February 13th, 2014, 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, Lindal Leonard, Mary Gonsior, Rosie Cruz,
Carol Pass, Earl Simms
Board Members Not Present: Sherdl Kordian, Ali Micalin
EPIC Members: Margaret Kirkpatrick, Laura Dale, Alphonso Cruz, Eric Immler, Hannah
Lieder, Jaden Bjorgo, Brad Pass, Alondra Cano, Maggie Ewing, Mickey Sheu
Guests: Alondra Cano, Don Greeley, Shirley Heyer, Segundo Chagllo, Rita Diaz, Ruth Vazquez, Edith Vazquez, Italo Vazquez, Lt. Mike Taylor, W. Alvarado, D. Farlkor, Naomi Mohammed, Mateo Castro
Guests: Alondra Cano, Don Greeley, Shirley Heyer, Segundo Chagllo, Rita Diaz, Ruth Vazquez, Edith Vazquez, Italo Vazquez, Lt. Mike Taylor, W. Alvarado, D. Farlkor, Naomi Mohammed, Mateo Castro
Linda Leonard Chaired; Mary Gonsior was
minute taker.
Linda explained
that anyone living, working or owning property in East Phillips can be a member
of EPIC by saying “YES” in the last column on the sign in sheet which asks if
you are, or want to be an EPIC Member.
6:45 Introductions:
· Greetings and Introduction
· Approval of Agenda (Passed)
· Approval of January 16th, 2014 minutes with additions:
Guests, add Shirley Heyer; correction to crime report, there were actually two
homicides in 2013, from 2011 to 2012 there was a reduction from 4 to zero, and
there was an increase from 0 to 2 from 2012 to 2013; correction to page 3
“things ahead”, lighting which will be “along Bloomington Ave. from Lake St. to
Franklin Ave.” instead of “on Lake St.” (JB, MK, Passed.)
·
6:55 Announcements:
· Greenway (Margaret Kirkpatrick); On May 3, Arbor Day, Tree
Trust is organizing a planting of trees on either side of the ramp going up the
Sabo Bridge. Volunteers are needed 9 am – Noon. Volunteers can just show up.
Come early for coffee and rolls.
7:00 Crime & Safety: Don Greeley. Issues, drug dealers and prostitution
near kids bus stops. Plans? New patrols?
Cameras?
Lt. Mike Taylor (daywatch – point person for
Phillips), discussed the “beat” assigned to East Phillips operating
Introduced Officers Alverado, and Volks, two of
five officers working in Phillips, 4 pm until 2 am. You may see them around the
neighborhood.
Greeley discussed work going on to obtain a
resolution for La Que Bueno. Any agreement that is reached will be a public
document, available to anyone. Hoping to be able to implement some
restrictions.
Continue to have prostitution problems on Lake
St. Officers are issuing citations (arrests without going to jail). Targeted
enforcement areas are being worked. Don has been putting in a lot of time
related to a sexual assault on Franklin Ave on Jan. 17th…Almost
2,500 crime alerts were distributed, there has not been a repeat incident,
which is good because it was a stranger assault (rare.) Don will be doing some
personal safety workshops with area businesses and their employees.
Today a targeted enforcement area was moved out
of Phillips due to a shooting on 38th St.
CP reported that we have invited a
Somali-speaking officer to come into a building that has been experiencing
severe level of crime, to talk about safety and reporting issues.
(L***, 27** 18th Ave.) reported a
home-break-in when she was home with her children. The assailants put a gun on
her and she had to plead for her life. She was screaming and her children were
near. My friend and my brother were upstairs. I live with my sister in the
basement. They came down because they heard my screaming…there were four assailants,
and they had guns. The pointed them at everyone and said if we call police they
will kill us. They took our computer, cash, jewelry, about $2,000, the dishes,
they cleaned the house completely. They pointed the gun at my neck. Her brother
was injured and is not able to work right now. The family reported the incident
to police. (L***) is afraid, not able to sleep, and really needs help. The
family is afraid they will come back. RC will help coordinate help from members
to recover some goods, and file insurance claims, etc.
RC reported for Matheo Castro, who requests a
letter from is EPIC to Catherine Johnson for help. Matheo was a victim of
crime, an assailant held him at knifepoint. Asking for a support letter to
Catherine Johnson to help people who don’t speak English. Catherine Johnson
will not sign a letter stating that he was a victim of a crime. The incidents
occurred July 2013, and July 2011. Lt. Taylor recommended that RC phone C.
Johnson and speak to her directly, asking her to set up a
meeting with RC and Matheo.
LL asked Greeley to work with EPIC to
arrange a safety/reporting workshop for Nepali residents to discuss calling 911
and personal safety.
CP and Greeley talked about trying to
get into 2909 Bloomington and it has been very difficult to find the owners.
Follow up on Prostitution on Lake Str.
Most involved are drug users. There are geographic restrictions on most of the
prostitutes. When users end up in the criminal system they are offered options
to avoid the workhouse by entering treatment instead.
Greeley reported that there seems to be
one pattern of crime related to Latino speaking people, the bad guys know that
Latinos may be carrying a lot of cash. Police are encouraging folks to get
checking accounts.
7:40 Alondra
Cano: City Council Member
Plans to attend or send a rep to all
neighborhood meetings. Settling in at the council and participating in several
committees. Meetings with Mike Sullivan about Police infrastructure so officers
can respond to issues concerning Phillips residents, and suggests EPIC invite
him to attend a meeting. Listening to business owners on Lake St and working on
development of Latino business association. Also working on the Midtown
transportation plans for rail or car going down that corridor. Improvements on
Lake St. buses; timing, barriers, etc.
7:46 Creating
the 2014 East Phillips Priority Plan: Consider
some options. What do we want to do next? Broad
Plans. Coordination with NRP Phase II plans
CP gave an overview of the three major projects
that were completed with Phase I and Phase II funds, including the apartment
building on the Greenway, the only affordable housing built on the Greenway,
funds provided for architecture development for the swimming pool, and the
soccer fields at our new park. In fact, the soccer fields were paid by
unexpected funding that came in at the last minute and we have $50,000 now that
we can direct to another project. We are so excited that the family apartment
building is rising now, and we will continue to work to bring the kind of
housing EPIC residents want, in spite of pressure from the city to continue
increasing density in our area.
CP distributed copies of EPIC’s Phase II Plan
and explained that we have spent about $185,000 of our Phase II. There is still
a chunk of funds left to be spent, and with current and future funding
(2014-16), we can do some pretty big things here in East Phillips. Because it
has been two years, we need to do additional community planning in order to
continue spending these funds. As a diverse neighborhood, this will take a lot
of work. The process will not be designed to identify specific projects
necessarily; instead, our goal is to identify some broad concerns and areas
where these funds should be spent. We hope we will want to continue to expand
our past projects, such as our youth sports teams, as well as make progress on
crime issues and projects that will reduce crime and enhance safety in our
neighborhood. EPIC should consider bringing in some staff, but the cost is great,
and consideration must be given to how staffing will affect the big projects we
dream of doing. Specific groups
that come to mind as we think about developing plans include youth, elderly,
and new Americans. CP invited the
group to each contribute three priorities that EPIC should focus on for
spending the money that we have in the 2014-2016 Planning period.
·
Financial audit; hired an accountant to
review financial records and reformat reports, going back three years. Will
finish soon.
·
Review of EPIC Bylaws. Considering
changes to present in March before final vote in April.
·
A new Community Participation Program (CPP)
plan - it’s been two years now.
8:16 Request
to consider funds for Phillips Fitness Center: Hannah
Lieder
Running Wolf left the fitness center last year,
and it closed. The park board took it on in spite of financial difficulty. It
is currently open the same hours, and they’ve made some changes, including a
stretching room. They plan to operate classes. HL believes the park can fund the
center for a smaller cost than anyone else.
MOTION: (HL, MK) EPIC to provide $5,000 to MPRB
to support the operations of the fitness center. For: 3, Against: 8. Motion
failed.
CP: Judy Duffy; conversations with downtown have
been focused on how this spending on the Running Wolf partnership was
funded…the city is questioning our funding on this agreement. Until this is
resolved, we should slow down and figure out where potential funding is coming
from.
We will put this on the March agenda again, and
invite a MPRB representative to present information about their plans.
8:00
Update
on the pool: Hannah Lieder
The pool project is in dire need of funds
needing $500,000 to do the small plan. There is still hope. EPIC has some ideas
and wants to work together with Mpls. Swims and other neighborhoods to meet
with funders and get this fundraising done. Mpls. Swims hasn’t had money for
staff. CP reported that we may have additional funds available with the $50,000
funds unspent by the Park Board. RC suggested the HL attend all EPIC meetings
and communicate the needs of Mpls. Swims. LL suggested that HL tell us what
EPIC can do to help connect and lobby donors and funders. HL says that her time
is too limited to attend every EPIC meeting, and she has no staff to send.
Feels like the first time in four years she is making progress by connecting
with a group of people who are connected to funders and legislators.
Goals:
$500,000 (or $700,000) for capital for the
smallest plan.
$500,000 over five years – commitments for
scholarships
$250,000 x 5 years guaranteed usage fees
(Minneapolis Public Schools, Augsburg
8:15 East Phillips Programming Partnership,
Standing Committee Report: Brad Pass
8:20 Adjournment
