General Membership Meeting Minutes 07 -05

EPIC General Membership Meeting Agenda

July 5th , Monday – 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.,
Holy Rosary Church Board Room, 24th and 17th Ave S

Board Present: Carol Pass, Linda Leonard, Rosie Cruz, Mary Gonsior, Jenny Bjorgo
Board Absent:
Members Present: Brad Pass, Sherzad Kordian
Guests: Julia Eagles, Heidi Quesada, Abby

Meeting called to order at 6:42 pm.
Agenda: approved with the following corrections/additions:
None
(jb/aw) Approved
Minutes from the June 12, 2008 meeting: approved with the following corrections/additions:
(mg/jb) Approved
Motion: meet as a committee of the whole
(cp/bp) Approved

Announcements
1. the Open Arms celebration on Saturday was very fun and well attended
2. Parade of Gardens will be on aug. 16. a map will be available at the garden(s)
3. CP attended two police round tables held by an outside consultant – she was the only epic
resident that was present. The police “police” themselves to decide on cased of police
brutality. Most people at the meeting were not comfortable with this – it is not good to
have the police evaluate their own performance. There is a civilian review board, but the
police review board reviews the civilian review board. Only cases that go to court ever
are determined by an outside body. CP recommends that more people attend these police
round tables. Brad commented that the community expressed uncertainty about which
review board to address with their concerns and that he didn’t think that the round table
clarified this very much. Brad recommends that residents can call 311 and ask how they
can report an incident to the internal affairs department. CP wants EPIC to become more
aware of these issues.

a. Q. can people comment anonymously? Yes but this is a problem. There was not
representation on the Phillips meeting by the African American community.
b. Q. why are some police who have a terrible civil rights, or brutality cases, still
policing the community?
4. Julia Eagles (Phillips Energy Coop) announced their seasonal appliance trade-in program
and distributed flyers with more information. Bring used appliances to reported a series
of classes on home energy conservation with college level instruction where residents
will learn simple ways to save energy and money, and learn about energy use in our
homes and in the community. Julia also distributed the latest newsletter. Julia introduced
Abby, who is interning with PEC this summer, and is from the Phillips neighborhood.
5. The village art fair will be held on Franklin and 12th on Aug. 15-16
6. Club Youth Line is taking over management of the Phillips Pool and Gym and will be
holding a grand opening on Tuesday. Sherzad will be doing some short term youth
programming this summer. Youth Line is part of the Mpls. Park system. They are looking
for additional programming.

Housing – Heidi Quesada
Heidi works in Gary Schiff’s office and is attending to distribute updates on the boarded and
vacant properties.
• 2829 16th ave s – recommend demo
• 2440 16th ave s – would like to be informed about hearings
• 2423 17th ave s – water is shut off – check on occupancy
• 1919 EM Stately st. – requested immediate fence and no trespassing notices
• Gary’s office is sending out a letter regarding a home owners strategy meeting for EM
Stately Street.
Brad asked for an update on issues coming up at the city council affecting EPIC. CP reported
that EPIC would like to get the EPIC housing committee going again and would welcome a chair
for this committee. Interested residents should contact CP.
Quorum achieved
MOTION: move to approve the Agenda and Minutes motions
(bp/jb) Approved
Election of New Board Member
The floor was opened for nominations.
• Sherzad Kordian
MOTION: to Accept SK as our new board member by consensus
(bp/mg) Approved
CP gave a message about commitment, loyalty and the importance of being a board member.
When the neighborhood has a critical issue, it is important that we have participation and good
board members.

Park Center
The EPIC board recommends that the members adopt the EPPCC partnership agreement and
model “in concept.” The agreement does not form a 501c3 organization, but does pull together
the various groups in the neighborhood who must work together to raise money and provide
resources for the park. The agreement is not refined yet to a final state, however the committee
did adopt a revised mission statement which was recommended by the EPIC board.
Brad read from the first line, pointing out that the agreement itself is not something that is
written in stone and will instead change as partners come into the agreement and are approved.
Any organization that is willing to commit their resources to the park will be considered for
membership in the partnership.
It is important to create this document to build a plan that is marketable.
EPIC is working to make sure that the organizations that are indigenous are part of it.

MOTION: EPIC will adopt the EPPCCC partnership agreement and model IN CONCEPT.
(mg/cj) Approved
MOTION: EPIC serve as the asking organization for both capital and operating funds for the
community center.
(ll/jb) Approved
MOTION: The Minneapolis Foundation as the holder of two funds: Capital Campaign Fund and
Operations Fund.
(ll/jb) Approved
MOTION: EPIC is strongly in favor of a building a commercial kitchen in the EPPCCC facility for
the purpose of financial sustainability
(ll/jb) Approved
Progress: Fund Raising Advisory Committee
Experts in development from organizations including the Guthrie Theater, Jewish Community
Action, Allina, Abbott Northwestern, General Mills, and AIOIC joined the EPPCCC advisory
committee and were very enthusiastic about our current financial position. In addition, they bring
with them many contacts and ideas for future fundraising.

Housing Development
CPED finally agreed to authorize moving funds of $50,000 NRP to be contracted to PRG to pay
DDK LLC $48,000 for the purchase of 2845 Bloomington extending over to 16th avenue. The
remaining $2,000 was paid as a fee to CPED. We have been working on this since 2001 – this is
a real victory. Because we have moved the closing from June to august, the owners are
threatening to sue EPIC. CP wrote a letter and requested patience with our small organization.
Breaking ground at 2931 Bloomington Ave
The project is stopped because the buyers haven’t finalized the purchase agreements. We need to
find new buyers.
2603 Bloomington
B. Sabri is the developer of this property. There are serious permit and code violations at the site.
Fines have been levied and there is not compliance.

National Night Out Deadlines
All the information for NNO is available online.
MOTION: Adjourn
(bp/mg) Approved

Board Meeting Minutes 07 - 03

July 3rd, 2010, 10:00 am

Welna Hardware

10:00             Introduction:

·          Approval of Agenda

·               agenda approved

·      Minutes from EPIC Board Meeting 6/5/2010

      minutes approved

·      Attendance: Carol, Mary, Earl, Linda, Hannah

·      Absent: Rosie, Mohammed, Jennie, Tim

10:10    Announcements

·      EPIC General Membership Meeting, July 12^th

·      Parade of gardens: East Phillips showcases our garden, August 21^st, Saturday, 10:00 am

·      Hazardous Waste Pick-Up, July 24^th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm,  Stuff goes to Phillips Community Center Lot

10:15   East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center Situation: Brad

·      Pollution Issue – What happened??

            Grants were obtained from the County and State for funding to get rid of asbestos, Brad wrote grants.             Carol worked with Rep. Clark and Sen. Berglin make this happen. Lobbying the State Auditor was     necessary to override Pawlenty’s objections.

·      Kitchen furnishings still not funded including the range hood, the fire suppression system, and makeup air system, nor rain gardens.

         NRP Dollars – Toward the building??  EPIC will receive another $50,000 from NRP, should we spend it                    on the kitchen?  Board recommends this go on agenda for general membership to propose NRP money  for kitchen.

         Motion: Board will bring up using NRP money for kitchen at next general membership meeting

                  LL, ES. Passed unanimously

·      Costs appear to be going up a lot with each change order, should we talk to park board?

         Board will write a letter to park board asking to see Rochon contract change clause and ask park board to enforce original bid. 

         Mary will edit letter, use terms we accepted your offer in “good faith”,

·      Partnership Agreements??

         21 organizations signed up to provide programming.  Park board doesn't have money to put in          programming.  Of 21 partners, 14 or 15 submitted to park staff, MPRB will show what they are          anticipating for programming to create scheduling, this partnership agreement could be the wave of the          future with MPRB and communities, cut down expenses, increase programming, increase volunteerism

10:30   Phillips Community Center:  

·      Issues with the RFP and Waite House

            The final Waite House proposal differs significantly from the one supported by EPIC at our June 14^th  Community meeting. It also differs from the Guiding Principles based by the Board and General Membership meeting of neighborhoods have been cut out of decision-making and control, this is not the agreement that EPIC supported. Sub-leasers don't have power, Waite house has pulled out of collaboration and are going to present own proposal to the Park Board. Neighborhoods (the three) have gotten together and created a new draft, position paper with proposal included.

        

         Motion: EPIC board rejects the Waite House proposal draft 2 and the master lease concept in favor of the original collaborative proposal of a partnership with the neighborhoods, park board csa, a wellness collaborative, and the Waite House as passed at the June 5^th EPIC Board meeting and the June 14th EPIC Community Meeting of June 14th.  CP, ES  Passed unanimously.

        

         Motion: Position paper plus proposal, changed to restore operation of pool in its entirety, the rest of the proposal will be tweaked.  LL, ES Passed unanimously.

         Saving the Pool Progress

10:50   2600 17th Ave Proposed Apartment Building, Other Developments

·      Other possible building arrangement, zoning and funding issues. Francisco

·      Apartment at 2908 16^th, NSP funding issues

·      Foreclosed buildings?

         Motion: Since EPIC supports consistency with the city's recent new zoning rulings supporting R2b in the internal core of the neighborhood and higher density on our corridors, the EPIC Board unanimously opposes any plan that violates the R2b zoning for the interior core of the East Phillips neighborhood. Therefore EPIC opposes the plan for the Alliance 20 unit 3-story apartment building at 2600-2606 17^th Ave. S.  LL, ES. passed unanimously.

Neighbors are requesting faster and more thorough action on foreclosed properties to try to stop rapid purchase and sloppy partial rehab or non-rehab by unscrupulous landlords or purchase and resale of carelessly rehabbed houses by real estate agents. This has a negative impact on the future housing viability of the neighborhood.

         Motion: The EPIC Board supports the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, NSP, funding to be made available to both City-approved non-profit and for-profit groups seeking to restore foreclosed properties.  Linda, earl  passed unanimous

11:10   Xcel Energy's High Voltage Transmission Line Routes & Substations:

·         Negotiated Settlement: in progress

·     100,000 for Solar on  EP Park Center roof ? Roof will not support, may it be put on the side? EPIC needs to research this.

11: 15   Report on MPCA’s mini-conference on: Cumulative Levels and Effects for Air Permits

             Paint Sprayer Building

            The MPCA has been requested to do the Cumulative Impact Study required by the Clark/Berglin Law. The Met. Council is apparently suing to be allowed to put their paint spraying facility in the half-mile radius disallowed in the law. EPIC has a fear that, if the study is completed, the law will cease to stop additional polluting facilities from coming into the Phillips neighborhood. The EPIC Board believes that, if a facility adds additional pollution to the air of Phillips, which when added to the existing level of pollution, reaches beyond the toxic level, the current law, as it is, will fail to stop the permitting of that new facility, since all that is required is that the Cumulative Impact Study is completed, not that there be any greater stringency on the level of pollution that is permitable. This needs resolution.

            Motion: The EPIC Board will request that Representative Clark and Senator Berglund to amend their law to state that if the existing cumulative level of pollution plus the new additional pollution of a new facility will raise a pollutant to a toxic level, the facility cannot be permitted. This includes additional micro-particles of 2.5 and smaller.  CP, ES,  Passed unanimously.

11: 20            Stewart Park and other Soccer Fields: EPIC Board requests that the new soccer fields not be             administered in such a way that they lock out the neighborhood children from playing on them..           

11: 30    Adjournment