DISTRICT 10 COMO COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Meeting and Annual Elections of the Board of Directors
October 16, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Historic Streetcar Station
1224 N. Lexington Parkway
St. Paul, MN
The agenda for the meeting and supporting materials were distributed to all directors at the start of
the meeting. The agenda and most supporting materials was distributed prior to the meeting as email
attachments.
Directors present: Sehoya Cotner, Sharon Frisell, Jillian Ierien, Luke Kuhl, Dennis O’Rourke, Bart
Polacek, Nancy Sabin and Nathan Volz.
Directors absent and excused: Billy Dinkel and Greg Hrcirik.
Staff and guests present: Sue McCall, Community Organizer, Bob Bierschied, Director of St. Paul
Parks and Recreation and Mike Hahn, Manager for the Como Park Campus.
BOARD SECTION
1. Approve Agenda
Nathan Volz, as the Interim Chair of the board, called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. and asked
the board to review the agenda. Based on the impending elections, Mr. Volz suggested that
“Board Responsibilities” be added to the agenda as item #2 in the Community Section. Nancy
Sabin requested that “Process and form for New Requests” be added as the final item under the
Board Section. No other changes were suggested.
Motion: Jillian Ierien made a motion to approve the agenda with the suggested changes. Sharon
Frisell seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous approval by all directors.
Motion: Luke Kuhl made a motion to approve the meeting minutes from the September 18, 2007
board meeting. Nancy Sabin seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous
approval by all directors.
2. Approve Minutes
The Interim Chair asked for review of the September financials and called for questions or a
motion to approve. Discussions followed with a question from Dennis O’Rourke regarding the
donations line item to determine if it included the Gene Corbey memorial bench and plaque. Sue
McCall confirmed its inclusion.
Motion: Jillian Ierien made a motion to approve the financial report. Sehoya Cotner seconded
the motion. The motion passed with unanimous approval by all directors.
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Interim Chair Volz closed the first portion of the board section and opened the community section by
introducing Bob Bierschied, Director of Parks and Recreation with a detailed background on Mr.
Bierschied’s accomplishments for District 10.
COMMUNITY SECTION
1. Guest Presentation
Bob Bierscheid, Director of Parks and Recreation introduced Mike Hann, Manager for the Como
Park Campus. Mr. Bierschied’s presentation included current and upcoming, local and citywide
department planning and projects. Among other items, Mr. Bierscheid discussed the Gates Ajar
renovation, the Circulator (a $1.5 million federal grant that provides after school busing for
activities at the rec centers, already in use in East St. Paul and West St. Paul), “Trees St. Paul” (a
tree planting web site and program to assist residents in replanting hundreds of trees lost in the
August 2007 storm), a $12,000 DNR grant for storm damage, the CRWD Golf Course water
management project that will be completed in Spring 2008, three new soccer fields, the Ramsey
County park trail system for walkers/bike riders (95% will be completed fall 2007), Japanese
Bonsai Garden, more than one million dollars has come in from the public’s free-will donations
in the last year, the new Polar Bear exhibit ($9.5 million grant that will also provide a temporary
Butterfly exhibit), etc. He also talked about the proposed closing of eight city recreation centers
in St. Paul and a permanent ice rink installation at North Dale Rec Center, one of only two sites
selected in metro St. Paul. At the conclusion of the presentation, Mr. Volz thanked Mr.
Bierschied for presenting those important updates and invited him to return in the future.
2. Annual Elections
Chairman Volz then announced the annual board elections and described the terms and open
positions for those who begin their duties on October 23, 2007. In preparation for those who will
fill the elected positions, Mr. Volz provided information about the demographics/voices/needs of
the 13,000 residents in Como Park, the roles/ responsibilities of the officers and directors, the
bylaws, how committees should operate and recommendations for effective governance and
professional protocol. Mr. Volz distributed a copy of the Officers section of D10CCC’s bylaws
and he emphasized the need to represent the broad-based voice of 13,000 residents, versus the
special interest voice of fewer people. Mr. Volz requested that Nancy Sabin address the audience
regarding the ongoing board governance/development training and the Ad Hoc HR work.
Ms. Sabin provided a brief background regarding the Ad Hoc HR work (annual review of the
Community Organizer, Annual Governance Checklist, D10CCC Rules of Conduct, etc.) and her
governance assistance role at the city level due to her “day job” work at Jacob Wetterling
Foundation across all community councils. Ms. Sabin informed the new directors that each must
volunteer three times per year for Sunday office opening that is required by the City Contract
(noon to 4 p.m.). Ms. Sabin also emphasized the primary functions of the officers: the Chair to
be a neutral facilitator not a decision maker, the Vice Chair as a back up to the Chair and
parliamentarian, the Treasurer to assist in oversight of a $53,000 budget and to resolve the $4,700
budget shortfall and the Secretary to provide more accurate, effective minutes and election
procedures. Ms. Sabin also emphasized the vital need for committee goals and activities to roll
up to the annual Work Plan versus having disconnected, unapproved activities that do not deliver
the contracted goals of the Work Plan. Finally, she reminded those present of the 32 hours per
week for paid staff for District 10, which requires that the workload be shared with the volunteer
board and appointed committees.
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Ballots were distributed and counted by a team including Commissioner Janice Rettman and Sue
McCall. The final tally determined that the newly elected officers and directors along are as
follows. All terms run for two years through October 2009, except as noted.
Chair, David Arbeit
Secretary, Marcy Micek
Sub-district 1, Chai Insook
Sub-district 2, Matt Schmitt
Sub-district 3, Luke Kuhl (through October 2008)
At- large, Nancy Sabin
At- large, John Marino
At-large, Mike MacDonald
The existing board congratulated newly elected officers and directors.
BOARD SECTION (REOPENED)
1. Staff and Crime report
The staff and crime report were reviewed. There was a question on the location and activities
for the Senior Resources Forum.
2. Draft Resulution LU16071
Draft Resolution LU16071, naming Jillian Ierien and Dwight Nelson as co- chairs for the District
10 Land Use/ California Area residents Ad Hoc Committee.
Motion: A motion was made to approve LU16071 and seconded. The motion passed with
unanimous approval by all directors.
3. Draft Resolution LU16072
Draft resolution LU16072, requesting a Board vote to explore a node study for the
Lexington/Larpenteur area, was discussed. The Board discussed whether District 10 had the
resources to manage this request. A grant proposal to CURA will be explored.
Motion: A motion to approve LU16072 was made and seconded. The motion passed with
unanimous approval by all directors.
4. Committee Reports
Committee reports were briefly reviewed with minimal discussion.
5. Request Procedures
The Board briefly reviewed the need to have a process and form for residents who wish to raise
issues for the D10CCC board. Nancy Sabin provided a draft form and asked the board to give
feedback or provide another example that could be used. The goal is to encourage residents to
share specific issues they need the board to discuss and resolve and ensure that effective
discussions occur that affect the community as a whole.
MEETING ADJOURNED BY CHAIR VOLZ AT 9:40 P.M.
Minutes prepared by Nancy Sabin, Acting Secretary