Here is an extract from the official Park Board Minutes of the December 17, 2003 meeting wherein the surprise candidate Jon Gurban was hired. It seems pretty clear to me who the bad guys are in this picture. I believe the next MPRB commissioners meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Chris Johnson Fulton
The below is verbatim:
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH President Fine reported that he contacted the remaining five finalist and that four indicated interest in still being considered for the position of Superintendent.
Commissioner Young thought that it was important for the Board to talk about process and the questions that would be asked if there was to be a second interview before the Board take another step.
Commissioner Erwin asked if he was correct in understanding that four candidates stated they were interested in pursuing the process even though they have been turned down once.
President Fine stated that they were not told they were turned down. He said that they were told there were not one of the two finalists the Board was considering.
Commissioner Erwin agreed with Commissioner Young that the Board needed to have a process and he believed it should be something similar to what Commissioner Berry Graves mentioned the first time the Board went through this, to take a straw ballot and identify how the Board wants to proceed with those candidates.
Commissioner Olson said it was his understanding based on how the candidates responded that they were not interested in doing a second interview, but if the President called and said, “you’ve got the job” then they would take the job and some only with unanimous support. Commissioner Olson did not think it was feasible to conduct a second interview.
Commissioner Dziedzic said he was disappointed that the final candidates turned the position down. He reminded the Board that it took a majority of the Board, five votes, to elect a superintendent.
Commissioner Dziedzic moved
THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH JON GURBAN TO ACT AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.
Commissioner Olson seconded the motion.
Commissioner Erwin stated that he did not know Mr. Gurban and had no idea if he was qualified. He did not think this motion was appropriate this time.
Jon Gurban’s resume was distributed to the Commissioners.
Commissioner Erwin stated he was not going to place the park system in this individual’s hands. He said he was going to vote against the motion. Commissioner Erwin realized that just five votes were needed but stated the Board had a process and has identified seven finalists through a search that Commissioner Dziedzic supported. As far as he was concerned, the Board’s search process was still open and there was no reason at this point to identify an interim superintendent. Commissioner Erwin felt it was a terrible precedent and that the public should be outraged.
Commissioner Mason stated she was outraged too. She thought it was totally inappropriate to bring this forward. She said that the Board had decided a week ago to contact the five remaining candidates and that a motion to expand beyond the five failed. She stated the Board had to continue with the process and thought the motion was out of order.
Commissioner Hauser referred to Mr. Gurban’s resume. She believed he was a strong candidate.
Commissioner Young stated she will also be voting no on the motion because she felt it was very inappropriate. She also commented that Mr. Gurban has not completed any of the Board’s management tests, background checks or any of the other evaluations the other candidates had to go through.
Commissioner Berry Graves stated that because she knows Mr. Gurban superficially she said there was no way she could vote yes for him to be the steward of not only the parks and assistants but of the employees. She said she has personal concerns in addition to the fact this is out of the Board’s process and improper.
President Fine asked the Secretary to call the roll.
Commissioner Kummer asked counsel if there was any prohibition to doing a motion such as this.
Brian Rice responded that he could not think of any.
Commissioner Kummer offered a friendly amendment to Commissioner Dziedzic’s motion making it a one-year contract pursuant to Mr. Gurban completing the tests the other candidates went through.
Commissioner Dziedzic, as maker of the motion, and Commissioner Olson, as seconder, accepted Commissioner Kummer’s amendment as friendly.
Commissioner Dziedzic stated that the system as he saw it failed. He said that he had confidence that Mr. Gurban could lead the organization.
Commissioner Young stated she could not believe the Board was having this discussion. She said that this was the number one park job in the country and the people that have applied wanted to be the superintendent. They received a telephone call telling them that there were not being considered at this time and things changed. They received another telephone call telling them that the Board was still in the process and were asked if they wanted to be reconsidered. She thought that the Board was giving up respect for the people who have applied. Commissioner Young stated she could not believe the Board was discussing somebody who did not apply for the position.
Commissioner Berry Graves stated that it was not the process that failed but that it was loose lips that “sunk the ship”. She said that she was speaking professionally when she says she has critical concerns about this candidate and because of her critical concerns she will not vote for him. Commissioner Berry Graves thought the Board had a possible ADA liability.
President Fine cautioned Commissioner Young about being out of order.
Commissioner Berry Graves said she was concerned and that she wanted it on the record. She stated she felt the motion was out of order.
Commissioner Erwin said that the Board wanted a candidate with a strong commitment to the Park Board. He stated that if a couple comments in the newspaper caused a candidate to drop out, he felt the system worked. He was glad that they dropped out. Commissioner Erwin stated that the Board now has a couple of people who are still interested in the position even after they were told they did not make the first cut. He said they clearly have a commitment to being superintendent of the Minneapolis park system. Commissioner Erwin stated the process did not fail.
Commissioner Mason said she was outraged and thought the public and staff would also be outraged. She said it was a terrible embarrassment that this would happen. Commissioner Mason stated that she could not support Jon Gurban. She also thought there were conflicts of interest because of his position of Executive Director of MRPA and that there were issues that could come out with the selection of Mr. Gurban that could prove to be an embarrassment to the Board. Commissioner Mason stated that when she was contacted by Doug Grow and asked her what was the biggest problem on the Park Board she said that from her point of view it was decisions being made outside of the Park Board meeting.
Commissioner Olson spoke in favor of Jon Gurban stating that he has a very good background in parks and the respect of staff. He thought Mr. Gurban would be a strong leader for the organization. He pointed out that none of the remaining candidates received more than three votes from the Board and did not think there was strong support for any of them.
President Fine stated that despite some of the comments, he felt that Mr. Gurban was an extremely strong candidate. He said that Mr. Gurban has the respect of the park and recreation community and a deep park background.
Commissioner Young pointed out that the Board process was skewed because it moved too fast. She said when she made her motion two weeks ago it was to select three finalists. When the Board ended up with two finalists, she felt the Board should have taken another straw vote of the next two candidates to come up with a third candidate. Commissioner Young thought the Board needed to vote the motion down and come up with a process to continue with the four semi-finalists.
Commissioner Dziedzic said the Board has been looking for a superintendent for the past year. He stated that this was the last meeting of the year and that Superintendent Merrill Anderson was leaving. He reminded the Board that at it’s meeting last week, they voted down his motion to keep her on for another year. Commissioner Dziedzic said he was confident that Jon Gurban can run the organization better than anyone else in the country and that he would be voting for him.
Commissioner Berry Graves, in response to Commissioner Dziedzic’s statement, thought that the Board approved a one-month contract with Superintendent Merrill Anderson for January and for a half month in February and March.
President Fine stated that the Board authorized the President to enter into a contract with the superintendent who has not been willing at this time to enter into a contract. He thought the Superintendent pointed that out at the last meeting.
Commissioner Kummer reminded the Board that there was an amendment to the motion that required Mr. Gurban to go through testing and if there is a flaw, she hoped that would be revealed and the issue will be open again. She also reminded the Board it was for a one-year contract and that will hopefully give the Board time to move forward and start a new search.
Commissioner Erwin thought the leadership of this Board should not be trying to get a 5-4 vote, but should be working to get the support of many of the Commissioners. He said it was very telling that the three At-large Commissioners are all very much against this, along with one District Commissioner.
Commissioner Berry Graves questioned what happens if the testing is done and the information comes back saying it may not be advisable. She asked what the process would be and how the Board would proceed.
President Fine stated that if that happened, he would call a Special Meeting and the Board would discuss it before he would enter into a contract.
Commissioner Berry Graves asked if the Board was going to continue with the current process and interview the remaining candidates.
President Fine said no, not if the current motion on the floor passes.
THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE A ONE-YEAR AGREEMENTT WITH JON GURBAN TO ACT AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, PURSUANT TO MR. GURBAN COMPLETING THE TESTS THE OTHER CANDIDATES WENT THROUGH.
President Fine called the question and asked Superintendent Merrill Anderson, Acting Secretary to call the roll.
On call of the roll, the vote was Yeas - 5; Nays - 4, Absent - 0; as follows:
YEAS - Commissioners Dziedzic, Hauser, Kummer, Olson and President Fine 5. NAYS - Commissioners Berry Graves, Erwin, Mason and Young 4. ABSENT - None. ADOPTED
THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE A ONE-YEAR AGREEMENTT WITH JON GURBAN TO ACT AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, PURSUANT TO MR. GURBAN COMPLETING THE TESTS THE OTHER CANDIDATES WENT THROUGH.
ADJOURNMENT
The time being 7:25 p.m., Commissioner Olson moved, seconded by Commissioner Hauser
THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED.
Upon call for the question, on a voice vote, the motion carried.
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