March 10, 2016

General Membership Meeting Minutes 03 - 10


March 10, 2016, 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
Phone: (612)  280-8418

Board Roster: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Shawna Dillon, Mary Gonsior, Jean Howard, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.
Board Members Present: Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Margarita Ortega, Carol Pass.
Board Members Not Present: Shawna Dillon, Jean Howard
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Steve Sandberg, Margaret Kirkpatrick, George Kennedy, Carol Hill-Kennedy, Michael Green
Guests: Shirley Heyer, Simon Blienski, Millie Hernandez, Jeanne Whitehill, Tammie Williams, Sterling Sherell, Rachael Hager

6:45     Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introductions.
·       Approval of Agenda, MG, MO Approved with correction to 7:15 item (Simon Blenski/Public Works)
·       Approval of Minutes from February 11th, 2016. MO, LD Approved.

6:50     Announcements:

  • Opening St. Patrick’s Day joke and cartoons.
  • EPIC Annual Meeting volunteers are needed. Contact a board member.
  • EPIC SummerFest performers needed. Contact Brad Pass.
  • Next EPIC Board Meeting, East Phillips Park, Sat, 10:00 am, April 2nd, 2016
  • Next EPIC Membership Meeting, East Phillips Park, Thursday 6:30 pm, April 14th, 2016.
  • EPIC Annual Meeting: Saturday, April 30th, 2016 
  • EPIC SummerFest, Sunday, June 12th, 2016

8:30     EPIC SummerFest – June 12th, Talent Show, Music, Food, etc.

Volunteers are needed to make this year’s event a success! There are many planned activities, especially for children, that require park staff hours. Volunteers can make a big difference.

3rd Annual SommerFest: party in the park. EPIC is working with the Park Board and staff, as well as other partners to plan this event. Tammie is working on entertainment and a preschool program a week before the fest, so children can perform.

If you want to help plan, the Park “program planning meetings” are held the last Tuesday of the month, 11:30 am, including lunch (this is the “Programming Partnership” meeting)

Planning meetings are ongoing, and everyone is welcome.

Steve Sandburg/South Side Acers is trying to establish a community “band practice” on Friday’s on the greenway at 28th St. The band is currently performing at the Eagles and Steve participates in the May Day parade and other venues.

7:15     Simon Blenski from Public Works - Presentation on Options for HUMANIZING the HI-LAKE Intersection. Proposals for improvement. Also Discussion of the Bike Lanes

Report on the Hi-Lake Interchange Study (Feb. 2016)/PowerPoint

Transportation Study Highlights:
  • Study to inform decisions about potential improvements
  • City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Metro Transit and MnDOT
  • Historical Summary (1990s to present)
    • Lots of pedestrian use, and growing
  • Humanize Hi-Lake Petition to improve safety (website)
    • Study looked at 5 of 6 recommendations
  • Existing Issues
    • High volume of pedestrian, bicycle and automobile traffic
    • Lack of natural light
    • Zig-Zagging pedestrian and vehicle crossings (confusion for pedestrians)
    • Long crossings (6 lanes of traffic)
    • Bicycle trails are undefined.
  • Opportunities/Future Demand
  • Design Principles
  • Options: 3 Tiers
    • Low, medium and high cost
    • Low, medium and high impact

Questions:
1. Did the study seek to find options for improving automobile traffic now and in the future?
2. Did the study consider bicycle traffic?

The full, detailed report is available online.

Send feedback to four agencies and CM Cano.

7:53     Speed Bump project for 2400 block of 18th Ave & 2900 Block 16th Ave – And Camera Project

MOTION: Ask the city to do a traffic study on 18th Avenue S for the purpose of generating data to justify a set of speed bumps (18th Avenue between 25th & 26th.) MK, JB Approved.

Report on 18th Avenue (24th -25th)
CP has consulted with businesses and other seeking funds for the speed bumps. MO is working with Holy Rosary to support the speed bump. The total cost for a “set” of speedbumps is $7,500 for two bumps. Little Earth wants EPIC to state their contribution first; then they will work to fundraise the remainder. CP has been looking for funds from the CPP Crime and Safety Budget  and NRP Phase II NRP Plan..

MOTION: Authorize the board to find $7,500 to pay half the cost of two sets of speed bumps on the 2900 block of 16th Avenue and the 2400 block of 18th Avenue. MGr, LD Approved.

MGon: Does EPIC want to establish its own criteria for funding?
CP: Each situation is different. EPIC should ask neighbors impacted for help to pay for these speed bumps.
Mgre: Consider who is requesting funds (board members) and how might this appear to the community. Thinks a process is a good idea.
CP: doesn’t want to set a limit for how much funding for each.
MO: agreed.


8:30  ---Julie Graves presents Plans for a Youth Sports Program  (Track and Field) - a Partnership of EPIC and Waite House. 

LL reported that the Waite House also brought this proposal to the EP Park Program Partnership group (which includes EPIC) for a summer program involving East Phillips youth. They are seeking funds from EPIC, Midtown and other organizations. See handout. This is for including kids from grades 6-8 in a full summer program of six weeks, 5 days a week and 6 hours a day. They will also provide two meals a day and academic help will also be  part of this. , Thirty youth are to be from East Phillips. Waite House provides staff and transportation.

 Other Park Issues: Can we find a space for Phillips’ programs and kids in the new rental requirements and   procedures or are we losing our Park to wealthier organizations and Neighborhoods because of high fees?


BP reported that the Park Board has raised fees for everything in all the parks. It is a “one shoe fits all” approach. Neighborhood sponsored events can be done free of charge assuming that they are scheduled within the working hours of the park. The Programming Partnership feels that they are providing staff and programs here at the park should be considered “neighborhood sponsored” status.

SH reported that EPIC is not the only park/community that is furious over these price increases.
SS (coach for South HS women’s softball) expressed concern over Park communication that the softball diamond is planned to be removed (see last month’s meetings.) Strongly opposes this idea. The field is the home field for South and the North Central University Softball teams. Mr. Sterling Sherrell from South is South’s coach and objects strenuously to this. He is asking for help to keep the field. Some members agreed to support this and help counter this plan.

7:55    Continuation of Roof Depot Issue. Complete Proposal for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm

CP distributed a copy of a letter and proposal for East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm.
EPIC and 8 partners have garnered pledges of $6.8M and are requesting $3M in the Governor’s Supplemental Budget.

8:50     Annual Meeting – consider running for the Board.

 Meeting will take place on April 30, 2016 at 9:30.

Board Directorship Requirements are:  1) You must be over 18 years of age. 2) Have attended at least ONE general membership meeting in the previous year. (This does not mean the coming Annual Meeting) 3) live in or own property within the boundaries of East Phillips and/or work or represent an organization or business in East Phillips and submit name of Employer, Organization, or Business Name, and Address and an official letter on letterhead signed by an appropriate official naming the the applicant as the designated voting representative must be on file or will be filed before the election. 4) must submit a Director’s Application Form, pg. 10 of Policies and Procedures Manual, 5) Submit the Qualifications for EPIC Board of Directors, pg. 11 6) Be willing to sign the Board Contract., pg. 12, the Duties and Responsibilities page, pg. 13,  the Directors’ Standards of Conduct, pg. 14-15.

If you wish to do this, please consider that it involves two meetings a month. This is a commitment to assist the Board in serving East Phillips.

8:50     East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm proposal

CP informed the meeting that the proposal for the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm was completed. Partners are East Phillips Improvement Coalition; Dean Dovolis, DJR Architects; WEI (Karen Clark); Tamales @ Bicicletas, JoseLuis Villasenior; Debbie Goettel of MN Sustainable Development Group and others. In addition, it has been submitted to the legislature for a bill to provide $3M funding for planning and implementation of the project.

CP reported that we already have a commitment of $6.8M for this project from the East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm Team
Copies of the proposal were handed out.

8:53      EPIC Office Project – Progress

CP distributed a report on the History of EPIC’s Pursuit of an Office in the Minutes from Oct. 2014 to Jan. 2016 in response to claims of a lack of transparency. This report will be posted on the EPIC website and Facebook page. It was pointed out that the issue has been in front of the EPIC Board 6 times and the community 3 times since 2014. Each time the response was positive to go ahead.

8:55     Adjourn
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