Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

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Voter Guide

Hennepin County Park Commissioner District 1

This board operates as a separate regional park system outside of the city of Minneapolis. It manages large-scale natural resources, winter recreation areas, and extensive regional trail corridors throughout the rest of Hennepin County. Its seven-member board includes five commissioners elected from suburban districts and two appointed by the Hennepin County BoardIf your candidate didn’t fill in the guide below, visit the Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing site (https://candidates.sos.mn.gov/) to find contact info. If you reach out, ask candidates to complete their Vote411 Voters Guide from the LWVMN!CCX Media - Candidate Statement - Marge BeardCCX Media - Candidate Statement - Declan McCrory

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  • Candidate picture

    Marge Beard
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Declan McCrory
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)

How is this office important to constituents? Please provide details of any plans for improvement. (500 characters)

If elected, how will you balance competing interests, such as your own values and opinions, input from park staff and fellow board members, and diverse views from the community? (500 characters)

How would you ensure that all of our County facilities and parks are accessible to all members of our community? (500 characters)

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I am seeking re-election to the Three Rivers Park District Board of Commissioners to continue my work ensuring Three Rivers Park District parks remain accessible, well-maintained, and financially sustainable for future generations.

Since 2019, my work on the Three Rivers Park District Board has given me hands-on experience with budgeting, policy, and long-term planning for a large and complex park system. Before that, I served on the Plymouth City Council, and professionally I have worked in accounting, information technology, and nonprofit leadership.

These experiences have taught me to ask thoughtful questions and work collaboratively to solve problems.
My top priorities are maintaining high-quality parks and trails, protecting our natural resources, and ensuring the park system continues to meet the needs of current and future park visitors. Visitors value safe, well-maintained parks and strong recreational opportunities.

I also support continued investment in trail connections, accessibility, and facilities so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy everything Three Rivers Parks has to offer.
The Three Rivers Park District Board helps ensure residents have access to outstanding parks, trails, recreation programs, and natural spaces that enhance quality of life. The Board sets policy, approves budgets, and plans for the park system's future. My focus is on maintaining high standards while improving trail connections, accessibility, and park amenities so the system continues to serve the needs of current and future resident
Good decisions start with listening. I value input from residents, park staff, fellow commissioners, and community partners because each offers a valuable perspective. My role is to gather facts, ask thoughtful questions, and focus on what best serves the park system and community. Even when opinions differ, respectful dialogue, transparency, and practical problem-solving help build consensus and ensure the park system meets the needs of current and future residents.
Accessibility begins with making parks welcoming and available to everyone. I am proud that Three Rivers parks are free to enter, helping remove financial barriers for families and individuals. We continue to invest in accessible facilities, trails, adaptive recreation equipment, and inclusive programs so people of all ages and abilities can participate. My goal is to ensure residents can enjoy our parks today while continuing to improve access for the future.
Campaign Website http://declanforthreerivers.com
telephone 7632577063
Facebook (Full URL) http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590573383158
Campaign Email declanforthreerivers@gmail.com
I have been a longtime user of our park districts since I was a child. I have been all over the park district across all seasons for running, skiing, walking, and playing with my children over the years. More recently I have been involved with a group that has been organized to make sure that everyone is safe and welcome in our parks. I believe it is essential that when people come to Three Rivers Parks they know they are welcome there.
Should ICE return like it was during Metro Surge, they know that they are not welcome to use our park system in any way. Support renewable energy throughout our parks and other initiatives that improve biodiversity and health in our region. Ensure that everyone is welcome in our parks and that if anyone wants to meet with me they are welcome to do so at a park.
Having parks and nature is vital for everyone's health. Just 20 minutes outside every day vastly improves everyone's mental and physical health. I will work to ensure that everyone feels safe at our parks and that our parks will be around for generations.
I have had many jobs that require listening to others to see what the best way forward is. There is very rarely a decision that is made by just one person and I don't see how this would be any different.
I fully intend on touring each and every site we have during both summer and winter to see how sites are managed and what if anything can be improved upon. I will also work to make sure that it is clear that everyone knows the parks welcome everyone and are for everyone.
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The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

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