August 14, 2014

EPIC General Membership Meeting 08 - 14


August 14th, 2014, 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.”

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Ali Micalin, Carol Pass, Cesar Prado, Earl Simms
Board Members Present: Carol Pass, Earl Simms, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Rosie Cruz
Board Members Not Present:Ali Micalin, Jean Howard, Cesar Prado, Jenny Bjorgo(Sick child)
Guests: Michael Sullivan, Shirley Heyer,
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Erica Schultz, Laura Dale, Michael Green, Kyla Sisson, Margaret Kirkpatrick

MOTION: Meet as a committee of the whole (LL, CP) Passed

 6:40            Introductions:

Greetings and Introductions

6:45            Approval of Agenda (as corrected, LL,Laura)
Approval of July 10th, 2014 minutes, (corrections: addition of Laura (member) and Shirley Heyer (guest) who were present) CP, Laura, approved.

7:00            Announcements:
·      Next EPIC General Membership Meeting – September 11th, 6:30 - 8:45 pm

7:05               Report on National Night Out: 

CP attended six NNO parties, handing out EPIC brochures, talked with people. The closer to Lake St. the more alarmed people were about crime. Everyone was enjoying their neighbors, but a lot of concern expressed about crime.

Erica reported on her block club party, enjoyed some really good food, was a really positive experience.

Linda reported a block club party and enjoyed especially the piƱata and fireworks. Had a lot of fun. Recommends that people check with the different cultures, as they have different food preferences.

Naomi attended six parties, including Rose’s block club party.

Rose said that it was wonderful and there was a lot of food and fun; did a ceremony to honor elders,

Shirley had a lot of new young folks, about 100 people.

7:10            Crime and Safety, Don Greeley:   911 Reports: Stolen Bikes, Report on meeting in 2909             Bloomington -Street people sleeping in vestibule, forcing their way in, etc., Problem houses.

Don sent out a “prevention alert” with interesting stats on bicycle thefts in 3rd precinct. In a one-week period there were $8,000 bicycle thefts in East Phillips, $45,000 in Mpls. Free service – sign up for these alerts  Real common problem; best advice is to register your bike – you may be able to recover the bicycle. There are some new bike locks…they cost more but are very hard to defeat.

2909 meeting – Don thought the meeting went very well, had a lot of people there, and a lot of discussion. CP asked if the police can put pressure on the owner. The building does have trespass signs, and Don will get additional signs for the owner. Residents can call police and report these situations, and the police will come and pick them up. LL proposed that EPIC write a letter to the owner and ask them to provide security (which the owner does provide in other properties.)

MOTION: EPIC will send a letter to the owner and manager asking them to enforce “no trespassing”, address maintenance issues, and hire security at night. (LL, ES)  Passed with one opposed (KL).

Brad reported that Joe McDermott has called on two occasions about a male person sleeping in the 2nd story kids playground equipment here at the park. This was early in the morning, and it is bad for the park to have this going on.  M. Sullivan will follow up.

Michael Green reported 2800 16th Ave S – lots of drug activity, been going on for years. Called recently about the handicapped sign which is no longer needed by any tenant of the property. Would like to have this sign removed. Don will follow up.

Erica reported that there were a lot of officers seeming to be operating at 2800 16th recently – was there an operation that was carried out recently?

Looking hard at 2900 16th. Not a lot of police reports, but a lot of police calls. Tenants are calling about a lot of trespassing inside the 2900 building. Police are planning a meeting with the owner.

Power outage this morning (city cutting down trees), no notice – just cut out power. Talked to 311 and they didn’t find anything scheduled. The trees were in the alley (not the boulevard).

Sullivan reported that Dept has listed Lake Street as a “hot zone” and has requested a mobile camera for the 1600 block of Lake St. Cert team did a John Detail, and made some arrests. These are difficult to run but take a lot of personnel.

7:25               What is Court Watch?? Don Greeley

Court Watch meets monthly at 2100 Bloomington (tomorrow morning at 10:30 am.) Track and watch about 35 chronic offenders. The list is public (distributed the Bloomington court watch). Would like the community to write impact statements either about these individuals, or about similar individuals that have impacted the community/your life. There is an electronic form that you can complete online, and you can remain anonymous – John can assign you a court watch number.

MOTION: EPIC will request crosswalk markings on 24th Street, 26th and 28th on 16th, 17th, and 18th, as well at 25th and Bloomington Ave, as well as 24th Street at 10th (East) and Elliot (West). (ES, LL) Approved.

Shirley reported that the city is has been holding meetings to discuss safety on 26th and 28th Streets. Midtown asked them to do these meetings in the fall but they are going ahead. Plan will be presented on August 27th.

7:35            Report on 25th Street Barricade by SuperAmerica: Linda Leonard

LL and Doug VanderVeen has been talking to the city about this, and LL called Public Works and obtained a case number. 311 reported that they don’t have any planters, but they have a pile of stone garbage cans that they can deliver for a nominal fee. Unfortunately, these are short and have no reflectors, might collect garbage. An individual would have to make a request for a special permit and be responsible for the containers and their maintenance. LL also suggested that EPIC could look for large planters that could be purchased. 

Shirley reported that Heart of the Beast and Pastor Patrick’s youth and Mosaic programs has money to do a project on 25th Street and 15th Avenue. Perhaps we could extend the project into EPIC. We should contact them.

7:50            NRP and NCR funding; EPIC history and update

Crime Prevention/Public Safety Neighborhood Priority Plan: Up for a Discussion and Vote to                         send to NCR ?? We looked at the Crime Prevention/Public Safety Strategy. Some members questioned this use of money.

Ambassador Program: Volunteers?? Meet-Up?
September 13, 2014, Saturday – 10:30 - 11:30 am here at the park.

8:15            EPIC Finances - Future Plans: this blended into the possibility of the New Home Proposal and the sequestered funding to allow this to be possible.

8:20            Housing Plans: Prelude to Restoration in East Phillips: Carol presented the housing proposal that was presented some time ago. This time it is more fleshed out now with real designs. She presented the City-owned lot list of 8 lots and pointed out that our EPIC Phase II New Home Strategy was gutted in the 2010  Mayor’s seizing NRP funds. EPIC had maintained its volunteer status to restore funding and have the option of using some of that funding to heal our neighborhood from the foreclosure crisis. This could bring back the new construction and now empty strategy in our NRP Plan. We have been in discussion with Powderhorn Residents Group (PRG) and Greater Metro Housing Corporation (GMHC) about this. We have been assured of two houses next spring and more later if we choose.

Margaret reported that the PCA is monitoring the pollution from E. 28th Street and the Greenway.

8:45            Adjourn


August 2, 2014

Board Meeting Minutes 08 - 02


August 2, 2014, Saturday, 10:00 am

East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center
EPIC web address:  www.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.”

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Ali Micalin, Carol Pass, Cesar Prado, Earl Simms

Present board members: Mary Gonsior, Carol Pass, Jenny Bjorgo, Ali Micalin, Rosie Cruz,
Absent board members: Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Cesar Prado, Earl Simms
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Alfonso Cruz, Maggie Ewing, Kyla Sisson
Guests: Carrie Day Aspinwall

10:15            MOTION: Meet as a Committee of the Whole. Approved.

10:16             Introduction:
·       Greetings and Introduction
·       Approval of Agenda (CP, MG) Approved with removal of proposed motion under crime priority plan.
·       Approval of the July 5th Board Minutes (JB, CP) Approved with corrections

10:38            Announcements
·       National Night Out

10:39            National Night Out

MOTION: EPIC board approves the funding of $125 per Block Club for NNO block parties, maximum Total of $1,500. (JB, CP) Approved.

10:46    EPIC’s 2013 tax return

EPIC’s 2013 Form 990 was distributed for review. The long form was used. CP pointed out the Functional Expenditures and that they were not on the Attorney General’s report because they are on the 990 form.

MOTION: EPIC authorizes the executive committee to sign and submit the 2013 IRS Form 990. (MG, JB) Approved.

10:45    EPIC’s CPP submission

CP distributed EPIC’S CPP Submission document approved at last Board meeting, just needed some corrections. This document represents what EPIC is doing, and will continue to do to connect and engage constituents in East Phillips. This plan contains new activities, and additional new activities may be developed in addition to the documented activities. It is submitted to NCR for funding EPIC community engagement and NPP activities.

MOTION: Meet as a quorum. (MG, CP) Approved.

MOTION: EPIC approves the actions of the committee of the whole (CP, RC) Approved.

11:18            Moving ahead – Carrie Aspinwall discussed current available funding.

CDA distributed copies of CPP submission guidelines. EPIC has submitted our plan to CDA, who reviews the submission and makes notes. CDA thinks we have a good written plan. Suggestions that could make the plan stronger. Since it is approved, can there be some tweaking. Example, CDA thinks number of volunteers that do door knocking, and number of blocks reached could be included in the plan. CDA will provide written comments for EPIC.

CDA distributed a flyer “funding allocations available for contracting EPIC, updated 8/1/14. EPIC needs to re-write the budget figures to follow the format required by CPP. The budget should include only funds for 2014-2016. CDA provided a spreadsheet showing $64,961, $64,960, and $64, 960 for 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively. This doesn’t mean that the rollover funds are gone, but that they are processed separately.

CP expressed that our budget was prepared according to the information we received from Robert Thompson. CP also noted that EPIC lost a key opportunity to help seek funding for the Pool because EPIC lost the opportunity to join the press release of the Mdewakanton Sioux’s offer to provide $250,000 matching dollars, due to the “spending freeze.” It was hoped that this would provide a persuasive boost to other neighborhoods and others to join to help get the match. This opportunity is now lost.

BP requests to speak. States he is confused because EPIC’s accessible funds are frozen. We have received 3-4 different explanations from 3-4 different people.

CDA responded that EPIC can continue to work on contracts that are still open; as long as they are active EPIC can still work on them, so they are not ‘frozen.’.
CP said CDA was mistaken. CP pointed out that EPIC’s only open contract has expired and we were advised by Bob Cooper, before all this occurred, not to renew it…that it was time to roll the remainder over to 2012-13. WE did as advised, so those are not open contracts. There is no open contract to work on. We have no accessible money or any idea what NCR’s plans are regarding EPIC’s future, so what CDA is telling us makes no sense.
CDA reported that NCR has deemed that all communication should go through CDA to alleviate some of the confusion. Several strong remarks came from the board indicating that most of the board does not think that would eliminate the confusion.
CP said that Bob Cooper has frequently corrected some of what CDA has told us,  and that CP would continue to seek his counsel.

BP asked, “When will we know if we still have $50,000 that we could contract to the pool?” CDA reported that she will check on this on Monday. CP reported that these funds were originally contracted to the Park Board, but that they  appear to remain unspent.

CDA states: Three steps to remove “freeze”:

·       Code of Conduct
·       CDA to explain funding to EPIC
·       Complete the Audit
o   Organizational Analysis (audit); Lissa Jones (consultant)
§  Will make recommendations
o   Financial Audit; panel of CPA’s that do a variety of types of reviews
§  CDA recommending “agreed upon procedure”
·       Anticipate wrapping up all by September 15th.

Three questions:

1. Did the park board use the $50,000? Or is this the money that is sitting there (NRP Phase I)
2. What monies or contract amendments are available now from 2011? (CPP) Available or not?
3. How do we deal with the 2012-2013 allocation? This was going to be our housing dollars.           
            a. 2014-2016 has to be “contracted” before the 2012-2013 allocation can be spent.

12:00            In-Fill housing plans

CP distributed correspondence with PRG from 2013 and 2014 documenting EPIC’s hope for funding new construction in vacant lots in East Phillips.

12:06             Adjourn