Meg's Endorsements

Star Tribune
DFL Feminist Caucus
Stonewall DFL (acceptable)
Minnesota Women's Political Caucus
endorsements

25+ Years of Service to the City

  • Above the Falls Citizens Advisory Committee (AFCAC) South Minneapolis Representative, since 2003 Citizen review & leadership in implementing the upper Mississippi master plan for environmental improvements, economic development & community revitalization for the City of Minneapolis & the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board; Above the Falls Phase I Design Development Citizens Task Force, Chair, 2003-2005
  • Midtown Greenway Land Use & Development Committee Appointee, West Calhoun Neighborhood Steering Council, 2005
  • Theodore Wirth Beach Redevelopment Citizens Advisory Committee Chair, 2002-2003
  • Committee on Urban Environment (CUE) Chair, 1997-2002; Committee Member (Mayoral Appointee) 1989-2004; Chair, Friends of CUE, 2002-2004 (a not-for-profit fundraising entity) Advisory Committee to the City Council & Mayor; CUE Awards Chair, 1991-2004
  • West Calhoun Neighborhood Council (WCNC) Chair, Vice-Chair & Treasurer, 1995-2003; WCNC Revitalization Program Steering Committee Chair and Vice-Chair, 1996-2003
  • People for Parks Chair & Treasurer, 1982-1989 Promotion & Fundraising for the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board; People for Parks News Editor, 1989-1999
  • Lake Harriet Bandstand Fundraising Co-Chair, 1983-1985
  • WESAC Girls Soccer Coach, 1986-1989
  • The East Calhoun News Co-Editor, Layout Editor, 1979-1989; East Calhoun Community Organization Treasurer, 1977-1979
  • Realtor, Coldwell Banker Burnet, since 1978

For information about volunteering and contributions, please visit the Contact Meg page.

THANKS!

Meg’s Response to Hill and Lake Press

1) What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Two things energize my candidacy: Open Spaces and Citizens.

1) Parks have shaped our quality of life in this City. Our livable communities are laced together by our park’s natural and built environment. This took fabulous foresight by our City’s founders. As your Commissioner, I promise to continue to recapture these open space opportunities, for the long view of our City, opportunities like Above the Falls and the Midtown Greenway, both citizen committees, with public agency backing, that I have been appointed to and participate on today.
These committees are charting sensible development that is also sensitive to our environment. They each have plans for STRONG OVERSIGHT, which is so very imperative today. With so much pressure to develop, the balancing act of the natural and built environment is tenuous and continually vulnerable. Green spaces need strong oversight, with a navigated course of appropriate development for downtown, above the falls, along our new trail systems, around our City lakes and parklands that protects the hallmark of our City: the egalitarian access to our parks.
2) The City has changed its face, an increasingly more diverse, constantly changing population. The Park Board’s present Comprehensive Plan was created in the ‘60’s. A revised plan is needed, reflective of our current City’s face through organized outreach. It needs to be systematic, democratic and inclusive of each one of you through real citizen participation.
Your “buy in” of your parks, your home park as well as your regional park, like Minnehaha Falls and the Chain of Lakes, is beneficial to our community. I have seen how citizens are willing to roll up their sleeves and give back to the livability of our City. We all are “invested” in our home park. We as citizens need systematic opportunities to give back to our community through time, attention, contributing for generations to come.

2) What are your qualifications and affiliations?

With 28 years of city wide volunteering, most specifically with our urban environment, I have hands on understanding of our park system:
1) I am the only at-large candidate appointed to a dozen Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC), a critical Park Board project planning process and, the last two, appointed as chair of these committees;
2) I have the proven track record of collaboration: by consistently being asked by my peers to chair committees such as: People for Parks for 3 years, as a member for 10 years; Committee on Urban Environment (CUE) for 5 years, Mayoral appointee for 15 years; both West Calhoun and East Calhoun neighborhood past board member and officer. I have the proven results: highlights include chairing a dozen CUE Award Juries and Awards Events; co-chairing the 1983 fundraising effort for the Lake Harriet Bandstand.

3) What do you see as the most important issue affecting residents?

Residents need an effective, collaborative Park Board to get the job done, to maintain and build on services and features that define our quality of life.
It is imperative to address funding gaps through new revenue options like an endowment fund that could tap estate gifting; to protect and secure our park lands through a land trust; to nurture relationships with multi-jurisdictions like our City Council, the Legislature, Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council, as well as on the federal level; by rebuilding collaborative relationships and strong partnerships with independent city boards. Through my extensive civic involvement, I have already established productive relationships with these leaders.

4) The current Park Board is perceived as divisive. What do you think is the problem and what would you do about it?

The problem is two folds:
• Lack of a clear focus
• Lack of a collaborative voice
1) The development of a cooperative and clear vision is critical. This could be established each year with a board retreat to establish priorities. It is essential for the Park’s Comprehensive Plan to be brought current with citizen participation, including our more diverse population to have their voices heard, framed in a vision for our future and a foundation laid for that vision.
My work skill sets entail bringing parties together in consensus, of potentially opposing wants and needs, and finding the common ground for agreement. I have been successful in using these same skills in my 28 year civic endeavors. Collaborative relationships are essential to move our vision of the parks forward.
2) Pro-active communications from the Board to “make the case” for their actions could be more effective. Instead a “read” of today’s board is: planning efforts are a delayed response and piece meal, lacking a clear message. In the case of the Dutch elm disease crisis, communication can serve to empower citizens to be involved, have options and make a difference. I have years of experience as a communicator by editing the People for Parks News, highlighting the parks, their history; co-editing The East Calhoun News.
I’ve worked with hundreds of volunteers through the years and I am humbled by the fact that so many came back year after year, because they were productive and valued. I am a consensus builder, have a collaborative style. I’m experienced, with a balanced perspective and reasoned approach. These skills are needed on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board today.