December 13th, 2018, 6:30 – 8:50
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: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Tom Harris, Cassandra Holmes, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass,
Linda Vermillion, Abah Mohamed
Board Members Present: Rosie Cruz, Laura Dale, Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Carol Pass.
Board Members Not Present: Tom Harris(A), Cassandra Holmes (E), Linda Vermillion
(A), Abah Mohamed (A)
Members: Steve
Sandberg, Brad Pass, Peggy Clark, Sarah Santiago
Guests:
6:30 Social Time/
6:42 Meeting as a committee of the whole
Greetings
and Introductions
Minutes: Last month we tabled the October minutes
– bring them to the January meeting
Approve the minutes from
November 8th, 2018: MG,LD, approved.
Agenda: Approve agenda with addition of
report on crime problems on Bloomington and 29th St.
MG, LL,
approved.
7:00 Announcements
Next Board meeting Jan. 5th
Next GMM meeting Jan. 10th
Report: Some board
members attended Mpls 2020 plan meeting on Saturday that included a suggestion
that all neighborhoods hold their annual meeting on the same date. Some object
to this because they like to attend the meetings of nearby neighborhoods to see
what they are doing.
7:05 Report on crime problems on Bloomington and
29th St.
A homeowner reported that a neighbor was parking by
her garage. She told the neighbor she would call police if he didn’t move the
car. He threatened to kill her whole family if she calls police.
The alley between Bloomington and 16th Ave
is infested with drug dealers, and they circle the block, and enter residents’
yard as a pass-through to where they park their cars (lot owned by Tri Lee).
The homeowner is terrified (non-english speaking) and she knows that her other
neighbor has been threatened. RC has photos.
QUORUM ACHIEVED 7:17 PM
CP and RC will set up a special meeting with Alondra.
Find out if we have a SAFE officer. RC and her neighbors will attend the
meetings being held by Ingebretson’s and neighbors south of Lake St.
7:20 EPIC procedural audit results
This was an audit of our policies, procedures,
documents and contracts. We were complimented on our Bylaws. This audit was
better than the audit we had last time (3 years ago). Our finances were also
audited, and they thought
they discovered some big error in our finances,
however, upon a second look, they realized they were mistaken and our finances
were correct. This process took a lot of time in preparation. We are waiting
for a copy of the report.
7:30 Update on the Indoor Urban Farm
Toward the end of November, EPNI had a flurry of
meetings with council members and committees at city hall, including 2 EPIC
board members (CP and CH). Public works met with them on Nov. 24th
and presented plans A, B and C, and EPNI was not really allowed to provide
feedback or receive answers to questions about these plans. Eventually plans A,
B and C were presented to the City Ways and Means committee.
Two handouts were distributed:
· The East Phillips Indoor Urban Farm Project – An
UPDATE by Carol Pass, Board President of EPIC
· Staff Direction by Cano (December 7, 2018)
Presentation by Brad Pass and
· the current situation
· the staff directive
o
not one mention
of mitigation of pollution
o
no solution for
the existing congestion of traffic at this site
o
electric trucks
don’t exist (they lied at the public works meeting, saying that and they
laughed at the ways and means meeting saying, “they don’t make these trucks
electric.” Audience members said there are electric forms of these trucks.
· possible futures
· the roles of EPNI and EPIC
· what should our response be?
What should
the East Phillips community do?
- Do we have any non-city funds to hire an attorney to write a letter?
- Can our new state elected official intervene on our behalf?
- The state has already invested $300K.
- We still want to remove the foundry and asphalt plant.
MOTION: The staff directive MUST INCLUDE addressing (A)
increased congestion of traffic and (B) mitigation of increased air pollution
surrounding East Phillips homes, the Midtown Greenway pedestrian and bicycle
path, and Little Earth community, all of which will create greater environmental injustice
for East Phillips residents of Minneapolis, before the directive will be
acceptable to EPIC. BP, RC, Approved.
A neighbor said that the services provided in item #1 of the directive
seem redundant as most all these services are readily available in the area
already.
Survey our residents for their health statistics to determine the impact
of all the pollution on our residents, with a focus on Little Earth.
8:30 Would it be possible to have a winter party
after Christmas with a band?
A resident suggested a fun party to pull together our supporters and get
everyone on board with future planning. Maybe a hook and ladder event.
8:40 Adjourn
