March 8th, 6:30
p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
East Phillips Park Cultural &
Community Center, 2307 17th Ave S
EPIC web address: eastphillips-epic.com
Office: 2536 18th Avenue S., Minneapolis,
MN 55404
Attendees: Board Members: Jennie Bjorgo, Mary
Gonsior, Steve Struthers, Carol Pass, Linda Leonard,
EPIC Members:, Carol Hill, Maria
Cruz, Renuka Humagai, Shara Motey Jose Luis, Brad Pass,
Guests: Monica Romero, Salomon
Ramirez, Laura Canto,
6:45
Introductions:
·
Greetings and Introductions.
·
Approval of
Agenda (jb, cp, passed)
·
Approval
of Minutes from EPIC 2/9/2012 General Membership Meeting, (approved with the
language as read by SS and correct the minutes; (bp, ss: passed.)SS has the
text on his PC. The additions are letter to the City regarding Bituminous and
Smith Foundry
6:40 Announcements:
· REPORT on 1rst Annual Community Connections Conference: Saturday, Feb. 11th, St. Mary’s University
Event Center, (Old Zurah building) 2540 Park Ave. S. 8 am – 5 pm.
· 1st Meeting of the East Phillips Garden for the 2012 Gardening
Season,
Saturday, March 10th, 9:00
am at East Phillips Park.
· South Minneapolis Housing Fair, Saturday, March 10th, South
High School, 3131 19th Ave S. 10 – 3 Information
on energy smart homes, solar power introduction at http://www.housingfair.org/workshops
· Block Club Training, Monday, March 12th, 6:00 pm Center for Changing
Lives, 2400 Park Ave.
· Next EPIC Meeting: April
12th, 6:30 pm – 8:45 pm
·
Annual Meeting will be at the end of
April. A candidate must have attended at least one regular
EPIC General
Membership meeting beforehand and fill out an application to run. See Carol
Pass (612-280- 8418)
for details & if you want to be part of the planning process.
7:00 The
Opening of the Garden – Brad Pass
There
are 35 garden plots; they are kind of small but you can fit a lot into them.
There is a fee of about $30-35 per year to pay for water, tools, taxes,
insurance, etc. There are some scholarships available, so you may not need to
pay the full fee.
7:10 Circulo
de Amigos Child Care - Maria Perez Gali and Monica Romero, Latino
Economic Development
Center (LEDC) will discuss the new child care center at 2830 Cedar Ave.
The project will cost over $700,000; construction will be
over $450,000 plus 20% for unforeseen costs. The remainder is for working
capital, landscaping, and equipment and furniture. There are two lenders
involved for $150,000 each through LEDC and another nonprofit; but all is held
up waiting for final approval by the main lender (a bank out of state.) The
benefits of bulding this child care center include putting this building back
into use, as well as the many family and cultural related events and activities
that the owner, Maria, makes an integral part of her work as a child care
provider. Maria is committed to building a green, environmentally healthy
building, and teaching children healthy and responsible habits using natural
and organic products. The financing package that has been put together
would permit Maria to operate even
if she is only 60% capacity, so the sustainability of the project is very high.
CP asked: When
could your project open? What can
EPIC do to help you with this project?
Originally
thought that all the financing would be in place by the end of 2011. CPED has
also approved her for $75,000.
Estimate that in 2 months the financing will be finalized. Hopeful that the
center could be open in early
Fall,
2012. LEDC would love to have a letter recommending this project for the
lenders, and the Henn. County licensing office, and the City of Minneapolis.
MOTION:
EPIC continue to the Circulo de Amigos Child Care and will send letters to the
lenders, the city of Minneapolis, and the County and/or State, as being
committed to building a green, environmentally healthy building, and teaching
children healthy and responsible habits using natural and organic products,
contingent on their continued progress (JB, BP: passed.)
7:40 Our
Housing Rehab Program - Doug Wise presenting
Addressed at last housing
meeting:
1.
Emergency loan program, up to $5,000 at 3%; no interest if paid back within 5
years.
2.
Loan program, up to $8,000, pay back when house is sold.
3.
Home-buyer assistance, up to $5,000 for down payment assistance for a home
purchased in E. Phillips; repaid at the time the house is sold.
Not
addressed yet:
1. Foreclosure assistance
2. Funding to help with the Greenway Heights project
(proposal to build an apartment building; project is moving ahead and we have
received 525,000; EPIC already put in $100,000 for the land and the plan.)
Next
Steps:
1. Housing committee to meet and firm up the final proposal.
2. proposal must go to the general membership meeting for
approval.
3. Write a contract with Center for Energy and Environment
4. City would have to approve the contract.
5. Work with CEE to open the period for applications.
6. EPIC will announce and have a big party.
8:00 Redistricting
the Wards:
Where
are we now?? EPIC Board and Task force members have worked hard on new Ward
Boundaries. Some boundaries will be with us for ten years. We want to be happy
with how this turns out and we have tried to keep important groups together. It
appears that East Phillips is back together in the 9th Ward, but there are
other very serious concerns.
We
will have the latest maps and you can express your ideas and critiques. I have
received comments from various interest groups and have forwarded them to the
Redistricting group.
We
need to get our comments in and it would be good if the neighborhood can speak
with one voice. But if not, we can each respond with letters of our own….or
both.
Jose
reported that Neighborhoods and 501(C)(3)s have not been organizing the Latino
community; instead they community has been organizing themselves.
8:25 Margaret
reported from the Greenway: She has been appointed to the design team for the Xcel
Energy substations at the East and West ends. Sabo bridge ongoing investigation.
8;30 The
Annual Meeting- Plans,
Do you want to run for the EPIC Board? Saturday, April 28th???
Call
EPIC Board Chair, Carol Pass, for information: at 612-280-8418.
1. Reserve room- Brad will reserve the room
2. Design a flyer-Carol
3.flyer the neighborhood- Jenny & Team
3. figure out the food - Shirley? Chiffon?
4. Music- Holy Rosary – Children’s
guitar orchestra
8:40 Adjournment
