October 10, 2013

General Membership Meeting Minutes 10 -10


October 10th, 2013, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center, 2307 17th Ave S.
EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com
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.”

Attendees:  Board Members, Carol Pass, Jenny Bjorgo, Aisha Gomez, Rosie Cruz
Members:   Pat Fleetham, Laura Dale, Alfonso Cruz, Brad Pass, Kim Hayden
Guests: Don Greely, Shirley Heyer, Jennie Taylor

NOTE; Meeting proceeded as a Committee of the whole.


6:30            Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introduction
·       Approval of Agenda Aisha wants to add needed Pollution Monitoring sites. Shirley added Spirit of the Lakes opening. JB moved Aisha seconded Passed
·       Approval of 9/12/13 General Membership Meeting Minutes: PF clarified that SA on bottom of 1st Page means Salvation Army. JB moved, AG Seconded, Motion Passed

6:55            Announcements:
·       Clean Sweep- October 12th, Starts Sat. Welna’s Hardware Parking lot at  9:00 am. All are invited including polliticians.
·       Community Garden Harvest Party, Saturday, October 19th, 5 pm
·       Open house of Spirit of the Lake Oct. 30th at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
·       Aisha Gomez reports that ( jenni.lansing@minneapolismn.gov.)  Mpls. Air Quality Study using state of the art EPATO15. Suma Canisters will be placed in the neighborhoods where people live, work and play. They are looking for sites to place the canisters. The city was split into 34 zones and there are no volunteers for canister placement in our zone #21. Kim Hayden volunteered. Everyone thought Steve Struthers’ residence would be an appropriate location. He may have moved, but still owns the property
·       MOTION:   CP As a neighborhood with significant pollution would like more monitoring sites than the two allocated and would like input in their location. CP Moved, JB seconded, Motion Passed. (motions must be passed by a board Quorum)

7:00            EPIC Sports Report: The last game of the season for the Hispanic Baseball League was two Sundays ago. The local team, the Cardinals, won. Carol threw out the first pitch. Carol raised $35,000 to help fund the league start-up and EPIC supports the Hispanic Baseball League.

7:10            Housing:  Continuing to ReBuild East Phillips:
 1)              The Greenway Heights Apartments, appeared before the Community Development Committee this week             and its funding was approved. We are still short $200,000. What to do…
CP. Crime is a major factor in our decision to proceed with the 10 year Greenway Heights projects. CP and BP attended the City Council meeting which unanimously approved major funding for the action. CP addressed the meeting. Lisa Goodman acknowledged the incredible effort in creating affordable family housing on the Greenway. The project came up $200,000 short due to a Hennepin County screw-up.

2)            New Construction: Prepare for a plan. Block Clubs and/or individuals locate vacant lots. (Henn. Cty. Prop. Info.)            Discussion: Possible partnership with PRG to fill vacant lots with new construction homes and/or to rehab. It seems that for an EPIC investment of $15,000, we may be able to leverage a new, infill house. CP suggested that we all look at possible empty lots for the first infill house site. Cathy Wetzel presented a list of City owned available site. The City would like to complete the “Village in Phillips” project that includes the area between 16th Ave. S. and 18th Ave. S. and South of 24th St to E. 25th St.

7:20             EPIC Home Loans: We need to be more aggressive in marketing EPIC’s home loans to our neighbors. Income cap was too low. The income guidelines are now 100% of the HUD median income Block Club Leaders and/or individuals outreach to Neighbors…Other suggestions??? Some training?? Who wants to volunteer??
Factors contributing to ineligibility is any late mortgage payment within the previous year.
             
7:40            Public Safety Issues: Report on East Lake Crime Meeting. Don Greeley, Problem Properties,             Geographically Restricted people.
            Possible partnering with Powderhorn and Midtown Phillips on Lake to handle the increase in crime on Lake.
            DG reviewed the crime maps which show four months of crime. The map symbols reflect arrests only               only for  four crimes which are indicative of crime in the area.
            The shooting behind Chiffon’s house is the result of a feud between the Bloods and the Tens gangs.                    Still no reportable information.
Chicago, Franklin for about two weeks, was bad RE stolen phones billfolds etc. DG stood on the corner and passed out brochures explaining how to protect your-self and in a very short time the robberies stopped.
RC reported that her daughter was approached by a John at 6:30 AM while waiting for the school bus. Rossie was there and intervened.
RC reported that after our last meeting, the activity by the Salvation Army building is much better, but moved closer to her house.
2920 16th resident was assaulted after parking his car in the alley.
Crime is moving South of Lake St. as shown on the crime maps. It is suggested that EPIC and Powderhorn discuss this migration and explore a plan. 

8:00            People’s Well-being: Consider health challenges of our population, East Phillips’ new Nepali refugee population, Somali elders, African American folks and others, i.e. organizing Elder walking groups in the gym in winter, indoor soccer for youth, etc.
MOTION: Help organize elder walking groups. Aisha G moved, JB seconded, Both motions passed.                       
Diabetes in the new Nepali refugee population. We need an interpreter for A-POD (A Partnership of Diabetics) which we already have funded to get it started up. These people have serious health challenges but do not speak English. (motions must be passed by a board Quorum at the next meeting)
MOTION: EPIC will over a stipend of up to $1,000, roughly $100 a month (5 meetings and more) for  Nepali interpreter to translate for 10 months of meetings, then progress to be evaluated and a report filed for EPIC before any additional funds granted. (motions must be passed by a board Quorum at the next meeting)

8:15             Clean this Place Up: We will consider getting more people out for Saturday’s ‘CLEAN SWEEP’ clean up of Phillips.  Get your neighbors out.

8:30              Adjournment

October 5, 2013

Board Meeting 10-5

EPIC Board Meeting of Oct. 5th was cancelled