Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

[David Greene]

One of the boards I'm on has an old-timer southsider who was well connected with the DFL scene in the late 60s onward. And he talks about this "grand bargain" of (I forget the year) where southside progressives agreed to caucus with "law & order whites" (his words) on the north side and, to a lesser extent, working-class NE. I think we're still seeing the remnants of that.

I'll admit I don't really understand the point of this kind of bargain. If the Minneapolis DFL fractured into DFL and Republican halves (and I think it's easy to guess which councilmembers would be on which side), there would still be a substantial DFL majority on the city council, the mayoral elections, and associated city boards.

Things were very different 40 years ago. In a multitude of ways. Minneapolis has just come through the riots. Republicans/Conservatives had a stronger footfold in the city. Labor was rapidly declining.

[EOst]

Things were very different 40 years ago. In a multitude of ways. Minneapolis has just come through the riots. Republicans/Conservatives had a stronger footfold in the city. Labor was rapidly declining.

Sure, but now?

[David Greene]

Things were very different 40 years ago. In a multitude of ways. Minneapolis has just come through the riots. Republicans/Conservatives had a stronger footfold in the city. Labor was rapidly declining.

Sure, but now?

Matt did say, "remnants." It takes a long time for crap like that to filter out. When "grand bargains" are made, legacies get created and those legacies lead to things like dynastic rule. Momentum has to be actively resisted.

[twincitizen]

I know that a lot of you see Barb Johnson as the second coming of Jesse Helms or something, but in most parts of the country, she'd just be a regular Democrat, no questions asked.

She doesn't have to be Jesse Helms to be wrong for Minneapolis.

And on a more general note, how can you tell? She's usually the one vote on the Council against race issues, higher spending, and a host of other traditionally D issues. She even calls herself a social conservative (p. 27).

An urban conservative has a healthy respect for the tax dollar. If we raise taxes, I want the dollars to be spent for services that improve the safety of our neighborhoods. Public safety is the Number One responsibility of local government. It’s tough always to produce this outcome as one of 13 city council votes, which is what I am. It is always a pleasure when common sense prevails.

I couldn't find a single word of hers in that piece to disagree with, FWIW.

But we're way off topic at this point... most of this will probably be moved to another thread, so let's get back to the parks/referendum/etc.

[mattaudio]

It starts with

I don’t consider myself an urban conservative; I
think I’m more of a realist.

That's an instant disagreement right there. The framing of "realist" as one particular viewpoint is extremely limiting and dishonest. It would be just as much if progressives claimed the label.

[David Greene]

I couldn't find a single word of hers in that piece to disagree with, FWIW.

There is no program or intervention that can mitigate the effects of a teenager having a baby. When this tragedy happens in our community

"Tragedy?" "Tragedy?!?!"

This is what constitutes a tragedy for Barb Johnson.

I mean, man.

[VAStationDude]

MNdible nailed the mprb snow clearing issue in the downtown commons thread. Heavy foot traffic combined with melting (and subsequent over night re frezzing) that happens because of ample sunlight residential property does not get in the winter makes staying on top of clearing sidewalks difficult. I made a point of driving past Bossen Field Park this evening. Sidewalks there are clear despite the lack of boulevards. That area is the only pocket of concentrated poverty in the southern reaches of the city. The difference is foot traffic is miniscule compared to Washburn Fair Oaks and Peavy

[Anondson]

Even more riverfront property bought up, only one major parcel left on west bank north of downtown. Paying for it with a fair bit of financial wizardry.

http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis- ... 365712151/

[acs]

Stupid time to be considering expansion for the Park Board.

[EOst]

Now or never on buying this land. Glad they did it.

[Anondson]

I kinda agree. These properties don't come on the market all the time. That the Minneapolis Parks System is perpetually run by the seat of their pants and fails to budget sustainable maintenance is a different issue.

[Anondson]

With the future Vikings front yard having trouble getting donations to pay for it, in contrast, General Mills donated $3 million to help fund upgrades along the river.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... kland.html

[Rich]

With the future Vikings front yard having trouble getting donations to pay for it, in contrast, General Mills donated $3 million to help fund upgrades along the river.

$9 million has been raised for upgrades along the river. $10.5 million has been raised for The Commons.

[Anondson]

I really like that comparison.

[Wedgeguy]

There was a good piece in the Strib business section also on Tuesday that talked about the lack of generosity of donors due to the perceived idea that 80 day worth of required time for private use is not a public amenity and are not willing to part with money with the current arrangement.

[minneboom]

In regards to the Hiawatha Golf Course Improvements, I thought this project from Copenhagen was very relevant. During heavy rains, portions of parks turn into ponds that capture and retain water on site until the drainage system has capacity to handle it.

http://citiscope.org/story/2016/why-cop ... Uscjf.dpuf

[Anondson]

Mayor vetoed referendum proposal.

http://m.startribune.com/mayor-hodges-v ... 367237621/

Wants it redrafted.

[Anondson]

7–1 park board overrides veto.

Eric Best tweeted: "Mpls Park Board votes 7-1 (Bourn votes against, Erwin absent) to override Mayor Hodges' veto on their proposed referendum." https://twitter.com/ericthebest/status/ ... 8211602432

[trigonalmayhem]

Explain to me again why we need a park board that operates completely separately from and without any apparent oversight by the rest of the city government? A park board that apparently can't even be held to the same standards of maintenance on their public rights of way as the rest the property owners in the city? A park board that mismanages its funds to the point where it has to come begging for huge sums of funding from taxes while simultaneously buying up land and funding park improvements through mostly donations? Improvements that it apparently won't have the money to maintain properly considering it can't even properly keep up what it has now. And while I'm on a rant, why do they have so many duplicative services with the city? I get the MPLS Police are useless, but why does the park board need its own police force? They act like parks are sovereign land and not a part of the city.

[David Greene]

Read history. This debate has been revisited countless times and you haven't said anything that hasn't been said before.

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