November
2nd, 2013, Saturday, 10:00 am
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: Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Aisha Gomez,
Jenny Bjorgo, Linda Leonard, Earl
Simms,
Absent board members: Rosie Cruz, Sherdl Kordian, Ali Micalin
Members: Brad
Pass,
10:10 Introduction:
·
Approval
of Agenda – approved.
·
Approval
of August 3rd Board Meeting Minutes
·
Approval
of GMM Motions:
o “pollution” passed
o “walking groups” passed
o “translation stipend” passed
§
Edit
formatting of the minutes so that there are two paragraphs (one for each
motion).
10:20 Announcements:
·
ELECTION,
VOTE on November 5th, next Tuesday
·
EPIC
Membership Meeting, Thursday, November 14th
·
American Swedish Institute The “Jul Shop” is Now Open!
SHOP HOURS
|
TUE. 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
WED. 10 A.M.-8 P.M.
THU. 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
FRI. 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
SAT. 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
SUN. NOON-5 P.M.
Closed Mondays.
|
·
Alley Newspaper Annual Gathering, Friday,
Nov. 15th, 6:00-8:30, St. Paul’s Assembly Hall ,2742 15th Ave.
·
Clean
Sweep Report, Jana Metge
o
6
trucks
o
24,340
pounds of trash
o
300
pounds of recycling
o
Almost
700 volunteers this year
o
Next
year
§ we will try to have a recycling truck
§ Set some reach out goals for next year
§ Look for zero waste of food
§ Radio PSA’s
· Community Garden Harvest Party Report
from Saturday, October 19th
·
Basketball
sign-up at the Park
10:25 Requirements for Additional Spending -
The Chair discussed the future: Creation of Priority Plan – we are supposed to create a plan
every year from now on.
A
community engagement process to determine the needs and desires of the
neighborhood people.
We are currently working off our Phase II plan
and were
told by NCR staff, Robert Thompson and Jack Whitehurst…our
neighborhood specialist that this was appropriate. We need to have
some parties, or focus groups to find out what people’s priorities are.
Reason: This huge community engagement process was just
finished right before 2012. But now, at this point, we need to re-engage the
community again to determine what has changed and what has not. We need to have
some parties, or focus groups to find out what people’s priorities are. We also
need some leadership from various constituent groups to accomplish this. We
have both 2012 and 2013 CPP grants and can accomplish lot with this. A critical
piece while we have this funding is to find an office for EPIC.
Community Engagement Process – Suggestions? Parties?
· Branding
o Make sure residents of
EPIC recognize the name.
§ Street banners/signs
o Some kind of paper:
bi-fold, postcard, other?
§ Translations
§ Marketing consultant
(pro bono)
· Reaching community to
determine priorities
o Hold several events
annually with the focus of finding out neighborhood priorities.
§ Annual meeting
§ National Night out
o Surveys for new people
at monthly meetings
o Focus groups:
sometimes the only way to reach
these residents
§ Ethnic communities
§ Elders
§ Families
§ Single adults
§ Businesses
10:55 Report
from Aisha on Air Quality Study-
City of Minneapolis Air
Quality Study. This is an expansion of past study of existing data to map air
quality in Minneapolis. Now they are doing actual testing. We are looking for
folks to participate in the study by hosting a collection canister.
11:10 Phillips
Community Center. Loss of Running Wolf Fitness Center and help for Pool Fundraising.
·
Collaboration of the Neighborhoods Plan
·
Creation of independent 501©(3) with Board Chair
·
Fund the first year rent – Amount?
MOTION: EPIC supports creating
a multi-neighborhood collaborative to create a 501(c)(3) Organization with a
multi-neighborhood board, to own and operate a new Fitness Center in PCC. JB,
AG passed.
11:45 Homeownership
in Phillips: Foreclosures
and Vacant Lots, 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 infill house sites. Consult
Greater Metro Housing Corp, Hennepin County, PRG, TC Community Land Bank,
Inventorying Properties, Seeking new HomeOwners.
·
Issues with rehab loans: We need to be
more aggressive in marketing EPIC’s home loans to our neighbors . Problems for
people filling them out. CEE lost some staff and replacements are ….EPIC moved
the income cap from 80% to 100% of HUD medial income guidelines. This should
help move these loans. Maybe we need a party for this?
·
2931 Bloomington Ave. issue. See plan.
Ideas?
·
Need for another $200,000 for Greenway
Heights.
11:55 Coordinated outreach to ethnic groups w/ Ventura Village: Share
translation equipment for Latino and Somalis for streaming interpreting. We
have previous motions for this…Reach out to Somali elders & handicapped in
apartments north of the park for park uses. 2909 Bloomington multiple needs. Outreach
more specific to Spanish speakers. EPIC buy a van??
12:00 Crime
Issues on Lake: Powderhorn’s limited involvement.
Businesses without their own meeting and coordination. Suggestions? We need to
pull in Powderhorn, Central, Corcoran to work together to solve these problems.
12:05 Adjourn
