October 18, 2004
MINUTES
Present: Sean Wherley, Arthur Knowles, Wayne Anderson, Melinda Ludwiczak, Sam Zordich, Lisa Rudy
Absent: Barb Chung, Natalie Lenz, Rolf Johnson, Niki Valens,
Also Present: Sarah Linnes-Robinson, KFNA NRP Coordinator; Roy Woodstrom, Hosmer Library
The September and August NRP meeting minutes were accepted as drafted.
Roy Woodstrom from Hosmer Library attended the meeting again and provided the group with a written request for Social Service Grant funding. He talked at length about the type of monthly programming that the funds will support. Knowles moved that a grant for $5000 be provided to Hosmer for cultural and community programming through August 2005. Zordich seconded. Ludwiczak offered an amendment to the motion that the library communicate monthly program information to KFNA via email with as long of a lead-time as possible, and that all programming should specify KFNA sponsorship. This amendment was accepted. All voted in favor of the motion and the amendment, except for Ludwiczak who declared a conflict of interest and abstained from voting.
Linnes-Robinson updated the group on the pending Theisen Vending purchase agreement, which is at this point confidential.
The successful completion of the Nicollet Avenue lighting petition seems possible. Since the last meeting Wherley secured the signature of the Werness Funeral Home, and the Morman Church and Mulroy’s Body Shop indicated they would support the project. A letter personally directed to all property owners that had not yet signed has yielded great results in returned petitions. Staff is working to secure all necessary signatures by the end of the month. Foran has committed to staying on to see through this project.
Linnes-Robinson told the group she has been talking with Ralph Seivert, the head of the forestry department of MPLS Park and Rec. Seivert had put Kingfield next on the tree inventory list and the crew was supposed to have started the week before. KFNA Staff’s understanding was that they were inventorying all the boulevard trees in the neighborhood, which will show them the holes where they need to plant trees in the future. Staff was very clear with Seivert in the information she was looking for, specifically based upon the inventory and next years budget, how many trees would the Park Board plant in Kingfield. Linnes-Robinson requested to review the inventory and discuss this answer with Seivert so the committee then could decide how many additional trees it will want to provide in 2005. Trees for the project should cost about $90 each.
A summary of Phase II housing options (NRP ‘pools’) was distributed by Wherley. The options, benefits and drawbacks of these pools were discussed. Most people present felt they needed more information on the programs, which Wherley said was available. Linnes-Robinson cautioned that although some of the programs seemed like they could help the group from having to reinvent programs (such as one directed to rental property rehabilitation), others seemed identical to what the neighborhood was already doing (the Emergency Home Repair Program) where we already hire an agency to administer the program for us. Additionally, she warned, just putting the money into something like a revolving loan pool does not guarantee that the details of the program (percentage rate, amount of the loan, types of projects, etc.) will make it desirable to the community. This has been the hurdle in establishing home repair programs according to Linnes-Robinson, not the administration of them, but creating them to fit the goals of the NRP Plan and yet be a good deal/worth the hassle for neighbors to use. Linnes-Robinson thought she had an electronic version of the housing programs proposed. If so, she will get this out to all committee members.
Linnes-Robinson had not yet researched the maintenance contracts for any City Art bus shelters.
Sean again asked for a representative to vote at the NRP Policy Board election on Nov. 18th, 2004. Rolf Johnson had agreed to attend and Arthur was willing to be the alternate.
Some neighbors are working on the permanent removal of the SAFE officer from the teams in the 5th precinct. Kingfield has not been active on this issue and Staff has not felt there has been a great benefit from SAFE over the past few years. Due to the reduction of position and the direct communication they were to provide, however, being present at the 5th Precinct advisory committee meetings may be more important. Zordich and Rudy said they might be interested. Linnes-Robinson said she will get them the info again.
The meeting was adjourned.
Minutes prepared by Sarah Linnes-Robinson, 11/3/04.