Commissioner Misbehavior
This week the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will celebrate Sunshine Week* (www.sunshineweek.org) by retreating from transparency and public oversight. In a move that boggles the mind, the Park Board, after its regular meeting this Wednesday, will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting off-camera.
By Chris Steller, special to the Daily Mole
“Change” may be the watchword for U.S. presidential candidates, but it’s also in the air at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, where this month commissioners reorganized themselves under a new president, electing first-termer Tom Nordyke [pictured] to lead the city’s independent park board and raising hopes for a sharp turn toward good government and fiscal responsibility.
The highlight of the meeting was the vote on Crown Hydro. The motion to be voted on was, in a convoluted way, an approval of the controversial project.
Former Vice-president Walter Mondale wrote a letter in opposition to the proposed Crown Hydro project at St. Anthony Falls. Commissioner Carol Kummer, a project defender, dismissed Mondale as "a NIMBY" and "less than ... open-minded." Not to be outdone, Park Board President Jon Olson characterized Mondale's opinion as "so self-serving it's not even funny."
On the Minneapolis Issues forum, Dick Shanahan points out some problems with recent Park Board behavior with respect to its own ordinances involving communication with the public in their project at Power Horn Park.
...I am disturbed by how the MPRB has morphed itself into an unrestrained oligarchy by ignoring the Code of Ordinances in place that dictate its conduct, with requirements for citizen notification, consultation and approval. Even more disturbing is the fact that the board is working very hard to revise their Code of Ordinances in a way that will eliminate public participation in every way, shape or form.
Dr. Roxanne Ornelas made an open time statement at the September 19, 2007 MPRB meeting about transparency and limiting public participation. That statement is now available at YouTube:
From the Southwest Journal Parks Notebook by Mary O'Regan and Dylan Thomas
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Park Board superintendent reelectedOn May 16, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted to reelect Superintendent Jon Gurban, extending his term another three years. Park Board Commissioner Annie Young, who did not support Gurban's initial election in 2003, proposed that his new contract include an annual performance review and work plan.
The board compromised and will include her suggestions in the negotiations with Park Board President Jon Olson, but not in Gurban's contract. Young also asked that the board review his contract before its presentation to the superintendent, but her request was denied.
The following letter was submitted by Joyce Murphy of Lowry Hill who witnessed MPRB Superintendent Jon Gurban yelling at another Lowry Hill resident who was questioning him about the construction at Parade.
To all who represent me on the Minneapolis Park Board:
On Monday evening May 14th I went to the Lowry Hill Homeowners annual meeting at the Walker Art Center. The program for the meeting included reports about the progress that the city and state were making for the citizens of our state and city.
Attached is the letter sent by the American Civil Liberties Union attorney, to the Park Board attorney, regarding Park Board President Jon Olson's abridging a speaker's freedom of speech.
See also: Video clip 1, video clip 2, transcript 1 and transcript 2.
Full transcript of the previously posted video clip, titled The Sequel: Minneapolis Park Board President vs. Free Speech, where Arlene Friend again attempts to speak during Open Time at the Park Board meeting -- after the ACLU sent a letter to the Park Board's attorney:
Full transcript of the previously posted video clip, titled Minneapolis Park Board president quashes free speech, where Arlene Friend attempts to speak during Open Time at the Park Board meeting:
This is what happened after the ACLU petitioned the Minneapolis Park Board on behalf of a citizen whose "Open Time" statement urging the board not to renew the superintendent's contract was cut off by the Park Board President.
In an article subtitled "The park superintendent was given a new three-year contract. Some citizens and board members had concerns," Star Tribune reporter Pam Louwagie wrote:
Three and a half years after hiring a superintendent who hadn't applied or interviewed for the job, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted unanimously Wednesday evening to extend a new, three-year contract to him.
The vote authorized a three-member subcommittee to draft a contract that the board president will use to negotiate with Superintendent Jon Gurban.
After the meeting, Park Board President Jon Olson said that Gurban's current salary is $114,500, ... and that the board has authorized the maximum allowable under state law, or nearly $140,000.
Minneapolis Park Board President Jon Olson cuts off a member of the public speaking out against the extension of the superintendent's contract during Open Time at the May 2, 2007 Park Board meeting.
The following items are highlights from the May 2, 2007 Park Board meeting:
SOUTH WIRTH WOODS
Deb Boyd, MPRB staff, presented a report and recommendation based on the South Wirth Woods Trail Overlay Advisory Committee meetings. The report included a brief history of South Wirth including natural features and previous MPRB actions, as well as a summary of consensus agreements found by the 5 organization representatives and remaining differences in points of view. The MPRB staff recommended moving two portions of the Loppet trail further away from the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden perimeter.
The Planning Committee agreed to move the staff recommendation to the full board for approval with a suggestion that the Loppet Trail be limited to 16 ft. width.
The five organizations represented on the advisory committee were the City of Lakes Loppet, the Friends of Eloise Butler, the Minnesota Off Road Cyclist Association, Minnesota Audubon, and the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association (BMNA).
OPEN TIME INCIDENT
One of the Open Time speakers was commenting on some of the Park Boards poor management practices for the last three years. Park Board President Jon Olson reacted by raising his voice and interrupting the speaker and telling her she could not continue. The speaker then reminded Olson of her right to freedom of speech, but Olson would not allow her to continue. Later on in the meeting Commissioner Tom Nordyk spoke up in defense of citizensrights to criticize the commissioners and the superintendent.
PUBLIC HEARING RESCHEDULED
The Public Hearing on the Park Dedication Fee Ordinance was rescheduled to May 16th at 5:30 p.m. at the MPRB Headquarters. 2117 West River Road.
WIRTH HOUSE
Representatives of the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis Park Legacy Society addressed the commissioners requesting the MPRB to open the Superintendents Wirth House to the public especially the drafting room on the lower level of the house.
HEADS UP
Its anticipated that at the May 16th MPRB meeting the commissioners will be voting on renewing Superintendent John Gurbans employment contract.
This is an email sent to the Star Tribune reporter after her article in the Star Tribune on September 24 -
Due to some disagreement between neighbors on Diamond Lake Lane, as I understand it, earlier in 2006, one of them complained about the other one's mowing the grass adjacent to their back yard that happens to belong to the Minneapolis Park Board (that Park Board staff had even requested them to mow and that they had been mowing for many years). As the complainer is a friend of Michael Schmidt's, the Park Board responded by putting up a sign in the middle of the back yard of the mower - interfering with their view of the lake, but hardly visible to anyone else.
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is resurrecting his plan to create an independent parks district to save one of the community's most treasured legacies. But in this editorial, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal argues against creating an independent park body, citing among its arguments the notorious problems and lack of accountability at the Minneapolis Park Board.
