Parks & Trails Legacy FundingMinnesota Recreation and Park Association

Eric David

September 20, 2012

• Who We Are• What We Do• Parks and Trails Legacy

Funding: Dialogue & Process

• Questions and Contact Information

Overview

Who We Are

• 20-year-old nonprofit organization• Mission: Build partnerships to develop

collaborative solutions to Minnesota’s environmental problems.

• Environmental solutions through three areas of work:o Eventso Dialogueo Action

DialogueAs a neutral convener and facilitator on environmental issues, we strive for a balance of voices and equal power among project participants.

Environmental Initiative dialogue projects typically have:

o Experienced, trained facilitators

o Tangible goals, or outcomes

o Established ground rules, agreed upon by project participants

o Transparency and openness

o Opportunities for group learning

The Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources was mandated to convene and facilitate a nine-member working group to develop consensus recommendations for the allocation of the parks and trails fund for the FY 2014-15 Biennial Budget. Laws of Minnesota, 2011 First special Session, Chapter 6, Article 3, Section 7(f).

(f) The commissioner of natural resources shall convene and facilitate a working group of nine members to develop consensus recommendations for the allocation of the parks and trails fund. The working group shall have representatives from metropolitan parks and trails, greater Minnesota parks and trails, and the Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division. The consensus recommendations shall be submitted no later than November 15, 2012, and presented to the governor for consideration in the budget for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

Legislative Charge

Project ScopeLegacy Amendment: Minnesota Constitution, Article XI: Appropriations and Finances"...the parks and trails fund...may be spent only to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance"

Meetings & Groups• Environmental Initiative selected by DNR to manage

and facilitate the process

• Work Group

o 9 members selected to develop consensus recommendations

o Six meetings between April and October 2012

• Core Team

o Purpose is for feedback, input & strategic insight to plan Work Group meetings. Advisory only.

o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Metropolitan Council & Greater Minnesota Regional Parks & Trails Coalition  

Work Group Members• Bob Bierscheid

Retired, Former Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Saint Paul• John Gunyou

City of Minnetonka, City Manager• Chuck Kartak

Retired, Former Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation Deputy Director• Joe Kurcinka

Retired, Former Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Central Region Director• Greg Mack

Director of Ramsey County Parks and Recreation• Erika Rivers

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Assistant Commissioner• Tom Ryan

Olmsted County Parks Superintendent• Pat Sawatzke

Wright County Board of Commissioners• Tom Schmitz

City of New Ulm, Parks and Recreation Director

Core Team Members• Courtland Nelson

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

• Emmett MullinMinnesota Department of Natural Resources

• Arne StefferudMetropolitan Council

• Chuck WockenStearns County Parks Department/Greater

Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition

Work Group Charge

The charge for Work Group members is to:

Develop consensus recommendations for the allocation of the parks and trails fund for the FY 2014-2015 Biennial Budget.

The recommendations should serve as a model for future funding allocations (for example, for the next ten years) and will also include a rationale for why it was chosen. The recommendations may take the form of a process, formula or combination of these elements.

The Work Group will not make recommendations for specific projects or for other sources of funding for state and regional parks and trails.

Consensus

Decisions of the Work Group will be made on consensus of the group, generally defined as reaching an agreement that all participants can live with.

How did the process work?• Team building and background information• Learning about each park and trail system• Brainstorming on criteria to support a

recommendation• Exploring models using brainstormed criteria

for a recommendation• Discussion of criteria and final

recommendation development• Finalize recommendation – (October 2)

Draft Recommendation Outline• Establish a Fund to Coordinate

Among Partners

• Provide Resources for Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Organizational Building Activities

• Allocation for Providers of Minnesota Parks and Trails of State and Regional Significance

• Increase Flexibility of Parks and Trails Legacy Funding to Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails

• Term of Recommendation

• Criteria and Process to Consider for Future Allocations

Establish a Fund to Coordinate Among Partners

• 0.25% “off-the-top” for activities that would support the 4th Legacy Pillaro Joint promotion, marketing and coordination for

"all-systems" projectso Statewide Parks and Trails Websiteo Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee to

refine and coordinate

Provide Resources for Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Capacity Building Activities

• 0.25% to Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition for for system analysis and planning work. o Increase quality and quantity of

information about Greater MN Regional System (e.g., visitation, operating expenses) to aid in future allocation decisions

Parks and Trails Legacy Allocation

100%

Near Home Opportunities 80%

Metro Area

40%

Metro Parks Regional System

40%

Greater Minnesota

40%

Greater MN Parks Collation

20%

MN DNR

20%

Tourism Opportunities

20%

MN DNR

20%Final Allocation

DNR Total Allocation

= 40%

Draft Allocation for Park and Trail Providers

Increase Flexibility of Legacy Funding to Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails

• Use funds for more than acquisition and capital developmento Master Planningo “Connecting People to the Outdoors” via

programs

Term of Recommendation• 2-3 biennia have been suggested• Final decision about the

recommendation term will be made at the October meeting

Criteria and Process to Consider for Future Allocations

• Many factors under consideration

Eric David211 North First Street, Suite 250

Minneapolis, MN 55401612.334.3388 ext 108 (o)

608.732.7746 (c)www.environmental-initiative.org

Project Website:www.environmental-initiative.org/projects/parks-and-trails-legacy-funding-project