November
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
Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Ali Micalin, Carol Pass, Cesar
Prado, Earl Simms
Board Members
Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda
Leonard, Carol Pass, Earl Simms, Rosie Cruz
Board Members Not
Present: Ali Micalin (work), Cesar
Prado (work)
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Lee
Samelson, Laura Dale, Abdi Aldihakim, Alfonso Cruz, Maggie Ewing, Byrdine
Falcon, Margarita Ortega, Paul Nettles
Guests: Michael Sullivan
6:35 Introduction:
· Greetings and Introductions
6:40 Crime and Safety -
22nd
St. to 29th St. and 18th Ave to Hiawatha, been focusing
extra patrols in this area. Over the past two weeks there were no violent
assaults, but there was one robbery; on Nov. 7 a Latino man was assaulted and
robbed here at the park (soccer field); there were four arrests related.
Investigated
a building that was open and had a lot of activity (2527 18th Ave.)
and officers called in and had the building boarded up.
The Cedar
Field camera is a Park camera, and there was some activity about 3.5 weeks ago.
Introductions:
· Greetings and Introductions
· Approval of Agenda (no objections, the agenda stands.)
Approval of October 9th, 2014 minutes: (no objections,
minutes approved with the addition of all who attended the meeting to the
minutes. )
7:00 Presidents’
Report-
·
EPIC Community Harvest Party Report
·
Clean Sweep Report
·
Press Release for EPIC’s $50,000 contribution for a match
from Mdewakanton Sioux Community to create for the pool $100,000, also there was a $75,000 donation from Wells
Fargo
·
East Phillips Somali Team City Championship, 11u, 13u, 18u
all won city championships, the girls team and 15u did well also. Photos of the
celebration of the 11u and 13u teams were circulated. Coaches, players and
parents were complemented on the great season.
·
Ambassador Program update/sign up sheet,
·
Dec. 3 (Wed.), Little Earth Gym; Board of Directors at Little
Earth is starting up a Safety Task Force. There was discussion of collaboration
with the EPIC Ambassadors.
7:25 Secretary’s
Report-
Review
of correspondence
- Email responding to cancelled meeting of Octobr 22nd with NCR. EPIC board members responded by having the meeting anyway at the Elder Housing Apartment building. Linda pointed out that an email was received from Carrie Aspinwall stating that it was essential for the meeting that all board members have the report from the consultant Lissa Jones and that since that did not happen the meeting was cancelled. Linda pointed out that that was not their obligation so the cancelation of the meeting was the fault of NCR, and probably consultant Lissa Jones, since Robert Thompson did not receive the report summa until the day before the meeting.
- NCR Rescheduled the meeting for November 10th.
- When November 10th arrived and there was still no report, the EPIC Executive Committee cancelled the meeting since it had been declared by Carrie Aspinwall that it was essential for the meeting to go on that the board have the report for review and they did not have it.
- NCR cancelled the meeting at the same time and emails crossed between NCR and EPIC, both cancelling the meeting.
- A letter from Executive Committee to Professional Evaluation Agency for NonProfits re: NCR Process and Report seeking an evaluation of NCR’s conduct and capacity and of the report summary from Lissa Jones.
JH asked why the
executive committee cancelled the meeting with the city, our funders?
LL responded (1) NCR was
to provide an updated report, in advance of the meeting, which they did not
provide, and (2) EPIC requested a review from a consultant as to the initial
report, which both NCR and EPIC’s consultant described as inadequate for EPIC
to prepare for the meeting. Since there was never a full report submitted to
EPIC, there was no reason to meet.
CP responded the NCR
cancelled the meeting simultaneous to EPIC preparing our email to cancel the
Nov. 10 meeting; in both cases, the reason for cancellation was that no full
report was provided to EPIC. In the words of Robert Thompson, “there is no full
report.” That there was no report was not EPIC’s doing. This was the
responsibility of the consultant.
7:40 Treasurer’s Report-
· EPIC’s Agreed Upon Procedures for Audit were handed out– Parts of the list of
necessary documents were read aloud and a thorough explanation and analysis was given by Treasurer Mary
Gonsior
7:50 Public
Safety Neighborhood Priority Plan (NPP) Approved
·
The NCR approval letter, contract and NPP Plan was handed out
with an explanation of each. T was approved by NCR and by theNeighborhood
Revitalization Program (NRP) Policy Board
·
NCR David Rubedor
·
Referred to NRP Phase II Plan
Earl reported Crosswalk Requests
28th Street between Cedar and Bloomington, 18th,
17th, 16th.
26th Street between Cedar and Bloomington, 18th,
17th, 16th.
27th Street across Bloomington (Fire Station)
25th Street across Bloomington (Hardware Store)
24th Street across Bloomington
24th Street at 17th Avenue
8:05 Our
Heavy Industry Dilemma-The Asphalt Plant, Foundry and Roof Depot Site-Power
Point
The
Issues: One, the Asphalt Plant, Two, the Foundry, Three, The Water Works Move
to Roof Depot.
BP presented a powerpoint discussing links between pollution
and ADHD in children. A recent article published by the StarTribune highlighted
the connection between PAHs (a component of the pollution released by the
asphalt plant), and a disproportionate incidence of ADHD diagnoses in children
living in East Phillips.
One step that must be taken is to change the zoning from
heavy industrial; without this change, East Phillips will never be able to
prevent these heavily polluting industries from locating here. How? Start
campaigning to change this zoning. In the past, Little Earth campaigned with
EPIC to block the location of The Burner along Hiawatha Avenue and to stop the
Xcel Energy high voltage power lines.
MOTION: (ME, LD, Approved) Establish a Clean Air Task Force to
repurpose the industrial areas of East Phillips (east of the intersection of
Cedar and 28th Street) to the goals of transit-oriented residential housing, to disallow any further
introduction of heavy industry and to ultimately eliminate heavy industrial polluting enterprises
within the boundaries of East Phillips.
8:36
East Phillips Vacant Lots and Boarded Buildings
CP described the actions of EPIC regarding the saving of
money from 2012-2013 CPP for the purpose of rebuilding our NRP Phase II new
home construction strategy that was eliminated by the Mayor’s action of
co-opting our funding for City tax relief two years ago. We have located a deal
where we can fund the gap to build a new house for $15,000. Both PRG and GMHC
will build us these houses. We have enough money to do all eight lots that are
city owned (these can be purchased for almost nothing.) The houses are nice but
inexpensive, and will be considered affordable for modest income households.
EPIC has learned that it is important to take care of the infrastructure if the
neighborhood is to survive and flourish. We didn’t spend this money just so
that we could have money to rebuild housing and keep the area going for low
income and modest income residents.
The city is not providing funds to do this job. That is why
EPIC needs to do it.
MOTION: (CP, ES, Approved) EPIC will set aside $120,000 to build 8
new houses on 8 empty lots and that we seek contracts with PRG and GHMC.
This motion requires a 21 day review, and will be presented
again in December.
8:45 The 25th St. Barrier- Leaders
from each adjacent block
MG reported that there hasn’t yet been a meeting. Will work
to get a task force meeting in November or early December.
8:48 Standing
Committee East Phillips Park Programming Partnership: Financial and
Computer Literacy
Classes
BP presented information about the new classes, and requested
that people hand out the flyers.
8:52 Adjournment- Consensus
