General Membership Meeting Minutes 07-12

July 12th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center, 2307 17^th Ave S.

EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html

Office: 2536 18^th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404

EPIC Members:  Jason Rodney, Frances, Brad Pass, Peggy Clark, Kevin Lieder, Kim Hayden, Karen Clark

Board Members Present: Carol Pass, JoseLuis Villasenor, Steve Struthers, Mary Gonsior

Board Members Not Present: Linda Leonard, Jenny Bjorgo, Earl Simms, Rosie Cruz

Guests: Shirley Heyer

Meeting as a committee of the whole.

6:45    Introductions:

·      Greetings and Introductions.

·      Approval of Agenda; as corrected. PC, BP approved.

·      Approval of Minutes from EPIC 6/14/2012 General Membership Meeting,

o   Add Smith Foundry to the 8:00 Bituminous minutes.

o   Remove SH from EPIC Members list

o   BP, SS; minutes are approved with corrections

6:55    Announcements:

·         Midtown Phillips Annual Festival 2012  - Saturday, July 21, Noon to 8 pm, Stewart Park – 2700 12th Ave. S.

·      Phillips Community Parks Initiative meeting Wed. July 18th at 9:30 AM at EPPCCC

o   Identify and coordinate what is happening at area parks and

·      Urban Solution to Pollution Sunday, July 22^nd 1:00 to 4:00 at EPPCCC

o   Keeping the community on bikes; special outreach to Latino community; all are welcome.

·      Midtown Global Market Cultural Music Festival – July 28th

·      National Night Out,  Tuesday, August 7^th; blocks may request up to $50 for NNO events.

·      Clean Sweep T-Shirt Design Youth Contest; Give away 400 T-Shirts; $25 prize. Contact Brad.

·      Criminal Justice Partners monthly meeting: Wed. July 18, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 5:30 pm

·      Phillips Community Center, Swimming and Sailing Lessons for kids. Started on July 3. Program is Full.

Karen Clark – Legislative Update

Karen would be happy to send out this report by email to anyone who wants to receive it. The biggest issue was the stadium, and KC voted against it. The funding impacts poor more disproportionately. In the area of housing, KC and others put forth a bill to put a moratorium on foreclosures; this never received a hearing. The Legislature came together to create some good bonding compromises, including the funds that came to the Phillips Pool. Disappointed that the Legislature didn’t fix the transfer of funds from education to fill other budget gaps. Emergency Medical Assistance that was taken away 2 sessions ago, was partially restored in the last session. 

7:10             Tamales Y Bicicletas – JoseLuis’ program taking place here at EPPCCC on Sunday, July 22.

Eduardo@tamalesybicicletas.org. Tamales are an indigenous food that goes back centuries in Latino communities. It is a natural conversation point that we can access to begin conversations with youth, and connect them with their larger communities. The community is also working hard to keep people on bikes, and so there will be a raffle of at least 12 bicycles which were refurbished, 100 bike helmets, 200 tamales, plus more. Engaging the Latino community and reducing our impact on the environment. CP suggested that we might be able to provide good locks for the bikes being given away.

7:25 NNO Block Party Funding

MOTION: EPIC will set aside up to $1,000 for EPIC block clubs, who may apply for reimbursement (up to $100) to fund registered NNO block parties. Funds will be dedicated on a first come first served basis. Receipts must be submitted by 8/21/12. No minimum number of attendees. This will need Board ratification. CP, JL; passed.

7:35     Updates-Land Use, Development and Environmental Issues

1)   Alliance Project, 2600 17th Ave. This project was opposed by the neighborhood 3 years ago, and the neighborhood won. The project is not appropriate for the zoning, and doesn’t meet the goals of the neighborhood for this site. EPIC’s research on the project’s funding revealed that the $750,000 claimed to be “in hand from Met Council” is a “mistake”. KC met with Herb Frye and proposed the Alliance work with the neighborhood, and provided contact names.

·      New Information, Met Council

·      Calls made

·      Karen Clark’s Visit

·      Petition

·      Letter writing to CM Schiff

           

2)    Bituminous Roadways, Smith Foundry. The city will do air monitoring of both of these businesses, randomly and regularly over a long period of time to establish what level the problem exists.

·      People signed up for the Task Force: Steve Struthers, Annie Young, Pat Fleetham, Margaret Kirkpatrick,

           

3)    Abbott Hospital

·      Seeking a Permit change. We have heard that they may be emitting carcinogens. We need to get Tech Support Doc.

·      Cumulative Impact Requirement

·      We have heard they want to weaken/repeal Karen’s law.

·      Karen has discussed this with Abbott and this change is for a backup plan based on Diesel fuel.

·      There is definitely pollution, but it is uncertain what exactly that is, and who is affected.

4)   2931 Bloomington Ave.

·      Live work units planned years ago, no funds available for this project.

·      Looking for another buyer for this property.

7:50     EPIC Funding – Explanations NRP, CPP (City general Fund), Priority Plans (NRP dollars)

People signing up for Task Force: Carol Pass, Peggy Clark, Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Pat Fleetham, Brad Pass, Hindolo Pokavra, Earl Simms

8:45   Adjournment

Board Meeting Minutes 07-07

July 7th, 2012, Saturday, 10:00 am

Welna’s Hardware Conference Room

EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html

Office: 2536 18^th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Jose Luis Villasenor, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass, Earl Simms, Mary Gonsior.

EPIC Members Present: Brad Pass

10:00             Introduction:

·      Approval of Agenda (cp, jv; approved)

·      Approval of Minutes from 6/2/12 EPIC Board Meeting, (jv,cp; approved)

10:10    Announcements: 

·      East Phillips Park Soccer & Baseball Fields Ground Breaking, Thursday, July 12th, 4:30 to 6 pm

·      EPIC Membership Meeting:  Thursday, July 12th, 6:30 PM, the East Phillips Park Center,

·      Phillips Community Parks Initiative meeting July 18th at 9:30 AM at EPPCCC

·      Midtown Summer Festival – 12 noon to 8 pm,  July 21st, Stewart Park

·      Urban Solution to Pollution July 22^nd 1:00 to 4:00 at EPPCCC

·      Midtown Global Market Cultural Festival – July 28th

·      National Night Out,  Tuesday, August 7^th (block clubs may apply for up to $50 for block parties.)

10:20   Money Management Stuff-

            Final Expenses for 2011, Insurance, Contracts, Invoices, CPP Grant Request from 2011

            Treasurers Copy of Bank Statements. All reimbursements for 2011 are turned in.

            Return on investment-Phase I NRP 1st Time Home Buyers Loans Program Income

MOTION: EPIC’s marketing program will include a lottery to assign the order of applications for the EPIC Housing Rehab Deferred Loan Program. JB, LL passed.

EPIC will create a marketing brochure (one brochure to cover all), possibly design a poster, write advertising pieces for newspapers, establish a timeline for the lottery, send all to CEE (notification), establish a plan for responding to complaints (appeals process).

·      It was suggested we incorporate the EPIC grievance procedures.

·      EPIC board members (including family members) must not be involved in any aspect of the lottery process.

·      EPIC board members (including family members) are NOT precluded from participating in being selected in the lottery process.

·      It was suggested that we ask for an “administrative opinion” regarding participation of board members (including family members) in the lottery.

10:40             Land Use, Development and Environmental Issues:

y

1)   Alliance Project, 2600 17th Ave., Bituminous Roadways, Smith Foundry

            New Information, Met Council

            Karen Clark’s Visit

            Petition

            Letter writing

Find out: Who is the Minneapolis City staff author of the staff report on the Alliance Housing project? What funding does Alliance actually have (from whom?)

2)    Bituminous Roadways, Smith Foundry

            Abbott Hospital permit change. Get Tech Support Doc.

            Cumulative Impact Requirement

MOTION: Whereas, the health risks from Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways are unconscionable, EPIC will establish a task force to coordinate a community-wide effort to remove heavy industry from this densely populated, diverse neighborhood, namely, Bituminous Roadways and Smith Foundry. The task force will report monthly to EPIC. JB, ES passed

3)    2931 Bloomington Ave.

·      EPIC has a plan for this site and continues to seek a developer.

·      Check with PPL (Big House for Univ. students and community service)

·      Check with Banyon (Needs a new location/may have money.)

·      Contact Somali community (maybe they can put together the money as “an investment property”)

11:20   Phase II Housing Contract with CEE

·      Marketing – Brochures for each program or one Brochure?

·      Lottery or not…or both?

·      Translations

·      Need a plan to manage complaints

Last meeting’s MOTION: MG, CP. On our scope of work with CEE, we basically state that the neighborhood will do the marketing based on a marketing plan they develop, that reaches underserved people, and the marketing plan will address fairness, and reaching underserved groups. Passed.

11:40            Task Force on New 2012-13 Money

MOTION: EPIC will use the Phase II allocations as guidelines for our priority plan to spend our $123,000 CPP2 funds.  JB, LL; Passed.

11:50            Crime Concerns

Crime is going up in E. Phillips. CP attended a large crime meeting where Police reported that crime was down, but that the perception of crime is up. We believe that is not true, and we have obtained the figure of an increase of 34% for the East Phillips  Neighborhood from the Police. We need to become active again in patrolling and will contact police and Driver Vehicle Services to obtain access to Driver Vehicle “look up” website. EPIC will start sending out letters again when we perceive people selling or buying drugs from a vehicle. We will be more proactive in identifying problem properties and sending letters to problem landlords. We must get residents to call 9-1-1 when they see dealing, partying, loud noises at night, threatening of people, obvious drug dealing in a house. Not enough people are calling 9-1-1. Too many people don’t know how to call, when to call, how to remain anonymous, what to ask for, etc.

EPIC needs to have more meetings to address crime. People don’t know what an impact statement is, or how to fill them out. People don’t know what a clean sheet is.

We need education for people, psychological support for people, better response from police.

11:55   Adjournment