Board President John Erwin outlined major goals for 2010, which includes an effort to improve relations with the City Council while confirming the independence of the Minneapolis Park Board. Erwin also outlined the need for a more diverse revenue base and increasing community engagement. Erwin praised the Park Board staff and proclaimed that the “Park staff are the best staff of any organization with which I have been affiliated.”

The Board also unanimously reappointed General Manager Don Siggelkow as Secretary to the Board, and Brian Rice as General Counsel.

Newly-elected Commissioners are:
Brad Bourn – District 6
John Erwin – At-large
Anita Tabb – District 4
Liz Wielinski – District 1

Re-elected Commissioners are:
Bob Fine – At-large
Carol Kummer – District 5
Jon Olson – District 2
Scott Vreeland – District 3
Annie Young – At-large

President Erwin appointed the following Commissioners to serve on Standing Committees of the Board (one-year terms):

• Administration and Finance Committee – Chair Scott Vreeland, Vice Chair Anita Tabb, Jon Olson, Bob Fine, Liz Wielinski

• Recreation Committee – Chair Liz Wielinski, Vice Chair Carol Kummer, Bob Fine, Anita Tabb, Brad Bourn

• Planning Committee – Chair Annie Young, Vice Chair Bob Fine, Scott Vreeland, Jon Olson, Liz Wielinski

• Operations and Environment Committee – Chair Jon Olson, Vice Chair Brad Bourn, Annie Young, Carol Kummer, Scott Vreeland

• Legislation and Inter-Governmental Committee – Chair Carol Kummer, Vice Chair Jon Olson, Anita Tabb, Liz Wielinski, Brad Bourn

• Committee on Standards and Conduct – Chair Brad Bourn, Vice Chair Liz Wielinski, Anita Tabb, Carol Kummer, Annie Young

President Erwin also appointed commissioners and three citizens to serve on the following external boards, commissions and panels:

• Planning Commission – Brad Bourn, alternate Annie Young (two-year term)

• Board of Estimate and Taxation – Bob Fine, alternate Anita Tabb (one-year term)

• Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (citizen appointments) – Ami Thompson (second year of two-year term); alternate Carol Pass (two-year term)

• Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program – Liz Wielinski, alternate Scott Vreeland (one-year term)

• St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board – Scott Vreeland, Bob Fine, Liz Wielinski, citizen appointee Stephanie Gruber (one-year term)

• Youth Coordinating Board – Bob Fine, alternate Brad Bourn (one-year term)

• Minneapolis Institute of Arts Board – Anita Tabb, alternate John Erwin (one-year term)

• Public Art Design Advisory Panel – Carol Kummer, alternate Brad Bourn (one-year term)

• Mississippi Watershed Management Organization – Scott Vreeland, alternate Liz Wielinski (one-year term)

• John H. Stevens House Organization – Carol Kummer, alternate Anita Tabb (one-year term)

• Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee – Brad Bourn, alternate Jon Olson (one-year term)

• Minneapolis Parks Foundation – John Erwin, alternate Anita Tabb (one-year term)

• Minneapolis Tree Advisory Committee – John Erwin, alternate Carol Kummer (one-year term)

• Riverfront Corporation – Scott Vreeland, Jon Olson, Bob Fine, alternates Carol Kummer, Liz Wielinski, Anita Tabb (one-year term)

• Liaison to the 2010 NRPA Conference – Former Commissioners Mary Merrill Anderson and Tracy Nordstrom (one-year term)

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meets at 5 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month for regular meetings. MPRB Board meetings are broadcast live from 5-9 p.m. on the Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online on the Channel 79 webpage.

Meeting agendas and related information are typically posted on www.minneapolisparks.org two business days prior to each meeting.