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Minufes of {he Planning Commis sion - Open Space Committee Meeting Held Monday, September 14~ 1970 Page 2 at the last seminar for review by the Open Space Committee. He also stated that all of these funds are 50% matching funds. This is to eliminate the "Santa Clause" effect in allocating funds; that those communities truly interested in park and open space would have the incentive to participate in at least 50% of the funds. However, if the project would conform to the regional significance aspect, in other words would conform to the Metropolitan Council plan for open space and would qualify, therefore, for Lawcon Funds; that the State would then participate in 50% of the balance of City Funms, which would leave the City g5% of the cost of acquisition and development. He also stated that the Metropolitan Council Park Reserve Board is defunct; that the bill was passed in the last hours of legislature and was ruled by the Attorney General to be null and void. Therefore, present practices at all lo cal units of government work through the Metropolitan Council for allocation of priorities. Also stated that the Park and Recreation Committee should have an operating budget. It should contact ali units of government, which could assist the Park Open Space Committee with formulating a program. The first item would be to set up the action group. Second would be to take an inventory of all the present facilities and project these present facilities into the total concept plan for the municipality or area, forgetting about present City boundaries so that the park systems would interact with all surrounding communities and alternately with the total County plan and totally with the seven County plan. Once the system is set up then the Open Spac.e Committee could submit a project agreement and maintenance agreement form through the Dept. oI Local and Urban Affairs and depending upon priority, these funds would then be allocated on a priority basis. He also stated that historical sites take no precedence in this program; that there would be other funds available for reconstruction for building parks around a historical site and that they would assist the committee in those areas. There were two plans under the Minnesota Natural Resources Act. First - No. 1 I39 in which they have 2. 5 million available. The second is No. 879 in which they have 4 million available, 2 million of which is used for Metro-area 2 million for out state areas. They are proposing that ail acquisition of parks out side of the Metro-area be participated in 100% of the cost; 50% coming from Federal Lawcon Funds and 50% from the Minnesota Natural Resources Funds. - He stated that when the Open Space Committee set up a system, they should determine what are their total responsiblities. He stated that the Committee could check with Inver Grove, Cottage Grove, West St. ]Paul, South St. Paul to determine how they have proceeded with their open space programs. He suggested that possibly the iocal businessmen, who would be willing to loan