Six candidates are vying for two seats on the Bismarck Park and Recreation District Board of Commissioners. Residents will be making their choice at Tuesday's election.

Incumbent Mark Zimmerman, the board's most experienced member, is running for just his second four- year term. John Sagsveen, who was appointed to the board and served two years, decided against running for election.

The challengers are:

* Mike O'Brien, owner and operator of Dakota Music for the past 25 years. He and his wife Karen have a grown son.

* Lawrence "Larry" Nieters, originally from Tuttle, is a longtime Bismarck resident. He and his wife JoEll have three grown children and a granddaughter.

* Shawn Weekes is an employee of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. He and his wife Jen have two preschool children.

* August "Augie" Werner is a commercial estimator and former employee of the park district. He has one grown daughter and a grown step-son.

* Brian Beattie is a Bismarck native and an optometrist. He and his wife Sharon have two grown children.

The candidates were asked to respond to three questions. Here are their answers.

What role should user groups play in development of park district projects and programs?

Weekes: "Due to the fact that user groups are the ones that are going to actually be using the facilities, they should have a great say in how a facility should be built to accommodate their programs. The user groups should also be required to help pay for the facilities."

Special interest groups need to start the process and show need for a particular project, according to Weekes. They also need to help cover the costs of maintaining facilities and programs.

"I believe the park board should be involved in the infrastructure, purchasing of land and helping projects get on their feet, but should not be depended on to completely fund and maintain the program," Weekes said.

Beattie: "The role of user groups is critical to identifying the needs of the parks and recreation system. They know and understand the numbers of people that they serve, and the challenges involved with providing the activity, so people are able to afford it."

User groups increase the involvement of Bismarck's citizens in recreation activities, according to Beattie. The input of user groups, along with input from citizens and consultants, will provide the best solutions to the issues.

Werner: "User groups should provide advice and information on types of equipment and projects that are needed. The biggest role, I believe, is to provide fundraising for special use equipment. Examples are score clocks, fencing, dugouts, irrigation, mats and swimming equipment for lessons."

Zimmerman:"They play a big role. The user groups come to the park board with what programs and facilities are wanted and needed in the community. The user groups have helped the park district financially and with programs. They've been there as coaches running the programs and have raised the needed money. They let the board know what the folks in town want."

O'Brien: "They should have a significant say in park board projects. Often, they are the ones raising the money to make sure our facilities are user-friendly. I believe the park board is able to help these groups by prioritizing the projects and letting them know where the board stands on those projects."

O'Brien said he comes with no special interests and is willing to work with all user groups.

"Most of all, I will treat all groups with respect. User groups play a large role in the parks system, and I value the relationship the board has established with them,"O'Brien said.

Nieters: "If implemented correctly, user groups can play an important role in the development and utilization of park board facilities. An example would be the recreational council, a group of hockey boosters, curlers and figure skaters that partnered with the park board and raised money for the VFW Sports Arena."

The park board does have to determine if user groups are in for the long haul or just a short term, Weekes added.

As Bismarck grows, how can the park district ensure it has the properties, programs and facilities to meet the public's needs?

O'Brien:"The key is to take a progressive yet accountable role in the future of Bismarck. We need better relationships with the county and city to make sure we are getting the biggest bang for our buck. We need to place projects out in the open, so responsible citizens can evaluate the projects, and the financing must be transparent to the public."

By maintaining the facilities it now has, the park district can provide a large base of activities while looking for new opportunities, according to O'Brien. This ensures the community does not build beyond its means.

"Parks plan a significant role in economic development for Bismarck," he said. "It is important to stay progressive while keeping a close eye on taxes."

Werner: "The park district should have staff do yearly studies of growth and decline in use of existing programs. They should also study the growth in population and use demographic information to help determine which new projects are needed. The commissioners should also spend time talking to the citizens of Bismarck to get a better idea of what new projects the citizens would like to see."

Zimmerman:"I see it as an inside and outside effort. The inside effort comes from the board members working with staff, user groups and the people that participate in our programs and use our facilities. It's more than a softball facility or swimming pool; it's those trails and facilities that people are telling us we need. The outside effort is the park working with the school district, city and county. We have to work closer with them in planning and the purchase of property."

Zimmerman said he would like to see the park district have representation on the Bismarck planning commission.

Beattie:"New parks and facilities come at a cost. I believe we must be innovative in our ways of funding new projects in order to hold the line on property taxes. For instance, purchasing property in an area before development starts will lower the price tag."

It is essential the park district listen to consultants who play a role in forecasting the growth trends in Bismarck, and make decisions based on their professional input, according to Beattie.

"In the long run, being proactive in the decision-making process while seeking input from our citizens will ensure that we are able to meet the recreation needs of our community in a cost effective manner," Beattie said.

Weekes:"As Bismarck grows, that means that the park board's budget will grow with it. Just with those increased revenues, the park district should be able to maintain and support facilities as needed. However, our current park board has gotten involved in more than they need or can afford, and as a result, are strapping future boards for funds that will be needed to do so. Our park board needs to plan for growth, which, in my opinion, they are not. They are taking on too many projects they cannot afford."

Nieters: By continuing to work within the recommendations of the strategic plan that was approved by the park board, including creation of more multiuse facilities, and or partnerships with the city of Bismarck and Burleigh County. Most importantly, the use of the public at the ballot box, or by the use of good, verifiable scientific surveys should be of the most important determining factors of which projects the public favors.

Your opinions and comments on the park and recreation district's strategic plan:

Beattie:"Strategic planning is an ongoing process, and needs to continue. I would like to see increased input from citizens. In order to do that, we must ensure that they have a variety of options for input, such as open forums, online surveys and mailed surveys, all methods to be considered."

Weekes: "I believe their strategic plan is a scheme to try and push off some of the other special interest groups which are looking to advance their plans. When you tell someone that you have seven different "Number One" priorities, that is, in my opinion, a delay tactic. What they are actually doing is not prioritizing anything. When you prioritize, you have onepriority, not seven. Special interest groups need to be told the truth, and not led on like they have been by the so-called 'Strategic Plan.'"

Nieters:"In reading the strategic plan, I can see the tremendous amount of forethought and dedication that not only this board, but previous boards have placed into this. Bismarck did not become a Sports Illustrated sports town and receive numerous awards over the years by accident. For this, I would like to congratulate past park board members: Well done. If elected, I would like to carry on this tradition of excellence."

O'Brien: "A strong vision was laid out in the strategic plan. Many excellent projects were listed but unfortunately were not prioritized. In my opinion, they were more like 'groupings' than prioritizations. The key to moving forward will be to prioritize those projects and work with user groups to get the facilities that we have up to par, while looking at new projects that may be useful to the taxpayer. Prioritization is difficult when most projects have merit, but I am willing to help the community make those decisions in order to preserve our way of life in Bismarck while keeping our taxes under control."

Werner:"The park district has a fairly good plan in place. That being said, the strategic plan needs to be prioritized more and project costs need to be estimated a lot closer than under $100,000 and over $100,000. More specific project cost estimates will help in setting yearly budgets with more accuracy."

Zimmerman: "I'm proud of being part of the strategic planning for the park district. We worked hard on putting it together, with community and staff input. We've come up with a good plan."

Through strategic planning, the district has formally adopted a budget cycle, according to Zimmerman. In the past, when projects came up, it would just get thrown in, and if the money was in the budget, the board would approve it. Now, Zimmerman explained, projects are prioritized prior to the budgeting session and the board only takes on those the budget allows.

The strategic plan isn't static, Zimmerman added, and does have to change.

"There are those that claim we don't have a plan, but we do, and it's a good one," Zimmerman said. "We've had a lot of community input, which was incorporated into the strategic plan."

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)