Mprb, Flatiron And Skipperliner
From the Minneapolis Issues Forum (list):
Hope you saw Mike Kaszuba's story, Bridge work at park has its price http://www.startribune.com/local/28335809.html.
The Minneapolis Park Board charged Flat Iron $153,000 to use Bohemian Flats as a staging area during the 35W bridge reconstruction. Flatiron was not happy.
There's more to this story.
This summer, ParkWatch uncovered a copy of an email recapping an April, 2008 meeting between Park Board and Skipperliner staff that suggests the $153,000 Flatiron payment will not be used to help our park system.
Rather, the money will be diverted to aid Skipperliner, the private boat operator at the central Mississippi riverfront. The Skipperliner use agreement with the MPRB runs through 2014 with possible extensions through 2024. The Park Board receives about $35,000 a year in fees from Skipperliner.
Highlights of the email included:
"Understanding that the Parkboard secured a check in the amount of $150,000 from the Flat Iron Company, the Parkboard has agreed to utilize those funds for repairs and enhancements to our Boom Island office and dockage facility. In addition, the Parkboard agreed to contact a tent vendor and install the tent at our dockage site - see Dave Lawrence for location. Any improvements, repairs, or tent requirements and expenses are the sole responsibility of the Minneapolis Parkboard."
"At the end of year two, the Minneapolis Parkboard agrees to review the Bohemian Flats dockage location, a strategic location as part of our current lease, as to determine the direction of future operations and the necessary landscaping and sea wall repairs as required at the site."
"Minneapolis Parkboard indicated that there is an approximate past due balance in the amount of $20,000 that is due for dockage considerations. In addition, our 2008 dockage cost will be $35,000. Don has agreed to waive these fees via permission from the Minneapolis Parkboard. This consideration offsets expenses that Dave Lawrence has accrued since the bridge accident."
(Source: copy of email to Don Siggelkow and <email obscured> from Mollie Delagrave [skipperliner.com] on behalf of Nelson, Daniel [skipperliner.com] dated Apr 8, 2008 Re: Minneapolis Parkboard Lunch Meeting)
I don't believe that the Skipperliner improvements or fee waivers have been brought before the MPRB Commissioners. Perhaps the MPRB Commissioners on this list will provide more information.
Related News: I've heard that the St. Anthony West neighborhood group is opposing construction of a new parking lot at the junction of Boom Island and B F Nelson Parks (the STAWNO minutes are not online) and NIEBNA will consider the issue at a future meeting. The new lot would free up more parking for the riverboat operator.
FYI, Shawne FitzGerald Powderhorn
Editor's note: scanned copy of entire original email message attached below.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Skipperliner_agreement_04022008.pdf | 115.17 KB |