Board Meeting Minutes 11 - 01

 

November 1, 2014, Saturday, 10:00 am

East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center

EPIC web address:  www.eastphillips-epic.com

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

The opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice.

                                                                                                            -Unknown

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Mary Gonsior, Jeanne Howard, Linda Leonard, Ali Macalin, Carol Pass, Cesar Prado, Earl Simms

Present board members: Carol Pass, Linda Leonard, Mary Gonsior, Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz

Absent board members: Earl Simms (son's football), Cesar Praedo (Work), Ali Micalin (coaching), Jean Howard

Members: Brad Pass, Alfonso Cruz, Will Gilman

MOTION: Meet as a Committee of the Whole. LL, JB. Approved.

10:00             Introduction:

·      Approval of Agenda: LL, CP. Approved.

·      Approval of the October 4th EPIC Board Miutes: LL,CP (with corrections to last pargraph on page 1 (delete). Approved.

Announcements:

·      Upcoming Meetings on future funding of neighborhoods

           

Committee Members:  Cam Gordon (chair); Andrew Johnson (vice-chair); Jacob Frey; Elizabeth             Glidden; Alondra Cano; Lisa Bender

            Monday, November 3 @ 1:30, City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 317
            The NCR Department to present on budget and TIF funding

            2)            NCR Meeting for Neighborhood Organizations?

            Wednesday, November 5 (Time and place not know)

            The NCR Department to present to neighborhood organizations on Budget                                       and TIF funding

            3)            Health, Environment and Community Engagement Committee     
            Becky Timm, Ex. Director, 612-722-4817, 821 E. 35th St

            Monday, November 17 @ 1:30
            The NCR Department to present on NRP and CPP

            4)            Budget Hearings (Carol to add details.)

       

·      Nov. 10th Board Meeting with Lissa Jones

10:25            Future funding for neighborhoods: Increase in the funding pool. How should the city divide it up?    There will be budget hearings on Nov. 18 and Dec. 10

The city’s general fund is decreasing and the tax increment financing (TIF) is increasing. The TIF used to fund NRP and it still funds some of it, but it is now funding CPP. The TIF is to be split 50-50 paying off the Target Center debt, and Neighborhood Revitalization Purposes. "Purposes" is undefined and controversial.

CP: the question is, is this TIF funding a “city” program or a “state” program. The city has been eating away at these funds ever since 2011, and it seems they are expanding the view that the city (NCR) gets a large chunk and the neighborhoods get almost nothing.

 10:40  Garden Diversion Project Goals

            Research the berm idea presented at the October EPIC Community Meeting.

            Previous MOTION:Committee to implement the Garden Diversion project in the 
            CPP/NPP Crime and Safety Budget (2014).  (CP, LL) Approved. 
  
 Beautified Barrier

  Planning committee: Mary, Doug, Carol, Brad

·      Approved EPIC design to submit to the traffic department.

·      Ask Naomi to sit on the committee to represent The Banyan.

·      Find a representative from adjoining blocks.

·      Linda will take pictures of examples.

·      See if Public works is okay with this.

·      Traffic dept. needs a form completed and a plan. (Doug).

Postponed, as MG had no time in October to get the committee off the ground.

10:45      Updates: Crosswalks, Phoning 311 and 911,

There have been too many children injured by vehicles. EPIC will partner with other neighborhoods and apply for a competitive grant to paint crosswalks.

311 has told CP they will change their menu so that translation services will be first. Houston is an example.

Linda reported that there are 6-7 minutes of announcements before any options are presented.

CP, this is an equity issue…it affects who gets to talk to the city; people are excluded by language.

911 is more complicated. We will press ahead.

10:55     Transfer of Housing Loan Program from CEE to GMHC, Pool Money, Contracts for NPP and CPP, Letters

There are three steps for spending our CPP funds:

1.     Allocate our funds for admin,  programs, and/or projects  (community engagement).

2.     Contract

3.     Implement the plan/project.

Quorum achieved 11:05 am. Rosie Cruz

MOTION: Ratify the motions of the committee of the whole. (CP, LL) Approved.

11:25   Ambassador Project Update: Vests are back, Packets? Start up walkers?

Will Gilman reported: Haven’t really gotten started, but we basically have everything we need. Need to develop some procedures such as monitoring who is part of the group, how to distribute vests, etc.

11:30 Computer Literacy classes:  Starting Date?  Stipends for class completion. People already recruited.

Free “Financial Literacy” classes to start in November, 5:30 – 6:30 pm (Nov. 10, 17, 24, and Dec. 1.) A four-week program. The first class will be taught in English. If there is interest in other languages, and a banker is available, other languages could be presented. Contact Linda regarding this November class.

The Computer Literacy class provides a certificate of completion that is helpful for employment.

CP distributed a flyer introducing the new classes with Meghan Muffett (Computer Literacy) and Shoua Lee (Financial Literacy). Based on responses a schedule of one or two classes per week will be established. 

MOTION: (LL, CP) For anyone who completes either one of these Literacy programs, EPIC will present a $10 Target gift card for completion of 4 or 6 classes. Maximum $400.00. Approved.

11:05       Office Finance – Design and furnishings

CPP budget was passed out and discussed. Changes to outfit our office. We aren’t paying any rent yet. Cheaper than most neighborhood offices. Board worked with Mary to estimate use of 2014 funds.

MOTION: (LL, RC) Move $2K from 2014 Other Services, $3K from 2014 Outreach Partnerships, $3K from 2014 Community Events, $2K from 2014 Development to 2014 Occupancy for putting the office together. These funds will cover the cost of updating/changing wiring, electrical, office equipment including computers, fax, etc. Approved by consensus.

11:25       Roof Depot Site – Tour – Results

MOTION: (CP, JB) Further research, invite Steve Kotke to next EPIC meeting, have another tour, check out Fridley site and our own site. Approved by consensus.

Land use plan???

12:05       NCR Meeting of Nov. 10th, Our concerns as the EPIC Board?? Changing rules. Changing Reports? The use of our time? The point? Is there clarity about that?           

TABLED.

12:05            Adjourn