I am a candidate for Park Board. In order to speak credibly about Park issues, I need information from the Park Board and Commissioners about a variety of subjects. I know Commissioners personally and have a good working relationship with many folks on the Park Board staff. Even with these advantages is it still sometimes incredibly difficult to get the facts. I do want to say as a disclaimer that I would like to see Jason Stone elected as the District # 5 Park Board Commissioner and I would like to see a majority of Park Commissioners that would welcome public engagement and involvement. Commissioner Kummer is a nice person, but she has sided too often with a majority that has been pretty hard line about informing and including the public or other Commissioners about the details of what is before the board. I have had a public role as a neighborhood president and official for a variety of civic endeavors and I am sure that there been a few times when I have lost a phone message or lost an email, so I am not perfect at this. But Commissioner Kummer has just recently published an email address and made a point of responding to constituents as a major campaign issue. So with all those caveats including the fact that I can pragmatically address these issues and I really do need more information to fully evaluate these issues........(I am also supportive of the reorganization and the district manager system if it actually works better than the silo system of accountability/ responsibility and makes better connections with neighborhoods and park users, but it is a work in progress.) On March 17th 2005, I sent these questions to Commissioner Kummer. I have not yet received a reply to these questions. Thanks. Scott Vreeland Seward Commissioner Kummer, I watched the Judy Corrao show where you talked about how much you enjoyed answering questions. I have some questions about our sector and some questions about general policy and access to information.
It may seem like a small thing but my neighborhood environment committee has been working on the erosion problem at E. 25th and West River Road for ten years. The MPRB solution has been to dump dirt in the hole that then gets washed away in the next rain. What would have been a manageable problem has now gotten to a point where both the pedestrian side walk on the West River Road and the Winchell Trail below are likely to collapse this year. I can't stand by and just watch these trails collapse. Is the Park Board going to do something this year or wait until this is a $ 250,000- $500,000 remediation project? Are you in favor of a $500,000 slush fund that can be spent without board approval? Doesn't this mean that there is a half of a million dollars that is being removed from the reserves that could be used for the next devastating wind storm, flood or crisis with our urban forest? Should we rethink the plan about sending our sector supervisor's offices out into their sectors if it adds expense that would be better spent on Jump In and outreach so that folks know about our fine programs? For my neighborhood there is no advantage I can think of for a Longfellow house location and a potential negative of separating the Sector Manager form the hub of activity at the Park Headquarters. Can Matthews Park change its policy of locking out teenagers in the early evening? Can we add an email address on the website for someone who would like to contact the board? Thanks, Scott Vreeland REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
