Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board extends contract with Interim Superintendent Mary Merrill through end of 2018

At its Oct. 3, 2018 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners approved an amendment to its employment agreement with Interim Superintendent Mary Merrill, extending her contract to Dec. 31, 2018.

“The Board has absolute confidence in Superintendent Emeritus Merrill’s ability to continue leading our organization through the conclusion of the superintendent search,” said MPRB President Brad Bourn. “Over the last eight months she’s provided leadership across a number of significant Park Board accomplishments, including actions to educate and listen to the community about park police and safety, agreements with Graco that will create a new riverfront park, overseeing an unprecedented level of community engagement in the search for a new superintendent, and shaping our 2019 budget, which includes increased investment in our city’s youth, funded through a levy recently approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation.”

Merrill assumed the role of interim superintendent on Feb. 5, 2018 and her contract was due to expire on Oct. 31, 2018. She has agreed to stay on through the end of the year to ensure a thorough and equitable community engagement process for selecting a new superintendent. This process has included more than 20 listening sessions across Minneapolis, targeting park users by geography and demographic, and the formation of a Superintendent Search Selection Committee comprised of members of the public.

After a nationwide search, a list of finalists for the superintendent position will be released later this fall. Visit www.MPRBSuperSearch.com for more details.

“We’re playing for life in Minneapolis Parks! I’ve had a wonderful career listening, watching, learning and working to make our great parks even better,” said Merrill. “I’m proud of the deep level of engagement we’re using to select the next superintendent and ready to continue our work through the end of the year.”

Merrill has a long, distinguished history with the MPRB. She started in 1972 as Recreation Director at Powderhorn Park and rose through the ranks to become the first woman and first person of color to serve as MPRB Superintendent. Her first tenure as Superintendent began March 1, 1999 and ended when she retired on Dec. 31, 2003.

After retiring, Merrill was elected as an At-Large Commissioner in 2005 and served on the Board from 2006 to 2009, which included two years as Board Vice President in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Merrill was named Superintendent Emeritus by the MPRB, one of only three people to earn that honor in the organization’s 135-year history.