March 10, 2016

General Membership Meeting Minutes 03 - 10


March 10, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8:50 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
Phone: (612)  280-8418

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.
Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.
Board Members Not Present: Shawna Dillon, Jean Howard
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Steve Sandberg, Margaret Kirkpatrick, George Kennedy, Carol Hill-Kennedy, Michael Green
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Simon Blienski, Millie Hernandez, Jeanne Whitehill, Tammie Williams, Sterling Sherell, Rachael Hager

6:45     Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introductions.
·       Approval of Agenda, MG, MO Approved with correction to 7:15 item (Simon Blenski/Public Works)
·       Approval of Minutes from February 11th, 2016. MO, LD Approved.

6:50     Announcements:

  • Opening St. Patrick’s Day joke and cartoons.
  • EPIC Annual Meeting volunteers are needed. Contact a board member.
  • EPIC SummerFest performers needed. Contact Brad Pass.
  • Next EPIC Board Meeting, East Phillips Park, Sat, 10:00 am, April 2nd, 2016
  • Next EPIC Membership Meeting, East Phillips Park, Thursday 6:30 pm, April 14th, 2016.
  • EPIC Annual Meeting: Saturday, April 30th, 2016 
  • EPIC SummerFest, Sunday, June 12th, 2016

8:30     EPIC SummerFest – June 12th, Talent Show, Music, Food, etc.

Volunteers are needed to make this year’s event a success! There are many planned activities, especially for children, that require park staff hours. Volunteers can make a big difference.

3rd Annual SommerFest: party in the park. EPIC is working with the Park Board and staff, as well as other partners to plan this event. Tammie is working on entertainment and a preschool program a week before the fest, so children can perform.

If you want to help plan, the Park “program planning meetings” are held the last Tuesday of the month, 11:30 am, including lunch (this is the “Programming Partnership” meeting)

Planning meetings are ongoing, and everyone is welcome.

Steve Sandburg/South Side Acers is trying to establish a community “band practice” on Friday’s on the greenway at 28th St. The band is currently performing at the Eagles and Steve participates in the May Day parade and other venues.

7:15     Simon Blenski from Public Works - Presentation on Options for HUMANIZING the HI-LAKE Intersection. Proposals for improvement. Also Discussion of the Bike Lanes

Report on the Hi-Lake Interchange Study (Feb. 2016)/PowerPoint

Transportation Study Highlights:
  • Study to inform decisions about potential improvements
  • City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Metro Transit and MnDOT
  • Historical Summary (1990s to present)
    • Lots of pedestrian use, and growing
  • Humanize Hi-Lake Petition to improve safety (website)
    • Study looked at 5 of 6 recommendations
  • Existing Issues
    • High volume of pedestrian, bicycle and automobile traffic
    • Lack of natural light
    • Zig-Zagging pedestrian and vehicle crossings (confusion for pedestrians)
    • Long crossings (6 lanes of traffic)
    • Bicycle trails are undefined.
  • Opportunities/Future Demand
  • Design Principles
  • Options: 3 Tiers
    • Low, medium and high cost
    • Low, medium and high impact

Questions:
1. Did the study seek to find options for improving automobile traffic now and in the future?
2. Did the study consider bicycle traffic?

The full, detailed report is available online.

Send feedback to four agencies and CM Cano.

7:53     Speed Bump project for 2400 block of 18th Ave & 2900 Block 16th Ave – And Camera Project

MOTION: Ask the city to do a traffic study on 18th Avenue S for the purpose of generating data to justify a set of speed bumps (18th Avenue between 25th & 26th.) MK, JB Approved.

Report on 18th Avenue (24th -25th)
CP has consulted with businesses and other seeking funds for the speed bumps. MO is working with Holy Rosary to support the speed bump. The total cost for a “set” of speedbumps is $7,500 for two bumps. Little Earth wants EPIC to state their contribution first; then they will work to fundraise the remainder. CP has been looking for funds from the CPP Crime and Safety Budget  and NRP Phase II NRP Plan..

MOTION: Authorize the board to find $7,500 to pay half the cost of two sets of speed bumps on the 2900 block of 16th Avenue and the 2400 block of 18th Avenue. MGr, LD Approved.

MGon: Does EPIC want to establish its own criteria for funding?
CP: Each situation is different. EPIC should ask neighbors impacted for help to pay for these speed bumps.
Mgre: Consider who is requesting funds (board members) and how might this appear to the community. Thinks a process is a good idea.
CP: doesn’t want to set a limit for how much funding for each.
MO: agreed.


8:30  ---Julie Graves presents Plans for a Youth Sports Program  (Track and Field) - a Partnership of EPIC and Waite House. 

LL reported that the Waite House also brought this proposal to the EP Park Program Partnership group (which includes EPIC) for a summer program involving East Phillips youth. They are seeking funds from EPIC, Midtown and other organizations. See handout. This is for including kids from grades 6-8 in a full summer program of six weeks, 5 days a week and 6 hours a day. They will also provide two meals a day and academic help will also be  part of this. , Thirty youth are to be from East Phillips. Waite House provides staff and transportation.

 Other Park Issues: Can we find a space for Phillips’ programs and kids in the new rental requirements and   procedures or are we losing our Park to wealthier organizations and Neighborhoods because of high fees?


BP reported that the Park Board has raised fees for everything in all the parks. It is a “one shoe fits all” approach. Neighborhood sponsored events can be done free of charge assuming that they are scheduled within the working hours of the park. The Programming Partnership feels that they are providing staff and programs here at the park should be considered “neighborhood sponsored” status.

SH reported that EPIC is not the only park/community that is furious over these price increases.
SS (coach for South HS women’s softball) expressed concern over Park communication that the softball diamond is planned to be removed (see last month’s meetings.) Strongly opposes this idea. The field is the home field for South and the North Central University Softball teams. Mr. Sterling Sherrell from South is South’s coach and objects strenuously to this. He is asking for help to keep the field. Some members agreed to support this and help counter this plan.

7:55    Continuation of Roof Depot Issue. Complete Proposal for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm

CP distributed a copy of a letter and proposal for East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm.
EPIC and 8 partners have garnered pledges of $6.8M and are requesting $3M in the Governor’s Supplemental Budget.

8:50     Annual Meeting – consider running for the Board.

 Meeting will take place on April 30, 2016 at 9:30.

Board Directorship Requirements are:  1) You must be over 18 years of age. 2) Have attended at least ONE general membership meeting in the previous year. (This does not mean the coming Annual Meeting) 3) live in or own property within the boundaries of East Phillips and/or work or represent an organization or business in East Phillips and submit name of Employer, Organization, or Business Name, and Address and an official letter on letterhead signed by an appropriate official naming the the applicant as the designated voting representative must be on file or will be filed before the election. 4) must submit a Director’s Application Form, pg. 10 of Policies and Procedures Manual, 5) Submit the Qualifications for EPIC Board of Directors, pg. 11 6) Be willing to sign the Board Contract., pg. 12, the Duties and Responsibilities page, pg. 13,  the Directors’ Standards of Conduct, pg. 14-15.

If you wish to do this, please consider that it involves two meetings a month. This is a commitment to assist the Board in serving East Phillips.

8:50     East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm proposal

CP informed the meeting that the proposal for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm was completed. Partners are East Phillips Improvement Coalition; Dean Dovolis, DJR Architects; WEI (Karen Clark); Tamales @ Bicicletas, JoseLuis Villasenior; Debbie Goettel of MN Sustainable Development Group and others. In addition, it has been submitted to the legislature for a bill to provide $3M funding for planning and implementation of the project.

CP reported that we already have a commitment of $6.8M for this project from the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm Team
Copies of the proposal were handed out.

8:53      EPIC Office Project – Progress

CP distributed a report on the History of EPIC’s Pursuit of an Office in the Minutes from Oct. 2014 to Jan. 2016 in response to claims of a lack of transparency. This report will be posted on the EPIC website and Facebook page. It was pointed out that the issue has been in front of the EPIC Board 6 times and the community 3 times since 2014. Each time the response was positive to go ahead.

8:55     Adjourn

March 5, 2016

Board Meeting Minutes 03 - 05


March 5th, 2016, 10 am

East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center, 2307 17th Ave S.
EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com
Office: 2536 18th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: 612-280-8418

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass
Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass
Board Members Not Present:  Shawna Dillon (E), Jean Howard, Margarita Ortega (E),
EPIC Members: Michael Green
Guests: Shirley Heyer

10:00   Introductions:

·       Meeting as a committee of the whole
·       Greetings and Introductions
·       Approval of Agenda: approved as amended.
·       Approval of Minutes: approved as corrected (JB and RC were present)
·       Received a grievance from Michael Green.
·       Quorum achieved 10:28 am

10:34   Announcements:

  • Next EPIC Membership Meeting, March 10th, East Phillips Park, Thursday 6:30 pm,
  • Next EPIC Board meeting, April 2nd, East Phillips Park, Saturday, 10:00 am

 

10:35   Attendance review:


MG distributed our attendance tracker, and the board discussed what actions, if any are needed. CP reported. A review of attendance shows that there are no board members who have 4 unexecused absences since we started our tracker. LL pointed out that one main reason for absences is due to a lack of childcare. We discussed how we could do child care. We would need to form the following:

Policies, procedures and job description. Contract services.
MG will contact Ikram Mohamed for childcare.

MOTION: EPIC will budget up to $2400 per year for child-care at board and general membership meetings. LL, JB approved.

Attendance Policy: Adopted by consensus on March 5, 2016

Discussion: What is an excused absence?
  1. Illness in the immediate family.
    1. Scheduled medical appointment or urgent care.
  2. Employment – required attendance
    1. Not regularly scheduled.
  3. Attendance at a meeting related to EPIC business
    1. Not regularly scheduled.
  4. Lack of childcare.

How must directors report excused absences? (These will be from now on, since not previously required) Shall be added to Policies and Procedures in the EPIC Board Handbook.
  1. Call or text any executive board member who is attending the meeting.
    1. It must be received and noted by the board BEFORE the meeting begins.
  1. Email any executive board member who is attending the meeting at least 24 hours in advance of a meeting.

11:00   Grievances review:

 

The NCR took over our middle grievances and made a list of things we need to do to address them, and apparently we have done all these things. Most were done before the grievance was filed.

Policies and procedures are on the website since last summer.
The big grievance that went downtown is almost resolved.
A report will be written by Michelle and presented to EPIC board.
Mary has kept an attendance tracking sheet since last March.

MOTION: EPIC will consult with ask Ellen McVeigh to pro-bono our grievance procedure; if she is unwilling, then we will hire her up to $1,000. Approved. CP, LA.

10:10   Letters report and discussion:


MOTION: EPIC will report on all letters requested and/or sent at its monthly board meetings. Approved. MG, CP.

RECENT LETTERS
1. Kreske grant for $75,000 (planning grant for the roof depot site.)
2. Proposal for $10M for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm.
3. CP will update this list, if needed, next month.

OLD LETTERS (NOV. – DEC.)
1. Letter for Habitat 12/18/15
2. Habitat followup
3. To the mayor and police chief (for a meeting); not sent because the same meetings were held by other people and we didn’t want to duplicate them.
4. Thank you letter to owner of Roof Depot for not selling his property to Minneapolis; not sent, told agent to thank the owner (owner did not want to be contacted. But did want to be informed of progress on any serious proposal by the community)
5. Posted an invitation to comment on bike and streets on a new EPIC Facebook page and emails. Additional concerns aired extensively at an EPIC General Membership meeting(Website was not included.)

10:15   Final Financial Report 2016, Taxes, Attorney General’s Report

MOTION: Adopt as our Procedure for approving the Tax filing and AG Report. Approved. MG, LD.
            Procedure for Board Approval of Taxes and Attorney General’s Report, all to be included in Policies and Procedures in EPIC Board Handbook.
·       Chair and Treasurer receive the Year End financial statements, the 990 tax return and the Attorney General’s Report and review, correct if necessary with check back to CPA.
·       Board members are sent digital copy for review at least one week before the next Board meeting, send any questions to the Treasurer and Chair. Treasurer and Chair respond.
·       Board members meet at the next Board Meeting for any additional review and approval.

Procedure: the full board will receive quarterly financial statements from the accountant before the board meeting.

11:54   Julie Graves’ Proposal-NRP Phase II Dollars

Pillsbury United Communities serves children in the East Phillips neighborhood. Julie Graves’ has submitted a proposal for a wellness program directed toward 30 Phillips youth.

MOTION: Partner with PUC to create a wellness program serving children in Phillips and provide $996.25 from our youth services NRP budget, and write a contract outlining responsibilities in accordance with EPIC’s criteria for funding collaborative agreements. Approved. LL, RC.

CP pointed out that we have $30,000 in youth services funds that is unspent.

12:10   Speed Bumps – Funding- Crime and Safety NPP and NRP Public Safety

CP is seeking funds from local businesses, churches and organizations to help fund the speed bumps discussed for  2500-block of 18th Avenue and 2900-block of 16th Avenue. It is not looking good to get large donations; we are waiting to hear from potential donors, especially DurDur Bakery. We are also waiting for the petition for the 16th Avenue. The crime budget has some extra money since we don’t have to pay for the bike. We need to figure out how to come up with the funds for the two streets.

 The chair and treasurer will look at EPIC funds and see if we can find more money. CP left a call with Robert Lilligren to try to get a decision from LE before he leaves or we will have to start over. CP said she thought we could find money to pay for half the project on 18th, about $3,750, anf try to get the other half from Little Earth, the Church and Southside Family Nurturing Center combined. Perhaps also some of the Property owners on 18th as well.

12:15   Cameras –Placement where?

We already have approval for 4 cameras. CP and RC will bring a proposal for location of two cameras in the vicinity of Lake and 16th to the next board meeting. We will consult with Little Earth for cameras on Cedar Field. CP ‘s call to Robert Lilligren included this. We have the money to pay for this so we just need to try to get a decision from LE about where we all agree we want them.

12:20   Roof Depot Site Update: Drafting a bill

MOTION: EPIC fully endorses and adopts the proposal for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm written by East Phillips Improvement Coalition, DJR Architects, WEI (Karen Clark), Debbie Goettel of MN Sustainable Development Group, Turquoise River, and others. In addition, EPIC supports the MN Legislature’s bill providing $3M funding for planning and implementation of the project. Approved. MG, RC.

CP reported that we already have a commitment of $6.8M for this project from the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm Team

12:00   Adjourn