Sponsor: Parks & Recreation
Title
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Appointments to the Parks and Recreation Commission
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Recommendation
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1. Appoint the following individuals to the Parks and Recreation Commission for a term beginning June 10, 2025, and ending June 6, 2028.
• Jordan Nelson
• Alison Long
• Thomas Lemke
2. Appoint the following individuals to the Parks and Recreation Commission for a term beginning June 10, 2025, and ending June 8, 2027.
• Vanessa Agudo
• Han Zhang
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Background and Rationale
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The Parks & Recreation Commission serves as an advisory group to the Parks and Recreation Department leadership. Members of the Parks Commission serve as valuable community liaisons, and provide insights on park projects, policy, racial equity and community engagement efforts. Feedback and ideas are incorporated into development projects and help connect park staff to community. Members' familiarity with the county's parks and recreation system offers a deep and rich conversation about the direction of the department. The Parks Commission has a total of 9 seats.
There are currently five vacancies on the Parks & Recreation Commission. There was a total of seven applications, one of which was from an incumbent. On April 22, 2025, the applications were forwarded to an interview panel, which consisted of three Ramsey County commissioners. The interview panel reviewed the applications and interviews took place between May 5, 2025 and June 2, 2025.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
In addition to the usual recruitment for advisory committee vacancies through GovDelivery, word of mouth by advisory committee members, staff, and the board, the vacancies and application was promoted through an email listserv reaching numerous diverse organizations and networks. The recruitment process utilized the county’s social media accounts and website. This extended promotion process is a step towards better outreach to more racially diverse and underrepresented voices that are often missed. Furthermore, the application for these vacancies was updated to focus more on the lived experiences and knowledge and skills a resident may bring along with an optional section to insert demographics to ensure we are reaching new and diverse candidates.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Participation by and input from community members appointed to advisory groups helps to shape and improve programs and services for the community, share information and increase the level of understanding through discussion, dialogue, and engagement.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
In 2022, Ramsey County began offering compensation for residents serving on formal advisory boards. Members of the Parks & Recreation Commission have the opportunity to opt-in for a monthly $25 gift card attendance compensation. Advisory board compensation comes from the Community Engagement Fund.
Last Previous Action
On May 7, 2024, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners appointed Harold Harvey, Brian Tempas and Gregory Williams to the Parks & Recreation Commission for a term ending June 2, 2027 (Resolution B2024-075).
Attachments
1. Parks and Recreation Commission Membership Roster