Appointments Overview

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board of Commissioners appoints community members to ongoing advisory board commission appointments within Minneapolis. Members of these committees advise park Board Commissioners and other agencies on a wide variety of subjects by making recommendation on important policy matters. Residents of Minneapolis can apply and volunteer to serve on a committee by completing the below application.

Please note that completed applications and additional application material that you provide may be subject to public information.  The MPRB greatly values the contributions of volunteers and is committed to identifying and recruiting the best candidates to serve the community/park and recreation system. The mission, responsibilities and time commitments for each committee vary.

Many MPRB projects are influenced by an Advisory Committee made up of Minneapolis residents, park users and other affected stakeholders. Check below for a list of projects currently accepting applications to serve on an advisory committee and apply today to help shape the parks in your community!

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A complete description of each committee can be found below:

Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Board

The Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Board provides interpretive resources for the public within the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Zone encircling the Minneapolis central riverfront, an area rich in natural, scenic, recreational and historic elements.

The board consists of 22 members including representatives from the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Hennepin County, Minnesota Historical Society, Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission, State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota State Legislature, and Hennepin History Museum.

  • The board meets three times a year on Mondays.
  • Term limits are not imposed when serving on this board.

 

No vacancies at this time.

 

Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission

The Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission (MTAC) was created in March 2004 by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to enhance the Minneapolis urban forest and improve its long-term health. MTAC initial goals: to coordinate issues related to trees across city jurisdictions; to evaluate issues related to trees and report annually to the MPRB and City Council and to coordinate fiscal resources and explore new ways to acquire funds to increase support for urban forest establishment and management.

Board members are comprised of: an MPRB Commissioner, the MPRB Director of Forestry, a Minneapolis City Council Member or designee, Minneapolis Mayor or designee, a member of the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee; a representative from the University of Minnesota; a Minneapolis  business person or developer; a liaison from the Minneapolis Public Works Department; a liaison from the Minneapolis Public Schools; a Tree Expert and seven citizen representatives (City wide, and one (1) for each Commissioner District).

  • The MTAC meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Meetings are held virtually or at the MPRB South Side Operations Center, 3800 Bryant Ave S., Minneapolis, MN  Those interested in attending a meeting should request a Zoom link by emailing forestry@minneapolisparks.org.

 

No vacancies at this time.

Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee

The role of the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) is to promote both commuter and recreational bicycling, to advocate for bicycling infrastructure improvements, to encourage safe riding, and to involve people interested in bicycling issues throughout the city. The BAC functions as an advisory committee to the Mayor and City Council as well as the Park Board and serves as a liaison to bicyclists, businesses, neighborhoods, and other communities and agencies.

BAC membership consists of appointees from each ward, three at-large parks board appointees and voting members representing the City Council, City departments and partner organizations such as Minneapolis Public Schools, Metro Transit and MnDOT. All BAC Meetings are open to the public.

The BAC meets the 4th Wednesday of each month from 4–6 pm.  The BAC has two subcommittees that meet regularly:

  • Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Equity, and Evaluation Subcommittee meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 4–6 pm
  • Engineering Subcommittee meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 4-6 pm.

No vacancies at this time.

Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council

The Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council is an advisory group that convenes and engages diverse stakeholders to identify and propose innovative solutions to improve the local food system.

Council members engage in monthly meetings held at various locations throughout Minneapolis.  You will contribute to working groups that address current food system issues.  Current groups include food donations, food policy event planning, land access for urban ag/parks and food, local food business innovation and local food procurement.

  • The Council meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 pm.
  • Members can serve two-year terms.

 

No vacancies at this time.

 

METRO Blue Line Extension LRT Community Advisory Committee

The METRO Blue Line Extension Community Advisory Committee members serve as the voices of the residents in the project corridor by advising the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County on how the project can best serve the community. Committee members will be asked to provide input on design and engineering options, including opportunities and impacts. The committee with work with project planning to improve design to maximize positive community impacts. The Community Advisory Committee is made-up of residents along the route representing diverse interests and stakeholders.

Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the Month at 6:00pm.

1 vacancy open until closed.
Apply Here

 

Applications have closed.

Completed Applications and Additional Materials

Your application tells the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board about you, your background and why you want to serve on an MPRB appointed board or committee. You may apply at any time, regardless of whether there is a current opening, as resignations occur throughout the year. Please type or use black ink when completing your application.

Please complete the application and include the supplemental information such as a resume and statement of interest (a cover letter). Review all your information to ensure your form is complete! We will not accept emails with links to your information.

Once you submit your application, it will be placed in the appropriate Board or committee file for future consideration and kept for up to 1 year. Submission of an application does not mean that you will automatically be contacted, we will however, acknowledge the receipt of your form. If you are being actively considered for appointment, you will hear from the Community Outreach Department directly.

Applications can be returned via USPS (snail mail) or as a scanned email attachment.

To email your scanned application, please send to: board.appointments@minneapolisparks.org

Mail your completed application to:

Board Secretary
Board Appointments
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411

Expectations of Service

Service is varied and based upon needs, expectations and policy goals. Most seats are volunteer positions and have an average expectation of approximately 10-15 hours of work per month. Some Boards/Commissions however have a need for specialized skills, but most people will find a Board or Commission that is a great fit for their knowledge base. Public members of board and commissions are people who may not have regular, ongoing experience in a specific topic area, but have a general interest in a board or commission’s work arena. This is a great opportunity to learn more about an area of interest and contribute a perspective that is fresh and unique to the service area. Appointees are expected to actively engage and participate once they are confirmed and appointed, so it is important that you are clear on your time and availability. Traveling within the City of Minneapolis to meetings can be a part of some board or commission expectations, so make sure that you factor in the location of meetings into your decision. Finally, each board or commission has a term during which they serve. Most terms are between 1-3 years and all board and commission members are subject to a no term limit. If you enjoyed serving and completed your term on one board or commission, consider seeking appointment to another board or commission. Your experience is invaluable!

Contact

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