In the Minneapolis Journal, Minneapolis Parks Superintendent John Gurbin wrote
the following regarding his harassment of Jason Stone:
"The type of activity Mr. Stone was engaged in requires a permit. He did not
have one. As a candidate he is responsible to know the rules and regulations
governing his campaign."
Ignoring, for the moment, the Unconstitutionality of Mr. Gurbin's position, I
decided to see how easy it would be to determine the Rules regarding
politicking in Minneapolis Parks and how to obtain a permit to pass out
political materials
First, I went to the Park Board site, http://www.minneapolisparks.org
and typed in "Permits" and got 30 hits. And not one related to politicking or
passing out political material in the Parks.
I then typed "literature" and got 8 hits and again, none of these related to
politicking or political material in the Parks.
I then typed "politics" and got one hit for "Anne Young".
I then typed "politicking" and got no hits.
I then typed "literature distribution" and got 12 hits and none mentioned
needing a permit to distribute literature on Park land.
But then I saw that I must really be dumb, AND THERE IT WAS ALL ALONG!!! On the
home page of the site, on the left side, there was a tab for "Permits", so I
clicked on the tab for "Permits".
And this is what came up:
Download and print the application you need:
---------------------------------
Application for Facilities Use Permit Application (Green)
Application for Facilities Use Permit Application (Pink)
Wedding Permit Application
Parkway Permit Application
Still Photo and Video Filming Permit Applications
Watercraft Permit Application
Electric Motor Permit Application
Sailboat Buoy Permit Application
Canoe Rack Permit Application
Portable Fish House Permit Application
Scuba Diving Permit Application
Inflatable Watercraft Permit Application
Minors Permit Application -->
Picnic Facility Use Application
Wedding Permit Application
Facilities Use Permit Application To be used for Receptions, Still
Photography, Filming, Walk/Runs, Festivals, Moving Vans, Dumpsters and all
Special Events.
Parkway Permit Application
Still Photo and Video Filming Permit Applications
2005 Canoe Rack Permit Information
2005 Sailboat Buoy Permit Information
Construction Permit Application Packet
Gee are my eyes failing me? I don't see any permit there for distributing
political material.
So I decided to call the permit number, "Call 612-230-6442 to check dates and
availability."
I got a voice message for a Barb Halverson in the Permit Division of the
Minneapolis Parks, but she said that she would be out all week, but if I wanted
a permit, I could get one on-line. Which then lead back to where I started.
Being frustrated and not getting any answers I then called the Park District
Headquarters and I was given "Bill". When I asked about the permit procedure
for passing out political literature in the Parks, he wanted to know if I would
be in a "Regional or neighborhood Park", I asked would it matter.
He then asked my name and I told him and he demanded to know what group I was
with. I just said that I was just a private citizen wanting a some answers. He
then heard me typing and asked, "Why are you typing? I replied that I wanted an
accurate record of my conversation.
When I asked "Bill" his last name he immediately put me on hold
After about two minutes Bill came back and said that if I wanted to distribute
literature in a Neighborhood park I needed to apply at that Neighborhood Park,
but If I wanted to distribute literature in a Regional Park I had to apply at
the Park Board Headquarters. He said it was a single use permit.
When I asked if a group of people were going out would they each need an
individual permit, at first he said yes, but then he said not if they were all
distributing the same literature. When I asked if a group of people were going
to march in political parade in the park would they each need a permit or would
one group permit suffice, he then told me to call the Permit Department, which
I had just called a few minutes earlier.
If Jason really just needed a permit as Superintendent Gurbin claims, why
didn't he just tell Mr. Stone to go inside and get a permit? Why did he call 3
police cars, for an individual not having a permit?
Dann Dobson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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