February 14, 2019

EPIC Community Meeting Draft Minutes 02 -14


February 14th, 2019, 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, Cassandra Holmes, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass.
Board Members Not Present: Rosie Cruz, Tom Harris, Linda Vermillion, Abah Mohamed.
Members: Carol Hill-Kennedy, George Kennedy, Sarah Santiago, Brad Pass, Steve Sandberg, Viviana Ratee, Kamille Wilson,
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Ethan Fawley, Chris Kartheiger

6:30     Social Time

6:55     Greetings and Introductions

Me      Meeting as a committee of the whole:    

Minutes: Approve the minutes from January 10th, 2019: MG, LD, Approved
            Agenda: Approve the agenda with addition, MG, LD, Approved

7:00     Announcements
            Next Board meeting March 2nd
Next GMM meeting March 14th
            Swimming lessons are open, and there are scholarships available through EPIC funds.
Training pool opens at 8 am, and you can ask for a neighborhood rate.
The Annual Meeting: April 27, 9:30 a.m. at East Phillips Park. We will elect new board members.
Happy Valentine’s Day

7:03     Quorum was achieved
7:10     Traffic Concerns, Project on Bloomington & 27th

Chris Kartheiser  (Mpls) presented plans and report regarding the project on Bloomington and 27th. Funding came out of pedestrian safety fund and addresses intersections that have no signals. A median with signage to divide Bloomington Ave north of 27th in combination with a pedestrian crosswalk is expected to give pedestrians a place to stop in the middle of crossing, if needed, as well as slow down drivers who will become more aware of pedestrians using the intersection.

Other intersections discussed:

Cedar at 28th Street
Hiawatha Expansion
Bloomington at 22nd Street
16th Avenue at 27th Street
24th Street at 7th Avenue
24th Street at 10th & Elliot (Somali mall)
Traffic circle at 17th and 25th Street (asking the city to make it permanent)

MOTION: EPIC endorses the plan by the city for the intersection of 27th and Bloomington. LL, LD, Approved.

7:50     The All-Neighborhood Conference report

Cassie attended the event, and attended a couple of workshops. One was on the Census, which was kind of scary. They can’t guarantee that non-citizens participating will be protected. Many indigenous people are also considered “non-citizens”. People who are Native American, who also check “Hispanic”, will have all their Native American tossed out. The Census is important because of its impact on funding and representation. She participated in a conversation with a CM who failed to include her discussion on EPIC and the Indoor Urban Farm project when reporting back to the large group. The food was good.

Sarah attended a useful workshop on Watersheds and raingardens.

8:00     Report on SCOUT training

Cassie took four youth to NY for this training, and the trip was funded by EPIC and LIRA. Cassie took the youth around the city (over 27,000 steps in one day.)

RedHook (Brooklyn) combines a Navajo peacemaking circle with the court system and schools, and came George Kennedy George with a program that serves about 10,000 people. We would like to have them come and train us. A visit to Syracuse and a smaller program operated with the same effect.

The staffing for these peacemaker programs is federally funded. Additional funding is raised for space and other expenses. Both programs have few staff, and many volunteers.

8:20     Consolidating and updating EPIC Finances
Discussion of the current Phase II funding report and how to move funds into categories as needed. In order to access some of our NRP Phase II funds, we need to move and/or consolidate funds from old contracts into new contracts. These old contracts have leftover funds and we want to make the funds easier to spend. The process takes about 3 months. 

MOTION: Move the remaining $25,000 Foreclosure Assistance to new Admin. Contract. MG, SS, Approved.

MOTION: Consolidate $7,000 Elder Programing and $10,000 Adult Programming into a new Youth Programming Contract. MG, LD, Approved.

8:30     Further update on the Indoor Urban Farm
Meeting with Mark Ruff, head of finance for city of Minneapolis. Feb. 4, 2019

Re Cano’s staff direction: Words of Staff Directive:
#6 – increase the size of space so EPIC can put some stuff in there
#7 – pilot project
#8 – demolition of the building

All decisions on these items are made by City people, and not EPIC members. The City engagement policy requires more than just allowing citizens to “present” ideas. Mark Ruff has said that there is “no room for any non-municipal uses.” The neighborhood has a “maybe” possibility for some “back door” training center space that would be available “off hours, and weekends.”

Decision by EPNI: We will go back to our original plan to purchase the site in whole. We have been down this road before. If we are defeated, this will be our first. We don’t intend to be defeated. We will be making signs “Stop the Waterworks” – “No More Diesel” – “Stop the Pollution” – and we will be posting them all around the neighborhood. We have to embarrass the city into following its own policies.
   
Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) – we can petition to have this completed, which is required to obtain an injunction. East Phillips should consult an attorney to assist with research to do the EAW for EPIC/EPNI.

MOTION: Given the city’s unwillingness to abide by its Community Engagement mandate, and given the statement by Mark Ruff that there will be “no non-municipal use of the Roof Depot site”, EPIC will return to its initial position that the water yard be located elsewhere and the Roof Depot site be sold to further the de-industrialization of East Phillips and support the East Phillips indoor urban farm project at the Roof Depot site. LL, CH, approved.
8:40     The Annual Meeting
  • Sign up if you want to be on the board, get your application in
  • What can you do to help?
  • Any creative thought
·       We will accept nominations for board vacancies to be filled at the annual meeting. All nominees wishing to serve must complete an application and eligibility must be verified before the annual meeting election.

8:50    Adjourn