March 8, 2018

EPIC Community Meeting Minutes 03 - 08


March 8th, 2018, 6:30 – 8:50
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: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Tom Harris, Cassandra Holmes, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass, Linda Vermillion, Marc Trius
Board Members Present: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Tom Harris, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass,
Board Members Not Present: Cassandra Holmes (E), Linda Vermillion, Marc Trius (E)
Members: Brad Pass, George Kennedy, Carol Hill-Kennedy, Kelly Trius, Lorna Hammond, Andrew Sheard, Susan Harris, Megan Kuhl-Stennes
Guests: Shirley Heyer,

6:30     Social Time/ Greetings and Introductions


6:50  WRITE A LETTER
RC reported an incident where students were playing soccer in the gym when police showed upon a report of youth wearing masks and having guns. School and police did not manage the situation well and parents were not informed. EPIC will research and respond.

6:55     Approval of Proposed Agenda: RC, LD, Approved.
Approval of February 8th General Membership Draft Minutes: MG, LD, Approved.

7:00     Announcements:

  • Annie Young’s Memorial, March 17th, 10 AM, Lower Riverside Park (Annie Young Meadow.)
  • Special FREE Class! Monday, March 19, for a free presentation about the promise Permaculture holds for our future, 6:30-8pm, Where: Hosmer Library, 347 E 36th St, Mpls.
  • “March for our Lives” Saturday, March 24th 10 AM, Minnesota State Capitol, RSVP to join us http://act.everytown.org/event/march-our-lives-events_attend/8757/?source=taf&aktmid=tm2955346.ophgeZ&t=1&referring_akid=.6718573.mZ-jRJ
  • EPIC Board Meeting, April 7th, Saturday, at EPIC Office 2433 Bloomington, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
  • EPIC General Membership Meeting, April 12th, Thursday, at East Phillips Park, 6:30 to 8:45 pm.
  • EPIC Annual Meeting will be April 28, 2018.
  • SummerFest will be June 24, 2018.
  • Green Zones is meeting monthly for 8 months. There is a citizen’s board that meets the 4th Tuesday of the month. You can find their sustainability project with CPED. Their meeting calendar is on the City website.
    • They are wrapping up their meetings, and the last meeting will be Thursday, March 16 from 6-9 pm, dinner is included. #511 at Jordain Community Space.

7:15    EPIC 2018 Meeting Schedule:  

Distributed EPIC meetings schedule. Please note Garden Meeting on Saturday. Attend the meeting or contact Brad Pass if you want to get on the list for a garden plot.

TH reported increased traffic problems due to narrowed streets, including a bus sideswiping a vehicle, and continuing to drive on. Police have not responded. RC reported that trucks are parking in the bike lanes, and this is a problem. Businesses on Lake St. are not shoveling sidewalks and handicap residents are not able to traverse the sidewalks. KT will work with TH on reporting the bus incidents. Everyone keep a log of these types of incidents. CP will call CM Cano about these concerns.

7:40    EPIC Year-End financials; Future Funding Concerns

Distributed a copy of an article from the StarTribune regarding state grant funds being frozen after a financial review found problems with the nonprofit’s record-keeping practices with the grant. This is to highlight the great responsibility EPIC has for managing various funds. EPIC has a lot of challenges, with much of our funding coming on a reimbursement basis. Discussed financial statements. EPIC reports on a cash basis (as compared to an accrual basis.)

CP spends a great deal of time writing reports for various funding opportunities and often funding is on hold until reporting can be completed. Work on the MN Legislative funding has required a lot of time and attention but is getting close to done. CP is working on two more reports, in addition to reporting that is required for EPIC’s own annual report – which will be distributed at the annual meeting.

We have set aside funds for the swim programming for youth, and CP would like to write a grant proposal for funding even more youth programs. United Way has lost a lot of funding and many children’s programs are being shut down.

LL reported that a couple of new houses are going into neighborhood empty lots. Does the neighborhood want to do first-time homeowner interest-free deferred loans? Is there an agency we can work with? (EPIC’s program management firm dropped out of administering the program.) EPIC is not able to manage this type of program itself. A couple of neighborhoods are still working with CEE, and CP has contacted PRG to manage the program. There are some funds left, but not much.

LL reported that some folks need funds to repair their homes, and our old rehab funds are no longer administered through an agency. What can EPIC do to find out about these former funds. EPIC is not able to manage this type of program itself. A couple of neighborhoods are still working with CEE, and CP has contacted PRG to manage the program. There are some funds left, but not much.

LL reported that EPIC needs to get a jump on youth programming funding months ahead of any children’s programming. Otherwise, Park and other organizations providing services will not be able to plan summer programming. Does EPIC want to start a process for providing youth funding.

Suggestion: a collaborative youth program with EPIC, MPRB, LERA, and potentially other groups involving “pop-up” youth events/programs.

MOTION: EPIC will set aside $5,000 in child and youth programming for a collaborative summer youth sports and or activity programming with staff to be hired and supervised by EPPCCC. LL, LD, Approved.

·  Does EPIC have funds for this motion? (Yes, per board.)
·  Have we received a report on the program last year? Do we know if the programs were successful? (The basketball program was a great success; both programs that were run by Julie last summer were well utilized.)

8:35     Pollution Problem: Discussion: The VW award to MN is $47 M. 

Meeting with MPCA was cancelled due to back weather. Rescheduled date TBD.

How can we get some of this money to help deal with the diesel trucks? What to do about the Pollution from the Foundry and Asphalt Plant (Bituminous Roadways?) Some Problems -a combined single permit. No real estimate of what is coming out of the stack, unwillingness to move. Ideas? Anyone want to research this?

8:40   EPNI - Urban Farm Project: Next Steps:

·     Funding

EPNI is busy trying to raise all the money that will be needed to implement the project, estimated at $10M. We are trying to get 3 acres, and we are trying to get $3M from MN to actually “build” this thing. Urban farming is an activity whose time ahs come, but Public Works is only interested in getting the building done, and as soon as possible.

Karen Clark and her nonprofit, WEI, are stepping down from leadership on the EPNI team, as Karen will be working to get funds for the project from MN legislature. EPNI will replace WEI on the planning team.

·     Business Plans

EPNI organizations are writing sustainable business plans with assistance; an overall development plan is also being written. Goal is to prove that the project is real, sustainable, will provide community jobs, and will do everything we claim – that it will work.  

8:47     Next Steps for EPIC:

·       Annual Meeting: April 28, 2018, We will need help with set-up…Volunteer if possible.
·       Board Elections: If you are interested in serving, you must attend at least one general membership meeting before the annual meeting. See CP or the website for application forms. Also, please read board policies and procedures (on the website.) Noted need to attend one Community meeting past year
8:50     Adjourn

March 3, 2018

EPIC Board Meeting Minutes 03 - 03


March 3rd, 2018, 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: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Tom Harris, Cassandra Holmes, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass, Marc Trius, Linda Vermillion.
Board Members Present: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass.
Board Members Not Present: Tom Harris, Cassandra Holmes (E), Marc Trius (E), Linda Vermillion.
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Michael Green
Guests: Shirley Heyer

10:20   Introductions: Meeting as a committee of the whole

·       Greetings and Introductions
·       Approval of Agenda: Approved with addition of announcement:
·       Approval of Board Minutes from February 3, 2018: Approved with correction (“…drawings were presented at the EPIC annual meeting in 2015.”

10:15   Announcements:
·       VW award meeting with MPCA to answer our Pollution Questions. Monday, March 5 at 5:30 pm EPPCCC.
·       General Membership Meeting, March 8th, Thursday, at East Phillips Park, 6:30 to 8:45 pm.
·       **Annual Meeting will be April 28, 2018 (Saturday)**
·       SummerFest will be June 24, 2018 (Sunday)
·       Phillips Aquatic Center Grand Opening & Tour: Early April
·       Annie Young Memorial, Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Annie’s Meadow

10:30   EPIC 2018 Meeting Schedule:   

Thanks to Brad for putting together our annual calendar. Mary signed up to attend April garden meetings.

10:40   EPIC Year-end Financials:

Distributed year-end, unaudited financials. Discussed funding for 2017 summer programming, which remains unpaid, as the contract was delayed in getting approved. EPIC has been trying to get these funds since last summer, but it has taken until December to get the city to write the contract. IT was signed and returned in January and we are still waiting for the funds. The city funding program is just too complicated. EPIC may need to seek a second source of funding to avoid these delays in payments.

MG suggested we might want to (1) speak with accountant about switching to accrual method of accounting. MG would like to send a letter to city about the hardship caused by their delay in processing the contract.

QUORUM ACHIEVED

11:00   Discuss VW award meeting with MPCA to answer our Pollution Questions.

Little Earth was left out of the community process with regard to the permitting process for the water works project, and this meeting is being organized in part to ensure they are able to participate in the community discussion. The VW award to MN is $47M. We want to find out if some of these funds can be used to help clean up the pollution in Minneapolis, and East Phillips in particular. Our goal is to protect the children.

Problem: It is too expensive for them to have to drive further to serve the Minneapolis area. What is too far? What is the answer? Heat the truck? Yes, this will cost money, but what would we save in healthcare costs, and children’s health and  lives? This type of enterprise just doesn’t belong in a city!

MOTION: Approve the previous motions by the committee of the whole: Approved.

11:24   EPNI - Urban Farm Project; Next Steps:
·       Project Funding: Seeking money from both private sources, the state and anywhere to achieve this project. Goal is $10M.
·       Karen Clark’s Role: Karen is going to focus on raising money for the project through the MN legislature. Due to her involvement with WEI leadership, WEI decided to step down from their collaborative role with EPNI.
·       Business and Development Plans: Each group is writing a business plan including financial sustainability.

11:34   Next Steps for EPIC:

Two comprehensive reports are due to Minneapolis, and both require board approval.

·       2017 Annual Report
·       Application for next round of EPIC Funding

11:40   EPIC Board Role:

·       Annual Meeting: Need for volunteers to do tables, help set up
·       Board Elections: Check Board Requirements. Discussed finding new board members.

12:00   Adjourned