The following article by Steve Brandt was published in the November 7, 2015 issue of the Star Tribune.
Minneapolis Parks Chief Keeps a Tight Grip on the Reins
Superintendent Jayne Miller pushes her staff but has professionalized management of a tradition-bound system.
JIM GEHRZ, Star Tribune
Minneapolis Park Superintendent Jayne Miller mingled with park patrols during a Halloween event at Minnehaha Park. Miller, who has held the job for five years, is facing her biggest challenge: trying to get city voters to sign off on $210 million over 15 years for an overhaul of the park system.
Minneapolis parks Superintendent Jayne Miller has bolstered a chronically ailing budget, instilled a new level of professionalism in the park district and ably responded to natural disasters.
Now she is embarking on her most ambitious plan yet: persuading Minneapolis voters to raise property taxes by more than $210 million over 15 years, providing the most comprehensive overhaul of neighborhood parks in recent city history.
She is deeply focused on ensuring that Minneapolis’ cherished park system retains its nation-leading luster, but she must balance that against skeptical city officials and voters concerned about soaring tax bills.
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