Open Time

Members of the public may address the board during “Open Time” at full Board Meetings and Committee of the Whole Meetings which are not closed to the public for personnel and litigation matters.
  • Write-In
    • You may submit your comment in writing to be included in the record and shared with Commissioners. Please send your comment to OpenTime@minneapolisparks.org by noon on the day of the board meeting.
  • In-Person
    • Members of the public may address the board during open time. All individuals wishing to speak in-person can call 612-230-6400 before 3pm the day of the meeting to be placed on the speaker sign-up sheet or can sign-up in-person at the Board meeting prior to the start of open time.
    • Please note that Section 2, item B. of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Rules of the Board read as follows: “Open Time for public input shall not exceed a total of 15 minutes with up to three minutes allowed for testimony, with the time limit to be allotted by the President.” At the beginning of Open Time, the Board President will allocate time for each testimony and the reader will end the reading when the allotted time has passed.

Meeting Schedule

Commissioner meetings are regularly held the first, second and third Wednesdays of each month at 5 pm in the Board Room at the Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters.

First Wednesday of Each Month
Regular meetings of the full Board, including Recreation and Operations Standing Committees*

Second Wednesday of Each Month
Board can meet as Committee of the Whole

Third Wednesday
Regular meetings of the full Board, including the Planning and Administration and Finance Standing Committees*

Fourth or Fifth Wednesday or Appointed Saturday
Board President may call special meetings

*Each Board/Committee meeting has a time certain to convene; however, the President/Committee Chair has the authority to convene and adjourn any Board and Committee meetings in the interest of time, to hear public comment or to take official action.

Rules of the Board

All Board and Committee meetings follow Robert’s Rule of Order with the following Board approved modifications. Meetings are conducted in an orderly, courteous and disciplined manner.

Download the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Rules of the Board [PDF]

Board Meetings

Meetings will be conducted in accordance with Minn. Ch. 13D, Open Meeting Law.

Meetings shall be conducted in an orderly, courteous and disciplined manner.

SECTION 1.

A. The President/Committee Chair shall conduct all Board/Committee Meetings and be in charge of managing the Board/Committee process.
B. The President/Committee Chair shall be responsible for keeping the agenda and discussion focused on the action or issue, proceeding in a deliberate and orderly fashion. Board Members must adhere to the direction given by the President/Committee Chair. The President/Committee Chair shall place priority items at the beginning of the meeting agenda to assure this business is conducted in a timely manner.
C. It will also be the President’s/Committee Chair’s responsibility to, when the discussion gets beyond the scope of the action or issue, respectfully bring the discussion back to focus on the action/issue and to strictly enforce the time limits provided.
D. 1. During Committee meeting discussions, Board Members may speak to an issue for up to three minutes and with up to three minutes for rebuttal.  No interruptions will be permitted. Only those putting on their lights will be recognized by the Chair to speak. A motion to suspend the rules and a motion to allow additional speaking time must be approved in order to allow additional time. When attending a virtual meeting of a Board committee, Commissioners shall turn on their cameras while speaking and be visible to the public and other members, unless prevented from doing so due to technical difficulties.
2. During Board meeting discussions, Board Members may speak to an issue for up to three minutes and with up to one minute for rebuttal.  No interruptions will be permitted. Only those putting on their lights will be recognized by the Chair to speak. A motion to suspend the rules and a motion to allow additional speaking time must be approved in order to allow additional time. Such motions are not debatable. When attending a virtual meeting of the Board, Commissioners shall turn on their cameras while speaking and be visible to the public and other members, unless prevented from doing so due to technical difficulties.
E. At Board/Committee meetings, action items will be taken first and Study/Report items will only be allowed after the actions items have been concluded.
F. A time certain will be set for Board meetings.
G. Petitions and Communications is intended to provide for critical communications for the benefit of all Board Members Letters and written communications should be submitted to the Secretary of the Board prior to the meeting and will be entered into the public records.

SECTION 2.

During “Open Time” at full Board Meetings which are not closed to the public for personnel and litigation matters (as amended: January 18, 2023):
A. All individuals wishing to speak can call in before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to be placed on the agenda or can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time”.
B. “Open Time” for public input shall not exceed a total of 15 minutes with up to three minutes allowed for testimony, with the time limit to be allotted by the President.
C. “Open Time” will be scheduled at the Regular Board meetings at a time certain of 5:30 p.m. Meetings that are convened for the purpose of closed sessions do not include open time. Open time will not be held on the date when the Board meets for the annual planning session for the budget, and when the Board meets at City Hall to vote on the annual budget and tax levies, when the Board holds its annual legislative delegation meeting, and at the City Charter required annual organizational meeting held on the first weekday in January that is not a Holiday. As amended January 18, 2023.
D. During “Open Time” public testimony will be given without debate, only clarifying questions from the Board will be allowed.
As Amended: December 4, 2019 3
E. Items not allowed for discussion include:

  1. Pending litigation, or
  2. Personnel issues.

SECTION 3.

A time structure will be established for all Board/Committee meetings. The Board President is responsible for strictly enforcing time limits on the full Board meeting and Committee Chairs are responsible for strictly enforcing time limits on their respective Committee meetings. The President/Committee Chair and Superintendent, Board Secretary or appropriate Executive Level staff shall set a time limit on Study or Report items on the agenda. If an item is not completed during the allotted time frame, it can be referred to a future Committee Meeting. The Secretary will be the time keeper and any unfinished business will be continued to the next Board meeting.

SECTION 4.

It is the responsibility of Board Members to read agendas and supporting material. Study and Report material is to be submitted in advance and should not be repeated by the presenter except in a very summary manner. If a Board Member has a concern about an agenda item, they are encouraged to contact the Committee Chair, appropriate staff, President or Superintendent, respectively.

SECTION 5.

The President/Committee Chair shall conduct the meeting according to Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, 11th Edition. The President and Committee Chair may make or second a motion and may also speak to any motion. A motion to amend an amendment to an amendment is not in order.

Meeting Rules

SECTION 6.

The regular meeting of the full Board shall be held at its offices at 5:00 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month except that any regular meeting may be at another public building as may be designated by the Board at or before its immediately preceding month’s regular meeting. If the regular meeting falls on a holiday or is in conflict with the majority of the Board Members’ duties, the meeting may be changed to a different day as announced.

SECTION 7.

The full Board may meet as a committee of the Whole to discuss key issues.

SECTION 8.

As Amended: December 4, 2019 4
Special meetings may be called by the President whenever the President deems it expedient, and shall be called whenever three Commissioners shall so request in writing.

SECTION 9.

The Board may adjourn from time to time and absentees notified thereof, and in case there is no quorum present on the day fixed for a regular, adjourned or special meeting, the Commissioners present, or the Secretary, if no Commissioners are present, may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is obtained, or may adjourn said meeting sine die.

SECTION 10.

Each Commissioner shall be notified at least 72 hours previous to any special meeting of the time, place and purpose of the meeting.
Notice for a special meeting shall be issued by the Secretary, and shall be in writing and served personally, or deposited in the post office, with a special delivery stamp attached, at least 72 hours previous to the time appointed for holding such meeting or by email delivery to each Commissioner. Telephone notice may also be given when possible. Public notice of such meetings shall also be posted in the same manner to Regular meetings.
In extraordinary situations, emergency meetings may be called with 24 hour notice. Each Commissioner shall be notified by phone at least 24 hours previous to such emergency meeting of the time, place and purpose of the meeting.

Conduct of Business

SECTION 11.

Business shall not be transacted at any special meeting other than that named in the call therefore, except by consent of two-thirds of the entire Board; and any measure adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the entire Board shall have the same effect as if adopted at a regular meeting, and provided that a call for a special meeting “for the transaction of general business” shall be deemed to cover any and all business that might properly be transacted at a regular meeting.

SECTION 12.

A committee may forward an item, with or without recommendation, to the full board without suspending the rules if the item is time sensitive and further information is required to make a decision.

SECTION 13.

Meetings shall be called to order by the President, or in the President’s absence, by the Vice President.

In the absence of both, the Secretary shall call the meeting to order, and those present shall elect a President pro tem.
The Board and its committees shall be governed by the rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, 11th edition in all cases to which the rules are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the laws governing the Board or the rules adopted by the Board.
All votes shall be recorded by the Secretary. Roll call votes on any item can be requested by a single Commissioner. All matters that require a super majority of the Board shall be by roll call.

SECTION 14.

The roll shall be called at the opening of each meeting, and a record made of the Commissioners present and absent.  If a Commissioner is unable to attend a scheduled meeting of the full Board, or a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, the Commissioner shall provide written notification of their absence to either the President or the Secretary prior to the scheduled start time of the meeting. The absence shall be recorded in the meeting minutes. If no written notification of absence is received by either the President or Secretary prior to the scheduled start time of the meeting, the absence shall be recorded as an unnoticed absence in the meeting minutes. In the case of the absence of the President, the President shall provide written notification of their absence to the Vice President. Once a quorum is established the agenda shall be approved.

SECTION 15.

The order of business, after roll call, approval of agenda and approval of minutes, shall be as follows, unless otherwise ordered by the Board:
1. Reports of Officers
2. Report of Appointees to Outside Boards, Commissions or Committees
3. Consent Business
4. Reports of Special Committees
5. Reports of Standing Committees
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business
8. Petitions and Communications
9. Adjournment

SECTION 16.

All Committee reports shall be in writing, as shall main motions and resolutions. In order to be considered at any scheduled Board or Committee meeting, all resolutions, main motions, amendments to resolutions and main motions, and additions to the agenda must be submitted in writing to the President/Committee Chair and Secretary by noon Central Time of the day prior to the meeting when the matter is to be considered. The Secretary shall provide notice of the proposed matter to all other Board Members by 5 PM Central Time of the day prior to the meeting when the matter is to be considered.

Public Hearings

SECTION 17.

A. Public hearings shall not be held before the Board without affirmative vote of consent of all Board members present, which can occur during “Approval of Agenda.” All public hearings shall be held in accordance with the Board’s policy on Public Hearings. All public hearings at Regular Board meetings shall be held at a time certain of 5:45 p.m.
As Amended: December 4, 2019 6
B. All public hearings shall be held before appropriate committees of the Board at 6:30 p.m. under the following conditions:
1. When directed by the Board
2. When requested by any member of the committee to which the subject matter has been referred
3. When required by federal, state or local law and in conformity therewith
C. Five days’ written notice of a public hearing shall be given to all Board members and, so far as reasonably possible, to interested parties. Said notice shall name the committee conducting the hearing and shall also state the time, place, subject matter and a statement of the issues involved.
D. A public hearing is defined as the meeting of a number of persons who are interested in a specific subject and wish to be heard by the Board or a committee. It shall not include individual or personal appearances by those called by the committee to give information or clarify any subject being investigated.
E. At the commencement of the public hearing, the chairperson shall inform all present of the purpose and subject matter of the hearing, and shall outline the procedure to be followed in the conduct of the same. All persons who desire to speak at a public hearing will be given the opportunity to address the Board or committee. The chairperson shall determine by and with the consent of the committee the amount of time to be allotted to each speaker, and announce the same. Board members shall refrain from controversial discussion or inquiry during the conduct of the hearing and shall direct all inquiries to the chairperson.

Election of Officers

SECTION 18.

At the annual meeting on the first business day in January of each year, the Board shall elect a President, Vice President, Secretary, Attorney(s), and such other officers as it may deem necessary.
The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Attorney shall hold their respective offices until the next annual meeting after their election or until their successors are elected and qualified.
They shall perform the duties devolved upon them by law, and such other duties as the Board may prescribe, and their compensation shall be fixed by the Board.
Each Commissioner will receive a copy of these Rules, the annual financial disclosure form and other relevant documents that relate to their office.

Duties of President

SECTION 19.

The President shall perform the duties devolving upon the President by law, and shall preserve order and decorum and enforce the rules and regulations of the Board.
The President may present to the Board such matters as in the President’s judgment require attention, and need not vacate the chair for that purpose.
The President shall also:
1. Maintain communication (written/verbal) with all Board Members
2. Be the Board’s liaison to the Superintendent or Executive Level staff
3. Facilitate Board meetings
4. Act as spokesperson for the Board
5. Act as the Board’s representative to other elements of Federal, State and City governments
6. Organize the Board, including committee chair and Board liaison appointments and filling any temporary or permanent vacancies, except the appointment of the Planning Commission which must be voted upon by the full board
7. Execute all bonds, deeds, contracts, or other instruments required to be executed on behalf on the Board
8. Appoint a person to act as temporary Secretary when the elected Secretary is absent

Duties of the Vice President

SECTION 20.

The Vice President shall act in the absence of the President, handling all the duties of the President’s Office, including any Board of which the President is a member.

Duties of the Secretary

SECTION 21.

The Secretary shall perform the duties required by law, and all duties properly devolving upon such officer.
The Secretary shall have charge of and attend the office of the board when it is not in session, as the board may direct from time to time.
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board, and of its committees, when required.
The Secretary shall keep and true and complete record of the proceedings of said Board, and of its committees, and shall have charge of all books, documents and papers which properly belong to the Secretary’s office.
The Secretary shall furnish at the request of any Commissioner any information obtainable from the books of the board.
The Secretary shall have custody of a fund as may be fixed by the Board for payment of emergency items to be called “The Secretary’s Contingent Fund.”
The Secretary shall deposit “the Secretary’s Contingent Fund” and all other funds in such bank or banks as the Board may designate in the name of “The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.” The Secretary shall draw all checks on such account in the name of the parties to whom the money is due and sign such checks as Secretary.
The Secretary shall be a member of the staff of the Superintendent of Parks and may be assigned executive duties such as the Superintendent may determine.
The Secretary shall provide new members, on their election to the Board, with a copy of these rules, Park Board ordinances, rules, procedures, and policies, and will provide members and any other official with the annual financial disclosure forms required by the state or city.

Duties of the Attorney

SECTION 22.

The Attorney shall at as the legal advisor to the Board. The Attorney shall attend all meetings of the Board and of the Committees. The Attorney shall examine and report upon titles to lands purchased by the Board and approve all papers, contracts or agreements relating thereto, pass upon all bonds of employees and police, take charge of all cases in court, condemnation and assessment proceedings in which the Board may be interested, and counter sign any contract or agreement the Board approves. The Attorney shall act as Parliamentarian at the Board and committee meetings.

Duties of the Superintendent

SECTION 23.

The Superintendent of Parks, under the supervision of the Board, shall be the Chief Executive of the Board and shall have charge of all executive and administrative function of the department. The Superintendent shall give his/her entire time and attention to the affairs of the Board.
Having charge of the employed personnel, the Superintendent shall organize them into appropriate divisions and subdivisions for the prosecution of the work of the Board, and shall keep the Board informed as to the major divisions, the function of each, and of the division heads that make up the executive staff.
As soon as practicable each two weeks, the Superintendent shall make out or cause to be made out, a biweekly payroll of the park employees, certify to its correctness and submit the same, together with the daily reports or other data from which it is prepared, to the proper city officials and departments for audit, and subsequently case the employees to be paid, and shall take receipts for the amounts paid them.
The Superintendent shall be ex-officio Superintendent of Park Police and City Forester.
The Superintendent shall report to the Board monthly regarding the work performed since the last report.

Committees and Their Duties

SECTION 24.

Standing committees shall be appointed by the President at the annual meeting each year or as soon thereafter as possible, as follows:
1. Planning
2. Recreation
3. Operations and Environmental
4. Administration and Finance
5. Legislation and Intergovernmental
6. Standards and Conduct

SECTION 25.

Committees shall consist of five members, to be appointed by the President, except as may be otherwise directed by the Board. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum on each committee.

SECTION 26.

The first member named on a committee shall be the chairperson thereof, and in the event of the absence of the chairperson of any committee, the next named member in order on said committee present shall act as chairperson of said committee.

COMMITTEE ON PLANNING

SECTION 27.

The Committee on Planning may review and consider and shall recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of a physical planning nature.

COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

SECTION 28.

The Committee on Recreation may review and consider and shall recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of a recreation activities nature.

COMMITTEE ON OPERATIONS AND ENVIRONMENT

SECTION 29.

The Committee on Operations and Environment may review and consider and shall recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of a Maintenance, Forestry, and Environmental nature.

COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

SECTION 30.

The Committee on Administration and Finance may review and consider and shall recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of an administrative or fiscal nature.

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL

SECTION 31.

The Committee on Legislation and Intergovernmental may review and consider and shall make recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of a legislative and intergovernmental nature.

COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS AND CONDUCT

SECTION 32.

The Committee on Standards and Conduct may review and consider and shall recommend proceedings and policies for all matters of a Board Governance nature. The Committee shall also have jurisdiction of complaints brought against Commissioners by a fellow Commissioner or of complaints brought against any officer brought by a Commissioner.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES

SECTION 33.

The President may appoint special committees for purposes not otherwise provided for in the duties of standing committees, and special committees of any size may at any time be appointed by the Board in such manner for such purposes as may be deemed necessary by the Board.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY – COMMITTEE CHAIR

SECTION 34.

The Committee Chair shall:
1. Act as the board’s liaison to the Administrator(s) of the Division(s) reporting to that committee.
2. Maintain contact with other committee members and the Administrator(s) of the Division(s) reporting to the committee concerning issues that will be presented on the committee agenda.
3. Facilitate the committee meeting.

Role of District & Citywide Commissioners

(REGIONAL & NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES)

SECTION 35.

A. All Commissioners should make every effort to maintain communications between District and Citywide Commissioners.
B. When Citywide Commissioners are contacted regarding District issues, they should contact the District Commissioner.
C. When a District Commissioner has a Citywide issue in the district, he/she should notify the Citywide Commissioners of that issue.
D. When there is a meeting to be conducted in the district commissioner’s district, the Commissioner should notify the Citywide Commissioners of such meeting.

Role and Responsibilities of Board Liaison

(TO OUTSIDE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS OR COMMITTEES)

SECTION 36.

Board Liaisons shall:
1. Communicate Board policy.
2. Represent Board interests.
3. Report back to the Board about activities and issues of Outside Boards, Commissions or Committees.

No officer, commissioner or committee shall in any way bind the Board to do or not to do any certain thing, unless expressly authorized to do so; and no such action shall in any way be recognized by the Board, unless expressly ratified or approved.

Role and Conduct of the MPRB Commissioner

AT CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

SECTION 37.

The role of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioners at citizen advisory committee meetings shall be to:
1. Welcome people to the meeting and let them know that their participation in appreciated.
2. Observe the process.
3. Listen and gather information.
4. Act as resource person from the Board relating to Board Policy (each Commissioner should make sure he or she is informed of current Board policy or policies regarding the issues).
It is the role of the staff to conduct the business of the citizen advisory committee in accordance with established Board direction.

Board/Staff Lines of Communication

SECTION 38.

Commissioners should work through the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents as identified in the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Staff directory to resolve concerns in the community.
When the concern is of a specific nature affecting staff, the Commissioner should feel free to contact the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent.
No individual commissioner will use the access to all staff email to communicate with staff unless authorized by the Board President. If said communication is authorized by the President, that communication will be by the Board President through the Superintendent.

SECTION 39.

All business and correspondence relating to the affairs of the Board shall be conducted in the name of the Park and Recreation Board, or in case of contracts, deeds and formal instruments, in the name of the City of Minneapolis.

SECTION 40.

The Board will determine and approve the hiring, supervision, and review processes for the Superintendent, its Attorney, its Secretary. The Superintendent is charged with following the law with regard to hiring other Board employees and is responsible to ensure that all hiring procedures are followed, including the responsibility for deciding who participates in the hiring process. No individual commissioner will participate in a hiring process for non-appointed employees without approval from the Board of Commissioners.

Conflict of Interest

SECTION 41.

Members, officers, and employees are required to abide by Minnesota Statutes 471.87, Park Board Ordinance PB-1-6, and the City’s Ethics Ordinance as applied to Neighborhood Revitalization project agreements. Specifically, a member, officer or employee of the Board shall not have an interest, directly or indirectly, in any purchase, sale, lease or contract to which the Board is a party. Commissioners shall advise the President and the Board if any matter coming before the Board presents a potential conflict of interest and may seek the advice of the Board attorney on how to disclose an actual conflict.

Suspension of Rules

SECTION 42.

These rules and regulations, or any of them, may be suspended by two-thirds of the members present at any regular Board meeting, and may be amended or repealed at any regular meeting, subsequent to the meeting when the same is proposed, by a vote of a majority of the entire Board.