Back to the 2006 budget discussions...
Commissioner Hauser points out that many parkkeepers retired in 2002
with the early retirement buyout and believes that staff was directed
to bring those numbers back up in 2004's budgeting process, did that
happen???
GM Schmidt said that the forestry staff is at 100% of what is
authorized ( and is that the same # as in 2002???) and that they are
down 4 parkkeepers and 1 gardener but were not filling those positions
until they were confirmed as being in the new budget.
President Olson asks if the base budget can be maintained
GM Siggelkow says it looks close and that the staff is looking for
direction from commissioners
Commissioner Young asks that the Committee of the Whole meeting that
was moved be scheduled and wants to add community input but her choice
of date would not allow for the 2 week notice required and the meeting
agenda is already getting huge with DeLaSalle etc..
There is a suggestion to change it to the 12th, which is bad due to a
religious holiday so the 26th at 5:00 pm for 1 hour is chosen with a
unanimous vote.
Commissioner Erwin asks staff to make available before the committee of
the whole meeting
1) What % change have we had in various budget areas since the previous
election and the changes in # for staff and in what areas
2) What are the costs associated with the items on the survey
3) Administration... have the # of employees and the $ spent in
administration changed since the last term began and by what degree.
( I would personally like to thank Commissioner Erwin for asking for
these specifics, apparently as a department head at the U of M he does
know what REAL budgeting looks like :-)
Commissioner Kummer would also like to have the $$ that are spent on
the Board itself provided. ( thank you as well)
Commissioner Hauser would like to know if there are any recommendations
for parking enforcement etc..
GM Siggelkow explains that these are self funded through fines and the
meters and in fact the MPRB collects about 1/2 million in fines
annually.
7.1 to approve the 2006 commissioner priorities is passed ( which I
guess are trees, youth sports and maintenance)
Unfinished Business
The board votes to ask the city to bond for more for diseased tree
removal
from Don Siggelkow who explained it...
The bonding ... is repaid with assessments. We remove
the trees, the homeowner has the option to pay all of the bill or
spread
the payments over time and pay interest. There is no impact to any
taxpayer other than the homeowner that had the tree removed. We
normally have the City issue $500,000 in assessment bonds. Due to
higher
than normal losses, the bonding level needs to be increased to reflect
the higher level of assessments.
passes
New Business
Emergency Preparedness
Commissioner Kummer asks if the MPRB has specific plans both internally
and externally
GM Schmidt says there is a plan and the park police and the forestry
dept. are part of the first responders
They are also included in the plan made by the Office of Emergency
Preparedness and the MPRB coordinates with them and through them should
FEMA or another agency come into Minneapolis.
The Office of EP has a website if anyone cares to look up the plan
The staff and supervisors are all kept up to date on their part.
Commissioner Berry Graves asks if we are depending on communications
that are strictly phone based? NO and the Park Police are part of a
bigger network
Commissioner Kummer asks for the information to be available at the
parks ( which will happen) and that people should remember to have
papers on their pets and extra food for them as part of their home
emergency plans
Commissioner Young asks that Commissioner Dziedzic convene the
legislative committee again soon for getting 2006 bonding priorities
started, would like a date for the House Capital Bonding Tour and
details ( Oct 10) and is East Phillips on our agenda???
Commissioner Dziedzic will take it under consideration.
Petitions and Communications
Commissioner Fine is getting calls about a rumor that the MPRB is
planning to sell East Harriet Farmstead to Lakewood Cemetary
Commissioner Kummer got a letter ( via Commissioner Young ) about the
playground equipment at Nokomis, a letter in praise of Sea Salt, and a
letter asking that the rinks be maintained in the budget.
Commissioner Berry Graves also received the rink letter and also got
calls about the Wirth House being sold to Lakewood and that the MPRB
was probably going to sell the tot lot on 58th and Washburn. The
constituent that called about the tot lot had heard this from his
district commissioner back in August
President Olson and Commissioner Dziedzic had both heard many thank
yous about the great clean up by the forestry staff after the storm (
Liz would like to add her thanks as her neighborhood Columbia Park
really had a mess of trees down)
Commissioner Dziedzic also joked that with all the rain Lake Sandy was
back( well part of it) . He also mentioned that a major donor to the
Logan Park Halloween Party had backed out and that they could use $$$
for candy and prizes.
Commissioner Young reported that she had spoken at Henry High and there
was a letter from the students on her website. They saw first hand the
responsibility of the MPRB foresters when the storm went through their
neighborhood.
Regular Meeting Adjourned 7:00
Operations and Environment Committee and Admin and Finance Committee (
with the Stone Arch Bridge) in the Final installment.
Liz Wielinski
Columbia Park
sunburned from a great afternoon on the StoneArch Bridge, high water
and lots of mist
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