EPIC Community Meeting Minutes 6-9

 

EPIC Community Meeting Draft Minutes

June 9th, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30

Cedar Field Park 2500 Cedar Avenue

EPIC web address: eastphillips.org

Email: sarah@eastphillips.org

Office: 2433 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Phone: (612) 354-6802

Board Roster: Mary Gonsior, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Shontal Lajeunesse, Steve Sandberg, Schuyler Sellars, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat, LR Young

Board Members Present: David Ingold, Steve Sandberg, Nikolas Winter-Simat, Mary Gonsior, Schuyler Sellars, Karen Townsend

Board Members Not Present: Cassandra Holmes (E), Shontal Lajeunese, LR Young

Members: Linda Leonard, Emrys Stramer, Kim Hayden, Karen Clark, unnamed neighbor

Guests: Shelia, Michelle Howard

6:47     Welcome

●      Vision and Mission

●      Intros

●      Agenda Approval, NWS, KT, Approved

Minutes Approval, NWS, MG, Approved

●      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

o   Ward 9 Safety and Wellness Resource Fair on Saturday, June 11 from 1-4pm

o   East Phillips Carnival is Saturday, June 25 from noon to 4pm at Cedar Field Park (rain location is East Phillips Park)

▪        Join us for music, food, games, recycled art making, tug of war contest and more!

o   Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday July 9 (note this is one week later than usual due to the 4th of July weekend) from 10am-11am, view online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)

▪        Board Meetings are open to the public

o   Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, July 14 from 6-7:30 at Little Earth Urban Farm, view online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)

▪        This will be our larger community meeting, join us for food, music, healing services and a processing discussion circle facilitated by Sam from Nonviolent Peaceforce

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

o   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: mncee.org/east-phillips: Programs for East Phillips Residents | Center for Energy and Environment (mncee.org)

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

▪        Write down your incident number

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

o   Monthly Financial Report available

 

6:56     Feature Presentation//Community Discussion topic: Michelle Howard (Clean City Coordinator) from Solid Waste and Recycling  about disposal options and costs for illegally dumped materials, as well as graffiti and litter

●      Illegal dumping

○      Call solid waste and recycling (612) 673-3000 or 311 to get vouchers - homeowners only

■      2 vouchers per year for tires (8 tires each voucher) - take them for free

■      6 vouchers for other items (couches etc) -  to take for free

●      you get a voucher number on phone call, show to the transfer station

■      Couch etc. can be picked up on garbage day

■      If bags of clothing etc. are dumped on your property, if you can find a letter with an address in the bag or see a license plate, call solid waste and they will send a letter to the violator

○      Illegal dumping is the responsibility of the property owner

○      If dumped on the boulevard

■      Boulevard is city property, but property owner is responsible for disposing

○      If materials are dumped on the street, street department might haul it away or move it on the closest boulevard

○      For elders or people with disabilities Solid Waste and Recycling will refer them to

■      crime prevention specialist or neighborhood associations

○      To find city owned lots/property, go to hennepin county website, if says CPED owns it, report to 311

○      Hazardous waste goes to environmental department - call 311, tell them hazardous, if oil or something it’s your responsibility, if unsure - city will dispose of

○      Limit for large solid waste items - 2 items per week

■      Anything with metal - will be picked up on recycling day

■      Be sure to write ‘for solid waste and recycling’

○      Yellow bags say you volunteered and have done a service, can place next to garbage and not get a mark against you

○      adopt a block - ask to do it for 2 years

■      Can get free litter grabbers, kids gloves, adult gloves, yellow garbage bags, bags for recycling - all for free

○      Get a free trash can for your boulevard

■      dispose of trash on your own - free

■      Have city dispose - charged per month

 

7:22     WEI free classes - Shelia

●      People who live, work and pray in any Phillips neighborhood can sign up for free classes at Women’s Environment Institute

●      Pays for mileage as well

●      Call Shelia (612) 987-6563 for assistance

●      Several are kid friendly

 

7:30     Southside GreenZone Grant

●      Made yard signs to show where the Southside Green Zone is

●      Show each other and the city that this is a special area

●      Help to disseminate the signs - meet at the EPIC office

 

7:40     EPNI/Roof Depot Update

●      8 city council votes for Urban Farm

●      Mayor vetoed

●      Unable to get 9 city council votes which would overturn the veto

●      Roof Depot requested to negotiate with the mayor

●      City pressuring to either do 3 acre plan or give EPNI nothing

○      EPNI is seeking input from East Phillips neighbors about what next steps should be

■      Community Meeting on June 12 at 1pm at East Phillips Park

 

8:00     Adjourn

 

EPIC Board Meeting Minutes 6-4

 

EPIC Board Meeting Draft Minutes

June 4, 2022, 10am – 11am

EPIC web address: eastphillips.org

Email: sarah@eastphillips.org

Office: 2433 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Phone:  (612) 354-6802

 

Board Roster: Mary Gonsior, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Shontal Lajeunesse, Steve Sandberg, Schuyler Sellars, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat, LR Young

Board Members Present: Mary Gonsior, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Steve Sandberg, Schuyler Sellars, Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat, LR Young, Shontal Lajeunesse

Board Members Not Present:

Members: Devika Ghai

Guests: Brynn Kasper, Nicole Cavender, Sean C

10:00   Review vision and mission

Welcome guests/intros

Approve agenda, NWS, DI, Approved

Approve minutes, NWS, DI, Approved

Reminders:

●      Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, June 9 from 6:30 to 7:30 at Cedar Field Park (rain location is East Phillips Park). View online (link to join meeting can be found at eastphillips.org).

o   Find the draft agenda here

o   Note that July Community Meeting will be 6-7:30 (6-6:30 will be free food, music and signing up for free massage services)

●      Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday, July 9 (note it is not July 2nd due to 4th of July weekend) from 10am to 11am at the EPIC office and online (link to join meeting can be found at eastphillips.org)

o   Board Meetings are open to the public

●      East Phillips Carnival is June 25 from 12-4pm at Cedar Field Park (rain location is East Phillips Park) - more on this later!

●      Monthly Financial Report available

            Updates:

1)     Letters of support signed since last board meeting:

a)     LERA request for letter of support for a tree canopy

2)     Board motions via email - vote to reaffirm after 21 day notice : MOTION: The EPIC board approves the use of $6,000 of NRP Phase II funds towards fencing at the NELC playground to contribute to the safety of the children at the center as well as the surrounding neighbors, moving $5500 from the employment readiness program to the assure safety in public spaces

10:05   Nicole - Lake Hiawatha

●      Biodiversity - threatened by pollution

○      Trash, underground pipes that extend to East Phillips

■      Trash in Phillips goes directly to Lake Hiawatha

●      Sacred home of the Dakota people - isn’t being discussed in the media

○      Native populations getting ignored

○      Healing the land is very important

●      Used to be known as Rice Lake

○      Wild Rice grew there

●      Friendsoflakehiawatha.org

●      Golf course built on former wetland - land has sunk

○      Had flooding issues in 60s - added pumps

■      Pumping 400 million gallons of water

■      Comes with a lot of phosphorus pollution

●      Flooding is more likely to occur

●      Supports Hiawatha Master Plan

○      Protect existing wildlife, biodiversity etc.

○      Compromise - maintain 9 hole golf course, address pollution, stop pumping

■      Met a lot of resistance

●      Ask: grassroots orgs raising the concerns

○      Reach out to park commissioners - hold the truths of land and Native community

○      Will collaborate via email later

○      Park board commissioners rejected bringing the Hiawatha Master Plan it to a vote

■      Waiting for commissioners to bring it back up for the agenda

■      5 in support

■      Need 6 in support to have veto proof majority

 

10:15   Report/Update from Executive Coordinator

3)     Report on progress of Equitable Engagement Fund programs/initiatives

a)     Status of getting input on our funding proposals (4 Sisters Community Gathering Infrastructure, Microgrant Program and use of undesignated funds-approx. $120k): still need 6 more people to give input - share the survey with your neighbors

                                                                  i)          Job descriptions

(1)   Project Manager

(2)   Program Manager

(a)   Executive Committee is reviewing

(b)   Hoping to have these posted by June 10 - send me any edits before then!

(3)   Garden Coordinator

(a)   Gardeners approved the Garden Coordinator job description with the below edits

                                                                                                                            (i)          ADDED: Highly prefer someone who is familiar with the garden and the community - continue to resource gardeners for these roles

                                                                                                                          (ii)          ADDED: Range of 4 - 10 hours depending on the schedule of the candidate found

                                                                                                                        (iii)          Board discussion: Concern about vaccine requirement, leave up to EPIC

1.     Employee training - review MDH policies and follow CDC guidelines

4)     East Phillips Carnival volunteers

                                                                   i)          Tug of war area: 12:45-2:30:

                                                                  ii)          Recycled Art making - Lily

                                                                iii)          Environmental justice science fair. 12-2: //2-4:

                                                                iv)          Grill - LERA?

                                                                 v)          Cotton candy/popcorn station - LERA?

                                                                vi)          Fashion Show 2-3

(1)   Set up area

(2)   Inside, lining up fashionista/os

(a)   Write names on cards with pronunciation

(b)   Line up fashionista/os, get name cards in order

(c)   Hand off name cards to DJ so he can call them off

                                                               vii)          Raffle off and closing

            Report from Departments

10:30   Vision and Mission Department

a)     Finalize strategic plan - get it to a point where the board is comfortable adopting it. Keep in mind:

                                               i)          the plan is a plan, it’s an aspiration - not everything will be accomplished, but it's something to work towards

                                              ii)          what doesn't belong and should be taken out

                                            iii)          anything that is missing

                                            iv)          anything that should be shifted on the timeline - i.e. moved from 1-2 year goal to a 5-10 year goal

                                             v)          Reminder that this has been the process so far

                                           vi)          Small group of board members continue to comb through strategic plan (30-40 mins)

(1)   Nikolas, David, Karen

                                         vii)          Re-present it to the board - next board meeting, then onto the community

(1)   Add to next bm agenda

 

 

10:35   New business and delegate to proper spaces (work group, department etc.)

1)     Roof Depot Update

2)     BIPOC Wellness Proposal

a)     From city:

                                              i)          The six providers would need to show that they are qualified to do this work. Nothing formal, but just a short bio for each that shows that they're experienced.

(1)   Lauren: could not get a physical copy of certificates but have provided the links of the healers on hand. The social media pages have bios and links to certified services.

                                            ii)          The space at Walker Church needs to be a non-sectarian space. This would mean that there is no religious stuff in the room(s) or in the pathway to the room(s). Knowing Walker Church, I suspect that this will not be an issue.

(1)   Lauren: it is a non sectarian space

                                          iii)          The open-to-all piece is great. That will help with the attorneys' review. Bob Cooper is worried (only because we've never asked) whether the fact that this is free to BIPOC but not to others might also create a legal concern. The fact that EPIC would be paying almost $20,000 for the summer, could it be free for all during that time? Again, I don't know that this will be an issue; I'm just trying to channel the City Attorney's Office.

(1)   Lauren: The same pay what you can is applied to all looking for care

                                          iv)          EPIC does not currently have a line item for this program (understandable since it has not yet gone to the board). We would need to adjust the budget and NCR also would need to approve this as an EEF-eligible activity.

                                             v)          How to make sure reaching East Phillips community

(1)   Certain number of residents are from East Phillips 51% of residents - this is in our policies

(2)   A way to have it in East Phillips? - EP Park, LE gym?

(3)   Confirm nobody is turned away

(4)   How often and for how long (not clear in proposal) - would like a clear breakdown

(a)   Interested in doing it in a limited way i.e. summer

                                                                                                        (i)          Communicate with surrounding neighborhoods

                                                                                                      (ii)          Track which neighborhoods people come from

MOTION: EPIC moves to approve $5,000 towards the BIPOC Wellness Proposal with the stipulation that 51% of East Phillips residents need to be served, NWS, DI, Approved, one abstained

3)     Larger July CM - opportunity to get input from community

a)     Any other funding or community decisions we want larger community input on?

4)     Add financial procedures back in bylaws?

 

11:00   Adjourn