May 10, 2010

General Membership Meeting Minutes 05 - 10


May 10th, Monday – 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.,
Holy Rosary Church Board Room, 24th and 17th Ave S

6:30             Introduction: 6:42 (4 board members present)
            Attendance:
            Board Members: Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Tim Chancey, Jennie Bjorgo, Mohamed Cali, Earl
            Simms, Rosie Cruz,
             EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Margaret Kirkpatrick
            Guests:;Robert Albee
·      Approval of Agenda (JB, TC) approved.
·      Minutes from EPIC Annual Meeting, Saturday, April 17th (JB, TC) approved with corrections.

6:40    Announcements (6 board members present)
1.     Xcel High Voltage Transmission Lines, Final Comments due TOMORROW!                                   4:30, Tuesday, May 11th
2.     EPIC E-News for May 10 include instructions and talking points for writing to the Judge in the case,   comments are due tomorrow.
3.     Site risks include loss of property value, affects insurability of property near the power lines, decreased- or in-ability to develop in the area, health risks, including childhood leukemia.
4.     5 out of 7 Somali children in E. Phillips already have asthma.
5.     Xcel Petition was passed around for signatures

7:00   Xcel Energy's High Voltage Transmission Line Routes & Substations
·      Hearing Results are not in yet, Judge Heydinger will rule soon. Carol Pass and Shirley Heyer were our neighborhood cross-examiners.
·      Next Steps will be negotiating and writing briefs

7:15   Phillips Community Center:  A way forward with Bob Albee
·      Phillips Community Parks Initiative is a group including East, Midtown, and West Phillips, Ventura Village, Waite House, and Hope Community formed to determine how to retain the Phillips Community Center for use by the residents of Phillips.,
·      Policies for Use were discussed. The need for a single property manager was agreed on. .
·      Saving the Pool, a work in progress, Bob Albee wants it to be in part a therapeutic pool to bring in revenue and be used by area clinics, leaving some space for swimming,
·      East Phillips' (12 Guiding) Principles for the Future of the Phillips Community Center. Motion to Pass (JB, MG) Passed. See list of Guiding Principles.

8:08  East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center Situation:
·      Excavation testing revealed large asbestos contamination on the site. After considering options for lopping off parts of the center, BP researched grant opportunities related to clean up for the site. He wrote a Hennepin County grant for $271,000 and is 3/4 written. Handed off the grant to Park Board to complete the application with the budget etc.
·      Park Board approved removal of contamination, as needed.
·      Also, an overall plan is required to remove the contamination from the site.
·      Braun Intertech (consultant) is working on a plan for removing the contamination.
·      Karen wrote a separate grant to the State of MN to clean up the pollution for $300,000
8:20    NRP Review and Phase 2 Planning

·         EPIC's allotment for Phase 2 is around $480,000. Not as much as before (over $1M), and 70% has to be spent on housing. Some interesting options that have been done by others, includes financing that brings money back to the neighborhood for future use, and raising matching funds. These funds have been used to created revolving funds for emergency repairs, home improvements, and home ownership. The risk would be if there were foreclosures on loans.
·         Very limited funding and limited decision-making after NRP
·      There is a plan to fade out the NRP office and fade in the Neighborhood & Community Engagement Commission (NCEC).
·      It is a shame since over the years, the NRP program has been refined to the point of working very well for the community and the city.
·      EPIC should move its process along to access the funds, and we should spend it. The city is looking at this money and would like to take over control of spending it.
·      see April minutes for notes on "the process"

8:30  Adjournment