April 2024 Board Meeting Minutes

April 15, 2024 TNA meeting:

Attendees, board members: Claire Blanchette, Pat Collins, Kellie Hanson, Juliana Keen, Pat Prochaska, Ian Stade, Dan Treinen, and Will Young

Attendees, non-board members: Emily Koski and Andrea Siegel

Called to order at 7:06

  1. Councilmember Koski:
    1. Hosting a public safety meeting on April 18 at Pearl Park that will feature two police inspectors
    2. Construction season has begun, and she has a map online
    3. Rideshare update
      1. Put forward a proposal for a rate change and to extent the date for rideshare drivers
        1. Did not pass because there was no commitment to a lower rate
        2. She will continue to push to match the rate to the data from the State’s report
      2. Separate motion passed to move the implementation date back to July 1 that was not tied to the rate adjustment
    4. Legislative directive authored and passed to research best practices for recruitment and retention within MPD
    5. Street sweeping has started
    6. Many Earth Day events are coming
    7. Recent event celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Gay Rights ordinance including speakers, former alderman
    8. No update on possible federal funding for the Nicollet Avenue bridge and encouraging residents to contact senators and Representative Omar
  2. Fuller Park:
    1. No updates
  3. Secretary update:
    1. Pat P moved to pass the March minutes, Claire seconded; passed unanimously
  4. Treasurer update:
    1. Well within budget with few expenditures in March
    2. Recently paid for the compost for the Neighborhood Day event
  5. 2023 Tax Return
    1. Prepared by the city-assigned accountant whose only question was about the many grants
    2. Will moved to approve; Claire seconded; passed unanimously
  6. NRP Plan
    1. Does not need a new category because it falls within Engagement Events
    2. Money will get moved within Engagement to the new Equity funding to create lanage for equity engagement
    3. Likely will be a vote on the topic at the May meeting
    4. Andrea will make a social media post to inform neighborhood
  7. Annual meeting
    1. Board took an online survey and all wanted a speaker
      1. Topics narrowed to Nicollet Bridge info, Tom Balcom to discuss history, Emily Koski, the embedded social workers, and parkway projects
    2. Overwhelming vote to cater with pizza
    3. Want to talk to neighbors to find recruits for new board
  8. Bylaw discussion
    1. No issues on liability insurance if underage board members are allowed
      1. State law requires that majority of the board be at least 18 years old
      2. State law also prohibits underage board members from being officers
    2. Pat P moved to amend the bylaws to allow up to 3 members of the board to be older than 16 but younger than 18; Dan seconded; passed unanimously
    3. Will to draft language for review to reflect change in the bylaws
  9. Neighborhood Day
    1. Will be May 18 from 10-noon (setup beginning at 9am)
    2. Compost is all arranged
    3. BLUH will try to provide some help
      1. Will to recruit 2 master gardeners
      2. Kellie will see if Ace will donate anything for raffle
      3. Dan will contact St Paul Bagelry about donating food
    4. League of Women Voters will help with voter registration
    5. Scouts being contacted for assistance
  10. Committee Updates
    1. Environmental
      1. Tour of Repowered on April 20 at 9:00am
      2. May try for another grant on Green Partners with the city on sustainable living
    2. Equity
      1. Multi-neighborhood coalition environmental justice bus tour being rescheduled for fall
      2. Trying to recruit more committee members
      3. IDI going to be presented in June and completed afterwards
      4. Food drive upcoming
        1. May 5 pickup through Joyce 
        2. Partnering with Lynnhurst and Fulton neighborhoods
        3. Sign-up in e-newsletter will be also a flayer and blast
        4. Ramen, cereal, and soup are very popular
    3. Building, Land Use, and Housing
      1. Safety and Security Discussion with MPD on March 20 had more than 30 attendees
      2. Neighborhood Garage sale scheduled for May 3-4
      3. Are discussing renaming the committee
    4. SW Neighborhood Collaborative
      1. Recruiting people for focus groups to discuss what the collaborative should look like
        1. Each neighborhood needs 8 people for focus groups, only 1 has signed up so far
      2. Retreat scheduled for end of May
  11. Executive Director report
    1. Welcome bags are ready for delivery
      1. Will to take 10 bags and Claire to take 11
    2. Garden gnome from years past was found
      1. Will raffle it at Annual Meeting

Ian left the meeting at 8:35pm

Juliana left the meeting at 8:38pm

Meeting adjourned at 8:43pm