Minutes from Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA)
Community Meeting
January 10, 2011
ANA OFFICE @ GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS CHURCH

Attendance: N Baker, C Baugh, M Brown (Past President), L Freeman (Interim Treasurer), C McCleary (Secretary), C Pederson (President), , C Sandwick (Housing Chair), Robin Sauwerwin (Office Manager), vacant position #1, vacant position #2

Public Participants: as indicated on sign-in

1. Call to Order / Welcome / Introductions 7:12pm

2. Review of Meeting Agenda, the following items were added to the agenda
a. ADDED to New Business
i. None added
b. Motion to Accept the Agenda
i. Moved by: Nic Baker
ii. 2nd by: Cindy McCleary
iii. Approved by all

3. Review of Meeting Minutes
a. Motion to Accept Minutes: November 1, 2010 Community Meeting
i. moved by: McCleary
ii. 2nd by: Sandwick
iii. Approved by: All

4. Officer and Committee Reports
a. President’s Report:
i. ANA is up to date with NRP fund reimbursements
ii. IRS requests for information have been responded to regarding a missing tax return.
1. Community recommended Mark Fox be asked if he recalls anything specifically, highly involved board member at that time.
2. President was Ginger Deroseur, she may be helpful in filling in historical gaps, if needed.

b. Secretary Report:
i. NRP fund reimbursements have been completed
1. Funds support Wing Ding, loan programs, staffing and operating costs (mail, phone, postage, newsletter, website).
ii. Hazels and Recovery Bike Shop have opened business since the last community meeting.
iii. Open positions will be noted elsewhere in the agenda.
iv. Question regarding the Pop Loan Payout. The board did accept a payoff plan on this loan upon the close of the business.

c. Treasures’ Report :
i. NO report.

d. Housing Committee:
i. No report

e. Communications Committee:
i. Finalizing community welcome package for new residents.

f. Land Use / Park Committee:
i. ANA will be offering residents discounted on –site storm water management design and installation services for up to 15 properties in Audubon.
ii. 3rd Annual Spring Wing Ding will be upcoming April 3rd 2010.

g. Commercial Loan Program:
i. We are working on better describing the loan programs. They will be highlighted in the newsletter.

5. New Business:
a. Christine. National Marrow Donor program
i. Located in adjacent neighborhood, 500 employees located off of Industrial Parkway.
ii. They manage the national registry of marrow patients to help patients find the marrow they need to survive.
iii. Christine is a survivor of leukemia and a bone marrow transplant.
iv. This is a reach-out effort to seek to continue to grow the registry, especially for ethnic minority groups. 75% of the donor group is Caucasian, however, a greater percentage need of donors is required to assist the other ethnic groups.
v. Requested consideration for community to host a bone-marrow drive.
vi. Fliers were provided for information.
b. Brent from Recovery Bike Shop:
i. Opened shop this month. Are still in the process of get the shop organized.
ii. They are glad to be a local business and extend an offer to
iii. They sell primarily refurbished bikes and repair / refurbish.
1. Have received their first shipments of accessories,
2. Will carry a few lines of new bikes in the spring.
3. They do see consignment bikes
iv. They provide a volunteer training for people in the process of recovery, in which they receive a free bike for transportation in exchange for their volunteer work.
c. Craig Cruise, Don’t dump on Northeast. No present.
d. Doron Clark, Representative on the Neighborhood and Community engagement commission. This is a volunteer program. (NCEC)
i. Provided a written report – provided as attachment to these minutes that describes the nature of the commission.
ii. Presented Community Participation Guidelines. Approved Dec 10, 2010 a pool of money to support neighborhood organizations with the community participation program guidelines. (Community events, newsletter, movies in the park, community gardens). Expenses must meet the guidelines.
1. This is a 10 year program. (NRP was a 20 year program).
2. Asking groups to apply as early as the can. This Friday is the first deadline and will receive action on the Jan 25th meeting.
3. $31,000.57 has been identified as Audubon Park’s potential allocation. Year 1 (2011)
4. Year 2, 3, and 4 will require an application.
iii. Gave update on the status of the freezing of the NRP funds by 2010 council action.
1. Council action was to freeze Phase II funds. Phase I may continue to be utilized.
2. Audubon is into Phase II of the NRP funds having spent more than half of allocated funds. The remaining funds are frozen.
3. No dollar transfer has been approved. These funds have been frozen for 2 years. Neighborhood plans can – if approved – be approved in their entirety.
iv. Requested input from the community:
1. How can equity be achieved in light of the changes to NRP funds 2?
2. What specific actions can the city take to achieve property tax relief in 2012 and 2013?
v. Discussion: Was the city attempting to re-direct the use of the funds more toward community outreach and less toward creative money generation for the communities? Doesn’t this squash the entrepreneurial spirit of neighborhood gps?
1. No response was known.

e. Newman?? Audubon Park update:
i. Update on Youth programs Gymnastics and senior programs beginning this week
ii. Team gymnastics being hosted at Edison
iii. Do have volunteer programs available and open to new ideas.
iv. Wing Ding preparations
1. Have the stage already, been staffing in prep for the event.

f. Council member Reich;
i. Here to discuss a new initiative that is being kicked off by the office.
ii. Council member’s office has kicked off an initiative to collect all of the neighborhood plan documents, overlay and develop a unified document that helps to prioritize the goals on the neighborhood. The intention of this effort is to:
1. Match opportunities with grant programs or funding sources with priorities that have already have been identified within the community.
2. Help city staff and departments know the value and priorities of the neighborhood.
3. Encourages ANA to continue to develop Strategic planning documents that solicit community input, receive recommendations for neighborhood need, and develop action plans or projects of interest around each need. (Park master plan, 29th, Hollywood theatre, small area plan). Encourages ANA (and others) to identify the priorities and activities that will support the community and utilize the NCEC funds to do so.
iii. Mackenzie is the consultant that will be leading this effort on behalf of the office. Please share and engage with her.
iv. Comment: encourage a copy of the final report to be located in the NE library as well as the Council member’s office.
v. Want to tap into many of the former board representatives.

g. Jenny Arneson, elected to the Minneapolis School Board.
i. Encourages all to get in touch with her.
ii. Wants to encourage a connection with the community. NE Middle School has a winter warm-up once a year. March 21st to support the Theatre Program. NE has developed a strong program.
1. January 21, 2011, Tickets can be purchased at the school or the day of the event.
2. 7pm – 11pm. To support Alice in Wonderland production.
3. Italian American Club, $25 each, designed for grown-ups night out.
iii. Waite Park: now hiring their own volunteer coordinator. Connie specifically hired to find volunteer outreach and find a good fit for volunteers.

h. Audubon Super Sale: ANA desires to reinstate this event, but volunteer needed.
i. This has received great support in the past.
ii. Do not have a volunteer coordinator assigned to this project. ANA is searching for someone to organize this effort.
iii. Input received: originally foreseen as a flea market type sale, selling booths at the park (to generate funds for ANA) and to provide a social outreach. Also liked the idea of moving this event from Audubon to Windom to Columbia Park and back.
iv. In the past there was a small fee to participate and maps provided by ANA.

6. Board Elections
a. Nominations received for Board Director positions serving from Jan 2011-Jan 2013
i. Nomination for Candace Baker. She was a volunteer for a previous neighborhood group in their former neighborhood, by Nic Baker, seconded by Cindy McCleary
ii. Nomination for Cori Sandwick, by Cindy McCleary, Second by Matt Brown.
iii. Nomination for Craig Pederson, by Matt Brown, Second by Marty from Castle Remodeling.
iv. Marty Moves the slate, Seconded by Nic Baker. Approved by all.

7. Access to the Floor
a. Desire an email list that has a weekly digest about a concern from the neighborhood or something. A way for people to share information
i. Suggestion E-democracy. Look into a NE group. There are 300
ii. Nic will take the lead on this item.

8. Chamber of Commerce Update – No Update.
9. Unfinished Business – Listed above
10. Review Action Items – Listed throughout. Individual review.

11. Motion to Adjourn by Marty
a. Second by : Rose Daniels
b. Motion Carried - Meeting adjourned at 8:42pm

END OF MINUTES