Park Board Meeting October 26 Report
Meeting called to order at 5:00pm and a report on the Charter Commission is added to what was suppose to be a one item agenda.
Brain Rice reports that he has received the 8th draft from the Charter Commission and it does not include the revisions that had been requested by Commissioner Young after the 6th draft in a letter dated 12-22-2004. There is a meeting on November 2nd to vote to submit draft 8 for public comment and Mr. Rice recommends submitting another letter to again request that the 21 provisions and the request for language change regarding state law be included as per the previous letter.
Mr. Rice is seriously concerned that with out the wording included the city council will be able to modify the draft before public comment to aversely affect the MPRB's independent standing. In effect, the way it is worded they would put in place a new charter that would supersede the state laws giving the MPRB it's independent status.
Apparently once the draft is out for public comment no further changes can be made by the committee.
Commissioner Fine makes a motion to send a letter with Commissioner Young and Commissioner Dziedzic seconds the motion.
Commissioner Dziedzic states that when he went before the commission the previous year he testified to the fact that the MPRB could lose it's status and no one appeared to listen.
Passes 8 AYES Commissioner Hauser absent
Budget for 2006
GM for Admin Siggelkow summarizes the paperwork the commissioners have received, the survey (8 of 9 and Liz is still waiting for individual commissioners' responses to be made available even after a Open Data Practices request), budget history ( dollars approved in categories for 2001 thru 2005), number of positions in various union areas and management, and an amended 2005 budget to show changes since passed in Dec. 2004 (this was not available to the public in handout form).
Commissioner Erwin asks what effect the increase in LGA for 2006 will have on the budget.
GM Siggelkow explains that it is a ONE TIME increase of $1.3 million dollars.
Commissioner Erwin recommends it be used for one time spending projects, hopefully those that will further reduce operating costs.
Commissioner Erwin then outlines where he would like to see changes in the budget...
Add a forestry crew and 2 gardener positions ( one in North and one in NE ) Add to the Youth sports Add to field maintenance Add to Senior programming
He does have specific amounts in mind and equal cuts in other areas to balance the funds and will go into them in further detail after other Commissioners speak
Commissioner Berry Graves has concerns based on the union staffing. She notes that there have been reductions from 257 to 239 arborists and that electricians also were cut back. How are we to train in people to replaced the experienced folks soon to retire and maintain our facilities and urban forest? She also wonders if dollars for the extra managers hired could have been used for these positions.
GM for Operations Mike Schmidt was explains how the vegetation management crew was developing a plan to deal with buckthorn. As things are now if volunteers to buckthorn removal on weekends, MPRB staff is paid overtime to supervise and do chipping and removal. Because the Board voted to eliminate OT the cost has been charged back to the neighborhood organization or sponsoring group.
Commissioner Olson asks if this could be done more in the off season when forestry has more down time to which GM Schmidt replies that the 2 seasons are the same.
Commissioner Fine says that it is his understanding that there will be many retirements in the forestry staff and this area should be hiring to train replacements.
GM Schmidt explains that this is false. Presently there are less than 6 in forestry that can retire in the next 4 years. In the park maintenance crews however he foresees up to 45 people retiring during the next 18 months. Many of the nearing retirement foresters had already transfered into this other department. Many of these retirees to be are also 30 year employees so they are the foreman, crew leaders and senior park-keepers, the ones who have the greatest experience and are likely the most efficient as well. Hiring equal numbers here will not accomplish as much due to lack of experience (what are you hinting at here Mike??? Need some more people??? :-)
Commissioner Olson trying to not be ageist asks if the forestry crew is more of a younger man's area due to the workload. GM Schmidt suggests that both areas are physically arduous and that the workman's comp claims would bear this out.
Commissioner Dziedzic says he's concerned about removing the stumps and there is some talk about how the stump removal budget was increased in 2005 over what was originally budgeted and that isn't reflected in the non amended 2005 budget. He asks how much to get caught up and GM Schmidt estimates about $1 million should do it.
Commissioner Dziedzic recommends approaching the legislature.
GM Siggelkow then reminds the commissioners that they are here to give staff direction in forming the 2006 budget.
Commissioner Dziedzic asks if the surveys didn't already do that.
GM Siggelkow explains that a little more information on priorities would be good.
Commissioner Kummer asks if jobs are posted internally for staff to make transitions (yes, as well as externally where applicable)
Commissioner Mason at this time passes out a copy of a memo she received from GM Siggelkow in regard to more questions she had about the materials (or lack there of) provided. She would also like to see more resources put into maintaining the park facilities used by the most people.
The missing link on the itree report is now available at ...... http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=52&prid=282
Commissioner Mason notes that the MPRB has gone from quite a few FT to PT positions and wonders if this should be reconsidered.
Commissioner Olson asks how a line item budget is done?
GM Siggelkow states it is done by the department managers
Commissioner Mason restates that she did not receive the information she had requested.
GM Siggelkow replies that they are now going to district budgets with the restructuring. [go to this link and scroll to the bottom for my comments regarding this from 12-15-2004 that are still pertinent questions.... http://www.mplsparkwatch.org/node/187 ]
Commissioner Erwin states his budget issues...
Increases Diseased Tree Removal Youth Sports up 25 % = 120,000 Field Maintenance up 25% = 170,000 Senior Programming up 200%= 100,000 Reduction # of ice rinks for $400,000
Increase in Youth Supervision ( N, NE and Powderhorn )100% = $83,000 Take $ from ticket revenues (which would have to increase because they are already earmarked so watch where you park and speed)
Increase staff at Rec + by 100%=120,000 which will serve more kids Reduce admin 5%
Where there are Rec centers close to each other have more junior staff full time and make the managing staff take on 2 centers. Changing to 1 manager per 2 rec centers could put $75,000 into youth programming
He would like to use the 1 time LGA windfall to get 2 mobile movie screens, one for north and one for NE and plantings for the new gardeners
Staff additions 2 gardeners and 1 forestry crew.
Commissioner Berry Graves would like to add a water quality person, a manager for Environmental Operations, 2 carpenters, add Whittier, and Phillips to the list of parks Commissioner Erwin wants extra staff at, Teen Teamworks and Youthline restored and more Park rehabilitation dollars
If kids are our priority our budget should reflect this.
Commissioner Young comments negatively on the amount of information she had to work with and gets into a discussion with President Olson over the line item budget...
LIZ"S APOLOGIES HERE ....there was commentary by Commissioner Young and Commissioner Olson during the next few minutes but I missed it as my husband was ill and my 6 year old companion (my son Bobby) needed a restroom break. ( maybe Scott Vreeland who was also present at the meeting could fill in the blanks, though his earlier post was pretty specific about his opinion of the meeting)
Commissioner Fine wants to know why they should put more money into field maintenance, and shouldn't they just be redone with capital dollars He would like Commissioner Erwin to give a better explanation
Commissioner Dziedzic wants to know if there were cuts in recreation, feels it has been kept at a stable level. Back when they eliminated the Rec Coordinators they created a void filled by the folks that did outreach and youthline and folks want it back. He would also like MORE rinks, skip the warming rooms and just flood the old rink spots like at Hi-view and give kids a chance to skate [ disclaimer...Hi view is my local park and the last year they flooded the rink was in 1993-94 the year I moved into my house, but this was not my suggestion, he skipped my house when door-knocking ]
Commissioner Kummer asks how the budget fares with the new $1.9 million in additional taxes ( if approved) and GM Siggelkow states that with the recent raises in union contracts and increases due to inflation and health care they will break even.
Commissioner Mason would like youth sports to be combined with all other youth programming and refered to as Youth Recreation
The only other increase she would suggest if possible is more milfoil harvesting and she would also like staff to "come up with a plan" for the Neiman Complex. She would also like additional budget discussions to be held between 11/16 and 12/7 when the public has input.
Commissioner Hauser who has just arrived would like to see an increase in the base dollars for stump removal and feels that more investment in beaches in pools would serve more people that ice rinks
She would also like to see that the staffing levels are kept in the building trades and park keepers
Commissioner Erwin makes a motion to direct staff to work on the 2006 budget with these priorities... establish a 4th forestry crew, hire 2 gardeners, more money into youth RECREATION, field maintenance, senior programming, stump removal, pay for OT for volunteer event staffing needs example buckthorn removal, and wise investments for the one time LGA increase
Commissioner Mason amends (friendly) to include milfoil and a Neiman Complex plan
to which President Olson suggests dealing with at another time and he is reminded it was on the SURVEY
GM Schmidt weighs in with the milfoil harvesters already at full capacity and we would need another harvester and the DNR only allows so much to be harvested due to fish habitat concerns. President Olson ask for a ballpark cost and is told about $100,000 for another harvester.
Superintendent Gurban (hey .. he's there..) mentions that they are already at the max for DNR area and GM Schmidt mentions it could be done more often in the same areas.
Commissioner Fine again states that the ball fields were not built to make money but to improve field quality for those playing sports. The Neiman Complex is like the neighborhood parks ( but the neighborhood is Bloomington isn't it???) He would also like the funding for JUMP IN restored.
Commissioner Kummer would like no cuts to the water quality budget. She would also like loss statements for all the other parks if there is one for Neiman.
Commissioner Hauser again asks if Neiman is a recreational opportunity or not and would like to PRESERVE GREEN SPACE (only that with gridiron lines on it, right??? )
Commissioner Berry Graves seconds the milfoil ( would increase the swimmers) and Jump In coming back
President Olson points out there are 3 minutes remaining
Commissioner Young requests that we have Jump In in more than just English if its coming back and would like to see more money in environmental education.
Commissioner Dziedzic puts in his remaining comment that they are not in the fee business but the fun business.
9 ayes for what appears to be priorities of...
2 gardeners 1 forestry crew Field Maintenance Youth Recreation Stump Removal Senior Programming Jump In Environmental Education
Adjourned 6:30 PM