Board Meeting Minutes 01-05

January 4th, 2013, Saturday, 10:00 am

East Phillips Park Center

EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html

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

Present (board): Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Chiffon Williams, Linda Leonard, Earl Simms

Not Present (board): Rosie Cruz, JoseLuis Villasenor, Jenny Bjorgo

Members: Brad Pass,

10:15             Introduction:

·     Meet as a committee of the whole.

·     Approval of Agenda – with addition of “Selecting Projects for Collaboration” – Passed.

·     Approval of minutes from 12/1/12 board meeting - Passed

10:25    Announcements: 

·      EPIC Membership Meeting:  Thursday, January 10th, 6:30 PM, the East Phillips Park Center,

·      Park Board Public Hearing on the disposition of the former Waite House Property will be held on Jan. 16, 6:30 pm at MPRB HQ, 2117 W. River Rd. Minneapolis.

·      Public hearing for 24-hour operation of Ultra Wash Laundry, Monday, Jan. 28, 1:30 pm City Hall Rm 317.

10:35            Selecting Projects for Collaboration

Last month the board discussed EPIC’s Collaborative Funding Agreements. We still need to clarify what “need” means in Article #4. Suggestions:

·      The organization provides the types of services that meet the needs of East Phillips residents, and

·      The organization lacks the current capacity to expand their services and programming to include residents in East Phillips.

·      The board and the organization is committed to a balanced approach to providing resources to the diverse residents of East Phillips.

10:40            Motion: Quorum achieved: Ratify the actions of the committee of the whole. (LL, ES) Passed.

10:45            Steve Struthers resignation

Motion: Accept Steve Struthers resignation. (MG, LL) Passed.

10:57            Swimming Pool Update and response to questions.

Brad and Carol spent two days at meetings working on the pool issues, and attended a Park meeting two weeks ago. By the end of December there was capital funding for the Base Option (page 2, Phillips Aquatics Center Pool Expansion; paid in large part by EPIC.)

This plan is a “business plan” which shows that this plan is sustainable over time. The document was just published, in large part through funding via EPIC. Brad gave an overview of the publication, page by page.

BASE OPTION: We currently have funds to do this option.$2.25M; Anticipated Net Income would be $41,266

OPTION 1: Knock out the wall and add 2 lanes to the main pool, expand the teaching pool, and more.Cost: $5.1M; Anticipated Net Income would be $92,200

  

OPTION 2: Knock out the wall and add 2 lanes to the main pool, add a deep water pool, expand the teaching pool and more. $7.5M; Anticipated Net Income would be $108,200

The anticipated net income is based on operating the pools as a business, and is a conservative estimate.

MOTION: Add EPIC’s logo to the publication. (MG, LL) Passed.

MOTION: The EPIC board supports the pool concept plans and would highly recommend raising adequate money to go all the way to Option 2. EPIC requests that the Park Board extend the deadline for fundraising to facilitate raising funds to achieve Option 2. (LL, MG) Passed.

11:15            Ultra Wash Laundry Hours

CP would like to connect with residents at Corridor Flats to find out if they object.

11:20            Housing Brochure and plans to spread the word.

Brochure is not done – still waiting for contact information from Doug Wise. The layout has been approved.

First Come – First Served

How to make the process fair? Carol will obtain the application so it can be distributed when flyering. EPIC will schedule Q&A sessions in various languages. Carol will contact CEE and ask if they want to do the Q&A, or if they can equip us to do it ourselves. Develop a list of steps to ensure successful application.

Questions:

1. Is there a processing fee for applicants that don’t actually qualify?

2. How do you “get in line”.

11:30            Greenway Heights Apartments – What do you want us to change?

Carol invited Dean Dovolis to provide some photos to give to the developer to inspire a more beautiful exterior to the building design.

11:40            Crime (Public Safety) Concerns: Impact Statements and Warrant Sheets, Do we want to invest in             cameras?

The “warrant list” comes out monthly now, and the people on the list are “fleeing arrest.” If you see any of these people, you are to call 911, tell police that you saw them and ask them to come pick them up.

Police are seeking community impact statements for Terrence Charles Brown, going to court on 1/14/13.Charge is aggravated robbery first degree, felony. Anyone can write these.

We need to find out if Ventura Village is going to invest in a crime camera for the Phillips neighborhood. They have tentatively set aside $15,000 for a camera. Hope Academy has put up $5,000. Should EPIC put up $15,000?

11:45            City Grievance Policy Issues and ADA compliance:

The city developed proposed changes to the CPP grievance policy that only addresses instances of grievance against neighbohoods, and says nothing about grievances against NCR, or downtown.

MOTION: EPIC insists that NCR and NCEC add to the proposed changes to the CPP grievance policy, wording that addresses grievances by contracted neighborhood organizations against NCR, NCR staff, and the NCEC Commission. (LL, CW) Passed.

EPIC has no problems with building/meeting accessibility; however, we do have problems with language barriers, which is why Linda has been researching simultaneous translation equipment.

11:55            Waite House Property Sale

The Park Board will make the final decision as to who will be chosen to purchase the building. Midtown recommended selling the building to Banyon. Proposals under consideration:

·      Banyon presented a plan to purchase the building, and they have money set aside to demolish and rebuild, resulting in a $7M building.

·      Heart of the Beast presented a plan to use the building “as is”. They want to rent with the option to buy (with a large deposit) for 2 years while they raise funds to renovate the building.

12:05            Basketball funding request

A request has come to fund rental of the EPPCCC gym for a neighborhood outreach basketball session today, from 2 – 6 pm. This was organized over the weekend.

MOTION: EPIC will provide $85 to cover the cost of EPIC Outreach Basketball in January, 2013. (ES, CW) Passed.

12:10            Adjournment

General Membership Meeting Minutes 12-13

December 13th, 2012, 6:30 p.m. – 8:45 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

Board Members Present: Carol Pass, Mary Gonsior, Jenny Bjorgo, Earl Simms, Chiffon Williams, Rosie Cruz,

Board Members Not Present: Steve Struthers, Rosie Cruz, JoseLuis Villasenor                                          
EPIC Members: Brad Pass, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Troy Benjederdes, Jessie Leader & Mahdi Sultan (townhome residents),

Guests: Sgt. Dave Pleuger, Lt. Mike Taylor, Janessa Bjorgo, Doug Wise

6:45            Introductions:

·       Greetings and Introductions

·       Meeting as a committee of the whole MOTION – (BP, JB) passed.

·       Approval of Agenda (MK, BP) MOTION – Passed with added addition and possible addition of Minneapolis Energy Options Campaign, time permitting.

6:55 Chiffon arrived, and a quorum was achieved.

·       Approval of Minutes from EPIC 11/8/12 General Membership Meeting MOTION – (JB, ES) passed.

o   Addition: 7:45 Note: accuracy of this list is pending.

6:55            Announcements:

·       La Natividad, Dec. 13 -16, 20 – 22, 6:30 pm at Heart of the Beast, 1500 East Lake Street.

·       Banyan Foundation received the recommendation from Midtown Phillips to purchase the Waite House property. Now the decision is up to the Park Board. Public Hearings in very early January

·       (Added) Greenway Heights

7:00            Crime Concerns: Officer Taylor,  Q & A, Seeking Solutions together, Cameras? Patrols? More             supervised programs for Kids?

We have been wanting to have a crime conversation for a long time, but our monthly meetings are so full already. When we have a big issue, we have a large meeting. Right now we have a big issue with crime in the neighborhood, but it is also Christmas…We are quite aware that we have a lot of burglaries, robberies, assaults, etc. We used to work much more closely with Police and for 3 years we ran an early morning Bloomington Avenue Citizen Patrol. When we got a camera, we quit the patrol, as we were exhausted. There have been a rash of broken car windows, smashed in front doors at the townhomes. We are making an effort to connect with Police, people have questions. We don’t want to tell you all the local tragedies tonight because while this is therapeutic, it doesn’t get things done. We want to know what we can do, and make a plan. Examples; should we do patrols, should we get cameras, etc.?

See handwritten notes. To summarize:

1. Cameras can be effective, do research – they’re are expensive. Who will finance? Who will maintain & monitor?

2. Get to know your neighbors, who belongs, who is a stranger; form a phone tree; look out the window; report suspicious behavior. Give accurate descriptions: age, clothes, suspicious behavior.

3. Get to know Don Greeley; form a block club. Post No Trespassing signs. Learn “prevention” tips.

4. Creative ways to communicate Security Tips, Reporting Crime, etc. (such as video).

5. Keep calling 911. That is how burglars are caught.

6. Alarm systems can be effective.

To do: Consider joining with Ventura Village to raise money to pay for a Police Camera for Phillips.

7:35        Housing:  Doug Wise- EPIC/NRP Phase II Housing Programs to roll out in January to meet a spring time availability. Marketing our programs, Ideas for the greatest equity? See Brochure.

Suggestions:

1. Replace details on inside for EPIC Foreclosure Prevention Program. Instead, add a blurb to the effect, if you are behind on your mortgage, contact…etc.

2. Eliminate table on back “Income Limits”, this is too important and should be moved to the inside.

3. Add 2 or more additional family size/income listings; add an asterisk: households larger etc. see website.

4. Remove all underlines; don’t abbreviate “info.”

5. Re-word the “first come, first served”.

Who are the contact people for the programs? Calling CEE – they can answer questions, but can’t support/help with the process. This is important in light of our purpose/goal of achieving maximum fairness, maximum diversity, and maximum

·       To be fair, there has to be door-to-door distribution, with language translations – especially Spanish.

·       We have to get this in the Alley; we have to get this online and emailed.

MOTION – (TB, RC) Allow the Exec. Committee make final decisions on the brochure.

MOTION – Passed previously approved agenda.

7:50            Partnership of Diabetics (A-POD program): Future of the program and the Latino Outreach.

            Helping to pay for machines for interpreters streaming translation.

8:10              EPIC Anti-Pollution Effort:

Abbott Hospital claims to be going to a more pollution free system but it may actually just be different pollution. EPIC is working on learning more about the Abbott plans/proposals.

            

MOTION – Board Recommended Motion EPIC commits the organization to a major effort to remove Bituminous Roadways and Smith Foundry from the city. Passed.

Possible addition (5 minutes): Minneapolis Energy Options Campaign and ask for endorsement.

Energy.org for more information.

The city of Minneapolis has a Franchise Agreement with Xcel Energy – expires in 2013. CenterPoint Energy’s Franchise Agreement expires in 2014.

There is a coalition of people asking neighborhood organizations to support an effort to add a ballot item to “municipalize” our power. Someone who lives in the city should have the right to local control, local input, and accountability to local residents. The goal of this group is to give Minneapolis residents negotiating power.

Boulder, CO has already done this; they are in court with Xcel to figure out what the electric grill is worth. They were in the same position – renew the franchise, or “re-do” things with Xcel (more renewable energy, less pollution, more solar panels, smart grid, etc.)

Question raised: Can EPIC endorse this group? Instructed to bring this to the board for a look...Need more information.

EPPCCC December Party for Kids

This Saturday, all the kids in the neighborhood will gather to celebrate Christmas. 9 am-1 pm. East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center. There will be music, food, piñatas and gifts for small children. All neighborhood kids are welcome!

8:48            Adjournment

Board Meeting Minutes 12-01

December 1st, 2012, Saturday, 10:00 am

East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center

EPIC web address: http://www.eastphillips-epic.com/index.html

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

Present (board): Carol Pass, Linda Leonard, Mary Gonsior, Steve Struthers, Chiffon Williams

Not Present (board): Earl Simms, Rosie Cruz, Jennie Bjorgo, JoseLuis Villasenor

Members: Brad Pass, Cynthia Aguirre, Jessie Leader

10:00         Introduction:

·     Approval of Agenda – approved.

·     Approval of Minutes from 11/3/12 EPIC Board Meeting – approved. (LL, CW)

Motion: Meeting as a committee of the whole (LL, CP) passed.

10:10         Announcements: 

·      EPIC Membership Meeting:  Thursday, Nov. 8th, 6:30 PM, the East Phillips Park Center,

·      Alley Annual Meeting was Amazing

10:30         Escalation of Crime: Town Home concerns, cameras? Patrols? Ideas? At the Townhomes:

A resident was confronted by a burglar carrying a machete; two recent break ins, both front and back; police arrived quickly to see suspect escaping from 3^rd floor window; did not catch the suspect. Thanksgiving morning, 5:30 am, a car alarm in the neighborhood went off; 6:30 and 6:45 gunshots went off.

Residents have reached out to CLC Land Trust who is working on their behalf; working with Don Greeley to get no trespassing signs, and he indicated that there is no funding for cameras, and he said they are not a good deterrent. Some residents plan to meet with Don to look at town home lighting. Some residents want to partner with EPIC to make a difference in the neighborhood, and find solutions to these problems.

EPIC has invited Don Greeley to attend this Thursday’s meeting.

Suggest: Community wide “focused solutions to crime” meeting and everyone attend. Invite people who are using cameras to make representations. Police to explain what kind of evidence is needed from cameras. Phone trees with neighbors, how that can help. How to report descriptions of suspects. How to report crimes to 9-1-1. Security company presentation on role of security protection/patrols. Handouts with instructions and emergency instructions. How to avoid being a victim of crime. What does a camera system cost? How can neighbors get together to create a plan for monitoring crime around their homes?

Town homes association: Have motions ready to go so that the group can make some decisions; raise funds for purchasing and installing cameras. Will take a team of residents to put together a plan.

11:55      Greenway Heights Apartments: Design issues.

Contact developer and ask to participate in design discussions.

11:15          Housing Rehab Program: Marketing ideas? Brochure ideas? Meeting next week?

We need to prepare these materials so that all the notifications can be completed by the time of EPICs annual meeting. Target January launch, draft brochure for Dec. 13, advertising to the Alley, StarTribune, flyer distribution, and press releases.

11:20          Moving ahead with A-POD:

CP distributed Criteria for EPIC’s Collaborative Funding Agreements. A number of agreements have been turned back because criteria for RFPs have not been meeting the necessary criteria.

Added #8: Collaborative Funding Agreements should reflect the ethnic diversity that is represented by EPIC constituents.

Clarify #4:  what is meant by “need”?

11:45            Issues with GMM Oct.18th of EPIC:

Board agreements, duties and responsibilities were distributed.

12:00            Interpreting Equipment:

LL obtained pricing on simultaneous translation equipment to facilitate translation/interpretation at annual meetings and events. We will assess purchasing this equipment for interpretation during meetings.

12:15            Truck Traffic, 28^th & Cedar, 2830 Cedar concerns, plans to go ahead with EPIC’s commitment to Remove polluting industries from East Phillips: Plans?

We are trying to initiate a process to get the polluting businesses out of the neighborhood. Cedar Avenue and Hiawatha Avenue are both a county road and doesn’t belong to the city, therefore, there is not much the city can do to calm traffic. We will have to work with the County.

12:25            Waite House Disposition Update:

The Midtown process has shown no greater diversity than reported in November. Midtown has recommended that the Banyan proposal be accepted. The final decision will be voted on at their Dec. 11 meeting. 

12:40            Future of EPIC:

The need for an office for EPIC (tabled.)

EPIC will purchase a beautiful binder to hold our Bylaws and other corporate documents, and this binder will be available at GMM meetings so that constituents can become familiar with EPIC’s operational policies and requirements.

12:45            Adjournment