September 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

September 18, 2023 TNA meeting:

Attendees, board members: Claire Blanchette, Pat Collins, Kellie Hanson, Juliana Keen, Patrick Prochaska, and Will Young

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

Called to order at 7:05

  1. Councilmember Koski update:
    1. City will be appealing the 2040 Plan decision but is now operating under the 2030 Plan
    2. Judge Barnette was appointed to lead Office of Community Safety and is invited to the Ward 11 Public Safety meeting on December 12
    3. Requests for proposals to develop the Aqua City Motel site due by September 21
    4. Traffic calming measures are being reviewed after the recent death of a young girl on Second Avenue including both temporary and long-term solutions
    5. Next Ward 11 meeting will be October 3
    6. She will seek more info about the investigation into spalling on the Washburn Water Tower
    7. She will discuss the recent spike in crime in Tangletown with no responses from MPD with Inspector Nelson
  2. Fuller Park update:
    1. Park Board is shying away from memorials or monuments because of historical changes, so Richfield Mill sign may be difficult
    2. Interested in hosting an event for Indigenous Persons Day in conjunction with work on the mill and would apply for a grant for funding
    3. Want to know if any TNA interest in partnering for a craft/art fair
      1. Park could provide staff, but TNA would be the “host”
    4. Enrollment is down at the Spanish Immersion Day Care
  3. Secretary update:
    1. Pat P moved to approve July minutes; Claire seconded.  Motion passed unanimously.
  4. Treasurer update:
    1. Some agency funding has been received since July
    2. Fees (including both Andrea’s and interpreters) are being paid for the pop-up event
  5. New Board member:
    1. Claire moved to add Stephanie Scott to the board; Kellie seconded.  Passed unanimously.
  6. Update on May meeting:
    1. Gina Obiri was emailed, no response received
  7. Welcome Bags:
    1. The stock of bags is beginning to run low with $500.00 needed to purchase new bags
      1. City approved use of EEF Focus Group funds for bag purchase
      2. Will moved to use $500.00 of EEF Focus Group funds to purchase bags; Pat P seconded.  Passed unanimously.
    2. All attendees volunteered to distribute bags to new neighbors
    3. Voter registration forms will be included in new bags
  8. Ward 11 Candidate Forum:
    1. Will be September 27 at 7pm at Mayflower Church for the two canidates
  9. Committee Updates
    1. Environmental
      1. Received E-waste grant
        1. Will be a October 26 event via Zoom with speakers from Recycling Electronics for Climate Action and the MPCA
        2. Meeting about resource sharing scheduled for November 16 from 7-830pm on Zoom featuring potential speakers from the toy library, tool library, and buy nothing groups
        3. January 13, 2014 Fix-It Clinic scheduled but looking for a site that can handle the electronic needs
          1. Hennepin County will provide everything needed except a location
      2. September 24 event scheduled at 5031 Lyndale to discuss solar panels
      3. Still waiting on grant for weeding and watering the garden by the Fuller Park building
    2. Equity
      1. Planned pop-up event
        1. 10 adults attended along with many children
        2. Interpreter provided
        3. Biggest tenant concerns were affordability (especially utilities) and basic skills (such as math)
      2. Reviewed strategic planning notes and in support of everything in the equity bucket
      3. Looking into whether the TNA can participate into the IDI
      4. Trying to organize bystander training for the TNA
    3. Building, Land Use, and Housing
      1. No Autumn Alley this fall; instead sustainability resources will be provided on e-news
      2. Reviewed strategic planning ideas
      3. Trying to figure out what things from the Livability committee can come to BLUH
    4. Southwest Neighborhood Collaborative
      1. Scheduling has been very difficult 
      2. Anything needed expenditures or resources will be brought back to individual neighborhood boards for votes
      3. Consultant is starting to suggest ideas about branding and a collaborative model to go after larger grants
      4. Kellie volunteered to be board rep, but Heather has a scheduling conflict as backup so another backup is needed
  10. Executive Director Report
    1. One of the renters at the pop-up event noted that Instagram is preferred communication method
    2. Will be on vacation from October 5-12

Meeting adjourned at 8:45pm

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