TAC Meeting #1 Notes

The TAC meeting notes were compiled by Pat Smith, Mark Jenson, Jeanne Lawless and Rachel Spiess from the MPRB Diamond Sports Field Study TAC (Technical Adisory Committee).

  • In 2017, the City of Mpls and MPRB agreed on a new funding stream called 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20).
  • This increased annual maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investments in neighborhood parks from $2/year to $11/year. To put this into perspective, staff said replacing a kiddie pool is $1.5 million, which is almost a years-worth of funding prior to 2017. 
  • MPRB has ranked all parks based on racial and economic equity and need of repair. (we should put this ranking on our website).
  • During a period between 2017-2036, MPRB plans to invest in each of the neighborhood parks.
  •  After Strategic planning dept at the Parks come up with the initial vision for a park, the project is then passed to Planning and Construction for the actual execution. That dept usually hires an outside designer or vendor to handle the details of field development….which is very important to understand as it would seem that many design companies that have been utilized in the past are not fully knowledgeable of what each sport requires for an adequate field. 
  • Over half of the field maintenance jobs are unfilled. 
  • There is rehab money available to all parks when needed to make more urgent fixes if a certain park cannot wait until their turn comes up for a large park refresh with the NPP20 funding. However, smaller fixes and other additions due to donations, grants, etc. will change the equity ranking of that park and bump it lower on “the list,” but ultimately, all districts will receive a major renovation of 1 field every 6 years. 
  • The NPP20 money will not complete all the proposed improvements recommended in the Sector Master Plans. Therefore, before each park undergoes improvements, a neighborhood meeting is held to determine the neighborhood’s priorities for improvements.
  • During that neighborhood review process, modifications to the layout of the park plans may be made.
  • Staff received 22 TAC applications. Appointed 8 members. There may be an Athletic Director from Roosevelt on the TAC, but no one else from Minneapolis Public Schools. Mark Jensen, Rachel Spiess, Jeanne Lawless and Pat Smith from Play Ball Minneapolis are on the TAC.
  • Lisa Dornacker, Henry Athletic Director, attended the meeting. 
  • Future TAC meetings will be held from 5-6:30pm on the following dates: June 8, July 13, August 10, Sept 14, Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 12

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