Monthly Archives: December 2012

Heads-Up for January 2, 2013 Regular Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE JANUARY 2, 2013 PARK BOARD MEETING

Happy New Year! This is the first regular board meeting of the year and follows the Annual Meeting.

5:05 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time.”

The following topics are some agenda highlights:

–Approving Amendment #2 to the May 10, 2011 Fundraising Agreement with Minneapolis Swims for an Indoor Aquatic Facility at the Phillips Community Center

–Approving One-Year Contracts Effective January 3, 2013 with Rice, Michels & Walther, LLP Campo and Associates, and Tom Workman for State Lobbyist Services with Funding from the Approved 2013 Budget

–Update of Loppet Foundation Fundraising Agreement for Welcome Center at Theodore Wirth Regional Park

–Accepting the Non-Appointed Citizen Advisory Committee Recommendations and Approving Concept Plans for the Minnehaha Family Play Area Project in Minnehaha Regional Park

–Approving the Allocation of $80,000 from the Flatiron Account Toward a New Gymnasium Floor in the Brian Coyle Community Center

The complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Board meeting agendas and related information are posted on http://www.minneapolisparks.org two business days prior to meetings.

Also of interest and now available to the commissioners and the public are the monthly reports that Superintendent Miller has initiated for construction permits and for Planning Department projects. The availability of these reports is one of the important changes instituted by Superintendent Miller. Look for the links to these reports under Petitions and Communications in the agenda for the first Regular Meeting of the month.

View Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board meetings live from 5-9 p.m. on the Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast Cable. You may also view live meetings online on the Channel 79 webpage: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/tv/79

Regular meetings are typically rebroadcasted on Channel 79 on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. and on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 5 p.m. Broadcast schedules are subject to change.

Webcasts of MPRB regular board meetings are posted on the MPRB website two to five business days following each meeting and are available for viewing, along with webcasts for the recent two months, at http://www.minneapolisparks.org.

Board meeting agendas and related information are posted on http://www.minneapolisparks.org two business days prior to meetings.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch

Heads-Up for January 2, 2013 Annual Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE JANUARY 2, 2013 MPRB ANNUAL MEETING

5:00 P.M. ANNUAL MEETING. This brief meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza. It will be televised.

Park Board officers and committee members will be voted on. The agenda for the this meeting is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch

PARK BOARD TO CONVENE C A C ON JAN. 8 TO HELP PLAN DEAN AND CEDAR LAKE trail improvements

The following news release was circulated by the Park Board on December 28, 2012:

Park Board convenes Community Advisory Committee to help plan trail improvements along Dean and Cedar Lake Parkways

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will convene a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to help plan trail improvements along Dean and Cedar Lake Parkways. The first meeting will be held Tuesday, January 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Kenwood Community Center, 2101 W Franklin Ave. All are welcome to attend, and time will be set aside for public comment and questions. Community members and park users are also encouraged to complete an online survey regarding trail improvements through January 15: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/deancedartrails

The project will include improvements to known trail conflict areas, lighting, signage, and regional trail connections. Improvements are expected to enhance the current use of the trails.

The CAC, appointed by Park Board commissioners, other elected city officials, neighborhood associations and advisory groups, represents the range of park users. Members will act as liaisons to their respective communities and will work with MPRB staff and consultants to develop a preferred trail improvement plan, which, upon completion, will be forwarded to the Board for approval.

Additional CAC meetings are scheduled for January 29 and February 12, both from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kenwood Community Center. An Open House, at which the public can review, and comment on, the draft plans, will be held January 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bakken Museum, 3537 Zenith Ave S.

Funding for the Dean and Cedar Lake Parkway trail improvements is provided by the regional park operations and maintenance funding provided through Metropolitan Council and the State Legislature. The Dean Parkway trail improvements will also be funded by a grant through the federal Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users that is administered locally by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Trails are expected to be under construction in fall 2013.

For further information, please visit the project page at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/DeanCedarTrails or call 612-230-6438. To receive email updates on this and other projects, go to http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=1086

Dean Parkway, Cedar Trails in Line for Renovation

The following article by Nick Halter was published in the December 10, 2012 issue of the Southwest Journal:

DEAN PARKWAY, CEDAR LAKE TRAILS IN LINE FOR RENOVATION

The trails that run along Dean Parkway and the west side of Cedar Lake are in store for a $1.2 million overhaul.

The Park Board has won a $561,000 Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant for the project, and will spend $637,500 of its own money on the trails. The project must go out to bid by June 2013, and work would likely begin in the fall, said Project Manager Deborah Bartels.

The Park Board is in the process of forming a 16-member citizens advisory committee to develop a plan for the trails.

The trails, especially on Dean Parkway, are in very rough shape. They might also be realigned in certain places, Bartels said.

Those interested in the project can visit http://www.minneapolisparks.org and click on the Dean Parkway-West Cedar Lake Trails Improvements from the Current Project menu.

Heads-Up for the December 19, 2012 Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE DECEMBER 19, 2012 PARK BOARD MEETING–Corrected

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time.”

The following topics are some agenda highlights:

–Approving Amendment #2 to the May 10, 2011 Fundraising Agreement with Minneapolis Swims for an Indoor Aquatic Facility at the Phillips Community Center

–Authorizing Formation and Charge of an Appointed CAC for Northeast Park Master Plan Development

–Parade Ice Garden Preliminary Engineering interim Report

–Acknowledging and Thanking Anonymous Donor for the Generous Contribution of $47,950 for the Purchase and Renovation of 1720 Marshall Street Northeast

–Allowing the Superintendent to Accept a $55,000 Donation from Larry Fitzgerald, Jr. for up to 1000 Youth Football Helmets

–Approving One-Year Contracts with Rice, Michels & Walther, LLP; Campo and Associates; and Tom Workman for State Lobbyist Services with Funding from the Approved 2013 Budget

–2013 Draft Legislative Agenda for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

–Approving the Special Assessment Deferment Application on File in the Office of the Secretary of the Board

The complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners!’ meeting on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Also of interest and now available to the commissioners and the public are the monthly reports that Superintendent Miller has initiated for construction permits and for Planning Department projects. The availability of these reports is one of the important changes instituted by Superintendent Miller. Look for the links to these reports under Petitions and Communications in the agenda for the first Regular Meeting of the month.

MPRB meetings are telecast live from 5-9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

The regular meetings are retelecast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing under “Webcast Archives” at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Board meeting agendas and related information are posted on http://www.minneapolisparks.org two business days prior to meetings.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch

In Defense of the Sixth District Dog Park

The following letter-to-the-editor was published in the December 10, 2012 issue of the Southwest Journal:

Dear Editor:

IN DEFENSE OF THE SIXTH DISTRICT DOG PARK

Unfortunately, the Sixth District Dog Park is costing more than expected–and, subsequently making headlines for doing so. However, the fact is that there were serious issues with all of the three other sites which were considered and rejected through the process of citizen participation–in this case, an appointed CAC. If there were another site, it would have been considered.

Many of the advocates for dog parks are individuals who want parks for their dogs, just as individuals with children want–and have–parks for their children. Sixth District dog owners and dog lovers have been waiting a long time for a dog park in their district.

Recently, the Park Board upgraded the Levin Triangle kiddy park. It cost over $200,000 and it is smaller than the site for the Sixth District Dog Park. I don’t recall any articles pointing out that the Levin Triangle was too costly. Minneapolis parks are for everyone–adults, teens, toddlers and individuals with dogs.

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch

http://www.mplsparkwatch.org

Park Board Eyes 3 Percent Tax Hike to Keep Programs

The following article by Nick Halter was published in the December 10, 2012 issue of the Southwest Journal after the December 5 Park Board meeting:

PARK BOARD EYES 3% TAX HIKE TO KEEP PROGRAMS

Minneapolis Park Board commissioners on Dec. 5 were scheduled to vote on a resolution to increase its property tax levy by 3 percent in order to maintain recreation center hours and plant more trees, among other spending initiatives.

In a straw poll of the nine Park Board commissioners on Nov. 28, seven commissioners said they were prepared to approve a 3 percent tax levy increase, which will be up for a final vote on Dec. 12. A 3 percent hike represents the maximum levy increase allowed by the Minneapolis Board of Estimation and Taxation.

“The fact of the matter is, I am looking at a list of things we need to have,” Commissioner Liz Wielinski said of the additional spending. “We need to have this to keep the park system running for the next couple years.”

By raising taxes by 3 percent, the Park Board will have an additional $1.4 million to spend in 2013 compared to 2012.

That additional tax money, according to a resolution, would keep recreation centers open the same hours as last year. The Park Board had considered a proposal to save $88,000 by halving the hours at six recreation centers, including Lyndale Farmstead and Kenny parks.

“I didn’t run for Park Board to preside over the closing of rec centers,” said Commissioner Brad Bourne (District 6).

The resolution would also increase tree planting from 1,500 trees in 2013 to 5,000 trees. Park Board staff says in order to maintain the city’s tree canopy, 4,500 trees must be planted each year. The added 3,500 tree plantings will cost $343,000.

Also included in the tax levy hike proposal is $300,000 for parkway paving and lighting; $300,000 for neighborhood park improvements; $150,000 for added staffing for the Night Owls program that hosts kids on weekend evenings; and $177,000 for aquatic invasive species prevention.

A proposal to add a $10 per team participation fee for youth sports leagues was nixed under the proposal.

Anita Tabb (District 4) and Bob Fine (at-large) were the only commissioners who said they wouldn’t support a 3 percent increase.

“There’s nothing in there that is not a worthy program,” Tabb said. “But I personally get feedback from people on a not irregular, unusual basis, where people think we’re a little out of whack with close-by, inner-ring suburbs.

“So what I hear people often say, ‘I don’t mind paying a premium (to live in Minneapolis), but I just feel like the premium has got out of whack.”

Park Board spokeswoman Dawn Sommers said a 3 percent tax increase by the Park Board would equate to a $7 tax increase for the owner of a $200,000 home that maintained its value from 2012 to 2013.

The Park Board’s portion of a home’s tax levy represents about 7 percent of a tax bill. So if your property tax bill is $3,000, about $210 would go to the Park Board.

According to a Park Board document, the current Park Board commissioners have raised taxes, on average, by 2.3 percent each year since they took office following the 2009 election.

That’s less than previous Park Boards. The 2005-2009 Park Board raised taxes, on average, by 4.6 percent annually. The 2001-2005 Park Board raised taxes, on average, by 2.4 percent.

All nine commissioners are up for re-election in 2013.

No Park Board in the past 40 years has raised taxes less, according to the document. However, Park Board been has steadily been raising taxes for years. In 2012, the Board collected $47.2 million in property taxes, about twice as much as it did in 1997.

“We are still the most frugal Park Board in 40 years,” said Board President John Erwin.

Heads-Up for the December 12, 2012 Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE DECEMBER 12, 2012 PARK BOARD MEETING

6:05 P.M. SPECIAL PARK BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held at City Hall at 250 South 4th Street.

The complete agenda for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch

Dog Park Gets Green Light; Board Wrangles with Budget

The following article by Nick Halter was published in the November 26, 2012 issue of the Southwest Journal:

DOG PARK GETS GREEN LIGHT; BOARD WRANGLES WITH BUDGET

Minneapolis Park Board Commissioners tapped into reserves to find money to build a dog park in Southwest, but they still have plenty of decisions to make about their 2013 budget.

Commissioners are debating whether to make painful budget cuts or raise property taxes by as much as 3 percent. Among the proposed cuts: Halving hours at six recreation centers, reduced tree plantings and the elimination of aquatic invasive species inspections on city lakes.

Park Board Superintendent Jayne Miller proposed a budget in late October that would reduce recreation center operation hours to 14 per week at Kenny, Lyndale Farmstead, Corcoran, Bracket, Audubon and Morris parks. Most of those centers are currently open about 28 hours a week.

Miller’s budget would also reduce tree plantings to 1,500 in 2013, much less than the 4,500 trees that are lost annually in the city.

The proposed budget raises activity fees by $10 per participant, but it does, however, keep property taxes flat.

Some Park Board commissioners made it clear they aren’t comfortable with the cuts.

Commissioner Bob Fine said many residents identify their neighborhood by their recreation center.

“It’s a central point of each neighborhood, so we have to think about where we are going when we reduce the number of hours,” he said.

Commissioner Scott Vreeland said tree plantings should be a priority, and suggested the Park Board pursue a 3 percent tax hike, the maximum levy increase allowed by the Minneapolis Board of Estimation and Taxation.

Park Board President John Erwin said he also supports a tax increase in order to maintain programming and to give pay raises to employees.

“A zero percent levy increase is not acceptable. I think it will detrimental to this institution for the reasons I mentioned,” Erwin said. “So I am going to be supporting some levy increase, the question is just how much.”

Commissioner Anita Tabb said she was uneasy about supporting a tax hike.

“I don’t know that I will be supportive of that,” she said.

At the same meeting the Park Board was debating the $88,000 cut to recreation center hours, it also approved a dog park construction contract at Lyndale Farmstead Park. That project’s budget has increased from $135,000 to $215,000 since last winter due to drainage issues at the chosen site for the park.

That expense rankled some in the community, who said the Park Board had its priorities wrong. Matt Perry voted against the dog park when he was on a citizens committee tasked with choosing a site.

“[The] same meeting that approves a $215,000 dog park proposes to reduce hours at neighborhood parks,” he said. “Priorities are upside down.”

Dog park supporters, however, say dog parks generate revenue for the Park Board through user fees. By adding another dog parks, permit purchases are expected to grow.

In 2011, the Park Board sold 5,161 dog park permits, generating $191,360 in revenue, according to figures from the Park Board. The dog parks cost about $118,000 a year to maintain and for police enforcement. Over the past five years, the city’s half-dozen dog parks have generated about $50,000 a year in profit.

The Park Board had to use reserve funds to make up for the $80,000 dog park funding gap, but Erwin said the reserve fund would be paid back through dog park permit revenues.

Heads-Up for the December 5, 2012 Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE DECEMBER 5, 2012 PARK BOARD MEETING

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time.”

The following topics are some agenda highlights:

–Approving a Lease agreement with Sandcastle

–Authorizing an Agreement to Provide Planning, Design and Engineering Services for the Dean Parkway and West Cedar Lake Trail Improvement Project

–Authorizing Formation and Charge of an Appointed CAC for Northeast Park Master Plan

–MPRB Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force Update Study Item

–Resolution to Set Tax Levy for the MPRB for 2013

–Resolution to Adopt the 2013 MPRB Budget

The complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners!’ meeting on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com

Also of interest and now available to the commissioners and the public are the monthly reports that Superintendent Miller has initiated for construction permits and for Planning Department projects. The availability of these reports is one of the important changes instituted by Superintendent Miller. Look for the links to these reports under Petitions and Communications in the agenda for the first Regular Meeting of the month.

Please note that the Dec. 5 meeting will be rebroadcasted on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/tv/79 on Dec. 6 at 10:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 9:30 p.m.

Board meeting agendas and related information are posted on http://www.minneapolisparks.org two business days prior to meetings. MPRB regular board meetings are typically broadcasted 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/tv/79.

Regular meetings are typically rebroadcasted on Channel 79 on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 5 p.m. Broadcast schedules are subject to change.

Webcasts of MPRB regular board meetings are posted on the MPRB website two to five business days following each meeting and are available for viewing, along with webcasts for the recent two months, at http://www.minneapolisparks.org.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried

Co-founder of Park Watch