July 1, 2021

EPIC Community Meeting Agenda 7-8



Original_EPIC_Image

    EPIC Community Meeting Draft Agenda

                July 8, 2021, 6:30-7:30

EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com 

Email: epic.ssantiago@gmail.com

Office: 2433 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Phone: (608) 513-5107


Board Roster: Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Shontal Lajeunesse, Steve Sandberg, Earl Simms, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat

Board Members Present: 

Board Members Not Present: 

Members: 

Guests: 


6:30 Welcome

  • Vision and Mission

  • Intros

  • Group Agreements

    • Respect each other; aim for kindness

    • Respect each other's time; aim for brevity

    • Respect the agenda; aim for unity

    • Own your words, actions, and reactions; aim for peace

  • How to become a member

    • Chat Sarah or email sarah@eastphillips.org with your email address and physical address (to verify you live in East Phillips)

    • All members are allowed to vote on EPIC decisions and motions


  • Announcements

    • Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday, August 7th at 10am TBD and online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)

      • Board Meetings are open to the public

    • Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, August 12 at 6:30 TBD and online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)

      • The topic will be Bloomington Avenue 

      • We will be trying a hybrid model - in person and online. Location is to be determined

    • Next Executive Committee meeting is cancelled, the board is trying out a new board department model

    • EPIC has a housing program! 0% interest! Fix up your home or buy a new home in East Phillips – Check your email for the brochure or go to: Programs for East Phillips Residents | Center for Energy and Environment (mncee.org) 

    • If you smell a foul odor around Smith foundry or Bituminous Roadways call 311 to report

      • Write down your incident number

    • On July 18th come and share your vision for the East Phillips Urban Farm and workshop how the Roof Depot will be owned and managed by the community. 1pm at LERA (2495 18th Ave).

    • Join your neighbors in cleaning up trash on your block for 20 minutes every Saturday anytime between 9am and 11am!

    • Community Traffic walk with city planner Saturday, July 24th at 12pm

      • Meet at Cedar and 24th at 12pm

    • New Community Meeting structure:

      • Welcome - vision and mission

        • Intros

        • Group agreements

        • Announcements including announcements from action groups

        • Agenda approval and minutes approval

-----10 mins

  • Report from one action group

-----5 mins

  • Feature presentation - 15 mins 

    • questions and discussion - 10 mins

-----25 mins

  • Community decisions

    • Outsourcing discussions to appropriate spaces

-----20 mins

  • Organizational structure


  • Agenda Approval,

Minutes Approval,


6:40 Motions

MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves of changing EPIC’s housing neighborhood priority wording from: “Build up to eight new houses on 8 empty lots to address the need for affordable workforce housing.” to: “Support securing housing for East Phillips residents and the development of affordable homeownership and rental opportunities in the neighborhood.”


MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves $16,000 for the East Phillips Resident Housing Support Program through South East Homes Somali Recovery.

MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves moving $16,000 for the East Phillips Resident Housing Support Programprogram through South East Homes Somali Recovery from CPP funds to the housing neighborhood priority.


MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves changing EPIC’s community connections neighborhood priority wording from: “Utilize a number of tools and events to connect with residents of the East Phillips neighborhood. These include a special Facebook page, a new website, use of the Somali radio station, an annual park festival, special events such as the Little Earth Native American Mother's Day Pow Wow, a neighborhood Clean Sweep, National Night Out and other activities and initiatives.” to: “utilize tools and events to connect with residents of the East Phillips neighborhood, as well as secure space for community gatherings. The tools EPIC will utilize to increase community connections include media ads and events include the Little Earth Native American Mother’s Day Pow Wow, neighborhood Clean Sweeps, and other activities and initiatives.”


Southside proposal: pay folx Southside works with to help clean up neighborhood using gift cards, one to two hour blocks for clean up, trash pick up as well. Everyone working together to clean up and breaking down stigma. Re-word to include trash pick up, not just syringes.

MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves $____ for the East Phillips ______ Project through Southside Harm Reduction.

MOTION: The EPIC membership and Board of Directors approves moving $_____ for the East Phillips ______ Project through Southside Harm Reduction from CPP funds to the public safety/crime prevention neighborhood priority.

(NOTE: the public safety/crime prevention neighborhood priority reads: “Assure the safety of all adults, youth and children who frequent our parks and public places.”)


7:00 Updates

  • Documentary Film project

    • Due to ethical concerns, Korab and team decided to move forward with just EPNI and not do larger East Phillips film due to time constraints

      • Is open to working with us in future

  • Outreach contractors

    • Applications now being accepted - get paid $22/per hour to talk to East Phillips residents

      • East Phillips residents highly preferred

      • Bilingual neighbors highly preferred

    • Spread the word - description can be found at eastphillips.org

      • Share EPIC’s Facebook post

  • Equitable engagement plan

    • Requirement for city funds for 2022

    • First draft of plans are due September 1st

    • Community members interested in meeting to discuss EPIC’s plan

  • YardHomes 

    • An East Phillips neighbor is working with YardHomes to have an ADU in their yard for individuals who qualify for housing vouchers such as Section 8, veterans, etc. They are running into permitting issues and asked for EPIC’s help navigating these issues with the city, EPIC sent a letter asking for CPED and Cano’s office to engage on the issue. 

    • meeting with CPED, Cano’s office, YardHomes Founder and scottie on July 16th

    • A variance has been filed, individuals can send a letter of support for the variance for scottie’s unit

  • EPIC COVID protocol:

    • EPIC will follow CDC guidelines, unvaccinated people should wear masks while in the office or attending EPIC meetings/events. If you are vaccinated and feel more comfortable wearing a mask, please feel free to do so.

    • If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, please do not come to an in person meeting or event at the EPIC office or elsewhere.

    • EPIC will keep a contact log for in person EPIC meetings and events. The log will be used for notification purposes in the case that someone in attendance tests positive for COVID-19 or had contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

    • If an attendee tests positive/was infectious at an EPIC meeting/event the attendee will notify Sarah (state this requirement on the contact log).

    • EPIC will provide an online meeting option for people who choose not to be vaccinated or are immunocompromised. 


7:10 Community decisions/discussions

  • Bloomington Ave

7:30 Adjourn