March 6: This Week In Park Board History
It was 3 years ago on March 6, 2002 that angry citizens expressed their outrage in person at the regular Park Board meeting over the Board's proposal to put Dairy Queen franchises in the Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun refectories. Thanks to the overwhelming opposition by the public, when the approval item was brought forward, it failed due to lack of a motion.
Two weeks later, the Park Board approved a management contract for these refectories with Steve Gillen -- who was an operator of a Dairy Queen.
This was also the same meeting where commissioner Rochelle Berry Graves attempted to get the board to investigate the employee theft that was occurring at the Lake Harriet refectory which resulted in its first operating loss in years. Initially, other commissioners and staff appeared ignorant of any such activity.
Finally, after continued questioning by Berry Graves, Assistant Superintendent "commented that he believed there was an investigation being conducted by Park Police. He believed they were talking to concession employees." At that point, other staff and commissioners began admitting they had a clue about what was going on. President Bob Fine stated that "Superintendent [Mary] Merrill Anderson has informed him that she has asked the head of the Park Police to conduct an investigation." Fine informed the Board that there was an investigation underway at this time.
Commissioner Marie Hauser then suggested "this matter be referred to President Fine and Superintendent Merrill Anderson to look at this issue and bring it back to the Board if it is not resolved."
President Bob Fine stated he would "follow up with the Superintendent on the investigation."
No employee was ever charged with theft or embezzlement, according to news reports. Neither Bob Fine nor Mary Merrill Anderson ever brought anything back to the board, as far as can be discerned from Park Board meeting minutes.
However, in 2004, Bob Fine stated to Steve Nelson that the cause of the losses at the Lake Harriet refectory were a result of "employee theft." If Bob Fine was so certain of that situation, why did he never bring it back to the board? Why didn't Mary Merrill Anderson bring it to the board? Why was the employee not charged with a crime?