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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,June 9, 2014 <br /> Page 18 <br /> to "Park Renewal Program." Given the number of meetings held in community <br /> sectors, and additional educational pieces and meetings around the program, <br /> Councilmember Etten expressed confidence that the process had been thorough <br /> and informative community-wide. <br /> Specific to the creation of a Park Board, and the many discussions to-date, as well <br /> as requirements under the Optional Plan B City Government of Roseville, Coun- <br /> cilmember Etten recognized that there would be a rigorous process to move such <br /> an effort forward. Councilmember Etten suggested the potential for partnering <br /> with a neighboring city (e.g. Falcon Heights and/or Lauderdale) to create a re- <br /> gional board, or partnership of the City and School District for joint facilities, but <br /> across levels of government and jurisdictions; giving consideration to the use of <br /> local sales taxes for that regional effort. Councilmember Etten opined that this <br /> would serve in a grander way to bring lots of pieces together to make it happen, <br /> and get a Park Board operational to work jointly with joint funding available. <br /> Councilmember Willmus concurred with the comments of Councilmember Etten, <br /> noting that the Park Board concept originated during the Park & Recreation Mas- <br /> ter Plan process; and noted his enthusiasm to look at the concept and how it <br /> worked in other communities, and how it may provide a different path to follow. <br /> However, based on the process outlined in tonight's meeting materials, Coun- <br /> cilmember Willmus advised that it involved a totally different path for implemen- <br /> tation than he originally thought. Councilmember Willmus advised that he found <br /> it interesting to hear comments from his colleagues comparing this to creation of <br /> the HRA, since similar insecurities and hesitations were brought up in creating <br /> that body as well. However, Councilmember Willmus noted that many good <br /> things that had come from that collaborative planning effort that the City Council <br /> would have been hard pressed to accomplish, and had become a great advantage <br /> to the City and its residents. <br /> Recognizing that there were many pros and cons to creation of such a Board, <br /> Councilmember Willmus noted that he disagreed that there may be less accounta- <br /> bility, since even the HRA—similar to a Park Board—came to the City Council to <br /> approve its levy, which was the City Council's ultimate control measure. Coun- <br /> cilmember Willmus stated that he'd like to explore further whether a partnership <br /> with other community was a feasible avenue to consider, as suggested by Coun- <br /> cilmember Etten. <br /> As the Commission frequently heard the City Council speak on operational effi- <br /> ciencies, and in looking to potential partnerships with other communities beyond <br /> shared programming currently done, and as the City continued to struggle with <br /> the question of a community center, Councilmember Willmus suggested opportu- <br /> nities to look to Shoreview or Maplewood for shared opportunities as well. <br /> Councilmember Willmus thanked the Commission for their work to-date on the <br />