August 3, 2013

Board Meeting Minutes 08 - 03


East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center
EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html
Office: 2536 18th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers,
but most of all the world needs dreamers who do.”

Present board members: Mary Gonsior, Carol Pass, Jenny Bjorgo, Aisha Gomez, Earl Simms, Linda Leonard, Ali Macalin
Not present board members: Rosie Cruz, Sherdl Kordian
Members: Brad Pass,

10:20             Introduction:
·       Approval of Agenda – (LL, JB) Passed.
·       Approval of Minutes – (LL, JB) Passed, with correction to Address listed under Crime Concerns, Other Strategies, Don Greeley, Mike Sullivan; 2916-18 17th Avenue (instead of 2816-18 17th Avenue.)

10:30    Announcements: 
·       EPIC Membership Meeting: Thursday, August 8th, 6:30 pm, the East Phillips Park Center.
·       City Garden Day, EPIC is participating, next Saturday, August 10th, 11 am to 1 pm after the EPIC Garden meeting at 9 am.
·       Plus it Forward. Affinity Credit Union has been a sponsor of East Phillips – they are seeking service projects on Saturday, Sept. 21 for community service. They are willing to do a neighborhood service project with and for East Phillips. Discuss at the GMM , Linda said this may not be an option anymore.
·       Rafael Gonzales (Waite House) is putting on a Phillips Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 17th Noon – 8:00 pm.

10:35             National Night Out Report so far.

EPIC distributed an email notice that registered block clubs, or East Phillips residents can request up to $100 for NNO celebrations. Receipts are required.  Some have signed up. If you know groups are holding events, please contact Carol Pass.

MOTION: If requests for funding for NNO exceed 10/$1,000, EPIC will seek authorization for payment of additional funds for NNO at the August GMM. (CP, LL) Passed.

10:40  Soccer and Youth Sports Teams: Ali Micalin’s teams

Ali is to speak with Travis and the Park board to find out what resources are available for organizing teams. EPIC has criteria for collaborative funding agreements. We want to move forward with these collaborations, but potential partners need to do their part.



10:45            Funding for EPIC individuals, Groups and Collaborative Organizations (Policies and Procedures addition):
           
MOTION: EPIC recommends that we support Ali Micalin’s soccer program up to $1,000 based on EPIC’s collaborative funding criteria, and provided that there is no duplication in the program budget by other agencies, along with a signed memorandum of understanding with the Park Board. (CP, ES) Passed.

New Board Motion to add to our Funding Guidelines (This is not a new motion. It has been in EPIC Bylaws a long time. This  motion is to include it in the EPIC  policy statement regarding collaborative ventures.) : From the Bylaws: All requests for funding over $1,000 must be recommended by the EPIC Board and ratified by the EPIC membership meeting.

MOTION: Add to Collaborative Funding Policies: All requests for funding over $1,000  must be recommended by the EPIC Board and ratified by the EPIC membership at a regular membership meeting. (CP, LL) Passed.

10:50            Blueprint for Equity Report: Discussion of the progress on the previous motion.

PREVIOUS MOTION (JULY 2013): (CP, AG) EPIC will join with the other District 7 neighborhoods to respond to the BluePrint for Equity from NCR, and will question the outlined process and seek to honor the Core Principles of Community Engagement , in particular items 4 and 5. Our concern is that the initial design of the process was not done in consultation with the neighborhoods, and the intake of information, and ultimate goals for this process are not transparent, were not initiated by the neighborhoods, and appear to violate the Core Principles of Community Engagement. Passed.

CP brought this up and it was discussed at the last NCEC policy  board meeting.  At the next regular NCEC meeting, despite many efforts to bring it up, the chair refused to recognize CP. CP spoke with the chair after the meeting who stated that he “didn’t know” he did that. Because the next meeting is way down the road, and because NCEC is meeting separately with each neighborhood, CP will write an official letter as the representative of the 8 neighborhoods, stating that at least four neighborhoods have expressed a strong desire to meet together rather than separately, due to the concerns stated in our motion. CP will poll the other four neighborhoods to determine exactly how many wish to meet with NCEC jointly with one another as a group. This would facilitate learning from one another…not just top down assessment with no sharing.

11:00            Housing Report-
·       Roofs – Insurance pay outs can benefit the neighborhood. Tell your friends to contact EPIC for details.
·       Foreclosures : We are seeking responsible property owners, both home owners and landlords. Remember our home owner loan. We will have a list of these soon. We would like to find a volunteer who can run down these properties and help us research these housing opportunities. There is a lot of competition coming from realtors.
·       Progress on rehab loans: EPIC moved the income cap from 80% to 100% of HUD medial income guidelines. This should help move these loans. Maybe we need to have a party for this?

10:55            Crime concerns:  Report

·       Cameras: It seems like police are not very helpful regarding our plans to purchase and install cameras; need to discuss with Ventura Village
·       Patrols: Lots of folks have been going down to Lake St. and around at night and watching what is going on; Encourage everyone to participate, writing down plate no.’s, etc.
·       Bloom-Lake Bus. Assn: Hasn’t dissolved, but has combined with Lake St. Council, and there is no defined focus on East Phillips and the Bloomington/Lake Intersection.;
·       Van in parking lot: CP has called police over and over; they said they can’t do anything; CP called inspections but no response yet;
·       Knock & Talk 2916-18th  17th Ave Apparently they are paid by the government to rent to sex offenders; RC says there is a house of prostitution on the same block; Need to find out what house.
·       Warrant List: Do people want to receive these lists?

CP visited some of the businesses on Lake St. and discussed these issues. Some things that need to happen:

1.     Go back to Julie and see if we need to have a Bloom-Lake meeting for businesses.
2.     Go to inspections personally and request help.
3.     Don Greeley is going to attend the next GMM.
4.     Write an article for The Alley about the van: UNWANTED.
5.     Follow up on access to Driver/Vehicle Services.
6.     Post public safety list on website; post warrant lists/photos in local businesses; more.

11:00 Adjourn