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Parkway Minnesota Commission approves minutes, forms ad hoc committee to review roadside story panels
Summary
The commission approved prior minutes, heard a near-final FY25 budget report, and voted to establish an ad hoc committee to inventory and recommend next steps for roadside story panels and signage amid funding and condition concerns.
The Parkway Minnesota Commission opened its meeting with introductions and confirmed a quorum before approving minutes from the previous meeting. Carol Zoff moved to approve the minutes; a second was registered and members voted in favor. "Motion passes," the chair said.
Commission staff presented a near-final fiscal year 2025 report showing roughly 94% of the budget spent and flagged a notable overage in the printing and shipping line driven by production of 29,000 Great River Road maps. Chris explained the full cost for map printing and shipping was just under $14,000 and said the spending reflected planned changes and underspending elsewhere in the budget.
The meeting turned to a long-running roadside story panels project. Commissioners raised concerns about the condition of existing panels, the labor and research needed to replace or refurbish them, and the cost of producing new storyboards. "The panels themselves are in a are expensive," Anne Lewis said, arguing that funding and a clear plan are prerequisites for work.
After discussion about ownership, management and funding sources, the commission moved to create an ad hoc committee to assess the current inventory, recommend priorities, and identify potential funding. The motion was moved and seconded from the floor and passed by voice vote.
The commission also approved a separate motion to draft a letter of thanks from the chair to the MnDOT staff member who rebuilt the Plan Your Trip app ahead of schedule (see related article). The chair said members would circulate the draft and sign it on behalf of the commission.
The meeting closed with a reminder to save the date for the November meeting and a call to continue the panel and funding discussions in the ad hoc committee.
