November 12th, 2015, 6:30 p.m. – 8:50 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 opposite of poverty is not wealth, the
opposite of poverty is justice.
-Unknown
Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie
Cruz, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary
Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda
Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.
Board Members Present: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale,
Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda
Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass
Board Members Not
Present:
Jenny Bjorgo, Shawna Dillon (E),
EPIC Members: Abdi Abdillahi, Brad Pass, Craig Seifert, Erica Schultz, Karen Clark, Lee Samuelson, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Emrys Stramer
Guests:
Aisha Gomez, Shirley Heyer
6:50 Introductions:
· Greetings and
Introductions.
· Approval of Agenda (MG,
RC); approved by consensus.
· Approval of Minutes from
October 8, 2015 (BP, MG); approved by consensus, with clarification regarding
Q&A regarding trespass: Little Earth “management” or any “property
owner/management” can “trespass” anyone for any reason; also, strike the line: 17
incidents just in one block alone (2500 block of 18th).
7:00 Announcements:
- International Holiday: Diwali; Hindu tale of the triumph of Good over Evil
- EPIC Membership Meeting, East Phillips Park, December 10th, Thursday 6:30 pm,
- EPIC Board meeting, East Phillips Park, Sat, 10:00 am, December 5th.
- December 7th – 1:30 PM: City Ways and Means committee, City Hall, Vote on the Condemnation of Roof Depot,
- December 11th -9:30 AM: City Council votes on condemnation Roof Depot Site, City Hall Council Chambers
- Read the Alley Articles – EPIC posts in every issue.
- If anyone wants to write an article about East Phillips news, send them over to EPIC & the Alley.
- If you want to write a general article, contact Harvey Winge at www.alleynews.org.
7:20 Recent Public Safety Issues -
Problem Properties - Houses
2512 17th
People
living in a garage. Housing orders have been issued. Owner has 30 days to
complete the work.
Comments:
Why does it take 2 months and dozens of phone calls, and still no one responds
to reports of problem properties until they have escalated to an extremely
dangerous and hazardous situation? This is an example of unjust treatment of
our neighborhood, just ignoring our concerns and failing to respond or provide
city services in a timely manner. There
were about 15-20 calls to 911 since summer on this property.
Since
calling 311 and the systems that are in place to address these issues have
failed, residents must, in addition to calling 311 or police, contact CM
Alondra Cano’s office and report these problems to Aisha Gomez: 612-673-2209
2527 18th
Garden
shed broken into. Police refused to board it, and CPED refused to board it. It
was open for an entire week, and was being used for drug dealing. Yesterday it
was set ablaze – likely in retaliation for boarding it just as a business got
going.
2522 17th
Not discussed
Speeding Cars and Reckless
drivers intersection of 26th St and 18th Ave
Neighbor
at 2600 18th has had 6 collisions on his property in the last 10
years. On the other corner (2548 18th) there have been probably 4
collisions in the last 10 years. These have been major incidents. Is there
anything that can help/slow down the traffic here?
26th and
Bloomington Bike Lane
The
city will be removing the big concrete bumps out from intersections due to
problems related to design. (Difficult to navigate turns, unable to keep clear
of snow.)
Others
Vandalism sites have
included: Southside Family Nurturing Center, Homes, Daycare, Community Garden
Aggravated Assaults –
not discussed
What to do?
- EPIC Ambassadors
- Solutions? Home lighting. Repair street lights
- Hire park employees at Cedar Field to be out and about to help with safety/crime issues.
- Stipend based “ambassadors”
- Stipend based “home lighting” – would need a vendor.
- Report on Lights Out – we turned in a list of lights out on all EPIC streets to Aisha Gomez. MG and MO will make another trip through the alleys to record more lights out. SH suggestsed that we also note any properties with no fences and those that have no lights; these would be go candidates to contact for home lighting.
7:45 Condemnation of Roof Depot of Site
What’s
Wrong with this? What should we do?
MOTION: see handout, as amended. (BP, RC) Passed unanimously.
Amended:
Whereas, the city of
Minneapolis passed a resolution [“…to work with the residents of East
Phillips…INCLUDE THE ENTIRE QUOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MOTION HERE”], therefore,
EPIC calls upon City Council Members to refuse to authorize to pursuit of
condemnation and acquisition of the property by eminent domain, on the basis …[continue
with the original board motion]…To allow this process to go forward, will have
an adverse affect on the “vibrancy of the East Phillips neighborhood and its
residents.” Please see US Supreme Court decisions…[citations here]. We demand
that the City Council honor their own Core Principles of Community Engagement
as outlined in [citation].
Discussion
There
was a long discussion of the motion, history of EPIC’s actions to gain this
property to enhance the community, and reworking of the motion. There will be
no opportunity for the public to speak to the council.
Craig
Seifert suggested that EPIC could file a writ of prohibition; a legal action
that would “prevent” the city from taking an action.
Discussion
of EPIC’s involvement in the history of the city’s plan to purchase the
property to house the water works. The property department of the city will
come to the city council for authorization to seek to take the property by
imminent domain.
KC
mentioned a resolution that was passed that the city would work with the
neighborhood on this property, so there may be a legal basis for objecting to
the condemnation if there is documentation of the city’s prior agreement to
work with EPIC.
8:15 EPIC NPP Housing Project-East Phillips Infill
Campaign (EPIC), TABLED
First
two homes: 2424, 2422 16th Ave. are going in. Foundation is being
dug tor 2424 16th.
2600 to 2606 - 4 lots
combined to make two buildable lots to be used for two new homes.
8:50 Adjournment
