Presentation to the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association on preliminary outcomes from the Parks and Trails Legacy Funding Project.

1. Parks & Trails Legacy Funding
Minnesota Recreation and Park Association
Eric David
September 20, 2012

2. Overview
• Who We Are
• What We Do
• Parks and Trails Legacy
Funding: Dialogue &
Process
• Questions and Contact
Information

3. 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 Events
o Dialogue
o Action

4. Dialogue
As 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

5. Legislative Charge
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.

6. Project Scope
Legacy 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"

7. 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

8. 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

9. Core Team Members
• Courtland Nelson
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Emmett Mullin
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Arne Stefferud
Metropolitan Council
• Chuck Wocken
Stearns County Parks Department/Greater
Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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)

13. 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

14. Establish a Fund to
Coordinate Among Partners
• 0.25% “off-the-top” for activities that would support
the 4th Legacy Pillar
o Joint promotion, marketing and coordination for
"all-systems" projects
o Statewide Parks and Trails Website
o Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee to
refine and coordinate

15. 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

16. Draft Allocation for Park and Trail
Providers
Final
Allocation
DNR
Total
Allocation
= 40%

17. Increase Flexibility of Legacy Funding to
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and
Trails
• Use funds for more than acquisition and
capital development
o Master Planning
o “Connecting People to the Outdoors” via
programs

18. 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

19. Eric David
211 North First Street, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.334.3388 ext 108 (o)
608.732.7746 (c)
www.environmental-initiative.org
Project Website:
www.environmental-initiative.org/projects/parks-and-trails-legacy-funding-project