The regular MPRB meeting will be held at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at Park Board Headquarters, 2117 W. River Road. For the meeting agenda and other information, go to the Park Board’s website:

http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=590

During the Planning Committee there will be a staff study report comparing solar, wind and hydroelectric power as an alternative energy source. Paul Rosen is assisting in the analysis that will compare the cost of solar, wind and hydroelectric power as alternative enery sources to “get off the grid.”

Due to the short work week, this report was not sent out in advance of the December 2nd Planning Committee meeting. This means that members of the Planning Committee, as well as the public, will not have an opportunity to review the report in advance of the meeting.

Because there is no urgency regarding this issue, the Planning Committee should postpone hearing the alternative energy study report until the next Park Board meeting so that the Commissioners and the public have an opportunity to review the report BEFORE the meeting.

In fact, if staff could not complete the report in a timely manner, then the topic should not have been placed on the agenda in the first place. To proceed with a topic without providing adequate time for thoughtful review is unacceptable.

* * * * * * * * * *

MPRB meetings are broadcast live from 5 to 9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts

The regular meetings are rebroadcast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing at Webcast Archives.