00:00:13,600	Welcome to this debate with the candidates for Bismarck Park Board. I am Ann Crews Melton, a member of the League of Women Voters, and I will be your moderator. This debate has been organized and the questions developed by the League of Women Voters, the Bismarck Tribune, Bismarck Mandan Chamber, EDC, AARP of North Dakota, and Dakota Media Access.

00:00:38,170	There are four candidates running for three open positions on the Bismarck Park Board, and three of the candidates have joined us here today. They are Michael Gilbertson, Brian Houle, and Julie Jeske. Candidate Russ Hanson had a prior work commitment and regrets he is unable to attend.

00:01:01,800	Our purpose is to provide voters with information about the candidates and their positions on issues that affect the citizens of Bismarck. The candidates have not received questions in advance. Viewers watching this debate live on May 6th May submit questions by texting. BisMan 152 to 22333 to join the session, then text your question. The debate format is as follows.

00:01:32,270	Each candidate will have 60s to make an opening statement, and after opening statements, the candidates will respond to questions. The first responses to questions will be rotated between the candidates, and each candidate will have 60s to respond to each question. After each candidate has responded to the question, there will be up to three additional minutes allowed for debate or additional comments for any or all candidates.

00:01:55,730	After the final question, each candidate will then have 60s to make a closing statement. Candidates are asked to comply with our time restrictions so we can get to as many questions as possible. Our timer will let you know when your responses are down to 30s, 10s and stop for the debate segment.

00:02:16,600	They will indicate when we are down to one minute and stop. Now let's meet our candidates. Each of you will have 60s to make an opening statement. Michael will go to you. Good evening.

00:02:37,530	Thank you to the sponsors of tonight's debate, the Bismarck Chamber, the League of Women Voters, the Tribune, Dakota Media Access, and the AARP of North Dakota. My name is Michael Gilbertson. I am a lifelong resident of Bismarck, and I'm currently finishing my third term on the park board and would be honored to continue serving our community. My wife and I are proud parents of Ben and Lily, students at Legacy High School.

00:02:57,970	Like so many families, we regularly were and still are avid users of the Park District facilities and programs. Our kids are now in high school and so our focus has changed. But that personal connection drives my commitment to keeping our park system strong, safe and accessible for all.

00:03:18,500	Professionally, I spent four years teaching at Bismarck High School and these experiences have shaped my focus. And I'm running again because there's more work to do, like indoor rec center, Southside dog park, I just to name a few, and a new director coming in. So I look forward to keep working for the citizens of Bismarck. Thank you Brian. Good evening.

00:03:43,170	My name is Brian Houle. I'm honored to be here today. I see this as a real opportunity to bring fresh energy and perspective to our parks department and community. I live here in Bismarck with my wife and two children, Jack, who is seven, Lucy, who's three.

00:03:58,100	As a family, we're constantly utilizing Bismarck parks and recreation facilities and programing. These spaces are where we connect with our community and with each other. My background has shaped how I think about parks in public spaces. I've worked as an outdoor and experiential educator, professional mountain guide, arborist, and archeologist. Today, I'm an environmental scientist with the state focusing on water quality in 2024.

00:04:20,500	I joined the City Forestry Advisory Board, where I still serve today. I'm an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, which has helped shape my approach to land stewardship rooted in respect and long term thinking.

00:04:38,430	I believe our parks and recreation programs are essential to who we are as a community, and I'm excited to help guide decisions that serve us today. While planning thoughtfully for the future. Thank you. Julie. Good afternoon. Thank you so much for inviting me here today. My name is Julie Jeske and I am currently a Park Board commissioner.

00:04:57,870	My husband and Charlie and I moved here 18 years ago, and we have really found a home here in Bismarck. We love this community. We have three children. They are grown and I am so fortunate that I have two grandchildren that live here in town with us. So I'm able to re-experience the Park District programs and services all over again through the eyes of a very young child.

00:05:18,370	As a current park commissioner, I understand the roles and responsibilities that come with being a member of the board, and I'm well versed in making critical decisions that benefit the community. In my 16 years on the board, I recall missing one meeting and that was just last year.

00:05:36,070	I grew up near a park in Jamestown, and I the experience there and the other park amenities have shaped me into the person I am today. Thank you for having me here. Thank you all. We will now move on to our questions. And Brian, we'll start with you this time.

00:05:55,430	What is your vision for addressing recreation needs for people of all ages in the city of Bismarck, whether programing or facilities? Yes. I think it's a great question. When we think about that, we need to think about both ends of the spectrum. So young, young families, young children and older people, we will all get there eventually.

00:06:15,700	And so thinking about programing in that respect, as we move forward with new facilities, we need to make sure that that inclusion is thought about in those regards. Accessibility to I believe there are a lot of barriers to access. And one of those is geography and paywalls and things like that nature.

00:06:40,600	But we need to have facilities that are easily accessible and able to be accessed by to all people. Thank you. Julie. Same question. Would you mind just repeating it one more time for me? What is your vision for addressing recreation needs for people of all ages in the city of Bismarck? Programing or facilities? Thank you so much. That is a wonderful question.

00:06:59,530	I do believe that the Park district now does a great job of working with people of all ages. So we have multiple partnerships, I think roughly 200 partnerships that we have with different organizations.

00:07:26,800	So anywhere from gymnastics to Theo Art School to Bismarck Aquatic Center swimming track, we are well, well versed to address the needs of this community in both age and accessibility. We did just do a major access audit, and we are slowly implementing all of the things that have come through that access audit, because it's a large list of things to do. Thank you Michael. Thank you.

00:07:52,800	Well, the city of Bismarck has the largest percentage of retired people and children of any city in the state of North Dakota. The population of Bismarck is 17% of the population is retirement age, and 22% of the population is school age. I think our our park district has done a great job addressing both ends of the spectrum.

00:08:20,730	For instance, the investment in facilities that provide opportunities for pickleball on the younger side specifically, you know, I'm a former hockey parent. Adding another sheet of ice has done wonders to allow more kids to be involved in hockey and ice skating. And I think our trail system. We have something like 85 miles of trails, and that provides opportunities for for people to get out there as well.

00:08:49,100	Thank you. We will now open this to debate or any additional comments from any of you.

00:08:58,270	Well, I guess I would just continue if I could and just, you know, piggyback off of some of the stuff that Julie said, that it is important and providing access for all groups of people.

00:09:22,100	Access isn't just about mobility issues, which our district has done a great job with, but it's also making sure that access is available when it comes to affordability.

00:09:27,800	Point. Thanks. Hearing no more comments, we will keep going. On to the next question. And Julie, we'll start with you this time. Would you support development of new recreation facilities and cooperation with the school district and or the city? Thank you so much for that question.

00:09:50,970	Actually, back in 2020, I was the park board president, and we worked with the school district here in Bismarck to get funding for the third rink that we added to the VFA. So their funding was critical to making that a reality. We were very short in ice skating rinks. We are still short in ice skating rinks, but it was a wonderful collaboration to make that happen.

00:10:13,600	You know, I think anytime we can get a private and public partnership, I think that's the way to go. When I was a park commissioner in Grand Forks, I was responsible for securing the naming sponsor for Choice Wellness Center and then also securing the land. And so I have experience with that.

00:10:31,100	And I do think it's so important, as we move forward as a district to develop those partnerships a little bit more. Thank you Michael. Same question. Absolutely, 100%. I think it is long overdue.

00:10:56,230	I'm glad to see the Park District partnering with the city, with the feasibility study for a proposed indoor recreation center prior to the park district and school district partnering up. I, I can't remember the exact date, but I think it was sometime in the 90s was the last time that there was a partnership.

00:11:20,170	And Bismarck needs more of that, because when all of the entities work together, Bismarck does better and the citizens of Bismarck deserve to have political subdivisions that work together for the advancement of our community. Thank you. Brian. Well, I know Michael said 100%. I'd say 1,000%. Yeah we do. I just to echo that, I think collaboration is key in all aspects.

00:11:42,800	And so bringing the school system and the city together with other partnerships is going to be the way forward. Everything costs more, and that's the only way we're going to be able to manage those infrastructure costs moving forward. Thank you all. I'll now open the floor for further comments.

00:12:01,700	I guess I'd make a comment as well. That one thing as as a lifelong citizens of Bismarck, I'm and a current park board member, I'm I'm real tired of people asking why does Fargo have this? Why does Dickinson have this? Why does Mandan have this? And the answer is because they work together. And I'm hopeful.

00:12:29,730	I'm very hopeful that with the mayor's office, which they have been proactive, a new director coming in for our entity that we are able to take, take those steps to continue to build those relationships. Like I said, for the benefit of our community.

00:12:52,600	And I think that feasibility study that's going to begin soon, I think, is that Commissioner Redmann is is on that. That'll be interesting to see what that comes up with, because that'll be the reality that what we can accomplish as a city and, and collaborate together with I would say, you know, we need some data points there to, to to understand what exactly is needed.

00:13:14,000	Sometimes there's this total thing, you know, we need more of this, more of that. But what do people actually need. Right. So that's my thought on that. Thank you. Just piggyback in on what everyone said to. I am excited to see what the final results will be from this feasibility study.

00:13:31,000	And I do think it's important that we reach out to the community members and find out exactly what what they're wanting in the community center. There's a huge need for indoor turf right now. Obviously, we can't meet the needs with the dome, so it would be nice to see more indoor turf.

00:13:45,470	I know people would like to see more courts, more indoor tracks, things like that. I think anything that helps our community stay healthy and well is a great thing for our community. Plus the economic impact. That's something like the fees like this new facility could bring to us is so important.

00:14:07,970	Okay. Well thank you all. We will move on to the next question. And Michael, this one will go to you first. How do you see the park system evolving in the next 3 to 5 years? Well, I think the the park district has an opportunity to continue that evolution.

00:14:27,900	You know, in our strategic plan and our strategic priorities, they are to continue with the ADA transition plan. It'd be great if every single park in Bismarck was accessible. And we're we're moving in, taking some great strides and to, you know, invigorate the recreational programing.

00:14:59,870	When we look at through our annual reports, the, you know, sometimes programs are, you see, dwindling participation. Well, we need to take those opportunities to provide for our community and what it is exactly that they're looking for. Thank you. Brian. I mean, 3 to 5 years, things might change. You know, when I was a kid, pickleball wasn't a thing. Now it's a big thing.

00:15:29,370	Who knows what 3 to 5 years might bring? I think Covid, the Covid times actually helped by folks going out and using these facilities. And that changed the perspective a little bit. So moving forward, you know, in line with Michael there, I think ADA compliance is necessary, both physically the physical part of it.

00:15:50,000	But also, you know, that we have a lot of ADA compliance things to do on the audio and visual portion of things updating websites, updating maps. I also think trail connectivity, we have a lot of trails like was mentioned earlier, but there's not they're not all continuously connected. I think that would be a great help to our city.

00:16:07,900	And you know, we need to explore some low cost, low barrier to entry type of programing. Just the other day, somebody talked to me about a.

00:16:19,170	Like a cross country type of team. All you need is shoes. So thank you Julie. Thank you. An you know we really in Bismarck have a park district that every community is envious of and wants to emulate. So we have received two gold medals, which is amazing.

00:16:41,700	And then we are certified and there's very few park districts, I think us and then maybe Fargo might be Capra. But, you know, within North Dakota there's really very few Capra's. So you know, Brian had talked about connectivity. I'm an avid runner. I love to bike. I'm on those trails constantly. Yes. What I'd love to see more trails.

00:17:00,270	We have 75 miles of paved and unpaved trails in Bismarck right now. When you add Mandan, we're well over 100 miles, which I think is phenomenal. Having lived in Grand Forks, I never saw anything like that. So it was great. 3 to 5 years.

00:17:17,500	Yeah, our chains are our needs and our wants are going to probably change a little bit. But I think it's also important that we have to realize that we will grow with the community. Thank you. Additional comments. Yeah, I think to you know, we really need to listen to the people, right? We can put surveys out.

00:17:36,970	I know there's been a number of surveys out, but when only 1% of the population responds to that data, that data sets pretty small. So the the bigger the data set, the more information we have to make those decisions on.

00:17:57,070	And that may actually entail, folks go into Cottonwood and stand in there with a clipboard and taking, you know, different alternative methods to get that information so that we can make sound decisions.

00:18:00,900	Yeah, I agree with Brian, and I know Commissioner Redman has we currently serve with as she has had some of those ideas to and I think that they're fantastic when you get out and actually find out on the ground what's what's needed. I think our as a district our that Capra certification and winning those gold medals.

00:18:32,230	A lot of people in the community don't know what those are and what those entail, but that is an amazing part and of the evolution of our district and the fact that we undertake strategic planning process every year that we go through. And that's pushing out, you know, two years in into the future.

00:18:56,700	And it's it makes a huge difference. And Brian brought up pickleball. Yeah. We played that here in the 90s and high school. And I thought it was a weird game that Rocky and Julie Stephen made up. But it turns out that it's it's actually was was a real thing.

00:19:13,100	But but we we got really good at it in high school. Thank you. I'll just make one last comment too. Yes. I think it's so important that we listen to our community members. And sometimes the only people who respond to a survey are the ones who really have a point to make.

00:19:32,470	It is nice to get feedback from everybody. I will say with like the feasibility study, I think we've been guaranteed that it will be a.

00:19:43,070	Proper sampling size so that we're able to get appropriate data. I might add one more thing there. When we talk about 3 to 5 years, I think it's really one idea I had is integrated like a youth park board.

00:20:02,600	I mean, they're the eyes and ears on the ground, right? And so if we could integrate that somehow into the parks department, I think we could have a really great amount of information directly from the some of the primary users of these facilities and programing. So that is another thing that I've been thinking a lot about.

00:20:21,370	All right. Thank you all. The next question will begin with Brian. What do you have for attracting and retaining park employees? Well, I think again we need to look at data.

00:20:47,370	Are there are there certain positions that tend to turn over more frequently than others? Are there exit interviews that we can dissect and understand? At the end of the day, there's always going to be attrition. People, you know, somebody made somebody in a different city and they're going to move there or they got a better opportunity somewhere else. I think the biggest thing is culture.

00:21:03,430	We really need to make sure that the culture of Bismarck, Parks and Rec is one of inclusion, and anybody can voice anything to anyone at any time and not feel retribution for doing that.

00:21:28,700	I'm not sure if that exists, but whether it's real or felt, I think those are all valid things, but I think our city and the Parks department, I mean, they they're on par with other cities in our state in terms of compensation packages and pay. So again, that culture piece is the big one. Thank you. Julie. And thank you. You know, I will say within the Park district we have great longevity with our executive team.

00:21:48,730	There will be some turnover in the next couple of years as people get ready to retire. I think it's very important that we help grow our own so that people can move up into the positions that they want. Within the park district, there's always going to be turnover for some of the seasonal help.

00:22:06,330	You know, when you come in as someone who's mowing the yard at 18, you don't want that to be the job that you have for the rest of your life. But you definitely want to, you know, be able to maybe move into something else that is more attractive to you.

00:22:21,630	We do offer a great benefits package at the Park district, and we've done a lot of things to help retain people.

00:22:26,330	Thank you. Brian touched on it with the the the salary study. We recently did that in the last couple of years. And we we are on par with with other communities in the state.

00:22:52,370	My, the first term I served on the park board was in 2006 to 2010, and there are still people today working in the in the Park district. 20 years after that fact. And and they stay because the culture is good and and they are treated well and they are respected for what they do. It's not as easy as adding or giving a pay raise. We have 200,000 hours of part time seasonal employees.

00:23:16,500	So to give everybody a dollar raise, that's $200,000 right off. Right off the the tack. But we also offer to our seasonal employees punch cards where they're able to use various other, other services and facilities. So that helps. Thank you. We will open the floor for any additional debate or comments.

00:23:45,170	Kind of speaking to that retirement piece, having a having a succession plan in place and having a codified mentorship program, I think would help bring those people that maybe don't have the ability or the the confidence yet to step into those roles to to move in that direction.

00:24:05,800	Again, that takes time and investment, but I think that's well worth it if we can retain those employees. Thank you man. I will say I do. I believe the Park district does a great job in helping the employees go where they want to go within their career, within the Park district.

00:24:26,600	So there is a national conference that is held once a year, and we encourage employees to go there who are within a certain position. They also encourage people to participate in or obtain certifications that help them grow in their career. You know, in terms of like what I want to call them, Commissioner Gilbertson. So I'm so used to looking at them at this table.

00:24:47,270	But, you know, like with our lifeguards and the people who do do the the maintenance, you know, there is an opportunity for them if they work x number of hours, they can utilize the facility for free. And I think that's really important.

00:25:01,900	We want them to, you know, if you're a lifeguard, it's nice if you can go into the pool and swim after hours, things like that. So yeah, we we work to make sure that our employees are treated well. In recently we had a shortage of lifeguards. My my son was one that stepped up and joined, joined the fold and was a lifeguard for two years.

00:25:23,900	But some of our district employees went, worked with the school district, and they developed a class at the Career Academy where if they took lifeguarding, the lifeguarding class, they could earn earn high school credit for, for taking that class. And and then we also have done things or waive the cost of the training, which can be expensive.

00:25:49,970	So the Park district has taken quite a few steps to make not only full time jobs, but our part time seasonal jobs very enticing or as enticing as as they they can be. So.

00:26:06,500	All right. Thank you all. I want to remind if we have live viewers, you can text in your questions, but we'll keep going with the prepared ones. I will go to Julie next. Oh, wait. No. Is that correct? Okay. All right. Just checking. No, I think it's Mike. Just kidding. It is leaving track of my own notes.

00:26:28,000	Okay. What impact do you believe the new state law capping property taxes at 3% will have on future budgets? Well, I will say I think it's going to have a huge impact on future budgets. But I will say I just received my assessment for my house, and the property value of my house went up $65,000.

00:26:50,700	So that's definitely going to impact the amount of tax dollars I pay. But 3% is very limiting. And especially as things are becoming more and more expensive, it's going to be very difficult for entities that rely on those tax dollars to make their budget.

00:27:16,100	I will say that we have a phenomenal process in place at the district, and we have a great finance director, and so we have always managed to come within budget. Thank you Michael. I think the immediate impact to the Park district, based on our great finance team and the conservative nature that our, our director and our our executive director and department directors have used helps.

00:27:44,700	So I think the immediate impact has the possibility to be negligible, but it will have an impact when expenses increase 4 to 6% every year, and you're only allowed to increase by 3% eventually that will compound and eventually that will be an issue.

00:28:10,370	And based on the law, the only things that are available to the park district are go to the go to the voters or reduce services. And there's one thing that people are very vocal about is when their programs and their facilities that they use are affected, it will be an issue. Thank you Brian.

00:28:36,430	I see it as an opportunity. Yeah, it is limiting in a lot of ways, but that just breeds more need to go after partnerships, to go after grant funding, to get donors, to get a little bit scrappy and go after things a little bit more aggressively. But yeah, it will limit things like Michael was saying.

00:28:55,900	I mean, when you have a 3% cap and all the costs are going up, I don't think there has been one year in which construction costs have gone down. So that is an issue.

00:29:16,500	But again, I think I see it as an opportunity to make changes and to go after some things that maybe we weren't thinking about before. Okay. The floor is open. Yeah. And the that is one thing our district is does very well is I mean, every year there's.

00:29:33,370	2 to $300,000 worth of grants that our district does obtain and go after, possibly even more. I don't have the direct number in front of me, but our district, the employees are directors are very, very, very cognizant and aware and are always looking to offset those costs. And and they do a phenomenal job.

00:30:00,530	But yeah, you know, when it comes to budgeting, nobody plans for $4 a gallon of gas. And the park district maintains a very large fleet of gas operated vehicles and machinery. So that will have an impact on on our budget this year. Julie, and if I may, thank you so much. So.

00:30:25,630	I just attended the Leadership Bismarck Mandan Project presentations today, and one of the projects that came out of there was planting potentially 100 or 150 new trees and Sibley Park, which the Park district manages.

00:30:46,770	And this is a wonderful show of public private partnerships, because that leadership team is working to raise $17,500 to pay for all those trees. So there are some wonderful partnerships that are going on, you know, as budgets become a little bit tighter. You know, you could always look at increasing programing fees.

00:31:04,370	I think the one thing the Park district does so well is that we make sure that everyone can afford to recreate. So we do supplement some of our programs. But, you know, I think Fargo was under a lot of heat last year because they upped their pool fees to, I think, $500 for a summer summer pool pass for a child that's not affordable, that's not affordable for anybody.

00:31:28,000	So we really work hard to make sure that everybody who wants to recreate has the opportunity to do it, and families can afford to send their children to the pool in the summer.

00:31:40,370	I allowed to make another comment. I guess I completely forgot about it. I want to mention the matching grant program that that the Park district does.

00:32:08,100	When you look at the the the partnerships that we have, I will use the BMX, the BMX track as a great example that when I was in high school that was overrun, overgrown, the paint was I mean it looked dilapidated. Now you go down there, it's one of the top ten tracks in the region, in the country and it's amazing. So when you look at the amount of projects and the amount of money that has been spent and those user groups are paid half of that, it's amazing.

00:32:35,600	Thank you. We'll have to close debate on this topic and keep going. But appreciate your comments. And Michael, we will go to you first with this next question.

00:32:56,870	What are your thoughts on development along the Missouri River and the accessibility of such development to the entire community? Well, I think it's I mean, I would approach that, I guess, from two ways. One is a private citizen and two, as a park commissioner. The the development on the river. I as a citizen, I sincerely hope that it is successful as a park commissioner. It's it's important that people know that the development at Park.

00:33:17,270	The park district had no had no say in that. That was land that was owned by the city and managed by the Park district. I am disappointed that there is no longer a boat ramp there. I've heard from many, many, many people that that was an important access point for the citizens of Bismarck.

00:33:37,370	And I'm I guess I'm not disappointed, but I wish that we would have had more time to develop a plan to replace that, and to offer that to the citizens of Bismarck. Thank you Brian. Same question.

00:34:05,870	Yeah, I've heard a lot as well regarding the boat ramp, and I think Fox Island is probably going to get a little bit more traffic this year. But I do think that the development of that area will serve will better serve the whole population of the city. The river is a mainstay. It's why Bismarck is here, why Mandan is here.

00:34:26,270	And now that we can, once this is done, all people of all abilities can access the river and be right down there. And also, one thing I'm really excited for is some sort of bandshell, some sort of performative space where we can all come together. It has trees, green space, river right there in some ways that in my mind that's a little bit of a greater good.

00:34:48,270	We sacrifice a boat ramp, but we may be able to reposition that later on. But like Michael said, that probably should have been thought about prior to moving forward with this. Thank you. Julie. Thank you. A lot of what I'm going to say is going to emulate what Mike said as well.

00:35:08,900	So yes, I wish when the project was brought to the park district, we really there was no opportunities for us to really discuss. And we fought hard and really questioned why they're taking out that boat ramp. And people would say, well, just add on to Fox Island, or there's the new boat ramp going into Mandan.

00:35:28,630	But I will tell you that the way the current flows in the river, that was a great place to launch your boat. So people who have gone to Mandan have said, it's really hard to launch your boat. There's no place to park Fox Island. There's no place to park either. I sincerely hope that this is successful.

00:35:47,730	I'm excited about a band shell. I know the military gallery that's going next to the Heritage Center that's going to have a band shell as well. So it's kind of nice that there's going to be multiple opportunities for places to or for people to, to listen to music or to watch some entertainment.

00:36:06,970	But yes, I hope they're successful because I don't know if if it's at this point really worth what is going on. Thank you. I will open up for further comments on Missouri River development. I guess I would like to say again, as a private citizen, I do hope that it is successful.

00:36:26,730	But, you know, moving forward, the Park district won't have any part in that. I mean, we we did offer to have discussions about management, but the owners and developers of that that area have decided to go a different direction. But as, as a, as a citizen.

00:36:48,370	Yeah, I do hope I do hope it is successful because I love watching live music. I love attending festivals. So all of that for the greater good of Bismarck, I guess is is a good thing. And like I said, I do hope it is successful.

00:37:05,070	I would say to, you know, when we talk about one of the core core principles for the Park board is accessibility, right? And so when you yeah, we lost a boat ramp, but that also has a has a barrier there. You have to own a boat to access the river.

00:37:26,800	So now we have the potential for all people to access the river and enjoy it.

00:37:35,630	Okay. If no further comments, Bryan, we will go to you first with this next question. The park board has hired a new director.

00:37:53,800	What role do you see the board and staff playing in getting the new leader up to speed and set up for success? Sure. Yeah, that's a that's a big role to feel. Executive director was was here quite some time and I think he developed a staff that should help with the new director coming in. The park board has a lot of experience to draw upon as well to help guide that transition.

00:38:16,700	But, you know, luckily the new executive director is not coming in. He has some experience, obviously, in Fargo for many years. And so it's it will be different but somewhat the same. And hopefully the staff members can help bring him up to speed. Thank you. Julie thank you. You know the history within the Park district.

00:38:37,800	In our 100 years, we have had more or five executive five executive directors. So this will be our six executive director. So we've had a lot of longevity within that area. Here's what I hope. I hope that everybody within this community embraces Mr. Leaker and helps him be successful in his role.

00:39:02,070	I know the executive team, the management team, they are so excited for him. They know him. They have interacted with him for multiple years throughout national and North Dakota Park district events. So I just hope that everybody welcomes him and helps him become acclimated to this community, because sometimes we have a tendency to eat our young.

00:39:26,100	So let's let's welcome him and let's embrace him and let's enjoy what he brings to the Park district in terms of experience and his budgeting expertise. Thank you Michael. Well, as Julia said, and I'm piggyback off that I've served on the board in nonconsensual, currently finishing eight years, but I served a four year term earlier.

00:39:56,700	And in the 20 years that I've been around, yeah, I've worked with three of the five directors of of the Bismarck Park district, and we have had the opportunity to be of the this.

00:40:19,630	I made the analogy of the coaching tree of the Steve new tree for a long, long, long, long time with Steve new and Randy, Bina and Kevin, all amazing individuals in in what they do. Having somebody come in from the outside, I think is an opportunity. I think our executive staff is incredibly strong and has the ability, along with direction of the board and with our vision and mission that we have. It's stated right there.

00:40:44,800	I think we're we're in a good spot. Okay. Thank you. I'll open the floor. Sorry. Thank you. Brian. Yeah. Like Mike said, we have never had an external candidate before to become our executive director. So I think this is a great opportunity for us to learn from him as well as well as teaching him.

00:41:07,730	So like I, he brings the expertise in budgeting. We are a $28 million budget. I think that's so important that we have someone who's had that experience. He has helped build facilities in in Fargo. So I think that expertise comes as well is important as well. And then also just the operational experience that he has had.

00:41:32,470	So like I said, I hope as a community we welcome, welcome him with open arms and really show him North Dakota. Nice in a Bismarck way.

00:41:46,630	You know, I would also add, you know, Mr. Lukas success with integration into our our parks department. It also depends on him and his open mindedness and ability to take feedback and receive feedback.

00:42:08,970	And I hope that is something that he can do and comes at it with open mind, with empathy and understanding that we're all trying to help him and approach things with humility as well. I would agree.

00:42:38,900	I would agree with both Julie and Brian that we do have an opportunity, and having somebody come in from the outside, I think it really gives us an opportunity to have a fresh look and to to have a different take on it. I mean, would say a lot that, you know, I mean, Bismarck is its own animal. Bismarck is not Fargo. And I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for that because I love Bismarck.

00:43:00,170	But yes, Brian brings up, you know, good points that the I hope that he comes in and I mean, as of now, every confidence that he will and and be open minded and and take the take the advice of people that have been here for a long time. I mean, our mission is work with the community to provide residents and visitors with the highest quality park, program, facility and event experience.

00:43:21,530	I have all faith that our executive team and our staff will do everything in their power to make sure that that happens.

00:43:31,900	All right. Thank you. We have a submitted question from our viewers. So this will go to Julie first. Earlier ADA compliance and accessibility was mentioned. What will you do to make our park and recreation facilities accessible. Well we have a long range plan on how we are going to make our parks and recreation facilities compliant for ADA.

00:44:00,630	What I would like to see at the Park District right now is I would love to have us have a large dashboard in which we can look at on a daily basis and see where we are tracking in terms of completing some of the projects that ADA compliance report that we have. Accessibility audit is huge.

00:44:21,730	It's absolutely huge. This is not something we're going to finish in two years and three years. In five years, this will go on for eternity. But we have been able to implement a lot of the changes already. And I will say one thing that we have done as well is we've been working with our contractors.

00:44:40,870	So anytime we're building or remodeling a building, they know exactly what they need to do. It's amazing how when the audit was done, you know, a grab bar was two inches too high or two inches too low. So some of the changes are minor. But yes, we're slowly working on that.

00:44:58,630	Yes, to piggyback off of what Julie said would be absolutely to continue the implementation of our ADA transition plan, we have an amazing person, Renee Yocum, who is the the director of that and is the leader, and it's part of the the Capra certification.

00:45:24,530	And our staff does a great job continually trying to check those things off because it is so vitally important. You know, it's the recently with the the matching grant program, one of the the clubs that was there, what they, they put into their application was to make the playground and the shelters accessible by putting in sidewalks and, and making those things available.

00:45:55,700	But there should never be any barrier to physical limitations to anybody to enjoy recreation opportunities. Thank you. I agree with with a lot of what has been said already. I think too strategically sometimes and you know, I've been dealing with ADA compliance. I actually myself at the state level with documentation.

00:46:22,630	We often think about it as a physical limitation, but it might be a there's a lot of maps that might have to be remade. There's a lot of website changes that might have to be made. Any documentation might have to be that's on a website, will have to have ADA compliance and a protocol for for doing that.

00:46:39,000	So everybody understands how to do it. Yeah. And they actually just extended that as well until next year because they knew that a lot of folks weren't going to reach that at that point on the April timeline. It's also important to to have architectural firms and and contractors that all are following the same ADA compliance metrics.

00:47:04,170	And so that's something you got to really look at when you're hiring or getting bids out.

00:47:11,470	Okay I will open the floor Julie. Thank you. And so I will say I was the president of the Bismarck Optimist Club last year. And when I saw that Optimist Park needed some new paving, new sidewalks added so that we were a little bit more ADA compliant, we did come up with $10,000 that we were

00:47:31,370	able to use a matching grant for, so that we could get that done at the park. I will also comment that Dana, who is our communications and marketing person for the Park District, has just done a revamp of our website to make sure that we are ADA compliant and I do believe our program guide.

00:47:48,470	If you look at that, it's lined up a little bit differently, but that's also to make sure that that is ADA compliant. It's things that you don't think about because you don't live in that world.

00:48:04,800	So I appreciate the fact that we have this large audit that we're able to use, and it can help us become a better park district so that everyone has access to it. One thing I appreciated when doctor made his presentation to the the park board about the the bond issue that the school district is, is working towards is the accessibility portion of it.

00:48:32,970	There are a lot of programs that the Park District offers that utilize other spaces than are own, and it is important for those spaces to be accessible. If we have kids or adults playing basketball at a school, it's important that those specifically restroom facilities and but the building itself is accessible.

00:49:02,000	So I really do appreciate that it is it's it's important community wide endeavor because it's like I said, there should never, ever, ever be a time. I work in a school, my my real job, and we have kids with mobility issues. And it's it's important that everybody be able to access those, those amenities.

00:49:25,170	Okay. Hearing no further comments, we are going to move to our last question for this evening before we go to our closing statements. And I will start with Michael for this question.

00:49:47,330	What could the Park board do to help mitigate the impact of our unhoused population on park facilities and programing? Well, it's I have a sheet of possible topics here, and that actually is one, because on our The Park tour last week, that is was a topic and and it is it it is a situation that that this community deals with. The park district absolutely needs to be a partner with the the network that already exists.

00:50:14,170	The Park district can't fix it on its own. So we have to be we have to be a part a partner. And parks are often where people congregate. So just a couple things that would be great if, you know, we offered information, had information available for services to help direct people towards the things that can help them.

00:50:43,500	Thank you. Brian. Yeah. This is this is not just a parks issue. This is a community issue. This needs to involve law enforcement, mental health. You know, a lot of times there's not a lot of beds in the in the hospitals. There's not a lot of beds at the homeless shelters. There's not a lot of beds.

00:51:02,370	You know, this is a systems type of thing. We need a lot of wraparound services to help to to combat this issue. Like Michael was saying, parks are just sort of where people congregate. So that's what they associated with. But it is a systemic problem.

00:51:22,370	And I think we need to be a little bit harder on the system and softer on the people. Julie. Thank you. You know, working downtown, I see a large homeless population on a daily basis running. I see a lot of them as I'm going through the park district as well. I will say I've attended several different sessions at the National Park and Rec conference.

00:51:45,170	And this is this is not just a North Dakota topic. This is a topic throughout the US. And I agree, there's been some system failures. I do think partnerships are incredibly important. And yeah, I think anything that the Park district could do to help mitigate homelessness in our community would be a very good thing.

00:52:09,970	Thank you. I will open the floor. I guess I would just like to continue a little bit of my thoughts and what I was saying. And, you know, again, going back to the the connection, make sure that staff is trained and equipped with information to provide for services that are available.

00:52:36,370	Oftentimes when you're dealing with the unhoused population, you know, a simple, respectful, helpful interaction is means the world and and can can help move a person on to to help. You know, we also need to keep our parks clean and safe.

00:53:05,900	And, you know, one of the things we talked about is looking at what, you know, re reinvigorating a park, look at the programing of a park. You know, for instance, 16th Street. Could we turn that into open space. Could we have could we put pickleball courts there? I mean, those are some of the conversations that are are being had. And then again, going back to the partnership.

00:53:27,530	The Brian brings up a good point. The the issue of of the unhoused is it is a systems issue. It's you can't enforce your way out of it. You can't punish your way out of it.

00:53:56,270	Oftentimes what's lacking are those very important services, mental health services, you know, working with the city, public health, the shelters, other organizations in town. That's what the park district should and can and should do. Because again, going back to it is it is a systems issue. And one other thing too, I think, Michael, you mentioned training. I think that's a great asset.

00:54:22,370	I know they've done it in Colorado, where there's teams of police and social workers that work together. A lot of times law enforcement is called and things don't go very well.

00:54:41,500	So I think having a social work social worker or somebody that's trained in that, that respect, maybe even on park board staff, could be really instrumental in helping bridge those gaps and helping fill out that those systems failures.

00:54:49,530	Okay, okay. That was our last question. So we will now move into our closing statements, and you will each have 60s to provide your closing statement. I'm going to go in reverse order this time. So I will begin with Julie. Okay. Thank you again for hosting this debate. It's been a pleasure to participate.

00:55:11,070	As I said before, I'm a current park commissioner and I understand the roles and responsibilities that come with being a member of a board, and I'm well versed in making critical decisions that benefit the community.

00:55:30,730	I grew up in a park, McElroy Park, to be specific in Jamestown, and my experiences at that park and the other amenities that the park district had shaped me to the person I am today. I'm an avid runner. I love to bike, I kayak, I paddleboard, I play tennis, I play pickleball, I, I had such a great childhood growing up and I want everyone to be able to experience that.

00:55:51,000	I'm committed to public service, and I have a strong desire to make a difference in our community. In addition to be a park commissioner, I serve on rebuilding togethers, board Rock the board, Bismarck Optimist Club Board, and Leadership Bismarck Mandan Steering Committee. To me, parks is so much more than green space. Parks and recreation hit all seven dimensions of well-being.

00:56:07,370	I bring my vision and leadership skills to the Park Board by helping to set goals and policies that address the community's needs, so that the Bismarck Park District continues to provide quality services and amenities. By electing me to the Park Board, you are investing in the future of parkland and recreational services in our community. Thank you.

00:56:26,800	Thank you Brian. We'll go to you next.

00:56:30,730	So thank you for this conversation tonight. What I've heard reinforces what I already knew. You know, Bismarck residents care deeply about their city, and they expect elected officials to be good stewards of it. If elected. I bring three commitments to this board. First, accessibility for everybody. Parks and programs that genuinely serve all ages, abilities and neighborhoods.

00:56:49,700	Not just compliance, but real inclusion. Second, connected safe spaces, protecting natural assets and creating places where neighbors can gather and kids can play safely. Third, smart stewardship fix what we have first approach utilizing strategic partnerships and transparent budgeting that respects both our parks and our citizens, and focused on thoughtful decisions

00:57:10,870	that maintain what we've built, serve the people who utilize it in the way they need it, and honor the responsibility. Elected officials have been chosen to undertake. Our children, grandchildren, neighbors and fellow residents will inherit the decisions we make every day. Let's make sure we leave them something worth inheriting.

00:57:31,370	And I would like to thank the my fellow candidates here and the League of Women Voters, Bismarck Tribune, the EDC, and AARP as well. Thanks. Thank you again. Thank you to the sponsors of this debate and to my fellow candidates here.

00:57:53,530	Over the past 12 years, 12 years of serving on the Park board, I've had the privilege of helping care for something that makes Bismarck truly special. That's our parks, our trails and spaces where our community comes together. This isn't just a role for me. It's personal.

00:58:13,700	I was born here, I've raised my family here, and I've spent countless hours at our parks, ice rinks, baseball and football fields, and I care deeply about keeping them safe, welcoming and something that we're all proud of. I don't pretend to know every answer, but I know where to find the answers. I bring an experience, a steady approach, and a willingness to listen because the best decisions come from hearing the people we serve, our families, our neighbors, and our community as a whole.

00:58:32,100	I'm committed to doing the work, continuing to listen and helping to move Bismarck forward in a way that reflects who we truly are as a community. I'd be honored to have your vote on June 9th. Thank you. Thank you very much to our candidates.

00:58:53,900	I wish to also thank Dakota Media Access, the Bismarck Mandan Chamber, EDC, The Bismarck Tribune, AARP of North Dakota, and all the volunteers from the League of Women Voters for organizing this debate. Thank you to the voters for taking the time to learn more about the Bismarck Park Board candidates and issues. This program will air several times on Midco Channel 602.

00:59:15,470	It will also be available on demand viewing at Dakota Media Access and on the Dakota Media Access apps iOS, Android, Apple TV and Roku in the days leading up to the June 9th election. Before we close this debate, we remind you that you will need a form of identification to vote in North Dakota.

00:59:38,470	You can find identification requirements and additional voting information on the websites or at the offices of your county auditor and the North Dakota Secretary of State. For candidate profiles, please visit. Vote411.org. Thank you. -End of meeting-