General Membership Meeting Minutes 05 - 14

May 14th 2015, 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

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass, Gloria Reyes,

Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass,

Board Members Not Present: Rosie Cruz, Margarita Ortega, Gloria Reyes,

EPIC Members: Laura Dale, Kyla Sisson, Hindolo Okawa, Chana Ware, George Kennedy, Carol Hill Kennedy, Kathrine Guimaraes, Michael Green, Brad Pass, Margaret Kirkpatrick

Guests: Don Greeley, Heidi Hafermann, Shirley Heyer,

6:40     Introductions:

·      Greetings and Introductions

·      Approval of Agenda: approved by concensus

·      Approval of Minutes from EPIC April 9^th Annual Meeting: Tabled to next month.

·      Approval of Minutes from EPIC April 25^th Annual Meeting: JB, MO,

6:55     Announcements:

• Next EPIC Board Meeting, June 6th
• General Membership Meeting, June 11^th
• Potential Date for EPIC Summerfest, June 22^nd 
• Arbor Day Celebration was at Stewart Park today; planted 150 new trees. Contact Phil about a dead tree near the Park Board stage at EPPCCC. If we don’t replace this tree we can bring in a stage without damaging it.
• Midtown Phillips – Youth; youth want fair access to the Stewart Park soccer field and will be holding a meeting with city staff. This is an issue for all residents concerning Minneapolis parks.
• June 20, 2015. Sierra Leone Foundation for New Democracy will host a luncheon; everyone is invited. RSVPs are required; look for more information from EPIC.

7:10     Introduction of the New Board Members

·      Margarita Ortega

·      Gloria Reyes  

The board met on Saturday, May 2, 2015 and elected officers:

President: Carol Pass

Vice President: Margarita Ortega

Secretary: Jean Howard

Treasurer: Mary Gonsior

7:20     Discuss the Community Innovation Grant (CIF) in partnership with Little Earth: Deadline to file by June 3, 2015.

HH: Working with Joe B, Director of College Prep at LE, have developed a plan for expanding a Native Youth Art Collective program. Working out of the existing program with youth, the program would retain a Native  American lens and focus, but would open to any interested teens. This work and the collective would place a lot of responsibility and leadership in the hands of the teens. The emphasis would be placed

on skills that relate to college readiness. A key component would have the kids set up a Tumbler page that allows a group to have a visibility and presence as a group.

The value for both LE and EPIC is that the funding requires that there be components related to reaching out to a larger community. We envision that there would be several school term “events” in addition to a summer long program. Bi-annual reporting requirements could be presented to EPIC. This program will be designed to become a replicable program and leave room for growth.

CP: The funding is competitive and is available only to neighborhoods. There are 81 neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The collaborative aspect of this program will be critical. EPIC has worked to develop criteria to “share” our money and we have a document addressing criteria for collaboration. This project seems like a very good fit.

The board will have to work out a budget, and collaboration will need to be a component to the extent that the project will succeed in a competitive environment.  EPIC’s own collaboration documents require that there be real collaboration, and not just on paper. If passed, a grant proposal will have to meet all these requirements.

JH: Exciting to collaborate with LE on this grant. Not only will LE youth be benefiting from this program, but the larger community will benefit as well, by learning about the traditions and culture of the Native American community. Starting with the youth is good because it is a new generation. This should help join our communities into one.

RC: This is a great opportunity for EPIC and LE to get to know each other, and she is very supportive of this program.

MOTION: EPIC will enter into an agreement with Little Earth to make a collaborative partnership program, and EPIC will submit a CIF grant request for $30,000 as well as serve as fiscal agent if the grant is received. MGr, KS; Approved.

7:50      Don Greeley, Crime prevention specialist

MG reported an incident on the 2400 block of Bloomington Ave. DG will try to find out about that incident.

RC reported ongoing problems on Lake St. between Cedar and Oakland. DG can’t guarantee that MPD can keep a camera here.

JH reported a gang that has been giving Little Earth residents a hard time. They are actually trying to rob people right in Little Earth, beating them senseless and sending to the hospital. This gang seems to have no standards; very young (13-14). Very frightening. MO reported that the shooting on Lake St. was MOMA (money over everything). DG reported that their graffiti is around; there was a shooting incident with a gang called “10s”. DG reported that the next Little Earth court watch meeting is May 22^nd at 10 am. MO reported one individual who is on “trespass” and no one comes...the individual is still there at Little Earth. MO observed a woman beaten in front of residents and her grandchildren, called police 4 times, and they finally arrived, but let the man go. DG will look up the call and see if a report is written. SH reported that Midtown is also dealing with problems with gangs. An incident occurred involving about 15 juveniles;

because they are juveniles, the community can learn nothing about what happened. Midtown residents reported there is an African American group that comes onto the soccer fields during Somali matches and threatens them and police do not come when called.

MOTION: EPIC will request the presence of the Mayor, chief of police, 3^rd precinct inspectors, and head of 911 to attend a near term EPIC membership meeting for a discussion of policing in East Phillips. MGr, JH; Approved.

MG asked what will this meeting accomplish?

JH feels that holding this meeting will bring visibility to our community, and give EPIC the opportunity to

LD thinks upon additional information from DG, we should confront them with this incident, and ask them to explain what happened.

RC we want to hear what they are going to do.

GR they will hear the concerns of the neighborhood, and can make a plan to address the problems.

7:20     Moving ahead with our Neighborhood Priority Plan: Police Bike, Ambassador Program, cross walks, for starters.

CP gave an update on EPIC plans and discussions. EPIC will start chipping away at the programs that were developed as part of the Neighborhood Priority Plan.

Crime and Safety committee: sign up on attendance sheet tonight.

MOTION: EPIC will reconvene the Crime and Safety committee and it will address the items in Exhibit A of the NPP budget, including engaging the city of Minneapolis on the prior motion to attend a community meeting. MGr, GK;

JH, as secretary, will convene the first meeting.

8:30     Somali radio station (added by consensus.)

Mohamed Cali announced the radio station agreement that was granted to his nonprofit community organization. There is equipment and administration that remains unfunded. EPIC should support his efforts to apply for funding, possibly working with neighborhoods to write a CIF grant for this project. SH reported that Midtown voted to support the project. The radio station is located in Ventura Village, and Mohamed Cali is a resident of Midtown. 

MOTION: EPIC will support the concept of a multi-cultural programming radio station and will work with Mohamed Cali to achieve that goal. MGo; GK; Approved.

CP: ideally all four of the Phillips neighborhoods will be involved and support this project.

8:45     Progress on the Water yard/Roof Depot site and Asphalt Plant/Foundry Industrial Site. Seeking a Site for the Asphalt Plant.

The asphalt plant wants to move and has the funds; trying to find a location. If anyone knows a real estate agent, or someone who can help, especially outside the metro,  contact CP. They need 3 acres.

8:50     Progress on Housing Loan Programs. 

The housing loans are for rehab and for purchase. No interest, and no payments until you sell the home.

8:50     Support 2900 16^th Ave Block effort to put speed bumps on 16^th Ave. They need a petition for their  Block.

MOTION: EPIC will support the effort of the 2900 16^th Ave block and the 2400 18^th Ave block in their efforts to get speed bumps and will help them with their petitions. CP, GR; Approved with 1 abstention.

MGr offered a friendly amendment that would include any block that formed a group to get speed bumps, which was declined.

GR reported that the 2900 block of 16^th Ave has a terrible burden of drug dealing and traffic at all hours of the day and night. With many children, it is a very dangerous situation.

MO reported that the 2400 block of 18^th has a school, an early learning center, and lots and lots of children going back and forth to along with much more traffic related to the new, popular East Phillips Park; the day cares serve multi-neighborhood residents bringing lots of extra traffic to the area.

8:55     Adjournment.