them for getting the plan done.
- Kent George of 21xx Victory Memorial Pkwy. has two concerns: (1) monoculture of trees, (2) parkway has become a commuting route with heavy traffic so supports the idea of street closings.
- Candace Sartell (?) of 50xx Dupont says traffic is a real problem and neighborhood has actively been looking for ways to calm traffic. She encourages the board to approve the plan. She says the road closings were discussed in the neighborhood meetings, as was the question of tree biodiversity.
- Sarah Jordy (??) of 36xx Xerxes says the parkway has turned into a freeway, needs more police patrols, supports road closing, and complains of cars actually driving on the bike path to short-cut around closed roads. She suggests thinking about making Xerxes a one way street as well.
- Steve House (?) of 43xx Xerxes comments that the lawn areas are in pretty rough shape and would like to see some maintenance work done on them as well.
- Richard ___ (?) of 39xx Washburn says the uniformity of the trees captures the military memorial aspect. He is in favor of closing 39th Avenue.
- Mark "Vouch" (??) of 32xx Russell, involved in North Minneapolis Bike Taskforce, very in favor of this project. Discusses how it may interoperate with other bike path plans. Suggests using pipe bollards to prevent cars from driving on the parkway itself.
- Steve Swanson of 32xx Xerxes talks about how the Broadway overpass is an ugly eyesore that cut the neighborhood in half. He says that spot is like Beirut, Lebanon between Theodore Wirth Parkway and Victory Memorial Parkway, to the amusement of the audience. It's a No Mans Land, and because it is the point of convergence of 4 public entities (City of Robbinsdale, City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and Park Board) it is neglected and in desperate need of some loving care.
- "Brad Pulver" [?? I'm sure I butchered that name] of 44xx Penn has a problem with closing Oliver Ave. He's lived there 44 years and there's too much traffic to close that street. It would just go elsewhere in the neighborhood making for other problems.
- Mike Nicholson (?) of 39xx Xerxes supports plan and the closing of 39th Ave.
- Kent George, 21xx Victory Memorial [above], across the parkway from "Brad" [above], says though he supports closing Oliver, he understands his neighbor's problem and desire to not see it closed. He suggests making 44th (?) one way to prevent traffic from short-cutting down Penn. Notes that Penn is also one way there.
- "Brad" (?) points out that much of the traffic comes from a restaurant at 44th and Oliver.
- John Trombley says yes the grass is in bad shape, and that most neighbors agreed in public meetings.
5:58PM
Comr. Dziedzic moves action item 4.1 to approve Victory Memorial Parkway master plan. Has some remarks: (1) Question: are there separate biking and walking paths? Staff Answer: as the plan has been presented both times, No. It is a shared 12 foot path. (2) Regarding traffic calming, talks about how some neighborhoods have used signs saying "welcome to neighborhood XYZ, please drive the speed limit of 30mph". (3) Says chief of park police is present in audience and will take heed of the public complaints about traffic violations.
Comr. Young wants to know what will actually go to the Met. Council regarding street closings. Staff Answer: all streets are in city right of way (Robbinsdale and Minneapolis), and thus Park Board must go through a study for each street with the City, and must persuade City to close street. Does not think it will be a problem for Met. Council.
Comr. Berry Graves says she got her questions on the public's feeling about street closings answered. She expresses her happiness at seeing so many North side residents at the meeting, and encourages them to come to more meetings. She also states her concerns about the shared bike path, as she remembers when the wife of a car dealer was killed on a shared path when struck by a bicycle a number of decades ago on the south side of Minneapolis.
6:05PM
Comr. Olson is also glad to see residents of North side. He replies to Ralph Johnson's concern about the low area flooding saying it is a storm sewer problem that needs to be solved; that simply filling it will cause the flooding to just move to another nearby spot. He thinks the shared path has "many benefits" and that it works fine in Theodore Wirth Park.
Comr. Erwin also says it is nice to see so many residents at the meeting. He points out that traffic is like a balloon -- if you squeeze it one place, it just pushes out in another place.
4.1 is voted on and PASSES unanimously.
6:10PM
Comr. Erwin reminds Planning committee chair Fine about the 6:00PM public Open Time.
Comr. Fine recesses the Planning committee.
* Vice-president comr. Erwin calls regular meeting to order in president comr. Olson's momentary absence (he stepped out of the room).
* Public Comments
- St. Paul native and Dartmouth College student Harry Huberty, whose earlier school project video about Theodore Wirth was shown at the annual Park Board meeting in January, reads his letter to the board regarding the great opportunity they now have to use the Theodore Wirth house to "allow the Minneapolis Parks Legacy Society to teach your children the history, the subtlety, the significance, and the meaning of Minneapolis and its wonderful parks" and how this will benefit the children and Minneapolis. [Click here for the full text of his letter.]
6:15PM
Planning committee called back to order by Chair Fine.
* Report Item 2 -- Space issues
Assistant superintendent Judd Rietkerk talked all around about space issues at various Park Board buildings and building usage "out there." There's crowding at the south side service center. There's issues, proposals, etc. etc.
Between 17,000 and 18,000 square feet on the first floor of the Park Board HQ building is being leased to Twin Cities Catering, which was more space than they originally thought they would lease to them, and commensurately of course, are receiving more rent than originally planned.
The "proposal" is to move the park police into the first floor in the remaining vacant space under the board room. A secured parking area will be built around the south and west sides of the building. The police department have needs and staff will "program that into" the space.
There are blueprints for the floor plan for the police offices.
Comr. Berry Graves asks if there will be a gym or work-out room. Staff answer: No gym, but there is some left over space that can be made into a work-out room Question: How big? Answer: 950 square feet.
Comr. Young has no problem with resolving space issues but wants to know what the time line is for this project and where the money is going to come from.
Rietkerk says they plan to use Park Board staff to do the construction so the time line will be longer than for a contractor. It will be longer than 90 days. May be complete in mid-February, 2005.
Siggelkow says the financing is "consistent with how we financed the building". Siggelkow still maintains they are saving money over continuing to rent at the Grain Exchange building [prior Park Board HQ offices] and pay for downtown parking, even when taking on this additional cost and loss of lease revenue by moving police into HQ building. Siggelkow claims they are saving $9.9 million over a 20 or 30 year period [was not clear which period he meant]. It will be paid for by expanding the internal loan. From somewhere comes the figure of $6.6 million somehow getting into the internal service fund. Between 2014 and 2019, they will pay off the $350,000 cost of the project.
Comr. Mason reviews how the Park Board got to this point, and her financial concerns. She asks if the construction documents have been made or paid for yet. Staff answer: Construction documents are under contract right now, and are going to cost $30,000.
Mason Question: what is limit on staff spending without board approval? Answer: $50,000. Mason says we've spent $10,000 on the preliminary plans, and $30,000 on the construction documents for a total of $40,000. Then we will spend another estimated $350,000 on the actual construction.
Mason Question: Staff has said the Land Acquisition Fund money used to buy the building was not a loan, yet the 2003 Financial Report says it is a loan of $1.1 million due to be paid. There is [now?] only $6,090 cash left in the Land Acquisition Fund. Mason wants a complete report on this fund and the building financing.
Siggelkow Answer: Says board did not make it a loan, says money goes out of the fund when we buy land, and money comes in when we sell land. But we don't sell land anymore. [So where does the money come from?]
Comr. Young wants to make it clear to the public that "our mantra is still we do not sell park land." Young has a question on the classification of the 3 funds being used and wants a report on them.
Comr. Erwin asks how many additional officers did the police add when they go the school contract? Answer: 14. Erwin asks how many operations people were removed from the south side service center [as a result of various cutbacks]? Answer: 25, but only 5 or 2 were actually located in the service center building. The move of police out of that building does not allow renting out of space, but does save $10,000 per year in trailer rental.
Comr. Dziedzic asks police chief Brad Johnson if his operation is about the size of a City police precinct? Answer: bigger than a small one, smaller than larger ones. A typical precinct has 20-22,000 square feet. Question: Is department in favor? Answer: Absolutely. Dziedzic goes on to state "no money is missing from any funds" and that he always said or been abreast of a plan that the police would move into HQ building.
Comr. Hauser makes some inconsequential statements agreeing with Dziedzic.
6:50PM
Comr. Young asks about distance from HQ to various areas of city, e.g. Nokomis and Minnehaha Park. Will that be an issue? Chief Answer: No, good freeway access and squads are dispatched from where they are on patrol, not from HQ.
Comr. Berry Graves says she wants to make it clear that the debate has never been about giving the police department or other Park Board staff adequate space and equipment to do their jobs well. She says the board has always supported providing the staff what they need. She says we appreciate their [the staff] efforts. The issue is about all of the commissioners being informed about plans such as these.
Comr. Mason suggests the question of whether any other solutions or locations were even looked at by pointing out that in 2001, Superintendent Mary Merril Anderson promised to examine multiple possible solutions to a new HQ location versus staying in the Grain Exchange building -- only to have the new HQ building bought in the dark of night without one other possibility ever being looked at. Mason also notes that this move takes that part of the building off the tax roles.
Comr. Erwin moves to move this issue to the full board at the next meeting.
Comr. Dziedzic wants it considered tonight.
Comr. Erwin agrees to change motion to move it to full board tonight.
Motion PASSES.
6:55PM
Planning committee adjourns.
President Olson reconvenes the Regular meeting.
Agenda is amended and approved.
* Petitions and Communications
Comr. Hauser received a letter about the Longfellow House, and some other communications.
Comr. Mason heard from Friends of Loring Park complimenting the new maintenance person at the park for doing great job.
Comr. Fine says he was late because of a Board of Estimation and Taxation hearing setting the maximum levies, and that he will not be at next meeting because of a Jewish holiday.
Comr. Young had various communications, and wondered about a JATD addition/track lien?
Comr. Kummer had a letter complaining about dogs cavorting in city lakes.
Comr. Berry Graves spoke to resident adjacent to Solomon Park who asked about a tree hedge to prevent balls from flying into their yard. Spoke to another resident who had concerns about pollution in a wetland in the same park. And she has concerns about safety in a group of trees in the same park. And she has an invitation for a celebration of the Stevens House, founding place of Minneapolis.
* Reports From Officers
* Assistant superintendent Don Siggelkow reports on the Liens filed by contractors against the Park Board for work down at "The Fort" building [a historic building at Ft. Snelling for which there were plans to convert to an indoor skate park facility]. Apparently there is some sort of insurance company proposal with some sort of right to negotiate to resolve the liens, both a 60 day and 120 day period were mentioned, but it wasn't clear what was meant. There also seems to be another proposal from some other company than the original failed company to build some sort of facility there.
* Assistant superintendent Judd Rietkerk was supposed to report on the Bassett Creek Valley Master Plan, but only just today met with the City, and wants to beg off until the first meeting in October.
* Assistant superintendent Mike Schmidt reports that the forestry department wants to make a dry run of their forestry management plan for 2004-2005 to board members. It will happen on Monday, September 13 at 3:30pm. Full presentation to the board will be at October 6 meeting.
Comr. Hauser expresses concerns about recently planted trees being watered.
7:22PM
* Interim superintendent Jon Gurban is asked to summarize his monthly superintendent's report. He circumlocutes about his "8 page report" covering the spring and summer, that it was mailed out, but that it is "8 pages" so is "too lengthy" to discuss at this moment.
Comr. Young points out that nobody actually has a copy of the report yet -- since it was apparently just mailed today -- and as such discussion should be moved to the next meeting. She states the report is supposed to be ready by the first meeting of each month [per the MPRB handbook, rules and polices, duties of the superintendent].
* Consent Business
Consent items 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 are moved.
Item 2.3 states: "That the board authorize staff to aplly to the NFL's community football fields program for a grant in the amount of $200,000 for the Parade."
Comr. Young asks why the grant would be for artificial turf at the Parade instead of North Commons [as had been previously discussed]? Parade never had board approval, was just a proposed plan.
Schmidt answers with a lot of talk about how the grant works and that it cannot be moved from one place to another, where the grant comes from, etc. etc. He says Parade was part of some Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and so that amounts to approval.
All three consent items PASS.
* Planning Items
* Comr. Fine moves 4.1, approval of the staff comments to Xcel on their aesthetic adequacy flow plan. There is a vote, then some discussion and then a revote with Comr. Mason and Comr. Dziedzic voting NO. PASSES.
* Somehow an item 4.2 gets inserted here, and Comr. Dziedzic makes a substitute motion to approve plans to transfer park police from south side service center to HQ building.
Comrs. Erwin and Mason do not want to vote on this plan until the exact costs are known. Erwin suggests a modification to the motion to allow project to proceed.
Comr. Young says she must vote no until they get construction bids.
Comr. Hauser asks if Dziedzic would change his motion to Erwin's suggestion.
Comr. Fine decides now would be a good time to launch one of his trademark paternalistic tirades on proper procedure, and lectures comr. Young on the purpose of the lights and how motions are made. Fine then says the Park Board will "save money" by moving the police.
Comr. Kummer says she agrees and she thinks it is the job and perogative of the superintendent to do so. She then says the "issue of lost property taxes is nothing."
Comr. Berry Graves says she feels it is her job to have a budget before voting. She states her responsibility is to the public, to have that information before approving such a project.
Comr. Erwin offers a second substitute motion which authorizes staff to proceed with planning and to get cost estimates.
Erwin's motion passes with Mason voting No.
Dziedzic withdraws his substitute motion.
7:40PM
* Unfinished Business
* Items 8.1 (adopting a change to ordinance to allow liquor license at Calhoun), 8.2 (resolution to appoint appraisal commissioners for Nokomis and Minnehaha Parkway improvements), and 8.3 (resolution honoring work of lifeguard Meagan Norlin-Weaver) are moved and seconded. All PASS unanimously on a role call vote.
* Staff member Mary Page gives a brief update report on the superintendent search. The application period is open. There are ads in Minnesota Recreation and Park Association member publications, an ad on the Park Board's web site, and there will be an ad in the National Recreation and Park Association's publication. Application period closes October 8. The original (approved in March) schedule had a public hearing with the finalists on October 19, but it is unlikely the Oldani Group will have the finalists to the board by that date. She recommends a schedule adjustment.
Comr. Kummer takes this opportunity to rail about the citizen comments regarding a desirable superintendent made at the August 4 which she missed, and complains bitterly about the letter from Lisa McDonald which Kummer claims "forbids a certain person from applying" [it actually says: "I think...the interim superintendent not be considered for this position."] She wants the board to get a legal opinion on this and have it read into the record.
Comr. Erwin says we don't need to waste money on a legal opinion. No one is excluded from applying for the position.
Kummer further states that if the citizens all understand that it was inappropriate and violates labor law, then she will withdraw her request for the legal opinion.
Comr. Mason states the public is free to say anything they please, and that it is not inappropriate for the public to make such a request. Mason says October 19 is not a good date for her for a public hearing on the finalists.
Kummer continues to belabor her point about McDonald's letter and Gurban being able to apply for the job.
Mary Page states that the Oldani Group will accept applications from everyone. She says they will not have the finalist recommendation to the board until some time in November.
Comr. Young says we should change the date of the public forum.
* New Business
* Comr. Young asks about reorganization planning and new titles. She says the board needs a report answering a number of questions, e.g. the number of appointments the superintendent makes, the new titles for those positions, the new reporting structure and how it will mesh with the board. She would like a transition team report.
Comr. Dziedzic says the most important function of the board is the hiring of the superintendent, and the superintendent hires other people.
* City Council Member Barb Johnson is present and asked if she wants to speak. She does and briefly talks about the several proposals the city has to the Salvation Army for Kroc Community Centers in Northeast and at North Commons.
Comr. Young asks how the city handle the separation of church and state issue, and the city non-discrimination laws.
CM Johnson says these issues will have to be dealt with [sounds like they have not yet been], but she knows there will be a chapel in the facility.
Comr. Dziedzic again points out that Joan Kroc, heiress to the McDonalds fortune, left $2 billion "with a B" and rehashes the history of this program.
7:57PM
[somewhere prior to this time, assistant superintendent and official board secretary Don Siggelkow had reminded the board that they go off the air -- having a 3 hour time slot on cable -- at 8pm]
CM Johnson says this Kroc center deal is a "tremendous opportunity," etc.
7:58PM
Regular meeting is adjourned, Mason leaves [she is not a member of the Admin and Finance committee].
Comr. chair Hauser calls the Administration and Finance Committee to order.
* Comr. Dziedzic moves action item 7.1, approval of payment to Brauer and Associates for comprehensive park planning, with an increase of $12,000.
Comr. Young is supportive of a comprehensive plan, but is not sure we know what we are doing yet, since we are in the middle of a reorganization, and will vote no.
Asst. super. Siggelkow says work is done for this billing.
Comr. Erwin says that public input must be part of the comprehensive plan process.
7.1 PASSES.
* Comr. Dziedzic proposes that action item 7.2 approving purchase of more parking payment equipment be postponed, unless staff objects.
Asst. super. Siggelkow says staff would like to postpone all remaining items so that all of the meeting gets televised.
Dziedzic proposes same (postponing 7.2 and study items #2 and #3).
Comr. Berry Graves make a motion postponing until next meeting so that public is confident in the process and conformance to open meeting laws.
Comr. Kummer thinks the public would like to see discussion of 7.2 regarding parking meters.
Comr. Erwin says they should proceed because sometimes they are going to run out of time, but it is chair Hauser's call.
Comr. Hauser calls the question on Berry Graves motion. It PASSES with Young voting No.
Move to Ajourn PASSES with Young voting No.
~8:10pm.