[0:12] >> THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND TAXATION FOR JUNE 25, 2025, MY NAME IS STEVE BRANDT AND I'M THE [0:18] PRESIDENT OF THE BET. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING, I'D ASK THE [0:25] CLERK SINCE WE'RE EXPECTING PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY TO OFFER THE ADVISORY TO PEOPLE REGARDING CAPTIONING. [0:32] >> THESE MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE TO ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THESE BROADCASTS [0:39] INCLUDE REAL-TIME CAPTIONING AS A FURTHER METHOD TO INCREASE [0:45] ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, ALL SPEAKERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF [0:50] THE RATE OF THEIR SPEECH SO THAT OUR CAPTIONERS CAN FULLY CAPTURE AND TRANSCRIBE ALL COMMENTS FOR [0:56] THE BROADCAST. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THE SPEED AND CLARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS. [1:01] >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL SO WE CAN VERIFY THE PRESENCE OF [1:06] A QUORUM. >> COMMISSIONER FREY IS ABSENT. ABENE. >> HERE. [1:12] >> PAYNE. >> PRESENT. >> CHUGHTAI IS ABSENT. [1:18] VICE-PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON. >> PRESENT. >> PRESIDENT BRANDT. >> PRESENT. >> THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS PRESENT. >> OKAY. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED [1:23] THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM. I WILL NOW OFFER AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE MEET TODAY ON THE [1:29] TRADITIONAL LANDS OF THE DAKOTA. AND WE WILL PROCEED TO OUR AGENDA. A COPY OF WHICH WAS [1:34] POSTED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS IN THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS [1:42] AVAILABLE AT [1:48] LIMS.MINNEAPOLISMN.GOV. BOARD MEMBERS, TODAY'S AGENDA IS BEFORE US. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? [1:53] >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. OKAY. WE HAVE AN [2:00] AGENDA ADOPTED. NEXT IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM THE [2:05] JUNE 11, 2025, MEETING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. [2:11] >> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. [2:16] >> OPPOSED. OKAY. WE HAVE AN AGENDA BEFORE US. AND I'M SORRY, WE HAVE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. [2:24] ITEM NUMBER 4 ON OUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE CLERK [2:30] INFORMED WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS HERE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN COMMENTING. WE HAVE -- I WONDER [2:38] IF WE CAN HAVE A SHOW OF HANDS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. OKAY, ONE, TWO, [2:44] THREE, FOUR, FIVE. OKAY. >> I THINK THAT'S SIX. >> WE HAVE A 10-MINUTE LIMIT. [2:50] THAT GIVES EVERYBODY TWO MINUTES APIECE. AND WE'LL START WITH TONY TILLMAN, PLEASE. [3:06] >> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR HEARING ME TODAY. MY NAME IS TONY TILLMAN AND I LIVE AT [3:14] 1037 36th AVENUE NORTHEAST WITH MY WIFE MOLLY, AND TWO DAUGHTERS, MARINA AND SONYA. THE [3:22] PARK BOARD BUDGET PROPOSES THE ELIMINATION OF FIVE ICE RINKS. SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT ICE [3:28] RINKS. THE BEST THING I DID THIS PAST YEAR WAS HOLDING MY WIFE'S HAND AS SHE GAVE BIRTH TO OUR [3:35] DAUGHTER SONYA. THE SECOND BEST THING I DID THIS PAST YEAR WAS HOLDING MY DAUGHTER MARINA'S [3:42] HAND AS SHE LEARNED TO ICE SKATE AT WYNDHAM PARK. IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, NIGHTS ARE LONG AND [3:49] BEDTIMES COME EARLY. I'LL RUSH HOME AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK, SCRAMBLE TOGETHER OUR WARM [3:55] CLOTHES AND SKATES. I GRAB MARINA AND SWING DOWN TO WYNDHAM [4:01] WHERE THE LIGHTS ARE ON AND WAITING FOR US. IT MAY BE 12 DEGREES OUTSIDE, BUT WHEN WE STEP OUT ON TO THE ICE, OUR [4:07] WORRIES MELT. FRIENDS FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE THERE TOO. I WATCH AS SHE RACES ACROSS THE ICE WITH [4:12] A FRIEND TRYING TO CATCH SOMEONE'S DAD. THE SKATES SLIDE [4:18] ACROSS THE ICE, WHILE SMILES AND LAUGHTER IGNITE ACROSS THEIR FACES. THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS WE [4:30] EXIST FOR. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ICE RINK IS THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN GATHER OUTSIDE WITH FRIENDS AND [4:37] NEIGHBORS ON COLD, DARK EVENINGS. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ICE RINK IS THE PLACE WHERE MY LITTLE BROTHER TJ THROUGH BIG [4:44] BROTHERS BIG SISTERS HAS ACCESS TO AN OUTDOOR WINTER SPORT. [4:51] THEY'RE THE LIFE BLOOD PUMPING THROUGH A CITY THAT LOVES AND EMBRACES WINTER. OUR [4:56] NEIGHBORHOOD ICE RINK IS TO MY FAMILY, MY COMMUNITY, AND SO MANY IN OUR CITY A PLACE OF [5:01] WINTER MAGIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. PLEASE, LET'S [5:07] KEEP THE ICE RINKS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. CRAIG, IS IT [5:17] CARLON? >> KARLAN, YEAH. FOLKS, THANKS FOR HAVING ME. THAT'S GREAT. [5:24] YEAH. TWO MORE SECONDS TO PLAN. LIKE MY NEW FRIEND TONY WHO I [5:30] MET A LITTLE BIT AGO, I'M JUST A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. I [5:36] LIVE RIGHT BY BRACKET PARK. I RECENTLY SPOKE AT A PARK BOARD MEETING ABOUT KEEPING THE [5:42] MATTHEWS RINK. I LIVED IN MINNESOTA MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M A [5:48] SAINT PAUL SCHOOL TEACHER. AND I MARRIED INTO LIFERS. THANKS FOR [5:54] WELCOMING ME. SINCE THEY WERE LITTLE AND FOR GENERATIONS BEYOND, WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LIONS SHARE OF OUR STUFF AT THE [6:02] PARKS. LONGFELLOW PARK, HIAWATHA SCHOOL PARK, MATTHEWS PARK. [6:07] LATELY I'VE JUST BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH IMPACT THE RINKS THEMSELVES HAVE HAD ON OUR FAMILY. BOTH OF MY KIDS STILL [6:13] PLAY REC HOCKEY. I'VE GOTTEN INTO IT MYSELF. BUT MAYBE MY FAVORITE MOMENT THIS WINTER WAS [6:19] WHEN I WAS AT PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS AND I BUMPED INTO A STUDENT OF MINE. SHE AND HER [6:24] SISTER WHOSE FAMILY IS ORIGINALLY FROM MEXICO AND THEY WERE BUYING THEIR FIRST PAIR OF ICE SKATES. I WAS SO HAPPY. I [6:31] TOLD THEM HAVE A GREAT TIME. BUT YOU GOTTA PROMISE ME IF IT DOESN'T GO WELL, YOU'VE GOTTA GO [6:38] A SECOND TIME. WHERE I GREW UP IN MADISON, MY PARENTS TOOK ME SKATING WHEN I WAS LITTLE. I [6:44] LIVED IN MILWAUKEE, THEY HAD NONE. SAINT PAUL, WHICH I LOVE, [6:50] HAS LOVELY RINKS BUT THEY FILL UP QUICK. I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE DEPENDENT ON VOLUNTEERS, [7:01] WHICH IS GREAT. HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS, WE HAVE LIKE A [7:07] UNIQUELY SPECIAL, WE ALL KNOW THAT, RIGHT? BUT AS FAR AS THE ICE RINKS GO, THERE'S NO OTHER [7:12] CITY AROUND THAT I'VE EVER EVEN HEARD OF THAT HAS ANYTHING LIKE WHAT WE HAVE FOR OUR OUTDOOR [7:19] RINKS. IT'S THE BEST SIX WEEKS OF WINTER. I KNOW IT'S EXPENSIVE BUT PLEASE KEEP THEM BECAUSE NO [7:25] ONE ELSE HAS THEM. AND ONCE THEY'RE GONE, I THINK THEY'RE GONE. SO THANK YOU, FOLKS. [7:31] >> WHILE I'M CALLING UP CADAR [7:37] DISSPONDA, I SHOULD REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE YOUR ADDRESS IF THAT CAUSES YOU A CONCERN. BUT YOU [7:44] ARE CERTAINLY FREE TO DO SO. AND MAYBE IF YOU GIVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD HELP [7:52] PEOPLE LOCATE WHERE YOUR CONCERNS ARE COMING FROM. OKAY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, [7:57] COMMISSIONERS, MR. MAYOR. MY NAME IS CADAR DISHPONDE AND I [8:05] LIVE IN WHITTIER. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PARKS. THEY [8:11] PROVIDE GREEN SPACE. THEY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS AND [8:17] MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY. YOU'LL HEAR A LOT OF STATS AND FIGURES ABOUT THAT AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT YOURSELF. BUT I THINK [8:24] WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT ARE THE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS THAT THE PARKS CREATE. I RECENTLY MET ONE WOMAN, A SINGLE MOTHER WHO MOVED [8:30] TO MINNEAPOLIS RECENTLY WITH HER FAMILY, WITH HER YOUNG KIDS. SHE'S A REFUGEE, AND SHE WAS [8:35] LOOKING FOR STABILITY IN HER LIVES FOR HER CHILDREN. THE PARKS ARE WHAT PROVIDED THAT [8:40] STABILITY. THEY PROVIDED EDUCATION. THEY PROVIDED SWIM LESSONS. THEY PROVIDED BIO BOOKS [8:51] FOR THE KIDS TO LEARN ABOUT ANIMALS AND FLORA IN THEIR NEW CITY. THEY PROVIDED STABILITY [8:57] FOR THESE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THIS WOMAN ALSO SUFFERED [9:03] THROUGH A PAINFUL DIVORCE LATER ON. AND THOSE KIDS FELT THAT ACUTELY. ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS THE [9:08] PARK STAFF AND THE REC CENTERS THAT PROVIDED THE STABILITY THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET THROUGH THIS [9:14] PAIN. SHE'S NOW THRIVING. HER KIDS ARE THRIVING. AND THAT CAME AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST TO THE [9:19] CITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF THIS GREAT PLACE THAT WE LOVE. SO [9:25] THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING THE PARKS. THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR RESIDENTS. I APPRECIATE [9:32] IT. >> THANK YOU. WE NEXT HAVE ON OUR LIST BRITNEY, IS SHE HERE? [9:40] OKAY. THANK YOU. >> HI, EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS BRITNEY [9:48] ZELINSKI. I'M A MOM OF THREE YOUNG KIDS AGES 13 TO 5. SO I'M JUST HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW [9:56] ESSENTIAL THE PARKS ARE. WE LIVE IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, HARRISON PARK TO BE EXACT. AND IT'S NOT JUST A GREEN SPACE, IT'S BEEN A [10:02] LIFE LINE FOR ME. THROUGH THE PARK PROGRAMS, MY SON'S ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO SKATE, ICE FISH, [10:10] KAYAK, RIDE BIKES, PLAY BASKETBALL, AND EVEN TEACH HIM HOW TO COOK. THERE WERE TIMES [10:15] WHEN I'VE STRUGGLED TO AFFORD GROCERIES, AND THE PARK PROVIDED LUNCH FOR MY KIDS, AND THAT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. SO I'VE [10:22] STRUGGLED QUITE A BIT, AND THE PARKS HAVE DONE MORE THAN [10:27] ENOUGH. MY DAUGHTER LOOKS FORWARD TO ARTS AND CRAFTS EVERY WEDNESDAY. IT'S HER TIME TO BE [10:33] CREATIVE AND FEEL SEEN. SHE'S BEEN BULLIED AT SCHOOLS, AND THE PARK HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN HER SPACE WHERE SHE'S WELCOMED AND [10:40] INCLUDED. NEARLY EVERY DAY WE'RE AT THE PLAYGROUND OR THE POOL OR JUST BEING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY [10:46] AT THE PARKS. SO EVERY EVENT, EVERY ACTIVITY, WE'RE THERE. SO BECAUSE THESE PARKS -- SORRY. [10:52] BECAUSE THESE PARKS HAVE GIVEN MY CHILDREN EXPERIENCES THAT I COULD NOT GIVE THEM, I'M VERY [10:58] CONFIDENT THAT THESE PARKS NEED TO STAY AROUND. THEY'VE MADE THEM BUILD -- HAVE FRIENDS, [11:04] BUILD CONFIDENCE, STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, STAY ACTIVE AND FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN THE [11:09] COMMUNITY MPLET SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT FUNDING OR SUPPORT, PLEASE KNOW THAT INVESTING IN OUR PARKS ISN'T ABOUT LAND OR FACILITIES, IT'S [11:16] ABOUT INVESTING IN KIDS LIKE MINE AND FAMILIES LIKE OURS WHO DEPEND ON THESE SPACES TO GROW, [11:22] CONNECT AND THRIVE. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE [11:29] CHRISTINE ARMBUSTER. EXCUSE ME [11:34] IF I BUTCHER ANYBODY'S NAME. >> YOU WERE PRETTY CLOSE. YOU DID A PRETTY CLOSE JOB OF THAT. [11:41] I'M CHRISTINE ARMBREWSTER. I'M A RESIDENT OF LIND ALE NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND ABLE TO [11:48] SPEAK AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER THESE BIG BUDGET CHOICES. I AM A TRANSPLANT TO MINNEAPOLIS. I [11:53] MOVED HERE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I HAD A LIST AS I WAS DEBATING BETWEEN STAYING IN [12:00] PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE MY FAMILY IS AND MOVING HERE. I [12:06] HAD A PROS AND CONS LIST. THINGS RELATED TO THE PARKS HERE WERE THE TOP FOUR THINGS WHY TO MOVE [12:12] TO MINNEAPOLIS. IT INCLUDES TRAIL RUNNING CLUBS THAT I'M A PART OF. I SWAM ACROSS NACOMAS [12:21] YESTERDAY. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ICE SKATING. 37-YEAR OLD WOMAN TO GET A PAIR OF ICE SKATES UNDER [12:28] THE CHRISTMAS TREE YESTERDAY -- NOT YESTERDAY, CHRISTMAS FROM MY FATHER BROUGHT ME SO MUCH JOY I [12:34] CANNOT EVEN EXPRESS. EVEN FALLING FELT OKAY. BECAUSE I WAS [12:39] ABLE TO GET BACK UP AND DO IT AGAIN. BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE COMMUNITY PARK SERVICE HERE AND [12:45] I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT. I AM A PARTNER WITH A MEET MINNEAPOLIS, ONE OF THE BIG TOURISM PROGRAMS [12:52] HERE. MY BUSINESS IS ONE OF THEIR PARTNERS. I GET SO MUCH INFORMATION FROM THEM CONSTANTLY [12:57] REMINDING US THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. IT HAS HIGH [13:04] HAPPINESS RATES. IT HAS SO MUCH ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS. AND IT'S INCREDIBLE TO LEARN THAT 99% OF [13:13] CITIZENS OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS ACCESS TO PARKS WITHIN A 10-MINUTE WALK. AND THAT GOES ACROSS EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC, THAT [13:19] GOES ACROSS EVERY INCOME BRACKET. THAT GOES ACROSS EVERY [13:25] GEOGRAPHICAL PART OF THE CITY. THAT IS WONDERFUL. THAT MEANS THAT THE PARK SYSTEM IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR ENTIRE CITY [13:31] ALMOST AS MUCH AS EVERY ROAD AND EVERY OTHER PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SLOWLY [13:36] GUTTING IT WILL SLOWLY GUT THE INSIDES OF OUR CITY. PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE [13:45] ADDITIONAL NAME HERE. CLAUDIA CALLAHAN. IS THERE ANYBODY IN [13:56] THE ROOM WHO HASN'T SIGNED THE SIGN-IN SHEET TO SPEAK? OKAY. [14:03] WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND GIVE YOUR NAME PLEASE -- OH, THERE YOU ARE. APPARENTLY TWO MORE. GO [14:10] AHEAD. JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME [14:16] AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IF YOU COULD, PLEASE. [14:23] >> I WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AND THE TUNNEL STALL. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW [14:32] TO SIGN IN. >> GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE A COMMENT [14:37] RELATED TO THE PARKS? OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON OUR AGENDA? >> AM I READY TO GO? [14:43] >> YEAH, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> OKAY. I WAS BORN IN [14:49] MINNEAPOLIS, AND WHEN ME AND MY FRIENDS WOULD GO OVER TO THE LYNDALE PARK ROSE GARDEN, THIS [14:55] ROSE GARDEN IS THE COUNTRY'S SECOND OLDEST PUBLIC ROSE [15:00] GARDEN. IT IS ALMOST 120 YEARS OLD. THIS GARDEN IS A 60-YEAR [15:06] PRECURSOR TO THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN THAT WAS DESIGNED BY JACQUELINE KENNEDY. IN 2006, I [15:13] STARTED TO VOLUNTEER AT THE ROSE GARDEN. MANY OF THE ROSE BEDS [15:18] WERE EMPTY. THESE ROSE BUSHES HAD ROSE HIPS, WEEDS AND [15:27] SUCKERS. A COLLEGE EDUCATED ROSE GARDENER WAS -- 450 ROSE BUSHES [15:39] DONATED. THE ROSE GARDENER ALSO SAID ROSES GROW WITH OTHER FLOWERS. THE ROSE GARDEN USES [15:46] BENEFICIAL FLOWERS AND BEES INSTEAD OF PESTICIDES. ROSES [15:52] GROW EVERY DAY WITH OVER 4,000 ROSE BUSHES AND THIS GARDEN [15:58] NEEDS MORE THAN DAILY EMPLOYEES TO HELP MAINTAIN THE ROSE GARDEN. NOW WITH LIMITED HOURS, [16:04] THE STUDENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS HAVE STOPPED COMING. [16:11] WE HAVE SATURDAY, EVERY SATURDAY VOLUNTEER HOURS, BUT NOW IT'S [16:16] CUT BACK TO TWO HOURS A MONTH. SO FROM 15 HOURS TO 14 HOURS [16:23] VOLUNTEER TIME. BEAUTIFUL ROSES DO NOT GROW WILD. THIS 4,000 [16:29] BUSH ROSE GARDEN NEEDS MORE THAN ONE MAN TO UPKEEP IT. FOR THE ROSE GARDEN TO HAVE A CHANCE TO [16:35] LIVE ANOTHER CENTURY, IT MUST HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES AND NEW GENERATIONS OF VOLUNTEERS [16:42] WORKING FOR MORE THAN 4 HOURS. I ALWAYS TELL THE SMALL CHILDREN THAT THIS IS THEIR GARDEN. WE [16:47] MUST TAKE CARE OF THE ROSE GARDEN TO MAKE IT LAST ANOTHER CENTURY. >> AND COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR [16:53] NAME, PLEASE. >> LINDA JOHNSON. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. JOHNSON. [17:03] I BELIEVE THE COMPANION PLANTING WITH THE ROSES THIS YEAR IS [17:11] ELISUM, IT'S PURPLE IN THE ROSE GARDEN. >> YES. TO GET RID OF THE JAPANESE BEETLES. YES. [17:17] >> OKAY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE MORE. >> THANK YOU. [17:22] >> -- PERSON. ERIC VEGEL. I'M [17:36] JUST GOING TO EXERCISE THE CHAIR'S DISCRETION TO BEND THE RULES AND GO BEYOND THE 10-MINUTE LIMIT. SO GO AHEAD. [17:42] >> HI, MY NAME IS ERIC VIGO. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PARK FUNDING. [17:49] I'VE BEEN A COACH IN THE TITANS ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS A YOUTH HOCKEY ORGANIZATION IN NORTH [17:54] MINNEAPOLIS FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW. I ALSO COACH RBI [18:00] BASEBALL, RBI SOFTBALL AT WYNDHAM PARK, LOGAN PARK, WHEREVER IT WILL TAKE ME AND [18:06] WHEREVER THERE'S A FIELD TO PLAY. I JUST THINK THESE PARKS [18:12] PROVIDE FOR YOUTH TO LEARN SKILLS THEY DON'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE. CORE VALUE OF MINNEAPOLIS [18:18] TO PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUTH. AND MAKING SURE OUR FIELDS ARE SAFE FOR OUR KIDS. THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE [18:24] PLACE TO PLAY. I WAS LISTENING TO THE SOFTBALL FIELD NEEDS. I [18:29] KNOW BASEBALL WE HAVE NEEDS. THE OUTDOOR RINKS IN THE WINTER. I THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE [18:35] A MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENT, TO BE A MINNESOTAN. AND HAVING THESE OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES ARE [18:41] VALUABLE. I SAW YOU AT THE MAYOR'S CUP GAME. KIDS LOVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY [18:46] GROW SO MUCH. I ESPECIALLY THINK COMING OUT OF COVID, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKE SURE [18:52] THEY'RE FUNDED. PEOPLE MAKE OUR LIFE. AND YOU GET THAT EXPERIENCE AT TEAM OR GROUP OR [18:58] PLAYING WITH YOUR FRIENDS IN THE PARK. SUPER VALUABLE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. [19:04] >> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A CLAUDIA HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD [19:11] GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. >> YES. MY NAME IS CLAUDIA [19:17] CALLAHAN AND I LIVE IN KINGFIELD. ONE OF THE MAIN [19:22] REASONS -- WHAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS MINNEAPOLIS IS A GREAT CITY? THIS YEAR, THE [19:28] MINNEAPOLIS PARK SYSTEM PLACED THIRD ON THE NATIONAL 2025 PARK [19:35] SCORE INDEX, ONLY AFTER WASHINGTON D.C. AND IRVING, [19:41] CALIFORNIA. IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN BE PROUD OF. IN MINNESOTA, WE TAKE PARKS SERIOUSLY. THERE'S [19:47] ANOTHER PICTURE WE CAN BE EVEN MORE PROUD OF, IT'S HOW THESE [19:52] PARKS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND OLDER FOLKS WHO [20:01] LIVE IN MINNEAPOLIS. IT'S OUR PARK BOARD STAFF WHO DEMONSTRATE GREAT WORK ETHIC AND DEDICATION [20:07] EVERY DAY. COMMUNITY GARDEN, A [20:14] PARK BOARD LEGACY GARDEN TEMPORARILY CLOSED LAST SPRING. AND BECCA GROSS, THE COORDINATOR [20:22] PROCURED RAISED BEDS, COMPOST, AND SET UP THE WATER FOR GARDENERS AT THE WHITTIER REC [20:28] CENTER. THIS SUMMER, WE AGAIN HAVE GARDENERS IN THIS SPACE AND IT IS ALSO USED BY WHITTIER KIDS [20:36] IN THEIR SUMMER PROGRAMMING. AND INCLUDING IN THEIR DAILY CHORE AS THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS [20:43] AND GARDENING. AS A GARDENER, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PARK BOARD. [20:50] IN MINNEAPOLIS, MOST FOLKS LIVE IN APARTMENTS, WITH MORE [20:56] APARTMENTS BEING BUILT ALL THE TIME. OUR PARKS WILL BE MORE [21:02] IMPORTANT NOT LESS IMPORTANT TO THESE FOLKS AND THESE APARTMENTS, AND THE COMMUNITY AS TIME GOES ON. IN 2024, [21:10] MINNEAPOLIS PARKS WON THE NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL AWARD FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PARKS [21:16] AND RECREATION ADMINISTRATION. [21:23] WE HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING PARK SYSTEM HERE. PLEASE VOTE TO KEEP [21:31] AND MAINTAIN IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO [21:37] TESTIFY ABOUT PARKS? OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE EXHAUSTED THE SUPPLY OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO [21:44] DISCUSS THIS ISSUE TONIGHT. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE'LL KEEP YOUR COMMENTS IN MIND DURING THE [21:50] BUDGET PRESENTATION BY THE PARK BOARD THAT IS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS. AND ALSO IN [21:56] SEPTEMBER WHEN WE TAKE ACTION ON THE LEVY. NEXT, I'LL ASK THE [22:02] CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE COMMENTS. AND WE HAVE NOW ITEM 5 [22:07] ON THE AGENDA. IT IS LISTED AS THE ANNUAL REPORT ON THE [22:15] NPP20-YEAR PARK PLAN. BUT IT ALSO WILL INCLUDE THE 2026 BUDGET OUTLOOK FOR THE PARK [22:20] BOARD. AND WHO WILL BE [22:27] PRESENTING? >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I'M JENNIFER RINGOLD, I'M [22:34] THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE PARK BOARD. SUPERINTENDENT [22:41] BEN GORA IS OUT. YOU DO HAVE TWO [22:46] BODIES. ONE IS THE -- THE OTHER ONE IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR WORK ON [22:51] NPP20 AND 2024. JULIA WEISSMANN [22:56] WILL LEAD THIS, AND THEN MICHAEL SCHROEDER WILL JOIN HER. [23:10] >> WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT [23:15] BRANDT, AND VICE PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON, AND BOARD MEMBERS. I'M JULIA WEISSMANN. I'M GOING [23:32] TO START WITH OUR 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PLAN. THIS IS SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY'S CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL [23:39] PRESENTATION THAT THEY GAVE TO THIS BODY AT THE LAST MEETING. [23:45] WE USE THE 2026 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PLAN AS THE BASE FOR OUR [23:52] DEVELOPMENT OF OUR 2026 BUDGET. WHAT I'M PRESENTING TO YOU THIS [23:57] EVENING IS PRELIMINARY NUMBERS. IT IS NOT THE FORMAL ASK FOR [24:04] MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX LEVY. OUR BOARD WILL DO THAT WORK IN JULY, [24:09] AND WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS BODY IN SEPTEMBER AND PRESENT [24:15] THE FORMAL BOARD APPROVED MAXIMUM TAX LEVY. THIS FOCUS -- [24:27] THE FOCUS OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE ON THE GENERAL FUND. THE [24:35] ADOPTED PLAN INCLUDED 6.33% [24:40] PROPERTY TAX LEVY INCREASE, AND HELD BOTH LGA AND OTHER REVENUES [24:49] CONSTANT. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS PIE CHART, 82% OF OUR GENERAL FUND IS FUNDED THROUGH PROPERTY [24:56] TAXES. SO WE ARE MUCH MORE HEAVILY RELIANT ON THAT ONE [25:02] FUNDING SOURCE THAN THE CITY. [25:10] OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS OUR PROPERTY TAX LEVY INCREASE HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY 5.6%. I'LL [25:19] HIGHLIGHT ON THIS CHART, IN 2017, THAT IS WHEN THE NPP20 [25:27] STARTED. THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE 10% INCREASE. IN 2022 IS WHEN THE INVESTMENT IN YOUTH [25:34] BEGAN WITH THE $1.3 MILLION INCREASE IN 2022, AND THEN [25:42] GRADUAL INCREASES BETWEEN 2023, [25:51] 2027 OF $260,000. SO THAT IN 2027, WE WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF [25:57] $2.6 MILLION FOR THE YOUTH INVESTMENT. 2025 INCREASE OF [26:06] 8.3% AS REMINDER TO THIS BODY WAS LARGELY TO SUPPORT THE MPRB [26:14] WORKFORCE AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO DISCOUNTED YOUTH PROGRAMMING. FOR LGA, IT IS [26:27] BEING HELD CONSTANT. AT THE END OF THIS CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WERE NO INCREASES [26:33] IN LGA, AND LUCKILY NO DECREASES IN LGA. SO IT IS BEING HELD [26:39] CONSTANT. OUR OTHER REVENUES [26:45] AVERAGE 10.5 MILLION OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. AND YOU'LL SEE [26:52] FOR 2025, OUR 2026 PLAN, WE ARE HOLDING THAT AMOUNT CONSTANT AS WELL. I'LL JUST SAY THAT OUR [27:07] YOUTH FEES DISCOUNTED CITY WIDE THAT IS THE FIRST, 2025 IS THE FIRST YEAR WE HAVE DONE THAT. [27:13] OUR PRELIMINARY NUMBERS ARE REALLY POSITIVE. BUT IT'S TOO [27:20] SOON TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPACT. -- TO THE REVENUE. ALL [27:27] FEES ARE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BASED ON MARKET RESEARCH. ON THE [27:36] EXPENDITURE SIDE, OUR 2026 PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT SALARY AND FRINGE MAKE UP ALMOST 73% OF THE [27:45] GENERAL FUND BUDGET. THE 2026 PLAN PROVIDES THE TAIL FOR THE [27:52] MPRB UNION CONTRACTS, WITH MOST UNIONS SETTLED THROUGH [28:00] 12-31-2026. YOU'LL SEE THAT AS A LINE ITEM IN FURTHER SLIDE. OUR [28:15] 2026 PLAN PROJECTS FOR A 5.1% [28:21] OVERALL GROWTH TO THE MPRB GENERAL FUND, WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP DIVISION HAVING THE [28:28] LARGEST PORTION OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, ALMOST 50%. AND THAT INCLUDES OUR ASSET [28:34] MANAGEMENT, FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. SO IN [28:43] ORDER TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET IN 2025, OVER THE TWO-YEAR [28:50] BUDGET CYCLE, WE HAD TO IMPLEMENT SERVICE LEVEL [28:55] REDUCTIONS. AND THEY WERE LARGELY IN OUR RECREATION CENTERS WHERE WE REDUCED OUR REC [29:01] CENTERS BY ONE HOUR SO THEY CLOSE AT 8 P.M. INSTEAD OF 9 P.M. ALL RECREATION CENTERS [29:07] ARE NOW CLOSED ON SUNDAYs, AND ALL RECREATION CENTERS ARE NOW CLOSED ON ALL FEDERAL HOLIDAYS. [29:14] AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE REDUCTION OF THE FIVE ICE RINKS OF WHICH WE HAD THE PUBLIC [29:21] SPEAKERS SPEAKING TO DIRECTLY. WE ALSO USED ONE-TIME TEMPORARY [29:26] BUDGET REDUCTIONS. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD REQUESTED A BUDGET INCREASE FOR GRACO PARK, [29:33] WHICH WAS NOT FUNDED LAST YEAR. GRACO PARK HAS OPENED, AND WE [29:40] HAVE LIMITED ACTIVATION AT THE NEW GRACO PARK IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS. AND WE UTILIZED [29:49] BUDGET SAVINGS FROM THE CLOSURE OF THE NORTH COMMONS POOL. IT IS CLOSED AND BEING DEMOLISHED FOR [29:56] THE NORTH COMMONS CONSTRUCTION. AND SO IT'S A TEMPORARY FIX AND IT ALLOWED US LIMITED [30:04] ACTIVATION. SO IT'S ONLY OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAYs. AND THEN WE CLOSED THE YOUTH [30:10] INVESTMENT GAP, WHICH WAS [30:16] $520,000 IN 2025 -- OR -- YEAH, IN 2025. AND WE DID THAT BY [30:22] HOLDING POSITIONS VACANT AND NOT [30:27] DOING A TRANSFER TO PARK LAND ACQUISITION FUND. SO WHAT [30:34] CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE BUDGET PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD? THIS SLIDE SHOWS [30:41] ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR ASSUMPTIONS [30:48] FOR THE 2026 PLAN, WHICH CENTER ROUNDS CITY CHARGES TO THE MPRB. THE FIRST IS GENERAL FUND [30:53] OVERHEAD CHARGE. AND IT IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT 35.8% [31:01] INCREASE. CONVERSATION AROUND THIS CHARGE IS CONTINUING. WE ARE DOWN TO ONE ITEM OF [31:07] DISCUSSION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN PARK BOARD STAFF AND [31:14] CITY STAFF TOMORROW. THE MPRB AGREES THAT WE SHOULD PAY THE PAIR SHARE OF SERVICES THAT ARE [31:21] PROVIDED TO THE MPRB. DISCUSSION HAS BEEN AROUND CLARIFYING WHAT [31:28] SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED AND TO WHAT EXTENT. FOR EXAMPLE, A [31:35] PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS CHARGE INCLUDED $502,000 FOR 311 [31:42] SERVICES. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND CALL LEVELS, THIS NUMBER WAS CHANGED TO JUST UNDER [31:48] $67,000. THE NEXT CHART SHOWS [31:58] COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH WORK DAY. THE MPRB DOES NOT PAY A DIRECT [32:05] CHARGE FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SYSTEM COMMENT. WE PAY [32:10] INDIRECTLY THROUGH OUR GENERAL FUND OVERHEAD RATE MODEL BUT DO NOT PAY A DIRECT CHARGE. GOING [32:15] FORWARD, THE PARK BOARD WILL PAY FOR WORK DAY IN THE NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM, ONGOING USER [32:23] LICENSE FEES AND A SEPARATE BUDGET TOOL. SO THIS IS NOW PUT [32:32] INTO THE SIX-YEAR PROJECTIONS. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK DAY HAS [32:39] BEEN -- OR IS BEING PAID FOR BY THE CITY. THE PARK BOARD HAS NOT [32:44] BEEN ASKED TO PAY ANY PORTION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION FEE. SO WE [32:51] REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. HERE ARE [32:57] SIXth YEAR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS. THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE PRESENTED [33:02] LAST YEAR. THE ONLY CHANGES IN 2026 WITH THE INCREASE INSTEAD OF BEING 6.33%, IT'S 7.15%. AND [33:14] THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CITY CHARGES. ALSO INCLUDED IN [33:25] OUR PROJECTIONS ARE WORKFORCE AND OTHER OPERATING COSTS BUILT IN TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF [33:31] SERVICE FOR NEW PARKS, FACILITIES, AND AMENITIES. 2026 [33:36] INCLUDES GRACO AND UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL PARKS. 2027 INCLUDES [33:43] NORTH COMMONS. THIS CHART SHOWS THE FTE CHANGES BETWEEN 2023 AND [33:53] 2026. AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT 2025. THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS AND THE [34:00] RECREATION CENTER. THAT 13.71 DECREASE IN FTEs. AND THEN THE [34:06] 2026 PLAN, THE 9.72FTEs IS [34:12] DIRECTLY RELATED TO GRACO AND UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL PARKS. SO [34:18] NOW THE MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX LEVY PLAN. THE ADOPTED BUDGET [34:27] FOR THE CITY INCLUDES CITY'S FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE PARK [34:33] BOARD. AND IT IS 1.37%. INCLUDED [34:43] IN THAT IS THE $260,000 FOR THE YOUTH INVESTMENT. $300,000 FOR [34:49] GRACO AND UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL [34:57] PARK. YOU'LL SEE I HAVE A CHART NUMBER ONE, TWO, AND THREE SHOWN ON THIS. WE'LL GET TO THE CHARTS [35:03] LATER. BUT IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS PRESENTATION, THE NUMBERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CORRESPONDING CHART. SO FOR THE [35:16] PARK BOARD, WE HAVE OUR PROVISION FOR WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, [35:21] THE 3.2 MILLION. SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR WAGE INCREASES DUE TO OUR [35:27] UNION CONTRACTS, OUR RECLASSIFICATION, OUR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS, OUR EQUITY [35:35] ADJUSTMENTS, HEALTH INSURANCE, WORKER COMP, PERA, AND STATE [35:46] FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE. THIS NUMBER IS SET AT APPROXIMATELY 4%. AND IT INCLUDES A SLIGHT [35:55] CATCH UP ON THE INFLATION. WE HAVE SEEN 26% INFLATION, AND [36:02] HAVE ONLY BUDGETED 12%. SO THIS IS JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER [36:07] OUR NORMAL INFLATION TO DO A SLIGHT CATCH UP. IT ALSO [36:13] INCLUDES INCREASES TO OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION, AND OUR [36:19] EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS, AGAIN, DUE TO UNION CONTRACTS AS WELL AS [36:25] STATE MANDATED CHANGES TO WORKERS COMPENSATION. YOU'LL SEE [36:31] THE TWO ITEMS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW. THOSE ARE THE NEW ITEMS. AND THEN GRACO AND UPPER HARBOR [36:38] TERMINAL PARK. SO CURRENTLY THIS [36:43] IS THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE PARK BOARD IS ESTIMATING FOR THE 2026 [36:50] BUDGET, AND WHAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATING FOR US. SO [36:57] CHART ONE IS THE FULL BUDGET. WE ARE REQUESTING ALMOST $7 MILLION [37:04] OF THE MAYOR'S ADOPTED BUDGET AT [37:11] 1.3 -- THAT'S A GAP OF [37:16] 5.1 MILLION. IF YOU LOOK JUST AT THE SALARY AND FRINGE TO SUPPORT [37:23] OUR WORKFORCE AND NOT HAVE ANY POSITION ELIMINATIONS, THE GAP [37:30] IS 2.5 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 22 FTEs. AND THEN [37:37] TO MAINTAIN OUR SERVICE LEVELS WITH THE ADDITION OF GRACO AND UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL PARKS, WE [37:44] HAVE A GAP OF 560,000. JUST [37:53] GOING TO TOUCH ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. WE HAVE [38:01] $146.4 MILLION INVESTMENT. IT'S BROKEN UP BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND REGIONAL PARKS. THEY'RE FUNDED VERY DIFFERENTLY, [38:07] AS YOU KNOW. THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK CAPITAL BUDGET IS FUNDED THROUGH THE BONDS, OF WHICH THIS [38:16] BODY AUTHORIZES. CAPITAL LEVY PARK DEDICATION GRANTS AND [38:21] DONATIONS. OUR REGIONAL PARK SYSTEM IS LARGELY FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE AND METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, FOLLOWED BY OTHER [38:27] GRANTS AND DONATIONS. IN THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IT [38:34] INCLUDED A SLIGHT INCREASE IN O & M LOTTERY PROCEEDS, ALLOCATION [38:42] OF NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROAD FUNDING GAP ASSISTANCE. SO THAT'S A NEW AMOUNT TO SUPPORT [38:48] OUR PARKWAYS. LCCMR ALLOCATION, LEGACY, AND SKATE PARK FUNDING. [38:57] WE ALSO HAVE EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE MPRB AND THE MINNEAPOLIS [39:03] PARK FOUNDATION APPROVED AN AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH A NEW AND [39:09] FORWARD LOOKING ENDOWMENT. ONCE FUNDED, THE ENDOWMENT WILL [39:15] PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT FOR NATURAL RESOURCES, HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AND REGIONAL [39:21] PARK AND TRAIL CARE AND MAINTENANCE WITHIN THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK SYSTEM. THESE [39:28] AREAS WERE CHOSEN FOR THE ENDOWMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE -- THEY RECEIVED THE LEAST AMOUNT [39:33] OF FUNDING THROUGH OTHER SOURCES. >> I'M SORRY. COULD YOU REPEAT [39:39] THOSE AREAS, PLEASE. >> IT IS NATURAL RESOURCES, [39:45] HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AND REGIONAL PARK AND TRAIL CARE AND [39:51] MAINTENANCE. >> THANK YOU. [39:56] >> SO GOING FORWARD, AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, OUR BOARD WILL TAKE UP THE MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX [40:05] LEVY CONVERSATION IN JULY, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ON JULY 2ND, AND THE [40:10] FULL BOARD ON JULY 16TH. AND THEN THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET WILL COME OUT. THE BET [40:19] WILL SET THE MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX LEVY. ON OCTOBER 15TH, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL PRESENT THE [40:24] RECOMMENDED 2026 BUDGET. SO DO [40:29] YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION? [40:37] >> COMMISSIONER PAYNE. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BRANDT. [40:43] BACK ON PAGE 9, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY HIGH LEVEL BUCKETS AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE [40:50] SOME MORE DETAIL. AND SPECIFICALLY, I'M LOOKING IN TO WHAT THE BREAKDOWN MIGHT BE OF [40:56] THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE AND THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE. >> SURE. MEMBER PAYNE AND [41:06] PRESIDENT BRANDT, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE INCLUDES [41:11] THE OUTWARD SERVING DEPARTMENTS. SO IT'S PARK POLICE, OUR [41:17] COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT. THE DEPUTY [41:24] SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE INCLUDES THE INTERNAL SERVICES. SO [41:31] FINANCE, I.T., VISITOR SERVICES, [41:37] WHICH HAS BOTH FACING WHOM I FORGET, HR. THAT'S A BIG ONE. HR. >> SO IT WOULD BE ALL THE FTE [41:45] BUDGET AS WELL AS WHATEVER PROGRAMMATIC BUDGET WOULD BE [41:51] INCLUDED? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. I THINK I'LL HOLD MINE. [41:57] DO YOU WANT -- OH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> NO. [42:03] >> OKAY. COMMISSIONER CHUGHTAI. [42:08] >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M SORRY. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT [42:14] VISITOR SERVICES IS IN THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE. >> SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE. >> WHAT'S VISITOR SERVICES? [42:21] >> VISITOR SERVICES IS, NUMBER ONE, OUR CALL CENTER. IT'S ALSO [42:29] OUR ACTIVATION OF NON-RECREATION AREAS. SO OUR MAJOR EVENTS. SO [42:38] LIKE PRIDE AND JUNETEENTH AND BOTH PERMITTED EVENTS AND PARK [42:47] BOARD RELATED EVENTS. AM I MISSING ANYTHING? [42:57] >> THANK YOU, MEMBERS. THIS IS ALSO WHERE DOWNTOWN PARKS [43:02] PROGRAMMING COMES OUT OF. ANYTHING OUT OF WATERWORKS COMMONS, GRACO COMES OUT OF THAT [43:08] SPACE AS WELL. YEAH. SO ALL OF OUR PERMITTED EVENTS. SO IF YOU [43:16] WANT TO ERASE SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE SYSTEM, THIS IS THE GROUP [43:22] THAT'S DOING IT. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. [43:28] >> IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE [43:33] NPP 20 ANNUAL REPORT. SO AGAIN, [43:40] PRESIDENT BRANDT, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT OUR 20-YEAR NEIGHBORHOOD [43:49] PARK PLAN 2024 ANNUAL REPORT. THIS IS RESULTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2024. THIS IS GOING [43:55] TO BE SLIGHTLY ABBREVIATED THAN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST SINCE YOU GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED US [44:01] TO DO THE BUDGET INFORMATION. SO THE GUARANTEED ANNUAL MINIMUM [44:07] AMOUNT, THAT IS THE BONDING AMOUNT. AND YOU'LL SEE STARTING [44:13] IN 2027 THAT THAT'S HELD CONSTANT AT 13.1 MILLION AND [44:19] THAT IS BECAUSE BY ORDINANCE, THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY MUST [44:24] AGREE ON THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF [44:29] MINIMUM AMOUNTS FOR 2027 AND 2031. SO WE HAVE PROVIDED OUR [44:35] PROPOSAL TO THE CITY, AND WE WILL START DISCUSSIONS ON THAT. [44:41] WE NEED TO ADOPT THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING BY DECEMBER 15TH OF THIS YEAR. I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO [44:52] ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL SCHROEDER. [44:57] >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS. I WILL RUN THROUGH OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM AND OUR REHABILITATION PROGRAM. AND IT [45:05] WILL BE AN OVERVIEW, AND WILL STAND FOR QUESTIONS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, [45:10] THESE ARE NEW INVESTMENTS AND PARKS AS OPPOSED TO THE REHABILITATION PROGRAM WHICH IS [45:16] OUR ABILITY TO CARRY A PARK ASSET FORWARD WITH REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS UNTIL IT GETS [45:22] REPLACED IN A CAPITAL PROGRAM. SO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET IN THE [45:27] SIX-YEAR BUDGET APPROVED BY THE BOARD. IT FOLLOWS THE EQUITY ORDINANCE. SO WE DO AN EVALUATION OF ALL OF OUR PARKS [45:33] AND NEIGHBORHOODS EVERY YEAR. AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT WE [45:38] WILL COMPLETE ALL CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN ALL PARKS IN THE [45:43] FIRST ROUND OF CAPITAL INVESTMENTS PROBABLY IN 2035. [45:52] MAYBE 2034. THE REHABILITATION PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON THOSE THINGS THAT MIGHT FAIL DURING THE REGULAR USE OF A PARK, AND [45:58] BEFORE WE GET TO A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. BUT SEVERAL OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. WE'VE HAD SOME CRITICAL FAILURES. IN THE [46:05] FIRST YEAR OF NPP20, ONE OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS HAD A CRACKED BEAM. REQUIRED THE CLOSURE OF [46:12] THE BUILDINGS. BUT THIS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON REPAIRS AND [46:18] REPLACEMENT TO TIDE US OVER UNTIL WE GET TO A CAPITAL PROJECT. EVERY YEAR WE DO AN [46:23] ASSESSMENT OF OUR PARKS. RANKING THOSE ASSETS THAT NEEDS REHABILITATION AND TAKING THEM [46:30] ON PRIORITY ORDER. UPDATING THAT BECAUSE THINGS CONTINUE TO FAIL AS WE MOVE THROUGH ANY ONE OF [46:36] OUR OPERATIONAL YEARS. IN 2023, [46:42] THERE WERE NINE REHABILITATION CATEGORIES. I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL. BUT YOU SEE THEM LISTED HERE ON THE PAGE. THESE [46:51] SEVERAL PAGES WILL IDENTIFY THOSE CATEGORIES OF REHABILITATION ALLOCATIONS, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND THE PERCENTAGE [46:57] ALLOCATED, AND THE PERCENTAGE COMPLETED. 2023, WE HAVE COMPLETED 100% OF THE DOLLARS [47:05] THAT WERE ALLOCATED BY THE BOARD FOR THESE NINE CATEGORIES. 2024, [47:12] IT'S MOSTLY SIMILAR EXCEPT THERE ARE SOME THINGS LIKE ADA IMPROVEMENTS. SOME OF THE [47:19] PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN REHABILITATION WILL REQUIRE MORE DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN A [47:24] SINGLE YEAR. AND SO WE WILL CARRY THOSE OVER. SO THAT'S WHY THE ADA IMPROVEMENTS ARE LOWER. [47:31] IT'S SIMILAR WITH THE HVAC SYSTEMS IN BUILDINGS. THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER IS LOWER. AND THEN [47:38] THERE WAS A NEW CATEGORY ADDED BY THE BOARD IN 2024 FOR THE REHABILITATION OF ATHLETIC [47:45] FIELDS. VERY FEW DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT THERE. WE NEED TO [47:51] BUILD UP DOLLARS. PARTICULARLY BASEBALL DIAMONDS. AS DIRECTOR [47:57] WEISSMAN NOTED, IN 2025, THE ALLOCATIONS PERCENT BUDGETED WAS [48:02] ZERO BECAUSE THIS WAS DONE AS OF THE LAST DAY OF DECEMBER 2024. [48:09] FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, AS I NOTED, WE EVALUATE, SCORE, AND [48:15] RANK ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS IN THE SYSTEM EVERY YEAR. USING THE CRITERIA THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE. AND [48:20] THEN WE ALLOCATE FUNDING TO THOSE PARKS. THE DIAGRAM AT THE [48:27] BOTTOM IS IMPORTANT NOT SO MUCH FOR THE COLORS AND WORDS BUT BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THE [48:33] THREE-YEAR PROCESS IT TAKES US. THE FIRST YEAR IS REALLY ABOUT SCOPING THE PROJECT AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY. THE SECOND YEAR [48:40] IS DESIGN AND PROCURING BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION. AND TYPICALLY, THAT WORK CONTINUES INTO THE [48:46] THIRD YEAR WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING. AND WE'RE LIMITED IN THIS IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE WE [48:52] HAVE A LIMITED SEASON FOR IMPROVEMENTS AS WE LOOK AT HOW PARKS ARE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED. [48:58] THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS 2023 CAPITAL [49:07] INVESTMENTS. SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED. SEVERAL ARE STILL LAGGING BEHIND. AND I CAN COME BACK AND FILL THOSE IN. [49:16] BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADUBON WILL BE COMPLETE BY THIS FALL. [49:22] IT WAS JUST RECENTLY BID. AND THERE WERE SEVERAL FROM 2023 WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS [49:27] YEAR. AS WE GO INTO 2024, THERE [49:35] ARE FEWER OF THEM THAT ARE COMPLETED BECAUSE THIS IS THE YEAR WE WILL BE DOING DESIGN AND [49:41] PROCUREMENT OF BIDS. ALTHOUGH SOME PROJECTS ARE FURTHER ALONG THAN OTHERS. BUT THERE WILL BE [49:47] BY THE TIME WE GET TO 2026 PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE THOSE [49:53] NUMBERS REFLECT PROBABLY MORE CLOSELY WHAT WE HAVE IN 2023. AND OF COURSE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T [49:58] HAD A CHANCE TO IMPLEMENT THINGS AS OF DECEMBER 31ST USING $2,025, ALL OF THESE ARE AT [50:05] $0.00 PERCENT. BUT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH SEVERAL OF THESE [50:11] IMPROVEMENTS. AS I NOTED, THE [50:16] AUDUBON PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED IN 2025 THIS YEAR YET. THERE WERE STILL A NUMBER OF [50:22] PROJECTS FROM PRIOR YEARS THAT WE HAVE YET TO BE COMPLETED. SOME OF THEM FOR ANY NUMBER OF [50:30] REASONS. 28TH STREET TOTLOT, [50:41] WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS. EACH ONE HAS A STORY TO TELL AS WE MAKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. [50:47] YOU'LL NOTE THAT THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS IN THE LITTLE BOX AT THE BOTTOM THAT WE'RE STILL [50:52] WORKING TO COMPLETE CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECTS FROM 2022. [50:58] MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS OR PRACTICALLY ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. AND THAT [51:04] WAS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW. BUT DIRECTOR WEISSMANN AND [51:10] DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT RINGOLD. I WILL STAND FOR QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE [51:16] QUESTION. WONDERING IF THE CRACKED BEAM AT LONGFELLOW PARK [51:21] HAS BEEN REPLACED? >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS WE [51:26] UNDERTOOK CLOSING THAT BUILDING AND MAKING SURE THAT BUILDING WAS SAFE FOR OCCUPANCY. IT WAS A [51:34] GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF HOW NPP20 WORKS. IDENTIFIED WE HAD A [51:39] PROBLEM IN THE BUILDINGS AND BE ABLE TO CORRECT IT IMMEDIATELY. >> I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THAT [51:45] WAS SORT OF THE MARQUEE EXAMPLE OF UNDERFUNDING OF NEIGHBORHOOD [51:50] PARK BUILDINGS. I HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS BUT MOST OF THEM DATE BACK TO MS. WEISMAN'S [51:56] PRESENTATION. SORT OF AT A HIGH [52:07] LEVEL, I READ THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND ON PAGE 16, I [52:15] FOUND A LEVY FIGURE OF [52:21] $90.7 MILLION. PAGE 12 I FOUND A FIGURE OF 94.4 MILLION. ON PAGE [52:27] 4, I FOUND A FIGURE OF 95.6. ON [52:32] PAGE -- WHICH I BELIEVE IS SORT OF YOUR IDEAL FUNDING. BUT I [52:38] WONDER IF YOU COULD PARSE THE OTHERS FOR ME, PLEASE. [52:45] >> SO CAN YOU TELL ME THE FIRST. >> SURE. THE FIRST ONE WAS [52:59] 90.7 MILLION ON PAGE 16. >> SO THIS IS THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS IN PARK [53:10] BOARD LEVY. THAT'S INCLUDED IN [53:15] THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET. >> WOULD THAT BE THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL DIRECTION? [53:21] >> CORRECT. >> OKAY. AND THEN PAGE 12, 94.4. [53:34] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT AND BOARD [53:40] MEMBERS, WE BUDGET PROPERTY [53:45] TAXES AT 98.5% COLLECTION RATE. [53:52] SO THE 94.4 MILLION IS 98.5% OF [53:59] THE MILLION WE ARE SEEKING, OR PLANNING. >> SO THAT'S THE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE COLLECTION FACTOR. PAGE 4, [54:07] 93,669. [54:12] >> THAT WAS THE 2026 PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY OUR BOARD IN [54:19] DECEMBER, AND THAT REPRESENTED A 6.33% PROPERTY TAX LEVY [54:25] INCREASE. AND WE HAVE CHANGED OUR ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON THE [54:34] CITY CHARGES THAT INCREASES TO THE 7.15% THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR PROJECTIONS. [54:40] >> SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT WAS [54:47] THE 2026 FIGURE? >> CORRECT. >> ALL RIGHT. AND THAT WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER. >> CORRECT. >> TO A YEAR AHEAD OF TIME. [54:52] >> CORRECT. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. YOU SPOKE OF [55:00] SOME OF THE FACTORS IN TERMS OF FUNDING LIKE THE YOUTH PROGRAM. [55:06] AND THE KICKING IN OF THE NPP. BUT I NOTE THAT IN SEVEN OF THE [55:15] LAST NINE YEARS, THE PARKS -- THE PARK LEVY HAS INCREASED BY [55:21] MORE THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION. IF YOU LOOK AT NATIONAL INDICATORS. COULD YOU TALK A [55:26] LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT FACTORS IS THAT MAINLY SERVICE [55:32] IMPROVEMENTS? >> PRESIDENT BRANDT AND MEMBERS, [55:38] SO IN 2022 WAS THE 1.3 MILLION FOR THE YOUTH INVESTMENT. IN 23, [55:48] 24, AND 25, THERE'S -- FOR THE YOUTH INVESTMENT. I'M NOT GOING [55:54] TO GET THESE YEARS CORRECT, BUT WE DID ADD A PROJECT POSITION. [56:00] WE ADDED ONE POSITION ONE YEAR. [56:08] AND WE HAD -- INVESTMENT FOR [56:13] WHICH PLACES? YEAH. AND WE'VE HAD THE ADDED AMENITIES AND [56:21] PARKS FOR LIKE NORTH LOOP, WATER WORKS, AND THOSE WERE INCLUDED [56:29] IN '23 AND '24 AS WELL. >> OKAY. ON PAGE -- I'M SORRY, I [56:37] DON'T HAVE THE PAGE NUMBER ON MY SCREEN. I NOTED IN 2024, YOU [56:45] SPENT WELL UNDER $1 MILLION IN REVENUES THROUGH ARPA. IS THAT [56:54] REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ROAD, I MEAN, THE CITY SPENT $700 MILLION. DID YOU NOT SHARE [57:00] IN THE LARGESSE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE, FOR EXAMPLE, DOING [57:06] THE LGA SPLIT 8812. >> PRESIDENT BRANDT AND MEMBERS, [57:13] WE APPLIED FOR ARPA FUNDS THROUGH THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS [57:18] AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DID TO RECEIVE ARPA FUNDS, AND WE [57:27] RECEIVED $1 MILLION FOR TREES PLANTING, ADDITIONAL TREE PLANTING. AND WE RECEIVED THE -- [57:35] IN ORDER TO MEET THE 2.6 MILLION [57:41] IN 2022, WE RECEIVED 1.3 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, AND [57:50] $1.3 MILLION OF ARPA DOLLARS. IN 2023 AND 2024, AS THE PROPERTY [57:56] TAX LEVY INCREASED, OUR ARPA DOLLARS DECREASED. BUT AS YOU [58:01] KNOW, ARPA ENDED AT THE END OF 2024. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE [58:07] THE YOUTH INVESTMENT GAP THAT WE [58:13] TALK ABOUT FOR '25, '26, AND '27. AND WE ARE FUNDING THAT [58:20] THROUGH HOLDING VACANCY SAVINGS. >> OKAY. >> AND OTHER THINGS. [58:26] >> ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I NOTE WITH INTEREST THE LGA, WHICH IS [58:33] NO SURPRISE. THAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY WITH LGA BOTH FOR THE CITY AND THE PARK BOARD. WANTED [58:44] TO ASK YOU -- I'LL SKIP OVER THE [58:51] DISPUTE OVER THE FEES THAT ARE CHARGED BY THE CITY. I'M [59:05] DISAPPOINTED THAT RECREATION CENTERS ARE CLOSED ON FEDERAL HOLIDAYS. THAT'S THE DAY WHEN [59:11] SOME PARENTS ARE AROUND, BUT MANY ARE NOT. THAT'S WHEN KIDS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. AND WE SAW [59:19] WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020 WHEN KIDS WERE SUDDENLY LEFT WITHOUT PARK [59:25] PROGRAMMING, AND THE RATE OF CRIME AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE JUMPED DRAMATICALLY. I [59:31] UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE IT MAKE CUTS SOMEWHERE. BUT I REALLY REGRET [59:38] THAT ONE. THERE'S ALSO A -- DID [59:47] YOU SAY THAT GRACO PARK IS OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY? [59:52] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, THAT'S CORRECT. WE DO HAVE -- I SHOULD [59:58] CORRECT. WE DO HAVE A SPARK STUDIO LOCATED AT THAT FACILITY. AND THAT SPARK STUDIO IS ALREADY [1:00:05] INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET. SO THERE'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL ASK FOR THAT. THAT WAS PART OF THE [1:00:12] $2.6 MILLION YOUTH INVESTMENT. AND THAT FACILITY IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. [1:00:20] >> OKAY. WHY IS GRACO PARK OPEN WHEN OTHER RECREATIONAL CENTERS ARE NOT? I MEAN, I'M HAPPY IT [1:00:32] IS. I'M GOING TO A RETIREMENT PARTY THERE. BUT -- >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, MEMBERS, SO [1:00:37] WHEN WE ANALYZED HOW TO OPEN UP THAT FACILITY, WE REALLY LOOKED AT THE NATURE OF IT BEING IN A [1:00:44] REGIONAL PARK, AND WHERE WE THOUGHT FOLKS WOULD BE NEEDING TO USE RESTAURANTS AND OTHER [1:00:52] AMENITIES IN THE PARK. SO WE SWITCHED TO INCLUDE WEEKENDS. IF WE WERE TYPICAL RECREATION [1:00:58] CENTER MODEL, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HIT THE WEEKENDS IN THE WAY WE FELT THE PARK NEEDED TO. [1:01:05] WE ALSO HAVE A PARK THAT ALLOWS RENTALS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO THERE'S THAT POSSIBILITY. IF [1:01:12] WE'RE ABLE TO RECOUP THE COST OF THE STAFFING TO COVER THOSE RENTALS, THERE WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THAT SPACE [1:01:17] ON THOSE DAYS. >> OKAY. AND I BELIEVE IT WAS MENTIONED THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE [1:01:24] THE BUDGET FIT INTO THE RESOURCES YOU HAD THAT THE [1:01:31] ACQUISITION FUND WAS NOT FUNDED IN ONE OF THE RECENT YEARS. AM I REMEMBERING CORRECTLY THAT [1:01:37] THAT'S ABOUT A $400,000 ITEM? MAYBE I'M OUT OF DATE. [1:01:43] >> JUST GOT THE NUMBER FROM THE SIDE. PRESIDENT BRANDT, MEMBERS, [1:01:51] THAT'S $276,000 THAT WE PUT TOWARD THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. >> THAT WAS USED FOR THE [1:01:58] INVESTMENT. >> AND THAT WAS USED FOR THE YOUTH INVESTMENT GAP. COMMISSIONERS MIGHT MAKE [1:02:04] DECISIONS ON THAT IN FUTURE YEARS IN TERMS OF HOW TO PRIORITIZE THOSE DOLLARS. BUT THAT'S HOW IT WAS USED THIS [1:02:09] YEAR. >> IS THAT PROPERTY TAX MONEY? >> THAT IS PROPERTY TAX MONEY. >> ALL RIGHT. WANTED TO ASK YOU [1:02:18] AS WELL ABOUT THE ENDOWMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE [1:02:23] HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE. I GUESS THE STEVEN'S HOUSE PROJECT IS PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE. BUT THAT [1:02:30] WOULD BE CERTAINLY AN EXAMPLE OF HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS BADLY IN NEED OF REPAIR EVEN [1:02:36] BEFORE THE VANDALISM THAT OCCURRED THERE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE [1:02:44] GODFREE HOUSE GETS SOME OF THAT MONEY. ARE THERE OTHER PROJECTS YOU HAVE FOR THAT? [1:02:49] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, MEMBERS, I SHOULD FIRST SAY WE ANTICIPATE IT COULD TAKE UP TO 10 YEARS TO [1:02:55] BE ABLE TO SECURE ENOUGH FUNDING INTO THE ENDOWMENT FOR US TO HAVE REGULAR PAYOUTS. WHEN WE [1:03:03] THINK ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE -- HISTORIC AND OUR ICONIC HOMES. GODFREY IS ONE [1:03:09] OF THOSE. STEVEN'S HOUSE WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE. BUT WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT OTHER HISTORIC [1:03:14] INFRASTRUCTURE. WPA WALLS AND SOME OF THE OTHER FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE DON'T HAVE A DEPENDABLE [1:03:21] AND CONSISTENT SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR. >> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO ASK [1:03:31] JUST GENERALLY ABOUT REGIONAL PARKS. THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN AN ISSUE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF [1:03:37] CAPITAL FUNDING. DEVELOPMENT, [1:03:42] REHAB, ACQUISITION AND SO ON. AND I'VE URGED THE [1:03:48] SUPERINTENDENT IN PAST APPEARANCES TO TRY TO COME UP [1:03:54] WITH A PLAN THAT THINKS OUT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM FOR RAISING MONEY EITHER FOR THE CAPITAL [1:04:01] SIDE, WHICH ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE BETTER FUNDED THAN THE OPERATING [1:04:07] SIDE. HAS PARK BOARD MADE ANY PROGRESS IN THAT AREA? I MEAN, I'M NOT A BIG GAMBLING FAN, BUT [1:04:16] I CAN ENVISION SELLING TABS AT THE REFRACTORY, FOR EXAMPLE. [1:04:21] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, MEMBERS, [1:04:27] YEAH. IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE CAPITAL SIDE AND THE OPERATING SIDE. ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, CURRENTLY ALL [1:04:33] THE FUNDING WE RECEIVE IS EITHER STATE FUNDING OR MET COUNCIL FUNDING, OR IT IS MAYBE THROUGH [1:04:40] A FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM OR THROUGH SOME TYPE OF A DONATION. [1:04:46] THERE ISN'T PROPERTY TAX DOLLAR OR CITY-BASED BONDING THAT GOES TOWARDS THE REGIONAL SYSTEM. SO [1:04:53] THAT IS 100% NON-TAXPAYER, MINNEAPOLIS TAXPAYER BASED [1:04:58] FUNDED IN THOSE CATEGORIES. ON THE OPERATING SIDE, HOWEVER, [1:05:04] THAT'S ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY PAID BY THE MINNEAPOLIS TAXPAYER. YOU WILL NOTE THAT IN THE ENDOWMENT [1:05:10] AGREEMENT, ONE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE IS THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF REGIONAL PARKS. [1:05:18] THERE IS ON STATE LAW THE REQUIREMENT FOR 40% OF THE EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE FOR [1:05:24] OPERATING THE REGIONAL PARKS SHOULD BE PAID BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA OR MET COUNCIL. AND WE [1:05:30] ARE NOT RECEIVING THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING. WE'RE RECEIVING SOMETHING MORE IN THE 10% RANGE, [1:05:38] IF DEPENDING ON WHICH DOLLARS THEY CHOOSE TO COUNT. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE [1:05:43] REQUIREMENT OF STATE LAW, AND I ALSO FEEL QUITE STRONGLY THAT ANYBODY WHO BELIEVES THAT'S EVER [1:05:49] GOING TO HAPPEN ALSO BELIEVES IN THE TOOTH FAIRY. THAT'S WHY I ASK. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF, [1:05:57] AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN GET BACK TO US THROUGH OUR STAFF, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE [1:06:05] PROPORTION OF THE MPRB LAND MASS EXCLUDE WATER FOR THE SAKE OF [1:06:12] ARGUMENT, AND DIVIDE IT BETWEEN REGIONAL PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD [1:06:17] PARKS, DOES THE FUNDING FOR OPERATING PURPOSES FOLLOW THAT [1:06:23] PROPORTION? AND I SUPPOSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT SOME WAYS BECAUSE ONE INVOLVES A LOT OF [1:06:29] PROGRAMMING AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT NEEDS. BUT I AM JUST CONCERNED THAT THE REGIONAL PARKS, I MEAN, [1:06:37] WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB FUNDING THROUGH THE NPP20 PLAN, CITY [1:06:43] FOLKS AND PARK BOARD FOLKS HAVE NEGOTIATED THAT. WE'VE DONE A [1:06:48] GOOD JOB FUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS CAPITAL NEEDS, GETTING THE [1:06:54] GRASS CUT, MOWED, SO ON. I WORRY ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE SEAWALL FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU MENTIONED. [1:07:00] SOME OF THE OTHER FACILITIES. JUST NOT GETTING THE SAME LEVEL [1:07:06] OF ATTENTION WHILE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. [1:07:12] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT AND MEMBERS, IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION IS KIND OF HOW MUCH OF OUR [1:07:20] OPERATING DOLLARS GOING MAYBE BY PROPORTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK VERSUS THEIR REGIONAL PARK [1:07:26] SYSTEM. I WILL SAY THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SYSTEM IS MORE RICH IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF [1:07:33] OPERATING EXPENSES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SYSTEM. BUT I WOULD WANT TO GET YOU [1:07:40] OFFICIAL NUMBERS BEFORE I GUESSED AT THAT. >> OKAY. I ASKED THAT IN PART LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FOR GRACO [1:07:47] AND UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL IN 2026 AS AN OPERATING COST [1:07:53] INCREASE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE, AGAIN, A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE THAT COULD BE USED EITHER [1:08:00] FOR CAPITAL OR FOR OPERATING OR FOR BOTH THAT'S NOT WAITING FOR [1:08:06] THE STATE TO -- WHEN THE STATESHIP COMES IN, LET'S SAY. [1:08:12] IT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT THAT'S MOST LIKELY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'VE [1:08:19] EXHAUSTED MY QUESTIONS AND I HOPE I HAVEN'T EXHAUSTED YOU AND I HOPE I HAVEN'T EXHAUSTED MY [1:08:25] COLLEAGUES' PATIENCE. LET'S FILE THIS ITEM AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. WE THANK THE PARK BOARD [1:08:31] PEOPLE WHO APPEARED BEFORE US TODAY. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 6 IS [1:08:39] THE DRAFT BET BUDGET FOR 2026. [1:09:01] AND MS. KEIDERLING WILL PRESENT THAT TO US. GO AHEAD. [1:09:25] >> OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M HERE TO [1:09:30] PRESENT THE DRAFT BET BUDGET FOR 2026. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A RESOLUTION ON TONIGHT. THIS IS A [1:09:38] DRAFT. THESE NUMBERS MIGHT CHANGE SLIGHTLY. THERE'S VARIABLE EXPENSES. NOW THAT I'M [1:09:43] YOUR STAFFER, ONCE I ENROLL INTO BENEFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE MIGHT BE SOME CHANGES. [1:09:49] ALSO, THE WIDELY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD GET A COST OF LIVING INCREASE EVERY YEAR. WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL THE [1:09:56] CONSUMER PRICE INDEX COMES OUT LATER ON BECAUSE WE GO BASED ON [1:10:01] THE OCTOBER 2025 NUMBERS FOR YOUR 2026 PAY. THAT'S ALL TO SAY THERE WILL BE SLIGHT LITTLE [1:10:08] ADJUSTMENTS. BUT THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. BECAUSE I WAS [1:10:13] HIRED SO LATE IN THE YEAR ACTUALLY HAD A DRAFT OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE 2026 BUDGET [1:10:19] WOULD BE. I HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT. IN COLUMN [1:10:24] G, YOU WILL SEE MY PROJECTIONS. ANYTHING THAT'S IN RED, IF IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM, IT'S [1:10:29] SOMETHING I CHANGED THE AMOUNT ON. IF IT'S A LINE ITEM, IT'S A NEW LINE ITEM THAT I'VE ADDED. [1:10:35] FOR SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT, THE 2026BET STAFFER SALARY, I DID [1:10:42] INCREASE SLIGHTLY BOTH FOR THE STAFFER AND FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, I WAS TRYING TO DO A [1:10:48] BEST GUEST OF WHAT YOUR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IS GOING TO BE. THAT IS OF COURSE A BEST GUEST BUT I DID INCLUDE IT. FOR [1:10:54] THE BET STAFFER, I INCLUDED WHAT THE COST WOULD BE IF YOU WERE TO PROMOTE THE STAFFER TO A STEP 2, [1:11:02] LIKE ANY OTHER MINNEAPOLIS EMPLOYEE, YOU CERTAINLY DON'T [1:11:08] HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO BUT YOU CERTAINLY COULD. SO THAT IS IN [1:11:14] ROW 4 THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT SLIGHT INCREASE NUMBER. I HAVE IT FOR JUST SHY OF $5,000 HIGHER [1:11:20] THAN WHAT BUDGET ORIGINALLY HAD IT FOR. OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE YOU THROUGH EVERY [1:11:25] SINGLE LINE ITEM, BUT THE MONTHLY PARKING EXPENSES I ALSO ADDED IN BECAUSE YOU PAY FOR THE [1:11:31] STAFFERS PARKING, WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR. ALSO IT WAS EXPRESSED TO ME THAT WE SHOULD [1:11:37] REALLY BE PRIORITIZING THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING NOT [1:11:43] ONLY FOR THE STAFFER TO ATTEND BUT POSSIBLY THE WIDELY ELECTED MEMBERS IF THEY CHOOSE TO. IT IS [1:11:48] A LITTLE BIT OF EYE WATERING NUMBER IN MY OPINION BUT I'VE [1:11:54] BEEN TOLD IT'S WORTH WHILE. I DO HAVE LINE EYE EM -- ITEMS IN [1:12:01] THERE. THAT WILL BE IN CHICAGO OF NEXT YEAR. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT [1:12:06] THINGS THAT I'VE ADDED IN, I HAVE EXPENSES ABOUT $14,300 [1:12:14] ABOVE WHAT ESTIMATIONS WERE. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW WE'RE DOING OVERALL FINANCIALLY, [1:12:19] WELL THE BET'S FUND BALANCE WAS [1:12:30] $362,000. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT $56,000 WOULD BE USED THIS YEAR [1:12:35] IN 2025. BUT BY MY PROJECTIONS, IT WILL BE CLOSER TO $32,000, [1:12:41] JUST OVER $24,000 GOING BACK INTO THE BET'S FUND BALANCE. THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE I WAS [1:12:48] HIRED SO LATE IN THE YEAR THAT YOU GUYS BUDGETED MORE. YOU'RE [1:12:54] GOING TO HAVE THAT SURPLUS GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE. BY THE END OF 2025, YOU [1:13:02] COULD EXPECT TO HAVE AROUND $330,000. TO GET AN IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT IF YOU'RE FINANCIALLY HEALTHY, WE WOULD [1:13:09] HAVE TO LOOK AT INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES. THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU'RE INDEPENDENT BOARD. BUT IF WE [1:13:15] WERE COMPARING YOU TO THE GENERAL FUND, THE GENERAL FUND'S BEST PRACTICES IS TO HAVE TWO TO [1:13:22] THREE MONTHS OPERATING EXPENSES. WHICH FOR YOU WOULD BE $52,000. SO YOU ARE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER [1:13:29] THAT. FOR THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICY IS TO HAVE 17% OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S ESTIMATED [1:13:36] BUDGET UNOBLIGATED PLUS A 1% CONTINGENCY. IF YOU WERE TO FOLLOW THAT YOU WOULD BE [1:13:42] REQUIRED TO HAVE JUST OVER $37,000 IN RESERVES. YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THAT IN [1:13:48] RESERVES. I THINK THE BET'S FUND BALANCE IS QUITE HEALTHY. CERTAINLY GOING INTO 2026, I [1:13:55] DON'T THINK THAT'S ANYTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE WOULD REASSESS WHAT [1:14:01] THE LEVY IS. THE BET IS IN A FINANCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS [1:14:08] POSITION. I WOULD SAY THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW IT IS SMOOTH SAILING FOR THE BET. IF THERE'S ANY [1:14:15] INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS ABOUT LINE ITEMS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THEM. [1:14:22] >> VICE PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON. >> YES. DID YOU TELL ME WHEN I WE MET THAT THE SALARIES AND WAGES ALSO INCLUDED AN AMOUNT [1:14:29] FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? >> NOT IN THE SALARIES LINE ITEM. THIS DOES INCLUDE NOT ON [1:14:35] THE 2026, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE [1:14:43] 2025 REPORTED BUDGET, I HAVE UPDATED IT FOR WHAT YOU GUYS VOTED IN LAST SESSION, WHICH [1:14:49] INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL $2,000 FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH WAS TAKEN FROM THE SALARY [1:14:55] LINE ITEM. ORIGINALLY YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SAVE $27,000 BUT [1:15:01] BECAUSE YOU MOVED OVER TO PARKING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S WHERE THAT [1:15:07] $3 $3,000 DIFFERENCE COMES FROM. >> THANK YOU. >> COULD YOU BRING UP THE 2026 [1:15:12] AGAIN. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY. THE PARKING DAILY, THAT'S [1:15:18] JUST THE BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE PARK AT THE OFF RAMP, I ASSUME. [1:15:23] >> YES, AND ANY GUESTS WHO YOU ARE REQUIRING PARKING FOR. [1:15:31] >> ALL RIGHT. AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS [1:15:38] ABOUT HOW FAR -- I MEAN, OUR FUND BALANCE IS I WOULD SAY [1:15:45] EMBARRASSINGLY BIG AND THAT RESULTS, AS YOU KNOW, FOR NOT HAVING A STAFFER ON FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.O YOU HAVE ANY [1:15:54] THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ADVISABLE DEGREE TO DRAW THAT DOWN RATHER [1:16:01] THAN USING LEVY OBVIOUSLY TO PAY FOR THE 2026 EXPENSE? >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO LIKE I [1:16:12] STATED PREVIOUSLY PER CITY FINANCIAL POLICY PER BEST PRACTICES IF YOU WERE TO MODEL [1:16:17] AFTER THE GENERAL FUND, YOU COULD PULL IT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. IS THAT BEST PRACTICE? [1:16:23] THAT'S DEBATABLE. I HAVE REQUESTED ACCESS TO COMET, THE [1:16:29] CITY'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM. I HAVE NOT GOT THAT YET. FROM MY [1:16:34] UNDERSTANDING, THE BET HAS ALWAYS HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT IN RESERVES, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE [1:16:41] INVESTIGATION TO SEE IF THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY BEFORE I COMMIT TO IT. BUT MY INITIAL THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT IT [1:16:47] COULD BE SPENT DOWN MORE THAN IT CURRENTLY IS. I KNOW FROM TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES [1:16:54] IN BUDGET, THEIR THOUGHT ON FINANCIAL HEALTH IS WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT LEVY CHANGES [1:17:00] GOING FORWARD. BUT THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERING IT FOR 2026. I CAN TELL YOU CONFIDENTLY THAT'S [1:17:06] ABSOLUTELY NOT NEEDED IN 2026. WOULD IT BE NEEDED FOR 2027 [1:17:12] FORWARD, I WOULD NOT ANTICIPATE SO BUT I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THE DATA BEFORE I ANSWER THAT, SIR. [1:17:18] >> VERY GOOD. REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE'LL ADOPT THIS LATE IN THE YEAR. ALL RIGHT. I [1:17:26] THINK WE'VE -- IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE'VE DISPOSED OF THIS ITEM AND WE [1:17:31] WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 6. WHICH IS THE -- EXCUSE ME, ITEM [1:17:38] 7, BET WORK PLAN. AND PROCEED, [1:17:44] PLEASE. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY, SIR. SO FROM [1:17:49] OUR BET WORK PLAN DISCUSSION THAT WAS CONTINUED FROM THE LAST SESSION, WE DID GET SOME UPDATED [1:17:55] INFORMATION FOR YOU FROM PRESIDENT BRANDT'S ORIGINAL MEMO THAT CAME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. [1:18:00] SEVERAL MONTHS AGO PRESIDENT BRANDT CIRCULATED HIS MEMO THAT ALL OF YOU UP ON THE COMMISSION [1:18:06] SAW. AND THE ANSWER WE GOT BACK WAS SOME OF THESE ITEMS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE OFF THE SHELF FROM [1:18:12] FINANCE. I FOLLOWED UP WITH OUR CFO MS. DYE AND ASKED ARE THESE [1:18:20] READILY AVAILABLE OR SOMETHING I COULD POTENTIALLY PURSUE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH FINANCE, I PARED [1:18:28] DOWN PRESIDENT BRANDT'S ORIGINAL LIST AND CAME UP WITH A LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY [1:18:34] AVAILABLE THAT MAYBE THE BET STAFFER COULD LOOK INTO. I'VE DIVIDED IT INTO NEAR TERM AND [1:18:39] FAR TERM. FOR THE NEAR TERM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE [1:18:45] SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN FINANCE DURING THE BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR FOR THEM. I WANTED IT [1:18:51] THING SPECIFICALLY THAT I COULD INVESTIGATE ON MY OWN. SO FOR THE NEAR TERM, THERE WERE TWO [1:18:58] THINGS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE OFF THE SHELF FROM FINANCE THAT I THINK THE BET [1:19:03] STAFFER COULD INVESTIGATE FOR YOU. DEBT LOAD COMPARED TO PEER [1:19:13] CITIES. FINANCE DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IT WOULD TAKE A DEFINITION OF WHAT IS A PEER CITY. BUT I THINK THAT'S [1:19:20] SOMETHING THAT THE BET STAFFER COULD INVESTIGATE FOR YOU AND WOULDN'T TAKE A LOT OF RESOURCES FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THE [1:19:26] SECOND THING THAT I THINK COULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEAR TERM, AS A CAVEAT, THIS WOULD REQUIRE [1:19:33] AN INVITATION FOR THE BET FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. THE CITY COUNCIL IS CURRENTLY HAVING [1:19:38] POLICY AND RESEARCH INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE. WE HAVE A MEETING BETWEEN [1:19:45] PRESIDENT BRANDT AND VP PREE-STINSON TO MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL TO GO OVER WHAT THE SCOPE OF THAT REQUEST IS. POLICY [1:19:50] AND RESEARCH, I MET WITH THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THEY MORE THAN WELCOMED THE IDEA OF THE [1:19:57] BET STAFFER JOINING THAT EFFORT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THEY ARE PRETTY STRETCHED THIN WITH THEIR [1:20:02] REQUEST. SO THEY WOULD LOVE ACCESS TO SOMEONE WHO CLD TAKE [1:20:08] ON THIS WORK LOAD. IF CITY COUNCIL DOES DECIDE TO INVITE THE BET TO BE PART OF THAT PROJECT, I WOULD SAY THAT IT [1:20:14] WOULD BE A GOOD NEAR TERM PROJECT FOR THE BET STAFFER TO EITHER TAKE OVER A PORTION OF OR [1:20:20] WORK WITH POLICY AND RESEARCH TO TURN AROUND THAT REQUEST FROM BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE BET. CURRENTLY [1:20:27] RIGHT NOW THEY PLAN TO TURN THAT AROUND BY THE END OF QUARTER 3. SO BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER THEY [1:20:33] WERE HOPING TO HAVE A REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL. IF I HELP THEM WITH THAT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET IT TURNED AROUND A [1:20:39] LITTLE SOONER. BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT DOES COME WITH THE CAVEAT THAT YOU GUYS WOULD ALLOW ME TO [1:20:46] DO THAT, NUMBER ONE, AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD CHOOSE ME TO BE A PART OF THAT. FOR THE FAR TERM, [1:20:52] THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM FINANCE OR OTHER [1:20:57] CITY DEPARTMENTS OFF THE SHELF. THEY WOULD TAKE MORE INVESTIGATION AND RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTMENT FROM PEOPLE. THIS [1:21:04] IS WHY I HAVE THEM IN THE FAR TERM. GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS. THIS [1:21:09] IS INFORMATION THAT'S NOT READILY AVAILABLE FOR MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. SO IT WOULD TAKE A PARTNERSHIP WITH [1:21:15] THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. I WOULD HAVE TO DO PROBABLY SEVERAL REQUESTS TO [1:21:21] COME UP WITH THIS INFORMATION. IT WOULD BE A HEAVIER LIFT AND PARTNERSHIPS WHICH IS WHY I HAVE [1:21:26] IT IN THE FAR TERM CATEGORY. FOLLOWING ON, THE MAPPING OF DOLLAR FLOWS FROM SALES AND [1:21:32] SPECIAL TAXES FROM THE DOWNTOWN ASSETS FUND WITH STATE RESTRICTIONS, VARIANCES AND [1:21:38] TYPES OF USES. THERE IS SOME INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FINANCE ALREADY. HOWEVER, IT WOULD NEED [1:21:43] TO BE DISSEMINATED OUT TO TRULY ANSWER THIS QUESTION. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE [1:21:50] BIT MORE WITH FINANCE. I DON'T WANT TO REQUEST THIS REPORT NOW BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE OF A REPORT REQUEST FROM FINANCE. AND [1:21:57] THEN FINALLY, ANALYSIS OF THE MAJOR COST DRIVERS IN THE CITY [1:22:03] BUDGET GROWTH PERHAPS SUBJECT BY PANELED EXPERTS. IT WOULD BE BOTH AN INTERNAL TEAM AND AN [1:22:08] EXTERNAL TEAM. IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE QUITE A BIT MORE RESOURCES AND QUITE A BIT MORE [1:22:14] RELATIONSHIPS. ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S NOT READILY AVAILABLE SO A GOOD IDEA FOR A BET STAFFER TO [1:22:20] PURSUE, I THINK IT SHOULD GO IN THE FAR TERM CATEGORY. EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S NOT LISTED ON THIS LIST WAS REPLIED [1:22:26] TO US BY FINANCE THAT THEY ARE WANTING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO COME UP WITH AN ANSWER FOR US [1:22:32] BUT THEY THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT. WHICH IS WHY IT'S NOT IN THE NEAR OR FAR TERM [1:22:39] CATEGORY. SO COULD I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? >> COMMISSIONER PAYNE. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BRANDT. [1:22:45] I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD SOME CONTEXT FOR THE COUNCIL REQUEST. [1:22:50] WE DID ACTUALLY BRING SOMETHING FORWARD AT THE LAST COUNCIL CYCLE BUT HELD IT FOR A LITTLE [1:22:55] BIT MORE REVIEW AND REFINEMENT BEFORE DOING A FINAL ACTION ON IT. >> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? [1:23:04] COMMISSIONER ABENE. >> THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I WILL SORT OF DEFER TO THE ELECTED [1:23:11] BOARD MEMBERS HERE FOR THE WORK PLAN. BUT I DO THINK THIS LOOKS GOOD. I ALSO THINK THAT ON THE [1:23:19] FAR TERM IT LOOKS ACCURATE TO ME THAT THESE ARE FAR TERM ITEMS. [1:23:24] BUT I THINK THE FINAL BULLET ON THERE IS WORKING INSIDE THE CITY MORE AND IT'S A GOOD ACTIVITY TO [1:23:31] KICK OFF PRETTY SOON BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO MAYBE THIS BODY, [1:23:37] THE COUNCIL AND SO ON. IT WOULD HELP WITH LEARNING THE INTERNAL CITY FUNCTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW. OF THE FAR [1:23:44] TERM ONES, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE TABLED FOR NOW AND WILL COME UP LATER. BUT I THINK THAT [1:23:49] ONE SEEMS LIKE IT'S ONE THAT COULD BEGIN FAIRLY SOON. JUST A THOUGHT. [1:23:54] >> IF I COULD JUMP IN ON THAT POINT. AS I TALK TO PEOPLE [1:23:59] AROUND THE CITY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE, A COMMON [1:24:06] RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE IS THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT [1:24:15] PROVERBIAL WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE IS NOT HAPPENING IN THE CITY BUDGET. I THINK IT'S IRONIC [1:24:21] THAT WE ALWAYS ASSUME THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS THOSE [1:24:26] CHARACTERISTICS. BUT WE GET OUR UTILITY BILLS AND WE NEVER ASSUME THERE'S WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE OR ANYTHING ELSE. I THINK [1:24:33] IT'S VALID WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY'S EXISTING RESOURCES ARE WELL SPENT IS CERTAINLY A [1:24:41] VALID AREA FOR ANALYSIS, AND THE GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS EXPANDING. [1:24:49] THERE'S A MODEL FOR THIS WHICH IS WHY I SUGGESTED IT COULD BE EITHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL [1:24:55] FOLKS OVER IN SAINT PAUL WHERE CITIZENS COMMISSION THAT INCLUDED A FORMER CITY BUDGET [1:25:01] DIRECTOR AND SOME OTHER FOLKS WITH FINANCIAL ACUMEN DID TAKE A [1:25:07] LOOK AT SAINT PAUL'S CITY BUDGET, AND NOT IN A SENSATIONALISTIC WAY, BUT THEY [1:25:13] LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS IN THE INCREASE IN THAT CITY'S BUDGET AND GAVE A BODY OF INFORMATION [1:25:19] FOR CITIZENS TO DISCUSS. I WOULD LOVE TO TACKLE THAT BEFORE WE GO [1:25:28] TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR SURE IF WE DECIDE TO PURSUE ANY [1:25:33] STRUCTURE FOR ALTERNATIVE REVENUES. BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HELP PUBLIC [1:25:39] ACCEPTANCE IF WE HAD PERFORMED A STUDY LIKE THIS. SO THAT'S WHY I PUT IT ON THE LIST HERE. I GUESS [1:25:48] MY QUESTION FOR MS. KEIDERLING IS, WHEN YOU SAY NEAR TERM AND [1:25:53] FAR TERM, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW FAR OUT FAR TERM IS? [1:26:00] >> I DO NOT, SIR. BUT I CAN CERTAINLY COME UP -- IF YOU [1:26:07] WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ACTION ON EACH OF THESE FIVE ITEMS, I COULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU WITH A TURNAROUND TIME. I'M NOT SURE [1:26:15] FOR A RESOLUTION IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A DUE DATE. BUT IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A RESOLUTION AND PUT IT IN THE BET STAFFER'S WORK [1:26:23] PLAN, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD NEED A DUE DATE TO DO THAT. >> OKAY. I WONDER WHAT THE [1:26:28] THOUGHTS OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE ON WHETHER WE ADOPT SOMETHING IN [1:26:33] THIS AREA OR JUST GIVE INFORMAL DIRECTION BASED ON THIS [1:26:38] PRESENTATION. COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON. >> I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE JOB [1:26:44] DESCRIPTION VERSUS WHAT HAS TO GO IN THE WORK PLAN. IT SOUNDS [1:26:50] INITIALLY INVESTIGATIVE, IF YOU WILL. BUT ALSO ONE OF THE KEY WORDS HERE IS PARTNERSHIP. SO I FEEL -- I DON'T THINK THE DATES [1:26:56] NEED TO GO IN THERE. I AGREE WITH THAT. BUT I ALSO THINK BEFORE YOU CAN GET DATES, YOU WOULD HAVE TO SPEAK WITH THOSE [1:27:04] DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT WORK LOAD AND WHEN THAT MAY BE. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE [1:27:10] DATES ATTACHED IN ORDER TO MAKE IT REAL. AND SPECIFIC TO THE WORK PLAN, I THINK IT COULD JUST [1:27:17] GO IN THERE IF WE WANT TO NAME IT SPECIFICALLY. AND GO BACK TO [1:27:23] THOSE WORDS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT LAST TIME AS WELL WHEN I TALKED ABOUT INVESTIGATE RATHER THAN RESEARCH, COORDINATE, [1:27:30] PARTICIPATE. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WILL BE GETTING DETERMINED THROUGH DOING AN [1:27:35] INITIAL INVESTIGATION. SO I THINK WE COULD ADD IT TO THE WORK PLAN, WHICH EVERYBODY DOES [1:27:41] HAVE A COPY OF. I BELIEVE THE ONLY THING THAT WE WERE BACK AND [1:27:47] FORTH ABOUT IN THIS BRANDT MEMO WAS THE LAST ONE. THIS ANALYSIS [1:27:52] OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF REVENUE. I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT [1:27:59] REFRAMING. AND I THINK WE HAVE. BETWEEN LAST MEETING AND THIS ONE, I THINK WE HAVE. I THINK WE [1:28:04] JUST NEED TO CHANGE THAT LANGUAGE OF ANALYSIS. TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE COORDINATION LOOKS LIKE, [1:28:11] TIMELINE, THINGS LIKE THAT. OTHERWISE, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE HAVE FOR THE WORK PLAN. [1:28:17] I THINK IT'S A SIZEABLE AMOUNT FOR SOMEONE TO GET THROUGH TO [1:28:22] THE END OF THE YEAR. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO FURTHER REFINE THIS. AND BRING [1:28:31] IT BACK. I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO HOLD OFF ON THE DEBT LOAD [1:28:40] ANALYSIS, FOR EXAMPLE. IF MY COLLEAGUES ARE AGREED, THAT SEEMS FAIRLY CUT AND DRY. AND [1:28:46] THERE ARE PEER CITIES THAT ARE COMMONLY USED TO COMPARE TO MINNEAPOLIS, AND I DON'T KNOW [1:28:52] WHO WOULD BE THE BEST ENTITY TO CALL THOSE OUT FOR YOU. BUT [1:28:59] PERHAPS WOULD THE AUDITOR HAVE DONE SOME WORK IN THAT AREA? [1:29:07] >> POLICY AND RESEARCH TEAM HAS DONE SOME PEER CITY ANALYSIS. >> GREAT. SO THAT WOULD BE A [1:29:14] RESOURCE FOR DETERMINING LIST OF POTENTIAL PEER CITIES. OKAY. ALL [1:29:20] RIGHT. COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON. >> JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION. SO ARE WE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS, [1:29:25] WE CALLED IT THE BRANDT MEMO BEFORE. BUT ARE WE GOING TO FORMALLY VOTE ON THE WORK PLAN [1:29:32] TODAY OR ARE WE STILL WAITING FOR WHAT WE'D BE WAITING FOR? >> I WOULDN'T VOTE ON THE BRANDT [1:29:37] MEMO BECAUSE THAT INCLUDES SOME THINGS THAT WE MAY HAVE TAKEN [1:29:44] OFF THE TABLE OR BEING DONE THROUGH FINANCE. UNLESS MY [1:29:49] COLLEAGUES FEEL OTHERWISE. BUT I'D BE -- I GUESS I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHETHER PEOPLE [1:29:55] ARE COMFORTABLE VOTING ON WHAT'S BEFORE US ON THE SCREEN OR [1:30:03] WHETHER THEY WANT OUR STAFF TO COME BACK WITH SOME MORE [1:30:09] FLESHING OUT IN THIS AREA. COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON. >> I COULD SEE THIS GETTING DRAGGED OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. [1:30:16] I THINK GENERAL WORK DIRECTION AND SOMEONE HAVING GENERAL WORK DIRECTION IS IMPORTANT. SO I THINK IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE [1:30:22] TODAY, I WOULD LIKE SOME CONFIDENCE AND REASSURANCE THAT WE CAN AGREE THAT BY THE NEXT [1:30:27] AGENDA SETTING, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE SOMETHING IN FRONT OF US THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO VOTE ON THAT COULD INCLUDE THESE [1:30:34] UPDATES TO BE PUT INTO A PROPER PROPOSAL FOR A WORK PLAN SO THAT WE DON'T DRAG THIS OUT TOO MUCH [1:30:41] LONGER. >> COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON, DO YOU SEE THAT AS [1:30:47] A RESOLUTION? >> POINT OF CLARIFICATION TO THE CLERK, WOULD THAT JUST NEED TO [1:30:53] BE A DIRECTION THAT WE GIVE OR FORMAL DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT WE VOTE ON AS THE WORK PLAN? [1:31:03] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, AND VICE-PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON, I THINK IF THE BODY WANTS TO ADOPT [1:31:09] SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, VERY DETAILED AS A WORK PLAN I THINK IT SHOULD PROBABLY BE IN A RESOLUTION. BUT I THINK THE BODY [1:31:16] COULD ALSO JUST SIMPLY KIND OF DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMAL, BUT KIND OF BE LIKE AS [1:31:24] DESCRIBED IN MS. KEIDERLING'S [1:31:31] PRESENTATION. I THINK IT COULD BE ONE OR THE OTHER. >> I'M CERTAINLY COMFORTABLE [1:31:37] WITH THE LATTER. I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THE FORMER. BUT [1:31:42] SHOULD WE GIVE THAT DIRECTION TODAY? ARE PEOPLE PREPARED TO GIVE THAT DIRECTION TODAY? >> I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WAY [1:31:50] TODAY. >> ALL RIGHT. DO YOU WANT TO PUT THAT -- I GUESS WE DON'T REALLY [1:31:55] NEED A RESOLUTION. DO WE JUST WANT TO PROPOSE STAFF DIRECTION THAT MS. KEIDERLING BEGIN ON THE [1:32:06] SHORT TERM, NEAR TERM ITEMS SUBJECT OF COURSE TO THE MEETING THAT WE WILL HAVE WITH THE POWER [1:32:13] PEOPLE NEXT MONTH. AND THAT SHE WILL FLESH OUT WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE FOR THE FAR [1:32:19] TERM ITEMS. OKAY. >> YES. >> ALL RIGHT. >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, IF I MAY, [1:32:25] SORRY. I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ACTION ON THE NEAR TERM. FOR THE FAR TERM, [1:32:30] ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT AN ANSWER BY NEXT MEETING AS TO WHEN THESE CAN BE TURNED AROUND. JUST SO [1:32:35] EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE, I'M GOING TO NEED FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST ONE TO REACH OUT TO THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF [1:32:42] REVENUE, FIND THE RIGHT PERSON AND GET A RESPONSE FROM THEM. AND WE HAVE HOLIDAYS IN BETWEEN [1:32:48] THERE. GOVERNMENT TYPICALLY DOES -- I'M NOT 100% POSITIVE I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU I'M GOING TO GET THIS TO YOU BY [1:32:56] DECEMBER 31ST IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION I'M GETTING NOW. >> WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT [1:33:02] YOU NOT -- THAT YOU BUNDLE THE FAR TERM ITEMS AND MAYBE BRING THEM BACK TO US WHEN YOU HAVE A [1:33:10] REASONABLE SENSE OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED AND HOW. BUT NOT [1:33:18] SHOOT NECESSARILY FOR THE NEXT MEETING. COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON. >> YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR EXPECTATION WOULD BE REGULAR [1:33:24] UPDATES. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ANY [1:33:30] OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE NO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS SO WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM [1:33:35] WHICH IS THE LAST DISCUSSION ITEM. IT'S THE DISCUSSION OF THE [1:33:40] VICE PRESIDENTIAL DUTIES ON THE BET. AND I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO [1:33:47] ASK COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON, VICE-PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON TO LEAD ON THIS ITEM. >> JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT [1:33:52] I WANTED US TO THINK ABOUT. NOW THAT WE HAVE A STAFFER IN PLACE, [1:33:59] WHAT WE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE REALIZED IS THERE'S A LOT OF PROCESS THINGS JUST NOT [1:34:04] IN PLACE. SOME OF THAT IS ALSO DUE TO NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE. THERE ARE JUST THINGS THAT [1:34:09] DIDN'T GET THOUGHT ABOUT. VERY SMALL THINGS AS FAR AS WHEN WE GET A NEW STAFFER, WHERE DO THEY [1:34:16] SIT? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSIGNING? THEY COULD BE VERY [1:34:21] SMALL THINGS. THEY COULD ALSO BE LARGER ITEMS. SO I JUST, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT [1:34:27] THAT THROUGH PROCESS THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT. ONE IS THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT DOESN'T [1:34:34] EXACTLY HAVE ANY DUTIES. THEY'LL SIT IN IF THEY HAVE TO. BUT I THINK NOW ONE OF THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT THAT'S RIGHT BEFORE [1:34:40] US IS WE DO NOW HAVE A FULL-TIME STAFFER THAT WE WORKED VERY HARD TO GET. AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE [1:34:46] SURE THIS PERSON IS GETTING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM THEIR SUPERVISOR, WHICH THE WAY [1:34:52] THAT IT'S WRITTEN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. HAMMER, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE [1:34:57] PRESIDENT. IT COULD BE THE VICE PRESIDENT, IS THAT CORRECT? [1:35:02] >> PRESIDENT BRANDT, VICE PRESIDENT PREE-STINSON AND COMMISSIONERS, YES, THAT'S CORRECT. THE ONLY THING IN THE [1:35:09] BYLAWS JUST SAYS THAT THE PRESIDENT PRESIDES OVER THE MEETINGS, AND THE VICE PRESIDENT [1:35:16] PRESIDES OVER THE MEETINGS IF THE PRESIDENT IS ABSENT. ANY COMMISSIONER ON THE BOARD, [1:35:21] PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, ANOTHER COMMISSIONER, THAT WILL ALL BE FINE. >> OKAY. I JUST THINK IT'S [1:35:27] SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT BECAUSE AS WE KNOW IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE US SITTING HERE. IT [1:35:32] COULD BE ANYBODY. DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WITH THAT. HAVING A TITLE DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT SUPERVISOR. SOME [1:35:38] OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT ACROSS THE BOARD IS TRAINING FOR THE TWO ELECTED [1:35:47] MEMBERS TO KNOW HOW TO SUPERVISE AND WHAT ARE THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL TO BE GIVING END OF YEAR EVALUATIONS AND THINGS LIKE [1:35:53] THAT. THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT THINGS AND WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO THEM. DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO [1:35:59] THOSE SYSTEMS. THAT'S ONE THING. BUT IT ALSO COULD BE THAT THE [1:36:04] VICE PRESIDENT WANTS THOSE DUTIES OR HAS MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE DUTIES. I WANT TO [1:36:12] MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE AWARE AND ALSO WHO IS GOING TO DO WHAT. [1:36:18] THE THIRD THING I'M BRING UP AND IT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT. I'M NOT EXPECTING FOR US TO DO ANYTHING [1:36:23] TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A SMALL DISCUSSION. ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS BUDGET. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY [1:36:30] SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY BEFORE BECAUSE WE WERE WITHOUT A STAFFER FOR FIVE YEARS, HAVING [1:36:36] SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK FROM PREVIOUS ITERATIONS MIGHT BE HELPFUL ON HOW MUCH [1:36:43] TIME THEY ACTUALLY SPENT WITH THEIR STAFFER. AND WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER AN INCREASE IN THE PAY FOR THE PAID BOARD MEMBERS. [1:36:51] BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT MORE AMOUNT OF WORK IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT RIGHT AND WELL AND DO IT JUST. AND ACTUALLY BE THERE [1:36:58] FOR THE PERSON AND BE THEIR GUIDE IN THAT WAY. SO JUST SOME THINGS I WANTED US TO THINK ABOUT WITHIN THAT REALM OF IT'S [1:37:06] NOT JUST A VICE PRESIDENT DUTY THING, IT'S REALLY A WHOLE BOARD THING TO THINK ABOUT. I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY OTHER [1:37:11] THOUGHTS ON ANY OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT. THAT [1:37:17] ALSO WOULD INCLUDE THINGS, JUST ANOTHER PROCESS THING TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IS WHEN THERE'S NEW [1:37:22] MEMBERS TO THE BOARD. OUR PREVIOUS STAFFER THAT WE HAD FOR ONLY A MONTH OR TWO, MR. STERL [1:37:30] WAS THE ONE WHO DID OUR ONBOARDING FOR US. BUT THERE'S [1:37:35] NOTHING WRITTEN ANYWHERE THAT SAYS THAT NOR DOES IT SAY WHAT ONBOARDING MEANS. ELECTED [1:37:42] OFFICIALS THAT COULD BE ONE EXAMPLE. THESE TRAININGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WE NEED PROCESS FOR [1:37:48] THAT AS WELL. I THINK WE'RE IN A PROCESS SPACE. I THINK MS. [1:37:54] KEIDERLING CAN HELP WITH THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO STRONGLY CONSIDER THESE THINGS AS WE MOVE [1:37:59] FORWARD AND WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN FOR A LONG TIME AND THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT COULD [1:38:06] GET LOST. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON, I WOULD REACT IN THIS WAY. I THINK [1:38:12] THE AREAS THAT YOU BRING UP AS [1:38:19] WORTHY OF CONSIDERING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW STAFFER, ARE [1:38:28] APPROPRIATE AND NEEDED. WHOEVER THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS WHO WILL SERVE IN THIS POSITION NOW AND [1:38:34] IN THE FUTURE HAVE DIFFERING SKILLS. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD GLADLY DEFER TO YOUR EXPERTISE [1:38:42] IN THE AREA OF PERSONNEL. AND I [1:38:47] THINK ONE WAY WE COULD HANDLE THIS IS TO SIMPLY OPERATE WITH [1:38:54] THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL ASSIGN DUTIES AS [1:39:02] NEEDED TO THE VICE PRESIDENT. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE FOLLOW THE ROTATION THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THE ELECTED MEMBERS IN THE PAST AND [1:39:09] SHOULD BOTH OF US BE REELECTED, I BELIEVE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE [1:39:17] NEXT YEAR TO CHANGE SO THAT YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT AND I AM THE [1:39:23] VICE PRESIDENT. SO IF WE LOCKED IN CERTAIN DUTIES FOR VICE PRESIDENT IN THE BYLAWS THEN I MIGHT BE STUCK WITH THINGS THAT [1:39:29] I MIGHT NOT DO BETTER THAN YOU OR YOU MIGHT DO BETTER THAN ME. [1:39:34] ANY THOUGHTS? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. >> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD CATCH AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR [1:39:41] THINKING ABOUT THIS, VICE PRESIDENT. BUT I THINK YOUR BACKGROUND IS REALLY IMPORTANT [1:39:46] HERE. I WOULD SAY MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE IT [1:39:51] MAY RESULT IN AMENDS TO THE BYLAWS. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO GET SO PRESCRIPTIVE THAT YOU'RE [1:39:57] CREATING A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT IDEA. THE TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS OR OVERSIGHT AREAS [1:40:03] ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AT THE PARK BOARD, WE HAD AN EXCELLENT ONBOARDING FOR THE COMMISSIONERS. AND IT REALLY GOT [1:40:10] US GOING. AND IF ANY WAY TO FORMALIZE THAT I THINK FOR PEOPLE IN YOUR SPOTS COMING IN, [1:40:17] EVEN THE PARK BOARD COMMISSIONER COMING IN, AND ALLOWING, ALSO HELPING US ALL TO UNDERSTAND THE [1:40:24] CONNECTIONS IN THE CITY AND STAFF. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> COMMISSIONER ABENE, THAT [1:40:30] CERTAINLY POINTS UP THE BENEFITS OF HAVING INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE HERE AT THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE [1:40:37] AND TAXATION AT THE STAFF LEVEL. WE DID OUR LAST STAFFER WAS HERE FOR 38 YEARS, AND THEN WE HAD A GAP. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE [1:40:47] SAYING. UNDER NEW BUSINESS, I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. UNDER NEW [1:40:53] BUSINESS, WE HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL FOR WHICH THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE [1:40:58] AND TAXATION WILL CONSIDER APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF TAX EXEMPT GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS [1:41:04] AT A FUTURE DATE. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OKAY. AND SEEING NONE, I'LL ASK [1:41:12] THE CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT MEMO. ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE NEXT ON OUR AGENDA. DO MY [1:41:19] COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? COMMISSIONER ABENE. >> NO ANNOUNCEMENTS. BUT I JUST [1:41:24] WANT TO -- I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS LEFT IN THE ROOM THAT CAME TO [1:41:30] SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BUT I APPRECIATE THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME DURING THE [1:41:36] MONSOON SEASON HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS. THERE WAS ONE WOMAN TRYING TO ARRIVE HERE WITH HER CHILDREN AND WAS SOMEWHERE [1:41:44] NEARBY AND COULDN'T FIND LOCATION AND WAS TRYING TO DO IT IN THE SKYWAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE THIS CITY AND I [1:41:49] THINK WE HAVE THE BEST CITIZENS IN THE WORLD HERE. SO THANK YOU. >> I HAVE ONE QUICK [1:41:59] ANNOUNCEMENT. I'VE ASKED MS. KEIDERLING TO DO SOME INITIAL [1:42:05] WORK ON A CALENDAR FOR 2026. AND TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DATES [1:42:12] ARE BLACKED OUT ON THE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE [1:42:17] BY VIRTUE OF FALLING ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS OR OTHER [1:42:24] THINGS. AND I'VE ALREADY GIVEN HER ONE MEAN TIME WHEN I EXPECT TO BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY NEXT [1:42:30] WINTER. AND IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER CONFLICTS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SCHEDULE AROUND, FEEL [1:42:37] FREE TO FORWARD THOSE TO HER. OKAY. COMMISSIONER PREE-STINSON. >> I JUST HAD ONE OTHER QUICK [1:42:43] NOTE ABOUT THE PARTICIPATION TODAY. THE GOOD WORK THAT WE DO [1:42:49] OFTEN GOES UNSEEN. BUT ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE DID FOUR YEARS AGO WAS IN OUR VERY FIRST [1:42:55] MEETING TOGETHER WAS TO DECIDE THAT WE'D HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTARY AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND NOT [1:43:00] JUST THE CHARTEDER REQUIRED ONES. AND I WANT TO NOTE THAT EVERY TIME WHEN PEOPLE SHOW UP [1:43:05] IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT. MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD HAVE DONE THE WORK TO DO THAT OUTREACH AND TURNOUT. [1:43:11] AND THE TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD THIS CHAMBER BE FILLED WITH PUBLIC COMMENT IT HAS BROKEN THE [1:43:16] RECORD. WHICH FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE I ASKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS 10 FOLKS WERE THE MAX THAT HAD EVER SHOWED UP. AND EVERY [1:43:23] TIME WE'VE HAD PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTARY, WE'VE BROKEN THAT RECORD. IT GOES TO [1:43:28] SHOW THAT THE SMALLEST OF DECISIONS DO MATTER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP AND SPEAK [1:43:34] THEIR VOICE. THEY PUT US HERE SO THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING WHEN WE SEE THAT [1:43:40] HAPPEN HERE AND RECORDS BE BROKEN PERSON BY PERSON. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT COMMENT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'VE [1:43:46] COMPLETED ALL THE BUSINESS SCHEDULES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE STAND ADJOURNED.