Meeting Minutes
January 5, 2005
MLK Park
7:00pm
Attendance: Steven Brandt, Peter Hallstrom, Mark Hinds, Steve Jevning, David Motzenbecker, Kathleen Varner, Dan Mandle
KFNA Staff: Joanna S. Hallstrom, NRP Project Organizer; Sarah Linnes-Robinson, KFNA Executive Director
Introductions: Steven Jevning invited Dan Mandle to represent the Bancroft Neighborhood, which is part of the RiverLake Greenway project.
Approve Minutes: December minutes were approved and will be posted on the KFNA web site.
1. Partnership committee recruitment: KFNA and BNO can each appoint 5 neighborhood representatives to serve on KBP. KFNA appointed Steve Brandt, Peter Hallstrom, Mark Hinds and David Motzenbecker; one slot remains. BNO appointed Dennis Tifft and Kathleen Varner; three slots remain. Steve Jevning was appointed to be one of two representatives from the RiverLake Greenway Committee. All names appointed for membership on KBP will be submitted to the KFNA and BNO boards for approval.
The group discussed names of other neighborhood residents that may be interested in joining KBP. Jevning suggested sending out a posting on the KFNA and BNO email list to try to recruit a few more members. Linnes-Robinson suggested making it clear that KBP meetings are open and that any resident is welcome to participate, even if they are not a “memberâ€.
Hinds requested that the group follow up with the specific individuals that were mentioned. Jevning commented that KBP should diversify membership and make an effort to recruit senior and African American representatives. Hinds also reviewed the skill set that KBP is looking for in its membership: fundraising, communications, networking, and community organizing.
2. Discussion of draft Request for Qualifications:
Motzenbecker drafted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The group took time to review each section, ask questions and offer feedback. When the RFQ is finalized, an abstract of it will be posted on www.kingfield.org with a link to view, download and print the entire document.
Motzenbecker noted that a digital aerial photo will need to be posted on the Kingfield web site as well as line drawing/plat map for designers to review. Linnes-Robinson will check to make sure the KFNA server has enough space for the aerial photo. Motzenbecker thought it may take up to 40 MB
Digital aerial photos of Minneapolis were done in 2004 and there is a significant cost to access a photo. Brandt asked if KFNA already had any photos of the bridge. Motzenbecker took some last year for this project. The group decided to first try to attain funding / access to the aerial photo through county and city officials that support the bridge project.
Within the RFQ, Brandt suggested including photos of other Minneapolis bridges as examples. Hinds thought it would be good to include a list of links to other cultural institutions in the area. Linnes-Robinson commented that it would be helpful to include the history of the freeway construction and the damage caused to Minneapolis neighborhoods. Brandt has an article form 1992 that may be helpful in supporting this history and will try to retrieve it from the Star Trib. archives.
P. Hallstrom asked if a link to the KFNA Development Guidelines and Minneapolis development guidelines would be beneficial. Since the KFNA Development Guidelines can be accessed from the KFNA website the group didn’t feel a need to include them in the RFQ.
In the RFQ Statement of Intent, it is important to Hinds to include a question about how a designer’s project benefits the community. Brandt wanted to expand this question to include the designer’s experience with community participation / input on a project. Jevning suggested that the question be worded to identify project “partners†and their role in the design process as well as the designer’s method of approaching a project.
Motzenbecker will revise the RFQ. It was decided that design applications will not be needed until the second phase of this project.
3. Review of initial research on potential funders:
P Hallstrom presented his research on the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Public Library capital campaign fundraising. He was able to attain a list of donors by name and level of donation. Hallstrom noted that the Kresge Foundation funded both organizations in the form of challenge grants. Hallstrom was not able to find donor information about the Guthrie through his Internet research; he will inquire by phone. Hallstrom also offered to put together a spreadsheet of corporate grant makers that have given to similar building project for KBP use.
Varner researched the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The Children’s Theater Company and also the Minneapolis Public Library. Varner recorded the common grant makers for each project. Included in her list are: 3M, American Express, G.M., Target and the US Bank Corp. Varner will give her list to P. Hallstrom to be included in the spreadsheet.
Regarding developing individual donors for the project Brandt stated that KBP should identify and approach people who grew up in the two neighborhoods and / or who have historical connections to the community.
Linnes-Robinson suggested contacting individuals involved with the Bryant Village Initiative and Sharon Sales-Belton, former Minneapolis Mayor, who supported the initiative. The group brainstormed a list of other possible individual donors. Hinds also suggested approaching elected City officials for possible contacts.
Jevning commented that KBP needs to start collecting stories about the bridge that appeal to individuals, communities and corporations to use in our fundraising efforts. He also reminded the group that growing an individual donor base reinforces the project and help nurture support form corporate donors.
Hinds wants the group to investigate the fundraising efforts behind the Harriet Band Shell, The Minnesota Science Museum and any other like organizations that have just undergone capital campaigns. Kathleen agreed to look research the Minnesota Science Museum
The group wanted to know if donors can write checks to KBP and if donations will be tax deductible. J. Hallstrom will check into this.
4. Discussion of Timeline:
Hinds passed out a project timeline for the group to review.
Before the RFQ process is moved forward it was decided that a budget will need to be created for phase one of the project.
The dates for posting the RFQ are also on hold until after the city / county meeting.
Hinds will be writing an article about the bridge project for the March 05 edition of the KFNA newsletter. After KBP has received community input and the RFQ has been released KBP will create a press release for the Southwest Journal etc. The group brainstormed story ideas to pitch to the Star Tribune.
Jevning and Brandt offered to coordinate the dates, times and location of the upcoming community meetings. It was decided hold the meetings in mid March.
Next steps:
* Organize KBP’s small donor plan; to be in place before the public meetings are held.
* Work on the “Common Grant Application†in order to prepare corporate grant applications.
Task List:
* Follow up with individuals suggested for KBP membership –
* Post invitation for general community participation in KBP –
* Revise RFQ – Motzenbecker
* Check server space – Linnes-Robinson
* Create grant maker spreadsheet – P. Hallstrom
* Capital Campaign donor research – P. Hallstrom and Varner
* Check on process for KBP to receive tax deductible donations – J. Hallstrom
* Set up public meeting dates and location for mid March- Brandt and Jevning
Other:
* Motzenbecker presented three KBP logos. The group took time to look them over and give feedback about the design concept. Motzenbecker will continue to work on the design and present it again at the next meeting.
* The RiverLake Greenway Run and Fun idea was discussed. Hinds suggested a parade instead of a run to include a wider variety of residents and to get more publicity, noting that this is an election year. The group would like the parade to be in conjunction with the Kingfield Festival to build momentum from both events for the project. The group is still formulating the parade theme etc. The concepts included a bike parade, an alternative transportation parade, some sort of contest for participants, and a way to involve groups of people. The group definitely wants the parade to end at King Park in order to join the KFNA summer festival. There are also permits and traffic control issues to investigate.
Meeting adjourned at 9:15pm
Minutes prepared by Joanna S. Hallstrom, NRP Project Organizer – KFNA