We will begin our interview in one minute.

Good evening.

Thank you for coming, Mr.

Mayor.

Do you want to introduce yourself and tell us what uh what board commission you are applying for?

Sure.

Tim Meyer.

I live at 4611 London Road in Lakeside in Duluth neighborhood.

I had applied for the Parks and Recreation Commission for District One.

Thank you.

Do you have a personal or financial interest direct or indirect with the Parks and Rec Commission, or are you engaged in any capacity whereby a conflict of interest might arise?

No, we do not.

Okay.

Can you give a brief outline of your educational and work experience?

Sure.

I'm in the profession of architecture.

I have was at St.

Cloud State University and pre-engineering for two years.

I have two architectural degrees from North Dakota State University.

I've been in the practice of architecture for 38 years, most of that in the City of Duluth.

Okay, thank you.

How will that background experience and your personal experience be of benefit in relation to Parks and Rec?

That's a good question.

I actually thought about that today in preparation for the interview tonight.

Through my life, I've actually participated a lot in both individual and team sports, you know, football, basketball, baseball, track, golf, tennis, uh, every sport, uh, and also at the level of coaching and managing teams.

So I feel that I've got uh a lot of experience uh in recreation related activities.

Um I did recently here too, had worked with uh Mayor Reinert and his working group to study the Lester Park golf course redevelopment uh and also as an architect we have done uh quite a few recreation-related uh facilities, some of those uh for the city of Duluth.

Great, thank you.

And Tim, why are you interested in serving on this board?

Well, it's a good question.

I think uh obviously Leicester Park Golf Course redevelopment uh is under the under the guise of Parks and Recreation Department.

Um I do care a lot about recreation.

Um I did participate in helping sell the um levy increase for recreation, which which failed by referendum a couple of years ago, so I am very supportive of our parks and recreation uh programs.

Um I actually was present at Parks and Recreation Commission when our budget was presented this past year and was kind of startled to realize how serious our budget problems are.

Do you want to talk a little bit more about um the um suggestions you might make in in relation to that budget?

Yeah, I um it's difficult, uh especially in the climate that we're in of you know, especially the federal and state cuts is gonna be much more of a challenge, I think, for the City of Duluth to provide the level of uh recreation facilities that we've had in the past.

I think too in Leicester Park, being a perfect example of the challenges the city faces.

I I really believe that uh public-private partnerships are going to be the wave of the future to kind of do the work that the city has traditionally done in maintaining and developing our recreation facilities.

I know that this the city's engaged in uh several public-private initiatives right now to improve our recreation facilities in the city.

Um I think my background as an architect and the some of the commissions that I've served on for the city, including um our planning commission and others that uh I think I would be an asset in helping the city uh move parks and recreation forward.

Thanks.

Do you have any scheduling conflicts that might come up when the parks and rec meet?

None that I know of, and would just state that I will make the uh commitment that needs to be so that I have full per participation with the parks and rec commission.

Um I'm actually serving currently on the HRA commission, and I will leave that at the end of my term this fall so that I can focus on parks and recreation.

Thank you.

Um, what do you think are your personal strengths that you would be bringing to this commission?

I know I I'm a very community-oriented person uh since I came I came to Duluth in 1990, and through that uh course of that time I've met most of you, I think, through some of the volunteer things that I've been involved in.

Um I feel that I'm passionate about Duluth and uh improving the quality of life for the people who live here and especially for our children.

Thank you.

Um is there anything else you'd like to add concerning your background, the attributes you would bring or the your appointment to the parks and rec?

I think I don't know my background as an architect uh I think will be very valuable to the commission, especially as we explore more of these public private partnerships um through my work to have a lot of connections with other organizations in the city that I think the days of expecting the city to uh handle all of our parks and recreation needs are over I think that going forward these sort of public private partnerships that we're starting to engage in that that is the wave of the future and I think that my background and having involvement both in the public and private sector will help the city.

Thank you.

Counselor is there in are there any questions Counselor Forsman.

Thank you, President Tomak thank you Mr Meyer I'm curious what you would view as sort of the baseline needs of the city's responsibility for our parks and what are those things that maybe we could look to more partnerships on the Yeah it was very um eye opening to me um when I was with uh uh Jessica Peterson I was actually there uh and with people from the Spirit Valley Community Center group to present our project there the night the budget was presented and it was shocking to me how difficult it is to deliver the level of of Parks of recreation that we have in Duluth with the resources that we have um I just in having done a lot of thought about city government I think these public private partnerships are are where we need to go in the future and I think we need to attack problems more as a community and instead of expecting the city to provide thank you any other questions counselors I would just like to say um Mr Mayor that I've I've worked with you both on the referendum and on Leicester and I have seen that you're very interested in listening to all opinions.

As far as Leicester goes you did not put forth your own opinions you put forth those of several options that people could look at which I really valued and you are thorough you show up and you attend all you were at every meeting possible so I really appreciate that.

We will be with you we will be voting on your recommendation not in this cycle but on the next one.

Okay.

Thanks so much for being thank you for having me tonight.

Thanks I did want to put in a a plug for Alyssa Denim to be the permanent clerk for the city so thank you.

I it it I think