General Membership Meeting Minutes 11-8

November 8, 2010, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.,

Holy Rosary Church Board Room, 24^th and 17^th Ave

Board Members: Mary Gonsior, Jenny Bjorgo, Chiffon Williams, Carol Pass, Earl Simms, Rosie Cruz, Mahamed Cali, Linda Leonard

Members Absent: Tim Chancy

Members: Alfred Johnson, Carrie Anne Johnson, Brad Pass, Hannah Lieder, Kevin Lieder, Janessa Bjorgo,

Guests: Shirley Heyer

6:30    Introduction:

·       Greetings and Introductions

·          Approval of Agenda (JB, BP)

·       Minutes from EPIC General Membership Meeting 10/11/2010 (BP, JB)

6:40    Announcements  &  Reports:

·       Tentative Grand Opening of the East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center –

·        January 22nd

·       Waiting to hear from Ms.Warmka about next meetings for 22th St. & Franklin Ave  Street Design. Residents interested in attending should indicate interest on the sign-in sheet (code 22F)

·       Report on the EPIC Harvest Garden Party

·       South HS is hosting an event to discuss environmental issues, with speakers and local resources. Pre-registration is encouraged.

·       Chiffon conducted a survey asking parents what kind of programs they would like available in neighborhoods for individuals aged 8-25. Will be conducting additional surveys among local churches, and schools.

·       Chiffon is also trying to start a program for cleaning up litter.

7:00    East Phillips Park Center: Update, Floor Colors, Kitchen Money, Rain Gardens, final excavation. We  need to all check for vandalism Update, Floor Colors, Kitchen Money, Rain Gardens, final parking lotexcavation. We need to be alert for vandalism in progress

            Tentative GRAND OPENING - Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 from Noon to 6:00 PM.

Disaster was averted by the Park Board when they realized that everything would be postponed until Spring, unless the parking lot was addressed immediately. Announcements for the grand opening will not be advertised until successful completion is assured. Plans for the grand opening are underway, however. Seeking diversity of local talent to participate in the celebration. Contact Brad to submit suggestions for the program. Still need $30,000 for commercial kitchen range, vent hood, fire suppression and makeup air systems. Final excavation for parking lot and rain garden are going on right now. Plantings will be completed in the Spring. A slightly smaller than "professional" sized soccer field and baseball field are planned, with community supporting this plan. It will take one year to establish the sod for these fields. A tennis court and outdoor half-court basketball will also be retained.

Funds for the kitchen would be available from EPIC's NRP Phase II, however, progress on the process has been stalled due to Xcel power lines and other neighborhood concerns.

Shirley reported that local hiring for all construction projects will be done through certified, union companies. Brad reported that many partnerships are participating in planning for programming. The Park Board will contract for background checks on volunteer applications.

7:20     Phillips Community Center (PCC): New Floor Plan, Amazing Pool Proposal, Hannah Lieder

Carol presented a short history of the work done over the past three years to pull together the four neighborhoods along with other partners to give the Park Board the revenue they needed to save the Phillips Pool and Gym, and leave space in the building for community use. A CURA grant was used to obtain a consultants to review the current Park Board services available to the neighborhoods, and found that the community of Phillips was drastically underserved, and that services to the community were greatly exaggerated.

The four neighborhoods have been collaborating to save the Phillips Pool & Gym and ensure that the building remains accessible to the neighborhood for local programming. Over the past year or more, a larger group developed to figure out how to pay for the operations of the facility and programs. This eventually resulted in a partnership, with a Memorandum of Understanding representing the potential tenants, stakeholders and resident organizations that are working together as a group to restore community use of the PCC.

The process over the past year produced a series of floor plans, and multiple groups submitted proposals to the Park Board. The Memorandum and current floor plan was presented to the Park Board on Thurs. Nov. 4, 2010 including (Francisco for PWH, Bob Albee for Wellness Consortium, Running Wolf for Native American Community Clinic; Hannah Lieder for Mpls. Swims, Carol for 4 Neighborhoods, Mahomed Cali for Somali American Community.)

Hannah reported on the presentation given to the Park Board regarding the swimming pool and why it is important to save the pool for use by the community. Mpls. Swims (Hannah Leider) contracted the money put together by the neighborhoods and Mpls. Swims for a feasibility study and the resulting report concluded that it would take $276,342 to get to pool in shape to fill it with water and use the pool. Additional improvements (windows, individual showers, etc.) would add renovation costs of an additional $240,514. The total cost projected for all renovations to the poolroom interiors and locker rooms is at least $624,000. Concept drawings were provided by DJR Architecture, Inc.

7:40     Xcel Energy HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINES: Xcel rejects the some of the             Recommendations of the Administrative Law Judge!

Xcel rejected all recommendations from the Law Judge. They asked for exceptions on everything and asked the PUC to not require them to do any of this. The comment period was NOT extended. EPIC, Karen Clark and many community residents wrote to the PUC with comments on the recommendations, and Xcel's request. According to Tim Springer, we have to wait now, and see what the PUC is going to do. Xcel needs to give its "certificate of need." Also, anyone can testify again this spring. Watch for public meetings on this.

8:00   2600-2606 17^th Ave. PROPOSAL FOR APARTMENT of 20 UNITS of  HOMELESS HOUSING by Alliance of the Streets. Issues with Alliance, EPIC’s Response Kris Brogan’s Letter

*EPIC received an email from Met Council staff stating that the Alliance Housing proposal as not recommended for funding by either the MN Housing or LHIA.

8:15   NRP & NCEC Guidelines & NRP Electors: East Phillips Allocation

The new NCEC will apparently be giving us $50,000 per year (based on a formula.) We don't know when this will begin. We do know that the CDGB money we've been using will end at the end of this year. EPIC needs an elector to vote Carol onto the final NRP board that will be phased out. Two individuals MUST attend. The meeting is in two weeks. November 18?

Chiffon Williams is committed.

8:20             Reconfiguring 22nd Street: See diagram. Opinions??  Motion?

General comments at membership meeting were opposing to the proposal. The plan doesn't take into account the impact on East Phillips and other Phillips neighborhoods. One more public meeting is planned before a decision is likely to be made. What does our opinion matter - do we have any power to affect this decision?

8:30    Adjournment

Board Meeting Minutes 11-6

November 6, 2010, 10:00 am

Welna Hardware

Directors Present: Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Jenny Bjorgo, Linda Leonard, Earl Simms, Rosie Cruz

Guests: Brad Pass

10:00             Introduction

·          Approval of Agenda - Aprroved

·      Minutes from EPIC General Membership Meeting 10/11/2010 - Approved

·      Motion Meet as a committee of the whole. Motion passed. (Quorum achieved at 10:45)

10:10    Announcements

·      EPIC General Membership Meeting, November 8th

·      Tentative grand opening of the East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center - Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011

10:15    East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center: Update, Floor Colors, Kitchen Money, Rain             Gardens, final excavation. We need to be alert for vandalism in progress

            Tentative GRAND OPENING - Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 from Noon to 6:00 PM.

Disaster was averted by the Park Board when they realized that everything would be postponed until Spring, unless the parking lot was addressed immediately. Announcements for the grand opening will not be advertised until successful completion is assured. Plans for the grand opening are underway, however. Seeking diversity of local talent to participate in the celebration. Contact Brad to submit suggestions for the program. Still need $30,000 for commercial kitchen range, vent hood, fire suppression and makeup air systems. Final excavation for parking lot and rain garden are going on right now. Plantings will be completed in the Spring. A slightly smaller than "professional" sized soccer field and baseball field are planned, with community supporting this plan. It will take one year to establish the sod for these fields. A tennis court and outdoor half-court basketball will also be retained.

Funds for the kitchen would be available from EPIC's NRP Phase II, however, progress on the process has been stalled due to Xcel power lines and other neighborhood concerns.

10:30   Phillips Community Center: New Floor Plan, Pool Proposal

The four neighborhoods have been collaborating for over a year to save the Phillips Pool & Gym and ensure that the building remains accessible to the neighborhood for local programming. A larger group developed to figure out how to pay for the operations of the facility and programs. This resulted in a partnership, with a Memorandum of Understanding representing the potential tenants, stakeholders and resident organizations that are working together as a group to restore community use of the PCC.

The process over the past year produced a series of floor plans, and multiple groups submitted proposals to the Park Board. The Memorandum and current floor plan was presented to the Park Board on Thurs. Nov. 4, 2010 including (Francisco for PWH, Bob Albee for Wellness Consortium, Running Wolf for Native American Community Clinic; Hannah for Mpls. Swims, Carol for 4 Neighborhoods, Mahamed Cali for Somali American Community.)

Mpls. Swims (Hannah) contracted the money for the feasability study and the resulting report concluded that it would take $250,000 to get to pool in shape to fill it with water and use the pool. Additional improvements (windows, individual showers, etc.) would bring the renovation cost as high as $650,000. Concept drawings were provided by DJR Architecture, Inc.

MOTION EPIC commends Hannah, Brad and Carol for their hard work on saving the Phillips Community Center - Pool. Passed unanimously.

10:45   2600-2606 17^th Ave. PROPOSAL FOR APARTMENT of 20 UNITS of  HOMELESS HOUSING by Alliance             of the Streets. Issues with Alliance

Carol wrote a response to an accusing letter from Kris complaining that EPIC is not dealing fairly with Alliance. Brad, Linda and Jenny will also write responses to Kris' accusation that no one from the neighborhood helped a family that was victimized near the AHI building. Copies of these letters will be sent to the Met Council to provide additional perspective on claims being made by AHI regarding EPIC and this project.

MOTION: EPIC disputes the asserted facts contained in Kris Brogan's email dated Oct 11, 2010; the board authorizes and endorses the board President's response to the email in total, to all appropriate parties; the board encourages the neighbors who were present to participate in clarifying their individual responses to the incident that occurred on 26th and 16/17th Avenue.

11:00   NRP & NCEC Guidelines & NRP Electors: Phillips Allocation

The new NCEC will apparently be giving us $50,000 per year (based on a formula.) We don't know when this will begin. We do know that the CDGB money we've been using will end at the end of this year. EPIC needs an elector to vote Carol onto the final NRP board that will be phased out. Two individuals MUST attend. The meeting is in two weeks.

MOTION: the board authorizes two delegates to attend this election meeting, to be appointed by Carol, and ratified by the board at our next meeting. (MG, CP) approved.

11: 05            Xcel Energy, Legal Ruling

Xcel rejected all recommendations from the Law Judge. They asked for exceptons on everything and asked the PUC to not require them to do any of this. The comment period has been extended. EPIC will begin a campaign to oppose Xcel's rejection of the recommendations.

11: 15             Reconfiguring 22nd Street: See diagram. Motion?

There doesn't seem to be a consensus of opinion regarding this change. EPIC will continue to follow planning and gather input from residents.

11: 32    Adjournment

General Membership Meeting Minutes 10-11

October 11, Monday – 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.,

Holy Rosary Church Board Room, 24^th and 17^th Ave S

Board Members: Mary Gonsior , Jenny Bjorgo, Rosie Cruz, Linda Leonard, Mohamed Cali,  Carol Pass,

Absent Board Members: Earl Simms, Chiffon Williams

Members: Brad Pass, Margaret Kirkpatrick,

6:30    Introduction:

         BP Motion to convene as a 'Committee of the Whole' since we lack a quorum.

            JB Seconded   

·      Greetings and Introductions

·      Approval of Agenda

·      Approval of Minutes from EPIC General Membership Meeting, September 13th

·      JB motion to approve agenda and minutes - approved

6:40    Announcements  &  Reports:

·         Next EPIC Meeting, Monday, November 8th

·         Stop 'n Shop on Lake and 18th Ave: Results of our motion

·      Clean Sweep - GREEN Sweep, Saturday:  Report

·               a great success, will report on details next month

·      Garden Harvest Party – Saturday, October 16th

·               garden cleanup at 2 pm, with party from 5-7 pm.

·      Waiting to hear from Ms. Warmka about meetings for 22th St. & Franklin Ave  Street Design

7:00      Xcel Energy HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINES:  Admin Law Judge's Decision, Updates and             next steps for us

Admin law judge sided with the neighborhoods saying that the transmission lines must go underground. Now the big question is, who pays the cost? News coverage stated that the neighborhoods "didn't like the look of" overhead lines. EPIC needs to work on educating the public regarding the risks involved with overhead power lines. The public utilities commission does not have to agree with the law judge; Phillips must continue the fight to oppose overhead power lines. The benefit area for the new power lines goes all the way west to the lakes. Phillips bears all of the burdens of even underground power lines. Next steps include writing letters to city and local newspapers.

7:20      2600-2606 17^th Ave. Proposal for Apartment of 20 Units by Alliance of the Streets.  2600-2606 17^th               Ave. PROPOSAL FOR APARTMENT of 20 Units of high density housing by Alliance of the Streets. This             does not reflect area zoning. Community Action Plan to carry out EPIC motions. Kris Brogan’s letter.

KB sent EPIC an angry letter claiming that EPIC was not willing to work with Alliance and opposing their proposal for 20-unit apartment housing. In actuality, Alliance went forward with negotiations for exclusive development rights, planned the building and design, all without any invitation to EPIC for input or partnership. CP will respond to the letter and explain that EPIC is asserting its right to have input on development in our neighborhood.

7:35             East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center: Update. What's happening now?? EPCCD            report on future scheduling.

Moving forward with inside of building, some problems are being addressed related to lighting/wiring, and a missing boiler. Possible asbestos in parking lot and rain garden areas is being reviewed; samples were drawn last week. We have grants to clean up asbestos in these areas. Goal is to complete the parking lot before the asphalt plants shut down for the winter. A delay would result in postponing the opening until spring.

7:45    Phillips Community Center: Updates, and Actions, the Pool: a report on the feasibility study to determine                 cost to restore the pool for $1500.00.

Nothing has changed since last month. We are proceeding with the results of the study. Three neighborhoods and Mpls Swims has each contributed $1,500 to fund the study ($6,000 total.)

8:00    Future Funding for Neighborhoods: Allocations and Process for NCEC,  MOTION  re: competitive            grants?? How will we fare??

CP is on the NRP policy board and EPIC needs to select an elector for this last year of NRP. NRP ends in 2011. EPIC must complete the review of Phase I, participation agreement, and Phase II Plan and allocation - this must be completed in the next two months so it can be submitted before NRP "sunsets."

Our funding under NCEC has gone from $1M to $50,000.

           

8:15    Crime Concerns:   Write down problem Addresses and what is going on. We will submit list to the police.             Bloomington Patrol is up and running again.

2441 16th Ave.; There was a dumpster and people were removing siding on Sat. 10/9/10.

2520 17th Ave.; Juveniles out all night; Juv. & young adults stealing cars, bikes; graffiti, vandalism; going on all summer; parents seem to leave for several days at a time, leaving juveniles home alone.

8:30    Adjournment

General Membership Minutes 09 - 13

  September 13th, Monday – 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.,

   Holy Rosary Church Board Room, 24^th and 17^th Ave S

Attendance: Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Tim Chancey, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Carol Pass, Tim Springer, Earl Simms, Brad Pass, Al Johnson,

Guests:  Bev Warmka, Joseph Spangler, Shirley Heyer

6:30    Introduction:

·      Greetings and Introductions

·      Approval of Agenda (passed)

·      Approval of Minutes from EPIC General Membership Meeting, August 9th (passed)

6:40    Announcements

·      Next EPIC Meeting, Monday, October 11, 2010

·      NCEC Informational Meetings-Thursday, September 30, 6-8 pm North Commons Park

·      CP missed the meeting this past Thursday, but will attend the meeting on 9/30.

·      Clean Sweep – Saturday, October 9th…Plan to CLEAN YOUR BLOCK. Starts with a free breakfast at 9 AM at Welna's Ace Hardware on Bloomington Ave. Steward Park hosts a free lunch at Noon. There will be entertainment until about 2 PM.

·      Garden Harvest Party – Probable Date, Saturday, October 16th, 2400 block of 17th Avenue. Watch for more information next month.

·      Crime Meeting at the Franklin Safety Center on Wednesday, Sept.  at 5:30 PM.

7:00      Presentation of City Plan for 22nd St. & Franklin Ave. Improvements. Beverly Warmka, from CPED

Handout and map were distributed. This project has been in the works for many years, started through a CPED grant application, prior to the  light-rail development. This plan affects Franklin Avenue, and pedestrian walk-ways (Bloomington to 21st Ave.) Seeking community feedback for setting priorities. Seeking neighborhood volunteers to sit on a panel and figure this out in a few quick meetings. Finally at a point where building can begin, but there is not enough money to do everything. All enhancements would be strictly related to pedestrian areas only (the County plans to resurface the street at some point.) CPED is working with Seward Redesign on coordinating plans for 22nd Street. Shirley of Midtown talked about the needs of two neighborhoods on the west side of Hiawatha who also need to have pedestrian access to the light rail station. There have been two applications to Great Streets funding for proposals which have been denied in the past four years, and there will be others. CPED has a $3.2M budget, that can get a project started. They are "starting" by enhancing the pedestrian ways along Franklin.

7:20      2600-2606 17^th Ave. Proposal for Apartment of 20 Units of Homeless Housing by Alliance of the             Streets.  Carol Pass

The neighborhood has worked very hard to get this zoning which residents wanted. EPIC doesn't want to set precedents for allowing variants against the current zoning. We want a quiet inner space in our neighborhood, and we don't want to lose this. We resolved to have this project moved to an appropriately zoned area at our June meeting. In this particular plan, there will be no front or side yards for people to hang out and little parking. This area is zoned residential family housing (R2B). People have recently bought homes right nearby, believing that City zoning would maintain the character of the neighborhood. 

Joseph Spangler discussed the work that CP and EPIC have done on this since the last GMM. CP worked hard and wrote a great letter, asking City CM to pull this project from consideration. Joseph predicts that the neighborhoods will have to continue to work hard and communicate frequently that we need the City to listen to our needs and honor/support our neighborhood zoning decisions that were made in the past. It is very hard to get the City to listen to us. There are places two blocks away from this site that are zoned for this type of project. EPIC has no problem with placing this project in an area that is already zoned for the purpose. EPIC is not opposed to providing housing for the homeless; we know there is a need. We want it moved to the corridor that is zoned properly.

 7:35            Stop 'n Shop Gas Station on Lake and 18th Ave.: Joseph Spangler; Should it stay open all night?? Decision by the             City is coming on the 20th of September.

1700 E. Lake St Gas Station was established in 1997. This site has all of the problems that any gas station would have (noise, traffic, etc.) but it is located within a designated Transit Station Area for the light rail station, within the half-mile radius. In 2005, the City created an overlay zone called a Pedestrian Overlay District. While the original zoning permitted all these uses, the POD area prohibits automobile convenience facilities and car washes. Because the gas station was "grandfathered" in, the nonconforming use of this property is legal. However, any expansion of noncornforming use is NOT legal. The gas station owners have submitted a proposal requesting re-zoning of their property. Current hours are Sun-Thurs. 6 am - 10 pm, Fri - Sat 6 pm 12:00 am, Sun. 6:00 am - 11 pm.

MOTION  (MG, ES) passed

EPIC opposes the proposed expansion of nonconforming use by Stop N Shop at 1700 E. Lake St. Whereas the proposed expansion uses are not in conformance with the current zoning for the property, and does not conform to the Cities policies for transit oriented development along this section of Lake Street, nor does it conform to the Pedestrian Overlay District reaffirmed by the City in early 2010. In addition, in an effort to minimize the negative impact of the current legal nonconforming use, EPIC recommends the following modifications of the current use [as outlined in the suggested remediations document.]

7:50     East Phillips Park Center:   Brad Pass, Update, $50,000.00 for kitchen requires NRP Phase II completion

The building is now closed. Report any vandalism or trespassing inside the fence after business hours (about 3:30 pm.) Call 911 and direct Police. Plans are coming along great, and the site is expected to be open by the beginning of next year. Still seeking $50,000 for the kitchen.

8:00    Phillips Community Center: Brad Pass, Update, A waiting game. Effort to save and restore the pool, Pillsbury-Waite House & Neighborhood Proposals.

On the corner of 11th Avenue and 24th Street. There is now a mold problem, due to water on the floors that seem to be coming from the new roof which must be leaking. The community wants to save the pool - 100%.

           

MOTION (MG, TC) Passed

EPIC joins the other Neighborhoods to fund a feasibility study to determine the cost to restore the pool for $1,500.00.*

*The board recommended $1,000, however, the "share" for EPIC increased to $1,500 since the board meeting.

8:10     Narrowing 28th St. at the Greenway crossing:  Tim Springer,

The City of Minneapolis is proposing changes to the way the Greenway crosses over 28th St. just west of Hiawatha. There have been a number of accidents to bicyclists crossing 28th St, because of the "double threat" caused by two lanes of traffic going in both directions on 28th St. The proposal would "cross-hatch" the outside lane on both sides of 28th St. before and after the bicycle crossing. Neighborhood says that 29th Street is a nightmare during rush hour with traffic backed up to 14th Ave.

MOTION (BP, AJ) Passed

In order to solve the crossing problem of the Greenway at 28th Street, EPIC proposes stop lights at the intersection of the Greenway and E. 28th Street; green for automobile traffic, and red for bicyclists, push-button activated.

MOTION (MK, MG) Passed

Until we get stoplights, EPIC will support the City's temporary solution to provide a cross-hatching to prohibit automobile traffic on the outside lanes of 28th Street in an effort to make the crossing safer for bicyclists. In addition to simple cross-hatching on the street, we require floppy bollards as a vertical barrier.

8:20   Xcel Energy High Voltage Transmission Lines:  Tim Springer, Update

The formal hearings with neighborhoods, Xcel and the Administrative Law Judge are over. The ALJ is scheduled to release her recommendation, which is only advisory to the PUC in October. There may be an opportunity for public input before the PUC makes its decision.

8:30    Future Funding for Neighborhoods: Basis for Allocations and Process for NCEC is asking us: What do we             want from the new City Commission Decision-making Body for Neighborhoods? We need to let folks know.

8:45     Crime Concerns:   Write down problem Addresses and what is going on. We will submit list to the police.             Bloomington Patrol is up and running again.

There was a raid at 2602 17th Avenue - communicate concerns to Police.

9:00    Adjournment