June
14th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
East Phillips Park Cultural &
Community Center, 2307 17th Ave S.
EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html
Office:
2536 18th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
Board Members Present: Carol Pass, Jenny Bjorgo, Steve
Struthers, Earl Simms, Mary Gonsior, Rosie Cruz, Linda Leonard,
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Hindolo Pokavra, Ali Macalin, Pat
Fleetham, Doug Wise, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Peggy Clark, Hannah Lieder, Annie
Young
Board
Members Absent: Jose Luis
Villaseno
Guests
Present: Doug Wise,
Shirley Heyer, Lauretta Towns, Shirley Heyer,
6:45
Introductions:
· Greetings and Introductions.
· Approval of Agenda (approved)
·
Approval
of Minutes from EPIC 5/10/2012 General Membership Meeting, Note: please add board members who are “absent”. (cp, ss, approved).
6:40 Announcements:
·
Court
Watch – June 15th. If you want to help fight crime, you may want
to come.
·
Criminal Justice Meeting: Wed. June 20th, 5:30 pm,
St. Paul’s Church, 15th Ave. & 28th St. determining new crime control focus
area and more.
·
East Phillips Park Soccer
and Baseball Fields Ground-breaking, Thursday, July 12th, 4:30 to 6:00 pm, just
preceding the EPIC meeting.
·
Waite House has a new
computer lab
in their new site in the Phillips Community Center,2323 13th Ave. S. They are
holding holding a computer lab open house on Friday, June 22 from 10:30am-1pm.
Come for coffee and snacks, a tour of the facility and information about all
the programs.
·
Banyon programming starting
JUNE 6TH FOR 1ST GRADERS AND KINDERGARTENERS
7:00 EPIC/NRP/CEE Phase II Housing
Program
·
HomeOwner Rehab support program, Home buyer assistance and
emergency loans all to be ratified by the community– Doug Wise
·
Foreclosure intervention coming soon…
MOTION: BP, JB.
Approve the agreement with CEE for EPIC Phase II Scope of Services. Passed
unanimously.
Doug distributed a draft for the EPIC Foreclosure Prevention
Loan Program and Scope of Services with PRG. This program is designed to help
people who “fall through the gap”; those who don’t qualify for other assistance
that is available. CP mentioned that this is a tiny pool of money, but PRG
believes some people could benefit from this program.
7:20 EPIC Finances
We need to roll over our CPP money and new grant from the
city. We have not begun to spend all this and need a board vote with community
support to retain it. The new procedures are difficult to say the least. Also
need to consider a new task force for community engagement on how we choose to
spend this new money.
Linda asked if the neighborhood could grab a house or a
building for an office – can any of our funds be used to purchase property to
maintain an office? Would this be a sustainable objective?
Carol presented an overview of two sources of funding (NRP –
(money from Phase I Already allocated and spent); NRP Phase II dollars $322,000
allocated by community vote and un spent, CPP (Community Participation Program)
$58,000 from City’s general fund with an additional $29,000, (money from general
fund under new NCR dept.) now EPIC has a additional source of funding,
$123,000, which is NRP Phase II money.
Q. Does this
change what we can do with this money? CP: this last batch can be spent on
capital expenses, buildings, etc. the same as the initial NRP.
MOTION: Combine
what we haven’t spent of our CPP1 funds ($71,707.69) and add this to the new
funds from CPP2 ($123,934); tell NCR we want to roll CPP1 funds forward to
spend them in 2012-2013. JB, RC Passed with 1 abstention (PC).
MOTION: Establish
a committee to present a draft plan to the general membership by August 9. PC,
MK passed unanimously.
People
signing up for Task Force: Carol Pass, Peggy Clark, Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie
Cruz, Pat Fleetham, Brad Pass, Hindolo Pokavra, Earl Simms
7:40 Update on EPIC supported programs &
Minneapolis Swims: The POOL & fund raising
Hannah
gave an update on the POOL and fundraising. We really need to raise money and
we need “all hands on deck”.
8:00 Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways
CP phoned the person who does air-testing who agreed to
conduct testing around Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways. CP believes we
need to petition the city, county and state to enforce existing environmental
laws. AY described this as an “environmental justice battle”, which is not new
for our neighborhood. Recommends that we form a task force to address this
problem, and also form a coalition with others who have expertise and
experience. AY would be willing to work with a task force on “procedures”.
1. Find the
existing air quality permits.
2. Find the
“good neighbor agreement”, city ordinances.
3. Enlist the
help of environmental advocates of MN.
4. Enlist
legal help (students at William Mitchell Law School, U of M Legal Clinic)
5. Enlist the
help of neighborhoods (Corcoran to start).
6. Remember
that these businesses have been here 80-90 years.
7. You must
also take on Dalsin and include them in this action.
8. Remember,
these companies have done good things for the neighborhood.
9. Remember,
these companies have lawyers.
People signing up for the Task Force: Steve
Struthers, Annie Young, Pat Fleetham, Margaret Kirkpatrick,
2600 Alliance Housing Project …Next
steps….
·
Petition Drive
·
Respond to Funders and CPED
·
Apply for a temporary moratorium as Linden Hills did. Consult
with them.
·
Do a small area plan.
MK had a conversation with Gary Schiff about this project,
asking why the city was supporting this project. He said that with all the
foreclosures, people are buying up housing for their family members. He said
the City is trying to assist with housing for elderly who are newly “homeless”,
due to apartments going into foreclosure.
8:20 Crime – Progress or
Regress?? New difficulties, Problem Houses
· Situation with Impact
Statements
· Don Greeley- response
· What to do??
8:45
Adjournment
