May
12th, 2011, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center
2307 17th Ave
S.
Office:
2536 18th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
Attending
Board Members: Chiffon Williams, Mary Gonsior, Carol Pass, Steve Struthers,
Earl Simms, Linda Leonard
6:30 Introduction:
·
Greetings
and Introductions
·
Approval of Agenda (BP, CP)
Agenda approved as amended
·
Minutes from EPIC General Membership Meeting 4/14/2011 approved (CP, SS)
6:40
Announcements:
· NRP Task Force – If you want to
be a part of this committee, Contact Carol Pass, 612- 280-8418
· Meeting times will be announced, and will
be arranged to match schedules of committee members.
· Elected Board Members are:
Chiffon Williams, Linda Leonard, Rosie Cruz, Earl Simms, Mary Gonsior, and
Steve Struthers
· The new Executive Committee is
Carol Pass, President: Jennie Bjorgo, Vice President: Steve Struthers,
Secretary: and Mary Gonsior, Treasurer
7:00 Soccer fields Update: Al Bangoura
was not available
7:10 Community Energy Use Strategies: How to have our power
be OUR POWER through Community Action with
Timothy Denherder-Thomas.
Tim began
working on energy issues as a student at Macalister, and for the past 3 years
on energy issues and sustainability. He has been focusing on
identifying the energy needs of the seven neighborhoods (Phillips (4), Corcoran,
Central, and Powderhorn). These seven neighborhoods spend more than $63M every
year on energy. This includes commercial, industrial and
residential buildings and personal vehicles, and includes the hospitals in the
neighborhoods. 25-30 individuals have been meeting bi-weekly, as a S. Mpls.
Community Energy Planning Process, to create a guide for developing a
community energy plan, in a way that is socially just and promotes social
economic development. As a coalition
and a process, the group seeks to work collaboratively with Xcel Energy,
as long as it doesn't hinder their ability to achieve their goals.
The group would
like to collaborate with neighborhood organizations for the purpose of
community outreach, education, and more. Tim provided a list of
actions that would be helpful to the cause, and allow people in the community
to take part in the work.
How can EPIC
help?
·
Cosponsoring
grant applications
·
Consider
assisting youth internship funding
·
Provide
some financial assistance with translation
·
Contract
with Tim to organize E. Phillips residents
MOTION: EPIC will
write a contract with Timothy/Our Power through Community Action for $3,000 to
write grants and do energy-sustainability organizing in E. Phillips. (CP, ES)
After discussion, the motion was withdrawn by CP.
MOTION: The
leadership of EPIC will confer with the leadership of Timothy/"Our Power
through Community Action" about the possibility of writing a contract with a
list of specific deliverables, to be presented for approval to the membership of EPIC in June. (CP, BP) Motion passed.
7:25 Contracting for Meeting Attending,
Research, Grant writing
Shirley Heyer
is no longer serving on the board of Midtown, and is working as an independent
consultant. Since she is a good grant-writer, and knows our issues very well,
should EPIC consider hiring her for grant writing projects. We need someone to
track issues, attend meetings and write reports.
MOTION:
EPIC approves Shirley Heyer as a potential independent consultant for
researching and developing grant writing projects. (LL, CP) Motion passed.
8:10 Motion regarding neighborhood noise
and zoning ordinances
With the Smith Foundry,
Bituminous Roadway, EPIC. We have some very heavy industry in close proximity
to residential housing.
MOTION: We recognize
the unusual and non-ideal situation in E. Phillips, where there is heavy
industry bordering residential housing and we call attention to the need for
ideal long-range planning for this situation. And, that for the health and well
being of residents and families, we request all relevant governmental and
regulatory agencies with oversight of environmental, health, livability and zoning ordinances to pay increased attention and
follow through with enforcement of current ordinances relevant to industrial
activities in close proximity to the residential housing of East Phillips. (SS,
ES) Motion passes.
7:25 NRP Update: Q & A on NRP
Bill in the legislature. What’s at stake…What to do…What does this mean for us.
EPIC residents are encouraged
to write to as many legislators as possible over the next 10 days. A talking
point for each representative in the house or senate was provided along with
emails. Another handout highlighted the money spent by EPIC, the funds that
were leveraged and the projects completed, and the additional tax revenue that
was generated by NRP projects in EPIC alone.
7:45
Working on NRP Phase II Plan
EPIC's Draft NRP Phase II
Action Plan was passed out. We will continue to hold the survey open, but the
way it is trending is getting clear.
Items were discussed. Percentages of money considered. The 70% plus 30%
issue discussed. People wanrt to hold the 30% for things other than housing.
That is what the vote tells us. Revolving loan for rehab explained. Questions
about Greenway Apartments, Approval
stated by the group for the family housing. Questions about exactly
what youth plans. EPIC can spell out with precision when we have the
allocation. Members were asked to read the plan carefully at home and send
comments and suggestion, sending your remarks to Carol by May 31, 2011 if
possible. We need to make decisions, if possible, at the June Board meeting,
and present the plan to the community at the June membership meeting, if
possible. The legislative work is slowing down our work on the Plan.
REMINDER: CALL OR WRITE YOUR LEGISLATORS, NOW!!
8:10 Crime Concerns and Other Livability
Issues: Information Intake and
discussion
Over the past two weeks, one of the
gentlemen from the townhomes was assaulted. The teenage son of a neighbor went
out to assist, and both were beaten. The assailants came back later with guns.
The residents are very concerned that their children are not able to play on
the play lot due to threats from older children.
In the past, when they have called the
Police, they are asked why do you live here? They do not know how to
effectively deal with the Police and the crime. They don't know how to press
the dispatcher, get good descriptions, ask for a report, how to follow up, etc.
EPIC needs a way to educate neighbors
about crime reporting, how to report crimes, etc. EPIC should probably
reconstitute a neighborhood patrol to foster friendship and community among
neighbors.
8:30 Adjournment:
