General Membership Meeting Minutes 12-12

December 12th, 2013, 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

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers,

but most of all the world needs dreamers who do.”

Board Members: Earl Simms; Carol Pass; Rosie Cruz; Aisha Gomez; Linda Leonard

Members: Margaret Kirkpatrick, Brad Pass

Guests:  Shirley Heyer

7:45            Introductions:

·      Greetings and Introduction

·      CP moved to meeting of the whole; Aisha second; passed

·      Aisha volunteered to chair

·      Approval of Agenda ; add Midtown Global Market; murder of Ali Noor; Saturday Youth Conference; 4H Friday night; approved as amended with motion by Brad and second by Carol

·      Approval of 12/12/13 General Membership Meeting Minutes the fact that we passed a motion to support Midtown in that endeavor. Carol will send a letter from EPIC so Bob Albee can send a request to the parking signs on park board property.  Minutes need to reflect that. This is to prevent parking of any kind on the north side of the street from 11^th to 13^th.  Approved after motion by unanimous vote.

6:55            Announcements:

            Midtown Market: apparently the committee recommended that the Global Market loan be turned to a grant. Everyone should send email to council member tonight before the council vote tomorrow.  The parking garage financing will be discussed.

            Murder of business man who owns the Safari was murdered near his home. He had several rental halls. There will be a gathering so watch for the announcements.

            Youth Unconference is Saturday at Joan of Arc. It’s for anyone who cares about youth. 45^th and 3^rd Ave.   11-12:45 about gun violence.

            4H Friday 20^th for neighborhood

7:07  Linda moved and Brad seconded that we move to a regular meeting from the meeting of the whole and approve the agenda and minutes as passed by the committee of the whole. Passed

.

7:10            Greenway Heights Apartments – Closing on land and loans

 They will wait to start unless there are funding reasons to begin soon. All the funding is secured.   We are using BKV which is a national company. We don’t know its business practice in regard to minority contractors. There are usually quotas about employing women and people of ethnic diversity. Those decisions are out of the neighborhood’s hands. Discussion about how to get local people who are qualified employed.   

Chair answered a question  about 2931 Bloomington, owned by Sherman and Associates. It was planned as live/work units for immigrant families of means [300,000] but the economy slumped.  A person did finance the foundation but the building did not get further because the investor was arrested for prostitution and gun running.  Sherman gave the money back, but no other investors or owners have been found. We never have approved the current plans and the city council member would not approve any proposals.  The site was approved for a flat roof, two side by side units.   Can we stop it for an alternative buyer? It is zoned commercial and residential.

Let’s invite the builder/developer to the next meeting . . . Contact Sherman to get the name and contact information.

7:25            SWIMMING POOL UP DATE –Dean Dovolis, DJR Architects

MOTION EPIC will provide funding of $10,000 to Minneapolis Swims organization for the             purpose of facilitating fund raising for the development of the Phillips Aquatic Center, contingent             on signing a contract acceptable to each party, MplsSwims.org and East Phillips..

Linda moved and Carol seconded the motion after Pat withdrew his second. Discussion: Margaret wants to know where the money comes from. The treasurer and the president will clarify this as we go through the process.  The conditions of the contract have to meet the criteria set by “downtown”. This may require a Plan Modification if it comes from NRP Phase 2. Aisha wants more detail and will ask Carol outside the meeting. The opportunity to act on this comes up because members of the pool fund raising team could be understood to be engaged in a capital campaign and EPIC did this before with Arthur Himmelmann for the EPPaark building. There are some issues surfacing concerning MplsSwims recently so the contingency is in order.

7:25            A Fitness Center for Phillips people- Brad Pass- Progress-Creation of Phillips Fitness, Inc. Future of a Phillips Fitness Center which could be affordable to all.

Brad explained that the current Running Wolf is moving out at the end of the month and its new location is a bit ambiguous. People who have belonged to it don’t have a clear alternative for if/when/where Running Wolf might be in the future. Brad explained that the concept of the Phillips Community Center was to have tenants that serve the entire community. The Park Board needed to know how to proceed especially because the investment in making the facility compatible with a fitness center. Brad paid for the filing fees for a nonprofit that was quickly formed to secure the space for another fitness center. A fitness equipment supplier may replace the equipment as a donation. Bob Albee wrote the new 501 c 3. The budget is about $200,000 a year as a base. A business plan is in the works.  EPIC has no investment at this time, but a letter of support would help. A business plan is expected within a month.

           

Linda moved and Rosie seconded: MOTION EPIC will support Phillips Fitness, Inc. with enthusiastic letters of support and fund raising.

A lengthy discussion ensued questioning funding the new Phillips Fitness, Inc. A member had not noticed that the motion does not say ‘funding’, rather it says ‘fund raising’, …the Chair explained that currently this organization does not meet our funding guidelines for a 501©(3) under  the IRS, since this may involve ‘re-granting’, because it is neither a capital expense nor a program in collaboration with EPIC.

Shirley added some history about the desire that the four neighborhoods work together on things like this.

Motion Passed

7:45  Lost the quorum when Rosie left.

Brad moved and Linda seconded to move to a committee of the whole. It passed.

7:50            Support for EPIC Soccer: Ali Micalin needs help with transportation, shin guards, etc.

             MOTION  EPIC supports a $500.00 stipend for organizing, transporting  and coaching East             Phillips kids soccer.

The Board can act on this without a vote of the membership.  Linda suggested that the Board be instructed to investigate whether or not we already gave $1,000. Pat urged that as well. Aisha suggested the board have a particular work session. There were several requests for financial documents and reports about bookkeeping.

There was a discussion about finances and how monies are available under what circumstances.  The general tone seemed to be that the board bring simplified reports to the membership each month. The Chair offrered to bring the policy for Collaboratives to the next meeting and discuss the new push toward creating Priority Plans

8:05            New Construction to fill vacant lots: Prepare for a plan. Block Clubs and/or individuals locate  vacant lots. (Henn. Cty. Prop. Info) Possible partnership with PRG to fill vacant lots with new             construction homes and/or to rehab. Need some focus groups for Priority Plans.

8:07             EPIC Home Loans: Some changes. Marketing EPIC’s home loans to our neighbors and how to             make it more effective.  Carol explained that the contract is six copies and we changed the income limits to encourage more people to apply. She reviewed the changes we made at prior meetings including emergency repair funding and a limit to one per person in their life for homebuyer assistance.

8:10            Crime, Public safety – Impact statements

Carol was unable to get hold of Don Greeley and he apparently is out of town. We need to know how to write impact statements for businesses. La Buena is the business in question. There is a new chair of Lake Street business association and that person may take more action than the prior chair. There was a drive by shooting and there seems to be cartel activities. Law Enforcement seems under pressure to postpone action in deference to FBI. Pat pointed out that licensing has new powers and seems to be enforced downtown. We should talk with our new city council member about this.

8:22              Adjournment

Linda moved to adjourn and Aisha seconded. Passed.

Carol Pass, Board Chair, East Phillips Improvement Coalition

2536 18th Avenue S.

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Phone: (612) 280-8418

cpass@runbox.com

Board Meeting 12-7

The EPIC Board Meeting of Dec. 7th was cancelled.

General Membership Meeting Minutes 11-14

November 14, 2013, 2013, 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

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers,

but most of all the world needs dreamers who do.”

Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Ali Micali, Linda Leonard

Board Members Not Present: Earl Simms, Sherdl Kordian, Aisha Gomez, Rosie Cruz

EPIC Members: Pat Fleetham, Brad Pass, Laura Dale, Carol Hill-Kennedy, George Kennedy, Naomi Mohamed, Kim Hayden, Kevin Lieder, Hannah Lieder, Julie Graves, Kathryn Sumaras

Guests: Lt. Mike Taylor, Glen Goldsby, Dean Dovolis, Shirley Heyer,

6:45            Introductions:

·      Greetings and Introduction

·      Approval of Agenda (CP, JB) passed.

·      Approval of October Minutes (JB, BP) Approved.

MOTION: Meet as a Committee of the Whole – (JB, LD) passed

6:55            Announcements:

·      Open House Monday Nov. 18^th at Verdant Tea at 2111 Franklin Ave., 6:30-8:00 to present                new vendor space on East Franklin under the bridge.

·      Public hearing on Street car design Nov. 20 and Nov. 21. One of these meetings will be in the     Greenway at Colin Powell Center. We need a Bloomington/Lake stop. This is the final public     Meeting. The Bloomington station has been removed from the plan.

·      No parking signs will be installed on 24^th St. It is illegal to park semi’s, commercial trucks, buses – on 24^th Street.

7:00            SWIMMING POOL UPDATE: Dean Dovolis, DJR Architects

On behalf of the board of Minneapolis Swims, Dean wants to thank the neighborhood for all their help with this project. The Phillips Aquatic Center proposal to Mpls. Public Schools went out this month and looks very good. Minneapolis Swims still needs support from neighborhoods for financial support for the organization’s operations, So far, all the funds that EPIC has provided has gone toward capital expenses. They need funds for fundraising, attending meetings, creating brochures, and more. The pool has gone from a dream to a project and will be a great asset to the EPIC community.

A separate proposal is coming forward as a possible partner program to the Aquatics program, that will help the building become a real health center, so the neighborhood can have a wellness center.

MOTION: Quorum achieved. Meet as a quorum. (BP, JB). Passed.

MOTION: EPIC will provide funding of $10,000 to Minneapolis Swims organization for the purpose of facilitating the development of the Phillips Aquatic Center (CP, JB) Passed.

Discussion:

Kevin: MS will also be asking for money from Midtown; have 8 months to raise millions of dollars. Need this money to move forward. We are at a tipping point. What we have in the next few months to raise funds, will be reflected in the results.

Hannah: We would not be where we are right now, if it was not for EPIC and CP. Karen Clark was asked to write a bill from the legislature. EPIC put the first $25,000 into this project. Without these funds we would not have had the conceptual design. EPIC has led the way all throughout this project. MS is an all volunteer organization. This is now a facility that is bigger than EPIC, bigger than MS. We need everyone in EPIC to help, join the fundraising campaign, volunteer – we need this facility.

Shirley: Will these funds go toward salary for staff? Hannah: salaries are not on the horizon…these funds will be for basic needs.

Hannah will be interviewed on TV for ½ hour to talk about Swimming, Nov. 27 on a local station. Karen Clark is drafting a bill to require that all children receive swimming lessons in school. Hoping to get the Dept. of Health to support this too. This would make MN the first state in the nation to require learning to swim in school.

MOTION: Accept the actions of the committee of the whole (PF, JB). Passed.

7:15             Solar Garden Participation

Glen Goldsby presented a powerpoint discussion of how solar gardens can contribute to neighborhood well-being. Members of the community can come together to purchase together, parts of a solar garden. The power generated from the Solar Garden can benefit non-profit organizations like EPIC. EPIC could receive cash donations, or option for electric offset. Investors would recover their investment in estimated 6-8 years. What happens if people move, or pass away, there is an option to sell along with your property, or take it with you if you are moving to an adjacent property. What liability would EPIC have as a partner or sponsor in this project? Looking at writing a non-binding agreement to look at a possible partnership. EPIC would be one of multiple partners. While rates and other factors are being negotiated, this could take a while. Could happen as soon as January, but more likely about six months. So far, we have been told there would be no financial responsibility on EPIC’s part.

7:35             Public Safety, Lt. Mike Taylor.

Since the beginning of the year our number one focus area has been Chicago and Franklin. Another one the past two months is the Lake Street Corridor. A third are further south has experienced a larger number of burglaries than other areas, and we are focusing patrols there now. We try to utilize all of our resources, using squads, bikes, horses, foot patrols, etc. We are doing these things, but we don’t “advertise”. Depends on availability and staffing. Staffing is tough, and we try to utilize our staff strategically. Our crime prevention specialists do additional work including door knocking, meeting with various groups, receiving feedback. We also have problem property officers, we get these complaints and these officers go investigate. They will board properties, and deal with the problems, looking for strategies and solutions to eliminate the problem with these properties. We have undercover, plainclothes officers working around prostitution and drugs, and you won’t see them at all. We are the only precinct this year to have a steady reduction of crime in the city. Everyone else has experienced an increase. We credit this to our relationship with the community. LT. Taylor works the day shift and receives a lot of communication from the community about crime. Lt. Taylor’s desk phone: 612-673-5787. The police are very thankful for the partnership with the community.

For further discussion: Buyback hours;

Problems:

2909 Bloomington, serious crime – residents are “preyed on.” The management company needs to put in cameras and lighting. Start with Don Greeley and get problem properties involved. Residents are afraid to call the police, would like the police to be more proactive.

Reported that Nepali residents exiting buses on Cedar are being mugged/attacked. They want to know what are the safest routes to get home from the bus, and what precautions they can take. TIPS: Don’t look at a book, your phone, the headphones, etc. Pay attention to what is going on around you. iPhones are one of the biggest items stolen like this. If it doesn’t feel right, follow your instincts. Take your phone out and dial 911. It is difficult for immigrants to give descriptions and locations. Police (Officer Alice White) want to work with neighborhoods to put together education piece to train elders, and they can work this down through cultural groups. Sometimes new immigrants don’t know the signs of trouble.

Immigrants are brought into our neighborhood all the time and given support for 3-6 months, but there is a lot of education that is left out. Can the Police help us? There are a couple Somali officers in this precinct. There is one downtown and another in the 2^nd Precinct – that’s about it. There are only about 15 per training class, and we can’t keep up.

Pat said there is a county program to help immigrants assimilate. Linda pointed out that many immigrant children don’t know how to cross a busy street safely. Police will begin calling Counties and find out what resources already exist. Encourage EPIC to look there also.

Real problem blocks: request a lighting survey on the block (2900 block of 16^th, for example.)

8:30             Phillips People’s well-being;

Running Wolf fitness center may be leaving the Philips Community Center and so a multi-neighborhood organization is forming to incorporate in order facilitate formation of a corporation (nonprofit) to ensure the future of a Phillips Fitness Center. Advantages include all the investment into the rental unit that was made to facilitate a fitness center; it would be a shame to lose this investment to a day care center.

8:45            New construction to fill vacant lots

Need some focus groups for Priority Plans

There are houses that could use rehabs; there aren’t foreclosures happening right now, so if you know people struggling with that let EPIC know about it. If there are vacant lots, we may be able to infill houses for about $15,000.

8:53             EPIC home loans

EPIC is looking into additional fees that applicants need to pay including $145 fee for closing the loan, $10 credit application and other fees as well. We will review the agreement we have with CEE.

8:55             Adjournment           

Board Meeting Minutes 11-02

November 2nd, 2013, Saturday, 10:00 am

East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center

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

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

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers,

but most of all the world needs dreamers who do.”

Present board members: Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Aisha Gomez, Jenny Bjorgo, Linda Leonard, Earl Simms,

Absent board members: Rosie Cruz, Sherdl Kordian, Ali Micalin

Members: Brad Pass,

10:10             Introduction:

·      Approval of Agenda – approved.

·      Approval of August 3rd Board Meeting Minutes

·      Approval of GMM Motions:

o   “pollution” passed

o   “walking groups” passed

o   “translation stipend” passed

§  Edit formatting of the minutes so that there are two paragraphs (one for each motion).

10:20    Announcements: 

·      ELECTION, VOTE on November 5th, next Tuesday

·      EPIC Membership Meeting, Thursday, November 14th

·      American Swedish Institute The “Jul Shop” is Now Open!

SHOP HOURS

TUE. 10 A.M.-5 P.M. WED. 10 A.M.-8 P.M. THU. 10 A.M.-5 P.M. FRI. 10 A.M.-5 P.M. SAT. 10 A.M.-5 P.M. SUN. NOON-5 P.M. Closed Mondays.

·      Alley Newspaper Annual Gathering, Friday, Nov. 15th, 6:00-8:30, St. Paul’s Assembly Hall ,2742 15th Ave.

·      Clean Sweep Report, Jana Metge

o   6 trucks

o   24,340 pounds of trash

o   300 pounds of recycling

o   Almost 700 volunteers this year

o   Next year

§  we will try to have a recycling truck

§  Set some reach out goals for next year

§  Look for zero waste of food

§  Radio PSA’s

·      Community Garden Harvest Party Report from Saturday, October 19th

·      Basketball sign-up at the Park

10:25   Requirements for Additional Spending -

The Chair discussed the future: Creation of Priority Plan – we are supposed to create a plan every year from now on. A community engagement process to determine the needs and desires of the neighborhood people. We are currently working off our Phase II plan and were told by NCR staff, Robert Thompson and Jack Whitehurst…our neighborhood specialist that this was appropriate.  We need to have some parties, or focus groups to find out what people’s priorities are.

Reason: This huge community engagement process was just finished right before 2012. But now, at this point, we need to re-engage the community again to determine what has changed and what has not. We need to have some parties, or focus groups to find out what people’s priorities are. We also need some leadership from various constituent groups to accomplish this. We have both 2012 and 2013 CPP grants and can accomplish lot with this. A critical piece while we have this funding is to find an office for EPIC.

Community Engagement Process – Suggestions? Parties?

·      Branding

o   Make sure residents of EPIC recognize the name.

§  Street banners/signs

o   Some kind of paper: bi-fold, postcard, other?

§  Translations

§  Marketing consultant (pro bono)

·      Reaching community to determine priorities

o   Hold several events annually with the focus of finding out neighborhood priorities.

§  Annual meeting

§  National Night out

o   Surveys for new people at monthly meetings

o   Focus groups: sometimes  the only way to reach these residents

§  Ethnic communities

§  Elders

§  Families

§  Single adults

§  Businesses

10:55            Report from Aisha on Air Quality Study-

City of Minneapolis Air Quality Study. This is an expansion of past study of existing data to map air quality in Minneapolis. Now they are doing actual testing. We are looking for folks to participate in the study by hosting a collection canister.

11:10             Phillips Community Center. Loss of Running Wolf Fitness Center and help for Pool Fundraising.

·      Collaboration of the Neighborhoods Plan

·      Creation of independent 501©(3) with Board Chair

·      Fund the first year rent – Amount?

MOTION: EPIC supports creating a multi-neighborhood collaborative to create a 501(c)(3) Organization with a multi-neighborhood board, to own and operate a new Fitness Center in PCC. JB, AG passed.

11:45            Homeownership in Phillips:  Foreclosures and Vacant Lots, New Construction: Prepare for a plan. Block Clubs and/or individuals locate vacant lots. (Henn. Cty. Prop. Info.)           

Discussion: Possible partnership with PRG to fill vacant lots with new construction homes and/or to rehab. It seems that for an EPIC investment of $15,000, we may be able to leverage a new, infill house. CP suggested that we all look at possible empty lots for infill house sites. Consult Greater Metro Housing Corp, Hennepin County, PRG, TC Community Land Bank, Inventorying Properties, Seeking new HomeOwners.

·      Issues with rehab loans: We need to be more aggressive in marketing EPIC’s home loans to our neighbors . Problems for people filling them out. CEE lost some staff and replacements are ….EPIC moved the income cap from 80% to 100% of HUD medial income guidelines. This should help move these loans. Maybe we need a party for this?

·      2931 Bloomington Ave. issue. See plan. Ideas?

·      Need for another $200,000 for Greenway Heights.

11:55  Coordinated outreach to ethnic groups w/ Ventura Village: Share translation equipment for Latino and Somalis for streaming interpreting. We have previous motions for this…Reach out to Somali elders & handicapped in apartments north of the park for park uses. 2909 Bloomington multiple needs. Outreach more specific to Spanish speakers. EPIC buy a van??

12:00            Crime Issues on Lake: Powderhorn’s limited involvement. Businesses without their own meeting and coordination. Suggestions? We need to pull in Powderhorn, Central, Corcoran to work together to solve these problems.

12:05             Adjourn