The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board this week re-elected Commissioner Anita Tabb as its president for 2017.
Minneapolis Park Board re-elects Anita Tabb as president
Tabb said she wants to prioritize financial transparency and racial equity in park services.
January 7, 2017 at 12:34AM
Tabb was first elected to the Park Board leadership post in mid-2016 after former President Liz Wielinski resigned following a shouting match with Nekima Levy-Pounds, then the president of the Minneapolis NAACP.
The board elects officers every year. Tabb is in her second term on the Park Board and she does not plan to seek re-election when her term expires in December.
Tabb is a resident of the Lowry Hill neighborhood, representing a district that stretches from the downtown riverfront to the city's western border and Lake Calhoun. Before being elected to the Park Board, Tabb served on her local neighborhood association board and took part in Park Watch, a group of residents that tracks Park Board activities.
Tabb said her focus as board president is to enhance financial transparency, especially as the Park Board spends an additional $11 million annually on maintenance and renovations at neighborhood parks.
"I want to make sure this year that we have in place the reporting structure and ability to be able to report on how we are using that money," Tabb said.
Tabb also plans to direct some of her time to advocating for racial diversity and racial equity in the park services.
"It's good to have fresh ideas coming in," Tabb said. "I am hopeful that we'll have some additional new voices that can help us move in the direction of supporting the broader community."
The Park Board also re-elected Commissioner John Erwin as vice president for 2017.
Faiza Mahamud • 612-673-4203
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