Audubon Neighborhood Association

Minutes: Community Meeting—March 5, 2012

Attendance: Board members: Corri Sandwick, Nic Baker, Candace Baker, Sean Koebele, Kevin Kelly, Justin Kwong, Melanie Birke; invited guests Earl Pettiford (CPED) and Bill Buhlow ( GMHC); approximately 30 community members.

1. Call to order: Nic Baker, 7: 02 P.M.
2. Review of meeting agenda.
3. Review of January 9, 2012 community meeting minutes: Justin Kwong made a motion to approve with corrections. Melanie Berke seconded the motion. The motion carried.
4. Officer and committee reports
5. President’s report:
6. The Spring Wingding is scheduled for April 28; volunteers are needed.
7. The latest crime report notes that crime in Audubon is down 21% overall.
8. The coffee shop on Johnson Street is expanding; EMI is moving and the coffee shop will expend into the space it is vacating. The coffee shop owners have approached ANA for an expansion loan and it is under consideration.
9. NE Middle School is presenting “Willy Wonka” March 22-23.
10. The president issued a public “thank you” to Corri Sandwick, who is leaving the board this spring. 
11. Treasurer’s report: Justin Kwong reported the following balances:
12. Cash account: $3,199.18
13. NRP account: $248,791.23 
14. There were no committee reports. 
15. Tabled motions/unfinished business
16. Nic Baker introduced the topic of the proposed demolition and new construction at 2803 Polk ST NE. CPED has requested that the ANA provide $27,000 to help fill the gap between building costs and the expected sales price of the new construction. This amount requires a vote from the community. The primary purpose of the meeting is to give residents an opportunity to discuss the proposal and ask questions.
17. Earl Pettiford of the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) gave a brief presentation on the proposed demolition and new construction at 2803 Polk ST NE.
18. Bill Buhlow of Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation shared the plans for the new construction.           
19. Nic Baker opened the floor to discussion.
20. Major points discussed included the following:
21. The lot is “substandard,” i.e. smaller than a typical residential lot and is less suitable for building than other vacant property in the community that is also owned by the city.
22. Private contractors in attendance questioned why there was not open bidding on both rehabilitation and the new building.
23. The property was initially acquired by the city a number of years ago, following requests by the owners of the adjacent property. These owners were in attendance and emphasized that the city took no action, and that this inaction led to the property becoming too run-down to be rehabilitated.
24. Comments were generally opposed to the community’s funding of this particular project.
25. Gavin Watt moved that the ANA lend the $16,000 to CPED. Bill Sauerwein seconded the motion. The motion carried (21 in favor; the rest opposed or abstained).
26. Mr. Pettiford and Bill Buhlow noted that accepting a loan rather than a grant was not possible. 
27. Gavin Watt moved to adjourn the meeting; the motion carried (with two opposed) and the meeting adjourned at 8:45.