HEADS UP FOR THE JUNE 4, 2008 PARK BOARD MEETING
Some highlights:
5:00 P.M. REGULAR MEETING. The Board will be voting on the approval of a Lower Glen cooperative agreement with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to cooperatively repair the WPA walls at Minnehaha Falls and to restore the Lower Glen in Minnehaha Park for an amount not to exceed $2,871,000 from the Park Board.
The Board will be voting on accepting the report by the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Grand Rounds Missing Link that was presented at the previous Park Board meeting.
The Board will be voting on an agreement with Lowe's Home Centers, Inc. to provide $90,000 in materials and labor for improvements at parks and/or playgrounds. This item has caught the attention of concerned park supporters who have a variety of concerns and questions about advertising in the parks. It seems that with this contract and with the previous contract with Toyota, the Park Board has started its slide down the slippery slope towards random advertising in the parks. In fairness to ALL of those who volunteer time and services and ALL of those who provide financial support for the MPRB that the Park Board needs to establish a clear policy regarding sponsorships and advertising in the parks--and it should do so BEFORE entering into contracts which are based on the condition of advertising. Read more about this issue on a recent Park Watch post.
5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME.
6:00 P.M. ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE. Karen Robinson and Julie Wiseman will give a 20 minute report on the 2009 Budget.
6:20 P.M. LEGISLATION & INTERGOVERNMENT COMMITTEE. There will be a 30 minute report on the 2008 Legislative End of the Session wrap-up by lobbyists Brian Rice, Kirk Pederson and Maryann Campo.
The meeting will be broadcast live on cable channel 14 from 5 to 9 P.M. and on the web at www.minneapolisparks.org
The complete agenda is usually available Monday or Tuesday on the Park Board's website.
Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch