Details Matter

One of the key responsibilities of elected park commissioners is to read, digest and give feedback to staff on various contracts, proposals, park designs and funding allocations. One avenue for this is our public board meetings (roughly 30 each year) where we discuss and vote on various resolutions. This approach provides checks and balances in our collective park process and decision-making.

In our meeting last night we had two instances where attention to detail contributed to a stronger process and better decision-making. We reviewed contracts for two key food service providers: (1) The Painted Turtle at Lake Nokomis and (2) Lola’s at Bde Maka Ska. As the proposal was discussed, it became clear that Pimentos Jamaican Kitchen not Lola’s would be the primary party responsible for food service at the new BMS pavilion. As a result, we amended the contract to list Pimentos along with Lola’s—and that both of these new food service vendors receive an annual assessment by staff for community and commissioner feedback.

Secondly, I noticed the new proposed canoe racks at Bde Maka Ska and Nokomis would be funded through the Regional Parks Amenity Fund, a fund designated for repair and replacement of existing regional structures. As a result, staff changed the funding to come out of neighborhood park dedication fees. Unfortunately this didn’t provide enough time for neighborhood input—and one neighborhood board member from CIDNA expressed concerns in our public comment time. MPRB has a stellar record of public engagement so we as commissioners supported this neighborhood concern. Ultimately, the staff suggested and the board approved funding the racks through other regional dollars appropriate for this type of investment.

All of the resolutions commissioners discuss are available to the public. If you would like to see an example of our agenda resolutions and supporting materials, you can peruse our November 30th agenda. I welcome your voice and input.

Details matter!