I would also like to thank Liz Wielinski for her posts. However, as a newbee to Park Board proceedings and history I would like to ask for some clarification on some of Liz's notes (And Liz, if your fingers are tired let someone else answer!).
1. What is LGA? I know that we are a society now based on three letter acronyms but my education on them stopped with EVA, TLI, LEM and oh yes, the four letter MECO. 2. What is the JUMP IN program? I tried a search on the Park Board website and got nothing. Okay, now for some comments: A. Liz wrote: ' The Neiman Complex is like the neighborhood parks ( but the neighborhood is Bloomington isn't it???)' I would offer that my neighborhood - Hale-Page-Diamond Lake uses the Neiman Complex quite often. I know that a number of the high school baseball teams play games there, both public and private. Softball teams practice and play there. Many colleges also use the baseball fields for games. My youngest son just played his Park Board soccer tournament games at Neiman. There were hundreds of kids there over that week. So many that they even had games played on the outfields of the two 90' baseball fields! (A little disappointing to see that.) B. I am surprised by the number of commissioner statements on the lack of information AND their lack of knowledge on what the current programs are about(See the discussion on milfoil removers and the DNR). It seems to me that there is a deliberate effort to keep Park Board Commissioners in the dark. Does that ring true with others? Or is it the other way around? The info is there, you just have to make the effort to go get it? I would appreciate a logical, process based discussion on this, not an emotional one. Thanks in advance for any information any of you can provide. Rick Kuhlmann HPDL (Oops an acronym) - Hall/Page/Diamond Lake -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Wielinski Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 12:10 AM To: MPLS FORUM Subject: [MPLS] MPRB Committee of the Whole Budget Meeting 10-26-05 part 2 Budget meeting continues... Commissioner Mason notes that the MPRB has gone from quite a few FT to PT positions and wonders if this should be reconsidered. Commissioner Olson asks how a line item budget is done? GM Siggelkow states it is done by the department managers Commissioner Mason restates that she did not receive the information she had requested. GM Siggelkow replies that they are now going to district budgets with the restructuring. [go to this link and scroll to the bottom for my comments regarding this from 12-15-2004 that are still pertinent questions.... http://www.mplsparkwatch.org/node/187 ] Commissioner Erwin states his budget issues... Increases Diseased Tree Removal Youth Sports up 25 % = 120,000 Field Maintenance up 25% = 170,000 Senior Programming up 200%= 100,000 Reduction # of ice rinks for $400,000 Increase in Youth Supervision ( N, NE and Powderhorn )100% = $83,000 Take $ from ticket revenues (which would have to increase because they are already earmarked so watch where you park and speed) Increase staff at Rec + by 100%=120,000 which will serve more kids Reduce admin 5% Where there are Rec centers close to each other have more junior staff full time and make the managing staff take on 2 centers. Changing to 1 manager per 2 rec centers could put $75,000 into youth programming He would like to use the 1 time LGA windfall to get 2 mobile movie screens, one for north and one for NE and plantings for the new gardeners Staff additions 2 gardeners and 1 forestry crew. Commissioner Berry Graves would like to add a water quality person, a manager for Environmental Operations, 2 carpenters, add Whittier, and Phillips to the list of parks Commissioner Erwin wants extra staff at, Teen Teamworks and Youthline restored and more Park rehabilitation dollars If kids are our priority our budget should reflect this. Commissioner Young comments negatively on the amount of information she had to work with and gets into a discussion with President Olson over the line item budget... LIZ"S APOLOGIES HERE ....there was commentary by Commissioner Young and Commissioner Olson during the next few minutes but I missed it as my husband was ill and my 6 year old companion (my son Bobby) needed a restroom break. ( maybe Scott Vreeland who was also present at the meeting could fill in the blanks, though his earlier post was pretty specific about his opinion of the meeting) Commissioner Fine wants to know why they should put more money into field maintenance, and shouldn't they just be redone with capital dollars He would like Commissioner Erwin to give a better explanation Commissioner Dziedzic wants to know if there were cuts in recreation, feels it has been kept at a stable level. Back when they eliminated the Rec Coordinators they created a void filled by the folks that did outreach and youthline and folks want it back. He would also like MORE rinks, skip the warming rooms and just flood the old rink spots like at Hi-view and give kids a chance to skate [ disclaimer...Hi view is my local park and the last year they flooded the rink was in 1993-94 the year I moved into my house, but this was not my suggestion, he skipped my house when door-knocking ] Commissioner Kummer asks how the budget fares with the new $1.9 million in additional taxes ( if approved) and GM Siggelkow states that with the recent raises in union contracts and increases due to inflation and health care they will break even. Commissioner Mason would like youth sports to be combined with all other youth programming and refered to as Youth Recreation The only other increase she would suggest if possible is more milfoil harvesting and she would also like staff to "come up with a plan" for the Neiman Complex. She would also like additional budget discussions to be held between 11/16 and 12/7 when the public has input. Commissioner Hauser who has just arrived would like to see an increase in the base dollars for stump removal and feels that more investment in beaches in pools would serve more people that ice rinks She would also like to see that the staffing levels are kept in the building trades and park keepers Commissioner Erwin makes a motion to direct staff to work on the 2006 budget with these priorities... establish a 4th forestry crew, hire 2 gardeners, more money into youth RECREATION, field maintenance, senior programming, stump removal, pay for OT for volunteer event staffing needs example buckthorn removal, and wise investments for the one time LGA increase Commissioner Mason amends (friendly) to include milfoil and a Neiman Complex plan to which President Olson suggests dealing with at another time and he is reminded it was on the SURVEY GM Schmidt weighs in with the milfoil harvesters already at full capacity and we would need another harvester and the DNR only allows so much to be harvested due to fish habitat concerns. President Olson ask for a ballpark cost and is told about $100,000 for another harvester. Superintendent Gurban (hey .. he's there..) mentions that they are already at the max for DNR area and GM Schmidt mentions it could be done more often in the same areas. Commissioner Fine again states that the ball fields were not built to make money but to improve field quality for those playing sports. The Neiman Complex is like the neighborhood parks ( but the neighborhood is Bloomington isn't it???) He would also like the funding for JUMP IN restored. Commissioner Kummer would like no cuts to the water quality budget. She would also like loss statements for all the other parks if there is one for Neiman. Commissioner Hauser again asks if Neiman is a recreational opportunity or not and would like to PRESERVE GREEN SPACE (only that with gridiron lines on it, right??? ) Commissioner Berry Graves seconds the milfoil ( would increase the swimmers) and Jump In coming back President Olson points out there are 3 minutes remaining Commissioner Young requests that we have Jump In in more than just English if its coming back and would like to see more money in environmental education. Commissioner Dziedzic puts in his remaining comment that they are not in the fee business but the fun business. 9 ayes for what appears to be priorities of... 2 gardeners 1 forestry crew Field Maintenance Youth Recreation Stump Removal Senior Programming Jump In Environmental Education Adjourned 6:30 PM Liz Wielinski Columbia Park and Bobby age 6, who is the kid lying on the floor if you watch on TV 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 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
