Attorney: No Conflict of Interest Found in Brooklyn Park Ice Rink Project Planning
The future of an ice rink at Brooklyn Park’s Community Activity Center has become a hot-button issue for the community.
The city is considering removing one of the two ice rinks at the Community Activity Center and replacing it with multi-use courts. The issue has recently brought large groups to the Brooklyn Park City Council chambers.
“This is an opportunity to think about the future of the Community Activity Center and how it best serves our residents not only today but going into the future,” said Brad Tullberg, director of recreation and parks for Brooklyn Park. “The Community Activity Center has evolved since it’s inception and we look for it to continue to evolve.”
Along with strong feelings, the proposal has brought increased scrutiny for the project planners.
The city is considering removing one of the two ice rinks at the Community Activity Center and replacing it with multi-use courts. The issue has recently brought large groups to the Brooklyn Park City Council chambers.
City Says No Conflict of Interest
CCX News viewers have been questioning the involvement of a city staff member with the Community Activity Center conversion project.
Marcus Hill is parks and facilities manager for Brooklyn Park. He is also a member of the executive leadership team at Minnesota Chill Foundation, although their website notes he is on a leave of absence.
Minnesota Chill Foundation provides basketball and college readiness programming for local youth.
Some CCX viewers believe that his work on the Community Activity Center represents a conflict of interest.
Tullberg said city staff members disagree.
“These projects are massive projects, there’s a number of people involved on these projects,” Tullberg said. “In consultation with our city attorney and the information that we know at this point, we have not found any conflict of interest from any of the staff involved on the project.”
Project Plans for the Brooklyn Park CAC
If the project moves ahead, the city could replace one of the ice rinks with indoor court space for sports like basketball and pickleball.
But the city is weighing other options as well.
For instance, the city could potentially expand the Community Activity Center, adding the courts while keeping both ice rinks.
“The city council asked us for multiple options as we’ve started to discuss this with them,” Tullberg said. “So staff is working currently with a consultant to develop concept level plans and cost estimations.”
The city received state bonding for the project last session. However, Tullberg said that the city believes “the language could be amended to be more inclusive of whatever the project would look like.”
The council will likely discuss the project again before the end of the year, Tullberg said. However, it’s not clear when the council might make a final decision.
