May 2025 Board Meeting Minutes

May 19, 2025 TNA meeting:

Attendees, board members: Jim Blackwood, Claire Blanchette, Rob Bedeaux, Keri Diem, Heather Grovum, Bill O’Brien, Pat Prochaska, Tiffany Reis, Mark Tiede, and Will Young

Attendees, non-board members: Rachel Baker, Josh Brown, Samantha Hoppe, Emily Koski, and Andrea Siegel and sign-in sheet that was at meeting

Called to order at 7:04p

  1. Councilmember Koski update
    1. Townhall with AG Ellison will be June 2 and Lake Nokomis Community Center at 6pm
    2. Senior Fair will be October 22
      1. Heps connect seniors (and their friends and families) connect to resources and provides workshops on various topics
    3. Council is starting to work on next year’s city budget
      1. Seeking constituent input
      2. Top survey results from last year
        1. Reducing tax levy
        2. Public safety
        3. Dependable city services
        4. Good governance
      3. Mayor will publish his recommended budget on August 16
        1. Councilmembers will then vote on priorities to bring to mayor
    4. Traffic calming program will include changes to Second Avenue
      1. Working with legislature on draft bill to provide more funding both to Minneapolis and other cities
      2. Could be several million dollars awarded to Minneapolis if bill passes
    5. Working with city policy and research team to find ways to leverage city to support residents with issues relating to sewer line maintenance
    6. Money has not yet been received from the federal government for the Nicollet Avenue bridge
      1. Ready to start construction this fall if received 
  2. Minnehaha Creek Watershed District presentation
    1. Slides are available on TNA website
    2. Work on both capital projects and shaping policy
    3. Attention now being turned to Minneapolis area including a working group with members from the City and Park Board
      1. Working on feasibility analysis for first three projects
        1. Cedar-Bloomington Avenues
        2. Nicollet Avenue
        3. Penn-Newton Avenues
  3. Washburn Water Tower update
    1. Falling concrete observed at base in 2022, so project planned to repair
      1. Fix will include
        1. Scaffold installation
        2. Concrete repairs
        3. Supplemental anchorages for eagles and
        4. Interior platform repairs
      2. Project out for bid, should be approved at June 5 council meeting
      3. Construction expected to last 2 to 3 months
      4. Will be some staging at southeast corner of tower
  4. Earth Month contest
    1. Henry and Bob Diem were the winners for storm drain cleaning
  5. Funding update:
    1. Public notice was provided of motion to move the $92K in uncontracting funds tied to Housing into program implementation
    2. No questions asked by attendees
    3. Motion passed unanimously
  6. Board elections
    1. Heidi Stennes, Jordan Fredrickson, and Hannah Torry all submitted applications to serve on the board
    2. Will Young, Pat Prochaska, and Mark Tiede all ran for reelection
    3. All attendees unanimously voted for the six candidates to be on the board

Meeting adjourned at 827pm