Annie wrote that as she understood it "in the service
redesign the Park Board got all the trees in the City
while the City got all the sewers."

Not being a member of the Park Board I might be
incorrect so rather than making a statement I will ask
a question. I understood that the Park Board
transferred responsibilty for capital replacment as
well as maintenance of not only the Park Board sewer
system but also the Parkway streets. I recollect the
Parkway light fixtures were included as well. If I am
correct the total replacement value of all assets
passed from the Park Board to Public Works was
approximately $170,000,000. The total annual capital
savings for Park Board on these items was estimated by
the Park Board to be about $4,400,000 per year and the
estimated maintenance savings was estimated at $1
million per year. The annual savings for the Park
Board should be about $5,400,000 per year. Any Park
Board members out there let me know if I am wrong.

For those of you worried about the Park Board
infrastructure remember that they were also scheduled
to have their stated infrastructure gap closed by an
increase from $1,920,000 per year for capital programs
to $7,420,000 per year (A 386% increase over a three
year period).

I've always been supportive of the Park Board and
their need for greater capital investment to maintain
our parks at the high level we expect in Minneapolis.
I have never understood however the previous
administrations aggressive approach to funding the
Park Boards infrastructure gap compared to their
approach to the Public Works gap. In the same three
year period Parks recieved a 386% increase Public
Works gap spending is scheduled to go from $18,200,000
to only $21,800,000. If budgets are a little tighter
now than everyone expected I would rather be in the
Park Boards situation than Public Works when it comes
time to trimming budgets.  

My concern for this Park Board is that they remember
they are called to not only be stewards of our Parks,
but stewards of our dollars as well.  

Bob Gustafson
MMM






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