John Erwin, who returns to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board after sitting out a term, has won unanimous election as the board's president.
Erwin, 48, is a horticultural science professor at the University of Minnesota. He was elected eight years ago, then sat out a term for family reasons before winning a seat in November. Erwin, elected at a board meeting Monday, said he thinks he represents a centrist viewpoint among park commissioners.
Erwin plans to establish two ad hoc committees at Wednesday's board meeting. One is to recommend to the board by Feb. 18 how to handle the parks superintendency. Erwin said that includes recommending whether to extend current chief executive Jon Gurban's contract and for how long, or whether to search for a new leader. Commissioner Jon Olson will chair that panel.
Erwin also plans to have Commissioner Bob Fine head a committee on new ideas for the park system that don't fit readily into the work of an existing panel.
Erwin said he is open to City Council President Barbara Johnson's suggestion of a "green ribbon" commission to discuss potential savings through sharing city and park services. He said he also wants to have similar conversations with other government entities such as Hennepin County and the Minneapolis public schools.
He listed his top five priorities as refocusing on core services such as greening the city, offering recreation for all ages and maintaining green space; increasing transparency in decision-making; working with the city; diversifying parks funding; and expanding where parks or programs are needed.
Annie Young was elected vice president of the board, and Erwin named the following committee chairs: Administration and Finance, Scott Vreeland; Recreation, Liz Wielinski; Planning, Young; Operations and Environment, Olson; Legislation and Intergovernmental, Carol Kummer; Standards and Conduct, Brad Bourn.
Anita Tabb, Bourn, Wielinski and Erwin were seated as newly elected commissioners.
