EPIC Board Meeting Minutes 12 - 03

December 3, 2016, 10:00 am -12:00

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, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.

Board Members Present: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass

Board Members Not Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Margarita Ortega

EPIC Members:

Guests: Shirley Heyer

10:00   Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introductions.

·       Approval of Agenda: MG, LD approved.

·       Minutes from November – Approved: (LL, MG)

o   Present: Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior,  Carol Pass

o   Approved the minutes and adjourned to an environmental Safety meeting.

10:10   Announcements:

• Fill in from Dec. agenda

10:15     Cedar Field Redesign

LL reported on her discussions with Adam Arvidson regarding community engagement and inaccuracies on the Park Board website. The new sessions have been planned for engaging the community. Adam asked for a list of “community connectors”. Adam asked specifically to provide feedback regarding safety, traffic and parking issues.

Banyon (Naomi)
Waite House (Julie)
Mohamed Cali
Rosie Cruz, Jenny Bjorgo
Block clubs
Safety Center
Greenway apartments
Greenway organization

10:21     Cedar bridge report

CP went to an official hearing at the Minneapolis Historic Designation Committee to talk about the need of the neighborhood to have exit routes, and how all the bridges are needed. The city thinks of us as a bicycling community, when in fact the majority of our population is really families of color, they travel by car. If historic designation is needed to save the bridges, the city must support it. The city seemed sympathetic and said they will bring forward our concerns.

MOTION: EPIC will write a letter to Minneapolis Historic Designation Committee reiterating EPIC’s concerns with copies to the Mayor, City Planning and City Council. LD, LL, Approved.

10:27     Report grievance MG Office and staff

Executive committee met to propose resolution to Michael Green’s grievance of October 1, 2016. A copy of the response was distributed to board members. EPIC will forward the response to Mr. Green.

10:27     Report grievance appeals to NCEC

EPIC distributed a report from LL on the progress of the grievance appeals submitted by Michael Green to NCEC and discussions with NCEC members in a meeting and in hallway conversations with David Rubedor on November 22, 2016. A copy of CP’s email to NCEC grievance committee was also distributed. It is EPIC’s impression that NCEC has no clue at all how to proceed and there are no policies, procedures or guidelines in place for managing the grievance process. EPIC will send a letter to the NCEC board members outlining the recommendations discussed with the members of NCEC on November 22, 2016.

10:44     EPIC Bylaws regarding Grievance/Board Work

The executive committee met to review all of the changes that the board has approved to be put forward to the community for approval. If these changes are approved by the community, the board wishes to make further changes to the Bylaws concerning Article IX, Section 1 concerning grievances.

A proposal for the board’s consideration was distributed, showing “new changes” in blue. Further discussion resulted in clarifying Pages 9 & 10.

MOTION: EPIC adopt a Policy on Grievances and include it in the Policies and Procedures Handbook as written by the Board of Directors on December 3, 2016. LD, RC, Approved (unanimously).

POLICY ON GRIEVANCES

Legitimate grievances can only be filed against the EPIC Board of Directors as an entity. The EPIC board of Directors will determine whether a grievance is legitimate, and reserves the right to reject a grievance if it fails to meets the criteria outlined below:

1. A grievance cannot be filed about the properly voted on or otherwise democratically determined decisions or outcomes by EPIC members or the board of directors. The outcomes, procedures, policies, or bylaws themselves, and actions of the board to carry out the decisions of EPIC consistent with them are not grievable.

2. A grievance may be filed about a failure of the board of directors to follow the process, policy, procedures or bylaws used by EPIC.

3. A grievance may be filed about a failure of the board of directors to properly manage the use of funds consistent with the standards, policies, procedures and bylaws of EPIC.

4. A grievance about transparency must refer to documented past actions of EPIC and the board of directors.

5. A grievance may not attempt to impose future direction, priorities, plans, budgets, or the responsibilities which are properly addressed democratically by EPIC members and the board of directors.

6. A grievance may not be filed about an individual board member.

MOTION: EPIC Board proposes changes to EPIC Bylaws concerning Article IX, Other Business of the Corporation, as written by the Board of Directors on December 3, 2016. LD, MG, Approved unanimously.

Page 11, item 2: ADD:
A grievance shall be made in writing on a designated grievance form, one grievance per form, and submitted to the President or the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. The grievance must be completely described and a specific remedy proposed. The grievance must be accompanied by documentation verifying its credibility and must not be directed toward a specific Board Member. Grievances may be filed in sequence, not in tandem. Grievances can be filed sequentially, only after one is resolved.

Page 11, item 3: CHANGES
Upon receipt of the grievance, the EPIC Executive Committee shall consider the grievance in closed session and shall undertake an immediate fair investigation of the complaint, which may include private interviews of all parties related to the grievance, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, and each not lasting more than two hours, and shall prepare a report to the full Board of its findings. A formal response shall be issued within not more than 45 days of its initial receipt. This response will include the findings of the investigation and a proposed resolution to the grievance, all of which shall remain confidential. 

Page 11, item 4: CHANGES
If the person filing the grievance or the affected neighborhood group is unsatisfied with the Board’s findings or resolution, a clear reason as to why the Executive Committee has failed to satisfy the grievant must be stated in writing, and be submitted to the Board before the Board shall attempts to resolve the situation though negotiation. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the Board shall vote on a ruling and respond in writing to the grieving party stating the actions taken to resolve the grievance and shall report its actions on the grievance to the next EPIC monthly membership meeting. This concludes EPIC’s grievance process.

Page 11, item 5: DELETED
Any interested party may appeal the Board’s decision to a mutually agreed-upon arbitrator for binding arbitration.

12:25     Other Business

·       EPIC financial report: Distributed.

·       Letter to Roof Depot regarding public engagement: distributed.

·       Self-evaluation, board loyalty: Need to distribute self-evaluation forms again. Ask board members to review their commitment to the board contract.

·       Board vacancy reminder; please make recommendations to the board.

·       Special meeting to work on Community Participation Programs:

·       Process appeals to NCR

12:31   Adjourn