September 13, 2018

EPIC Community Meeting Minutes 09-13



September 13, 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, Abah Mohamed
Board Members Present: Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass, Linda Vermillion
Board Members Not Present: Rosie Cruz(E), Tom Harris (E), Cassandra Holmes (E), Abah Mohamed (E).
Members: George Kennedy, Carol Hill-Kennedy, Brad Pass, Kelly Trius, Steve Sandberg, Margaret Kirkpatrick.
Guests: Shirley Heyer

6:30     Social Time/ Greetings and Introductions


6:55     Approval of Proposed Agenda: Approved by consensus with correction to starting time.
Approval of August 9th General Membership Draft Minutes: August minutes did not happen.
Approval of July 12th General Membership Draft Minutes: Tabled to next month.

 

7:00     Announcements: 

·       Monday September 24, meeting with Public Works 5:30-8:00 at East Phillips park.

             Everyone come, food provided

·       Next EPIC Board Meeting, October 6h at the EPIC office 10 o'clock Saturday

·       EPIC Community Meeting, Thursday,  October 11, 6:30 at the EP Park

  • All Phillips Clean Sweep-October 13th
  • Fall Harvest Party- October 20th

NO Quorum, meeting as a committee of the whole.

7:20     Updating our Finances- EPIC Financial Future – four financial goals
1)   EPIC needs to access administrative money to pay bills soon, i.e. rent, office supplies, Internet access.
2)   EPIC has traditionally sponsored programs for youth and we currently need to replenish those funds.
       3)   EPIC needs to make use of its old money and apply for new.CPP dollars or we could lose it.
       4)   EPIC tries to leverage our dollars whenever we can.

The board took three actions Saturday at the board. Two of them do not need our lengthy process of approval because they are not changing a previous strategy to a new one. They are just amendments to contracts (simply bringing them forward to new contracts which the city wants us to do.) We need to spend this old money out of a newer contract.

(1)   EPIC has traditionally sponsored excellent youth programs and we are currently out of money to do this. We are advised that the best way to continue this effort would be to take the $24,000 from the older youth programming category and amend our new programming contract to include this money, updating the money and making it simpler to spend. We will still have to bring individual contracts before the community to spend the funds, but it would eliminate one step.

A general membership vote is not required because the purpose for funds is not changing. However, members present made a motion to indicate support for the board’s action.

MOTION: Endorse the Boards’ action to take the $24,000 from the older youth programming category and amend our new programming contract to include this money. LL, LD, Approved.

This would add to the $1000 or so we have left.

(2)   PRG  has amassed considerable city and state funding potential to continue our home construction project. However as usual, it depends on their neighborhood partner. They need our funds to access this money and complete our housing project. We have $29,400 left and already available and dedicated by the neighborhood to this project.

We are advised to dedicate the $23,000 in Homebuyer Assistance to complete the requisite fund since foreclosure assistance comes through neighborhoods. This change does not need anything more than a board signature from us because its community engagement has been completed and no plan modification is needed.

A general membership vote is not required because the purpose for funds is not changing. However, members present made a motion to indicate support for the board’s action.

MOTION:  Add $23,000 from 1.4.2 EPIC’s Home Buyer Assistance fund with $29,400 CPP Neighborhood Priority dollars to complete the funds necessary for PRG to leverage matching funds from Minnesota Housing dollars to complete our Housing project. LL, LD, Approved.

(3)   Admin Funds are almost gone. To replenish them we are advised to take $25,000 from the Foreclosure Assistance fund into a full-fledged Plan Modification moving this money into our newer Admin Contract to provide for EPIC’s admin needs.

A transfer of funds from one strategy to another for $25,000 or less does not require the same level of engagement as a larger sum making it more efficient to get the… funds we need to pay our bills. These funds still must go through our rigorous review process to be spent.

This motion is a change in strategy therefore, requires a plan modification. The vote to review it tonight PLUS it requires a 21-day review process and final vote at our next community meeting.

While EPIC was unable to achieve a quorum for this meeting (3 board members were at hospital with family members), members present made the motion and voted to approve.

MOTION: EPIC chooses to transfer $25,000 from strategy 1.1.2 Foreclosure Assistance to EPIC’s new NRP Phase II Plan Admin Contract (#C-43629). MG, GK, Approved.

8:00      Take the EPIC survey developed by the board. What do you think? Is this a good tool to assess what people want?
Discussion of the survey took place.

QUORUM ACHIEVED (8:10 PM)

MOTION: With a Quorum achieved, EPIC approves all motions passed by the committee of the whole. MG, LD, Approved.

8:15    Planning meeting for the annual Phillips Community Clean Sweep

MOTION: EPIC will spend $999 toward clean sweep event (and will be included as a sponsor on the T-Shirt.) LL, SS, Approved.

8:15   Update on permit process for Bituminous Roadway and Smith Foundry

MOTION: Invite MN Pollution Control agency to our next general membership meeting to give us a status update on permit process for Bituminous Roadway and Smith Foundry. SS, LL,

8:25  Roof Depot Site – Hiawatha Public Works Expansion Update. Where are we on the Indoor Urban Farm

The project we are seeking from the Roof Depot site requires 3 acres to be sustainable. We also need the portion of the building that the city plans to tear down, to make this project sustainable.

The community needs to show up IN FORCE on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 for a

Meeting with Public Works 5:30-8:00 at East Phillips Park.


#EPIndoorUrbanFarm
Link to Facebook page?

Q. There was an article in the paper suggesting that the Roof Depot site might serve as housing for these homeless people using FEMA trailers (1-2 years.)

Neighbors discussed the homeless situation adjacent to East Philips Park. The park board is considering allowing people to camp in the parks.

8:45  Adjourn

September 8, 2018

EPiC Board Meeting Minutes 09-08


EPIC Board Meeting Minutes
September 8th, 2018, 9:00 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, Abah Mohamed, Carol Pass, Linda Vermillion.
Board Members Present: Carol Pass, Cassie, Laura, Abba, Rosie, Linda
Board Members Not Present: Tom Harris, Mary Gonsior,
EPIC Members: Brad Pass
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Alfonso Cruz, Michael Green

10:20   Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introductions
·       Approval of Agenda: approved 10:30
·       Approval of Board Minutes from August 4th, 2018  missing the minutes

10:15   Announcements:         
·       General Membership Meeting, September 13th, Thursday, at East Phillips Park, 6:30 to 8:45 pm.
·       Harvest Party 20th
·       All Phillips Clean Sweep-  October 13th
·       Monday September 24 meeting with Public Works 5:30-8:00 at East Phillips park.

10:40   EPIC Financial Future – four financial goals
1)   EPIC needs to access administrative money to pay bills soon, i.e. rent, office supplies, Internet access, etc.
2)   EPIC has traditionally sponsored programs for youth and we currently need to replenish those funds.
       3)   EPIC needs to make use of its old money and apply for new.CPP dollars or we could lose it.
        4)   EPIC tries to leverage our dollars whenever we can.
 
       Carol had a lengthy discussion with Bob Cooper and asked for his advice. She suggests we follow his advice. The group agreed that most of these sources of funds have been through the requisite process of community engagement so they can be accessed quickly. They only require a board vote and a 21 day review and the first one doesn't even require that.

Michael suggested we contract as much money as possible to keep the city from taking it.
Carol explained the Neighborhood Action Plan Status Phase II.  We can only use part of the $34,454 in line one. Program income and expenses change the numbers some.

1.     P RG  has amassed considerable city and state funding potential to continue our home construction project. However as usual it depends on their neighborhood partner. They need our funds to access this money and complete our housing project. We have $29,400 left and already available and dedicated by the neighborhood to this project.
We are advised to dedicate  the $23,000 in Homebuyer Assistance to complete the requisite fund since foreclosure assistance comes through neighborhoods. This change does not need anything more than a board signature from us because its community engagement has been completed and no plan modification is needed.

MOTION:  Add $23,000 from EPIC;s Home Buyer Assistance fund with $29,400 CPP Neighborhood Priority dollars to complete  the funds necessary for PRG to leverage their request for Minnesota Housing dollars to complete our Housing project.
Moved by Linda,  second by Laura: Motion passed.
  
      2)   EPIC has traditionally sponsored excellent youth programs and we are currently out of money to do this. We are advised that the best way to continue this effort would be to  to take  the $24,000 from the older youth programming category and amend our new programming contract to include this money, updating the money and

    ]making it simpler to spend. We will still have to bring individual contracts before the community to spend it but it would eliminate one step.
                                                                                                              
MOTION: Take  the $24,000 from the older youth programming category and amend our new programming contract to include this money.

This would add to the $1000 or so we have left.  Cassie made the motion and Rosie did the second.
Motion passed.

3)   EPIC’s Admin Funds are almost gone. To replenish them we are advised to take $25,000 from the Foreclosure Assistance fund into a full-fledged Plan Modification moving this money into our newer  Admin Contract to provide for EPIC’s admin needs.
A transfer of funds from one strategy to another for $25,000 or less does not require the same level of engagement as a larger sum making it more efficient to get the funds we need to pay our bills. These funds still must go through our rigorous review process to be spent.

 MOTION: EPIC chooses to transfer $25,000 from strategy 1.1.2 Foreclosure Assistance to EPIC’s new NRP Phase II Plan Admin Contract (#C-43629). 

These funds will stay in NRP and we could use them for much-needed Admin purposes.
Laura Dale made the motion and it was seconded by Cassie. Motion passed.

We had some discussion about the 20/40 plan and the future of our neighborhood. Michael reported on a discussion he heard by a prof in the architecture department. The future of zoning and housing in our neighborhood is going to be a big challenge for policy and implementation.

11:15  EPIC’s next goal is to do the work to create our CPP application for our next round of funding. Check out some examples
We received handouts on the neighborhood plan process; the 5 page application and notes about CPP and its purpose and how to use community program funds.

11:26 Previous minutes distributed. Motion to accept minutes from August 4th .  LL moved and Laura seconded. Minutes approved.

Discussion of other line items added to the agenda.  Elder programs? Latinos?
Cassie talked about Bingo baskets and a social event.

11:30            Adjourned