2014-05-01_PR Comm Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Parks and Recreation Commission Discussion regarding the legislative action to change from a commission to a board May 6, 2014 Discussion Point Should the current Roseville Parks and Recreation Commission members adopt a resolution declaring support to change the commission's current status as a commission to become a Park Board and undertake the necessary steps to persuade the City Council and local legislators to author and sponsor and enact a special law to create a fully- empowered Roseville Park Board. Strengths • The current Commission acts more like a Board than a Commission • Under Minnesota law, a fully empowered Park Board would possess "full absolute and exclusive control" over all property set aside for park purposes including: • Budget development and management; • Employ personnel; • Undertake construction projects; • Generally maintain and care for park property. • A Board would provide regular and constant attention and oversight to Parks and Recreation activities. Might not need it now, but might be useful in future years as city staff turns over. • The City Council has limited capacity to review all details from all areas of the City, a Board would be able to review things and act in place of the Council. Shoulder a bit of the load in response to park and recreation issues. • A Board structure would assure a strong and benevolent advocacy for Parks and Recreation into the future • May create increased staff efficiencies. • The Board would help prevent the deferred maintenance issues that resulted in having to go out for bonding • Parks and Recreation needs to be viewed as an essential service. People expect police and fire, but they choose to live in Cities based on Parks and Recreation and Schools. A Board would give focused attention to this important service. Weaknesses Roseville is a Plan B city -it has a City Manager form of government that makes it ineligible to have a park board without special legislative action. • The Roseville City Council cannot relinquish their authority over Parks and Recreation functions and activities to another group —even the Parks and Recreation Commission. • HOWEVER, as a Plan B city the only other option is to function jointly with another political subdivision i.e. another City, School District, or County. So the City can create a Park Board if it joins the function with another political subdivision. • To create a fully– empowered Park Board is a lot of work... the City would need a special law enacted: 1