EPIC Community Meeting Minutes 8-11

 

EPIC Community Meeting Draft Minutes

August 11, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30

Cedar Field Park, 2700 Cedar Ave S.

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: Steve Sandberg, Cassandra Holmes, David Ingold, Karen Townsend, Mary Gonsior, Shontal Lajeunesse

Board Members Not Present:

Members: Emrys Stramer

Guests:  Soren, Claire Weiss, Chloe, Andrew

6:30    Welcome

●      Vision and Mission

●      Intros

●      Agenda Approval,

Minutes Approval, 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

○      Mark on the sign in sheet that you want to be 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   Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday, September 3 from 10am-11am join online (link to join is at eastphillips.org)

▪        Board Meetings are open to the public

o   Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, September 8 from 6:30-7:30 at Little Earth Farm (corner of Ogema Pl and EM Stately St)

▪        We will have healing services, food, music, art and a community conversation facilitated by Nonviolent Peaceforce

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   Microgrant program

▪        Get paid to organize and lead community clean ups - Cleaning Captain

▪        Do you have an area on your property that keeps getting tagged (graffitti)? Or are you a public artist? - have an artist create a public art project to help prevent further tagging or help install public art projects

▪        Do you want to organize skill shares for your neighbors - de escalation skills, how to build a bench etc. - EPIC will reimburse you for expenses and pay guest speakers

▪        Would you like free alley lighting on your garage or home to disincentivize crime? EPIC will pay for all expenses - electrician and all

▪        Do you want funds towards a block party? - Get reimbursed for paper products, kids activities etc.

●      Find more information and application at eastphillips.org or call Sarah (612) 354-6802

o   Clean Sweep - the Phillips wide community clean up is looking for new leadership to plan and implement this important event - interested? Could get compensated to do this through our Cleaning Captain microgrant program - Contact info@eastphillips.org

o   Environmental Justice in East Phillips

▪        Interested in hosting an air monitor sensor?

●      Free, but need an outside outlet

●      Provides live access to air quality in our neighborhood - see EPIC’s Facebook page to see live updates of this

▪        Interested in forming an environmental justice/science committee or be a liaison for EPIC? Possible projects:

●      Ask to work on a proposal for Green Zone fund

●      Partner with University or High School course

●      Inquire about led testing of water

o   September 20 5:30-7:30

▪        People’s Land Network will be at the East Phillips Garden talking about soil health

o   Permaculture workshops in September

 

6:35     Community Decisions

1)     LifeStyle Recovery Community Groups proposal - view proposal and budget attached

a)     At least 50% of the participants need to be East Phillips neighbors

b)     Question about partnerships

c)     Question about leaders

 

MOTION: The EPIC Board of Directors and EPIC membership approve of the LifeStyle Recovery Community Groups proposal with minor changes based on city funding requirements from the Equitable Engagement Fund for $15,000, DI, MG, Approved

 

2)     EPIC housing program

a)     EPIC received input from the community in May and June to have home grants.

                                              i)          Wording from proposal that went before the community”

(1)   Home grants: Approximately $20k. Provide approximately two grants of $10k each for housing rehab projects.

b)     After discussions with the city and Center for Energy and the Environment (the organization that does our current housing program), the board was concerned about capacity and starting a new program where EPIC would need to facilitate a lottery, recipients of the grant would need to get bids and complete the house project, all before December 31 2022

                                              i)          Decided to propose the following motion to the community to put the funds towards our current housing program to ensure that the funds are spent before the end of the year

MOTION: Move $20k from Home Grants to the current CEE Housing Program, DI, KT, Approved

 

6:52     Claire Weiss and Chloe, research assistants for a study partnered with  Minneapolis and Saint Paul Parks, working closely with East Phillips Park

●      Looking for kids ages 6-12 youth

○      Live within 2 miles of East Phillips Park or Powderhorn Park

○      Brief survey

○      Tracker only tracks time spent being sedentary and active

●      Looking for community advisory board

○      Review project materials

○      Need to care about parks and community

○      Pay is $30/hour

 

6:45     Community Discussion topic: Midtown Greenway about Phillips Traffic Safety Improvement Project

●      City working on traffic improvements on 24th St, 26th St, 28th St

○      Contracted with Midtown Greenway to get out to the community

●      These streets have more crashes than other streets

●      Improvements coming in next couple of years

●      Engaged with public Fall 2021

○      Most common comment was speeding

■      Focusing on how to slow down cars

○      Not being able to see whether cars are coming

○      People shared that they wanted 26th and 28th to go to 2 lanes

●      Right now in Phase IIA

●      Medians, crosswalks, bumpouts to make safer for pedestrians and bikers

○      Protected bike lanes - physical separation (not just paint for bike lanes)

●      Construction will start in 2024

 

7:05     Questions for presenter

 

 

7:12     Adjourn

 

EPIC Board Meeting Minutes 8-6

 

EPIC Board Meeting Draft Minutes

August 6, 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: Karen Townsend, Nikolas Winter-Simat, Steve Sandberg, Schuyler Sellars, David Ingold, Cassandra Holmes

Board Members Not Present: Mary Gonsior (E), LR Young (E), Shontal Lajeunesse

Members:

Guests:

10:00   Review vision and mission

Welcome guests/intros

Approve agenda, NWS, ScSe, Approved

Approve minutes, NWS, StS, Approved

Reminders:

●      Next Community Meeting will be: Thursday, August 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 at Cedar Field Park and online (link to join meeting can be found at eastphillips.org)

o   Agenda here

●      Next Board Meeting will be: Saturday, September 3 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

●      Letters of Support signed since last month:

o   LERA LOS for their applications for financing to effect a substantial rehabilitation of the property

●      Next Saturday, August 13 is Open Streets from 11 to 4:30

o   We will have a table and be offering environmental justice yard sign and cloth sign making. People can make their own free hand or use a stencil. We will also have Green Zone signs available for people and information about our programs and events

o   Anybody able to join for a bit?

▪        We will be on Lake Street in front of Hi Lake Liquors across from the YWCA, near 22nd Ave

▪        Steve after noon can join

▪        Nikolas around 1pm

▪        Schuyler around 11am

●      Roof Depot

o   City asked for another mediation session - August 16th tentatively

o   City passed MoU

▪        Neighbors and EPNI didn’t understand the MoU

▪        refused to extend the deadline so EPNI could alter the MoU

10:20   Report/Update from Executive Coordinator

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

a)     Events

                                              i)          Carnival - had approximately 300 attendees

                                            ii)          July Larger East Phillips Community Meeting - had over 50 attendees

(1)   An opportunity to grieve, process, heal and celebrate together - we had healing services (massage etc.), food, an art activity and a community conversation facilitated by Nonviolent Peaceforce

(a)   We’ll have another on September 8

b)     Staff are hired - all 4 are East Phillips neighbors - including a Somali speaking Outreach Worker

c)     We have our welcome bags with our new EPIC logo on them - if you have a new neighbor let Sarah know and she can get you a Welcome Bag for you to give to them

d)     Microgrants

                                              i)          Block Party Reimbursement Program - 2 received so far

                                            ii)          One Cleaning Captain application received, one interested

                                           iii)          One Public Art application from an artist, one property owner interested

                                           iv)          One Skill Share proposal submitted

                                             v)          Only a few people have signed up for the Alley lighting program - talk to your neighbors - if they want one have them fill out this form.[1] [2] [3] 

e)     Community Hub - Project Manager Hayat is working on putting together events for the space on 27th and Cedar - putting together a MOU with Phillips Garden and getting Phillips Garden added as additional insured for the use of the lot

f)      Community Infrastructure - process is started, still waiting on updated budget from NACDI to finalize contract

2)     Use of funds - housing grant that was on the use of funds proposal that we got feedback on in May and June

a)     Wording from proposal:

                                              i)          Home grants: Approximately $20k. Provide approximately two grants of $10k each for housing rehab projects.

b)     Discuss whether to put into housing program or create housing grant program (note CEE charges $500 for admin per grant)

c)     If decide to go grant route, need to discuss:

                                              i)          Use of funds - how funds can be used

(1)   Consider broad uses- maybe exterior and interior

                                            ii)          Who is eligible

(1)   Owner-occupant?

(2)   income limit?

(3)   matching fund required?

                                           iii)          Amount of grants

(1)   Probably get more applicants than there is funding

(a)   Making sure applicants can come up with remaining funds

(2)   3 grants of $6,000, leaves $2K for admin

                                           iv)          How people apply - lottery, first come first serve

(1)   Lottery takes longer, need to get bids or don’t follow through, get next applicant etc. slowest part is getting bids for grants

(2)   If EPIC runs lottery, can do it faster

d)     To note about our housing program:

Failed applications for emergency loans

                                    -2 people weren’t eligible

-have done 10 since 2020

                                    -since 2020 5 drawn up and people didn’t follow through with bids

Home buyer program is out of funds

                                    -can put some of the existing funds into homebuyer

e)     Concern about capacity and starting a new program

                                              i)          Decide to put funds towards current program

                                            ii)          Bring to community meeting:

MOTION: Move 20k from Home Grants to the current CEE Housing Program, DI, NWS, Approved

3)     Schuyler

a)     Meeting with Jason Chavez on Thursday August  11th 10:30 to 11 city hall room 307

b)     Proposed resolution, would like to bring to Community Meeting as well:

                                              i)          Housed neighbors, especially elders are burdened by our unhoused neighbors on sidewalks

 

MOTION: The EPIC board and community will work with Behavior Crisis Response, TOUCH/Office of Violence Prevention, and MetroTransit PD. These offices and organizations will share to the Board and to Community Meetings updates of how they are working to keep us safe and will answer our questions, ScSe, DI, Schuyler withdrew motion, will take below action

Discussion: Tangible effect of this motion?

Ask Chavez to come share about his work especially with encampments

                        -ask if want to come to September 8 Community Meeting

Ask TOUCH to have table at September 8 meeting

Ask Behavior Crisis Response too?

4)     Update on LifeStyle Recovery Community Groups

a)     Meeting with the drafters of the proposal and the city next week

b)     Bringing proposal to the August 11 Community Meeting

 

Report from Departments

 

 

10:55   New business and delegate to proper spaces (work group, department etc.)

1)     Clean Sweep - anybody able to help organize this Phillips wide event?

a)     Is $1,000 in the budget for Clean Sweep[4] 

                                              i)          Table to next meeting - see where spending is - pull from Cleaning Captains

b)     Pay someone to organize for Clean Sweep through Cleaning Captain

                                              i)          Nikolas will reach out to a few neighbors to see if interest

                                            ii)          Give Nikolas MATCH

2)     LR will be unable to attend meetings and fill Vice President role until December.

a)     Somebody to fill the Vice President role temporarily until December

                                              i)          Schuyler Sellars

MOTION: Schuyler Sellars will temporarily fill the Vice President position until December 2022, NWS, DI, Approved

3)     Review Pressure Produced Clean Streets proposal[5] 

a)     Bio and more details about the budget

b)     Would need to take it from somewhere else - i.e. lighting, community infrastructure, microgrants

c)     If LifeStyle goes through, then pause Pressure Produced

d)     If LifeStyle doesn’t go through or other programs don’t spend as plan, move forward with Pressure Produced

e)     Encourage them to apply for City Partnership Fund

4)     AIOIC, MVAT and others putting on Governor forum at Takoda on September 20

a)     Sarah will be out of town - anybody able to table?

                                              i)          Nikolas will be able to be there by 4:30

b)     Contribute cost for canopy rental and chairs? Approximately $1,000

                                              i)          Use miscellaneous Community Events

5)     Asphalt plant - what can EPIC do?

a)     Put out a request for an environmental science committee? Someone to monitor air and water?

b)     Proposal to Green Zone fund?

c)     Ask for community members to form environmental science committee/liaison

                                              i)          Ask to work on a proposal for Green Zone fund

                                            ii)          Or University or High School course

                                           iii)          Inquire about led testing of water

(1)   Add to email too

d)     Get more people to sign up for air monitoring sensors through the city

                                              i)          Why not on Greenway? - Closer proximity to industrial pollution, anyone on waitlist for a monitor in this area? - Steve will check on

                                            ii)          Get one at apartment or hope at 28th and Cedar/Longfellow

6)     Next month: review policies and procedures (must do annually)

a)     Finance and Legal - put together recommendations?

b)     Schuyler will set up meeting 

7)     August Community Meeting facilitator - David - yes

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

a)     Prep for larger September Community Meeting

                                              i)          Location?

(1)   Try for Urban Farm location

 

Executive Committee/Legal and Finance Department - Karen, David, Nikolas, Schuyler (VP), Mary - stay on

 

Executive Committee

●      Cleaning Captain update - Chiffon

●      Sarah still has not received an evaluation from the Executive Committee that was to be provided back in February

○      Nikolas will draft something up and send to David and Schuyler to review

●      Nikolas - charge for use of vacant lot? - likely no, just use as can no charge

○      Send certificate to both Ed and Tyler

 

Legal/Finance Department - Schuyler, David, Mary

●      review MoU with Phillips Garden, approve?

○      Phillips Garden is being added as an additional insured

○      Approved

○      Ask if additional charge from insurance? Planning on no extra charge.

●      Public Art proposal, photos of artists previous work here - Mary, do you approve?

○      Schuyler abstains, the artist is his tenant/friend

○      David approves, waiting on Mary

○      Next steps if approved:

■      Contract with artist (Program Manager putting together)

■      Partner artist with a property owner of a property that has experienced tagging or graffiti and artist would work with them to hear what kind of mural they would like to see.

■      MOU with property owner (Program Manager putting together) along with an honorarium for use of the space

●      Skill share proposal

○      Draft flyer for workshops

○      Budget and more details

○      Note that this is an EPIC employee

○      Was told the applications for skill shares go to the Legal/Finance Department for review

○      A reminder that this program is on a reimbursement basis and speaker honorariums. Anybody we are paying over $600 in a year, we need a W9 from.

○      Can pay for speaker and materials

■      Participant stipends - can’t be used under microgrant but can use under garden budget

○      Approve pending that they keep within the above criteria - supplies and materials

■      Could raise amount to $2000 within criteria

■      Speaker can’t get more than $100/day

11:00   Adjourn