How can we keep the Mpls Parkboard's spending spree in front of the citizens? Does anyone care or even bother to call Bob Fine or other Commissioners? This appeared in the last SW Journal.
SW Journal Letters 12/02
Park Board: excessive growth
The Park Board is operating as if they have a mandate to grow. If they pay attention to the recent election, they may decide to scale back -- but I would be surprised.
Instead, we have the new headquarters coming. No matter whose figures you use, there will be cash flow impacts from the move in the short term.
We also have Fort Snelling. What a complex!! Who is going to use it? What does it do for Minneapolis youth sports? Couldn't the golf course revenue be used elsewhere in the system?
Now, a foundation (SW Journal, Nov. 4-20). Not a bad idea, if it were done totally outside of the Park Board. They could facilitate private volunteers and end up with something much bigger than People For Parks. I have heard questions about a government established-and-run foundation asking for donations when they also have the authority to tax. I think an independent Conservancy would be a better approach.
My biggest concerns come in growth. Growth in staff. Growth in legal bills. Growth in consulting fees (on youth sports, beverage contracts, architects, foundation development). Growth in public fees (permits, rec fees, parking, etc.). Many of the costs get buried and are hard to identify -- probably intentionally.
To pay for all of this, I don't want to see commercialization. I don't want to go for a walk around Wells Fargo Lake Harriet (not that I have anything against the bank).
The clear mandate should be to take complete and proper care of all existing facilities and promote activities in the neighborhood parks. That is what I thought we elected them to do. I don't want growth in government and will vote against any "public servants" with such unbridled urges.
John Belfry, Tangletown
Mary Belfry Tangletown
Mary Belfry
(612) 822-6028
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now
