SECIA Minutes

Van Cleve Park

May 6, 2008

( ) indicates minutes allowed

* denotes Action Item

Board Meeting: 6:30

Present: Stewart, Lee, Jake, Tedd, Jeremiah P., Jeane M., Marilyn, Bill D., Connie, Wendy

Staff: Jennifer & Justin

Guests: Bill H., Scott Greer, Jessica Hill, Lynn A.

Excused: Joan, Jeff,

Quorum present.

Began:

1) Introductions (5) 6:30

2) GAPSA and MSA Updates(Jeremiah) (5) 6:35

o Things are winding down at the U and new executive board for MSA is beginning work. Jeremiah was honored at the leadership presentation banquet. Vets just received $40,000 from ATT to help with the $2,000 that comes from the U in support of veterans program.

3) *Review and Approve March and April Minutes (5) 6:40

o Connie moved to accept April Minutes. Jeremiah second. Approved as corrected.

o Connie moves to accept May minutes, Jeremiah second. Approved as corrected.

4) Central Corridor Light Rail Discussion (Jessica Hill, MET Council) 30) 6:45

Discuss issues initially presented in SECIA letter to the MET Council, review DCC resolution on the Central Corridor

o Impact to Washington Avenue. Traffic study #3. Study done 15^th of April by the MET Council. - study is attached

o AVDT - Average daily Travel – cars and trucks are counted the same – but they are working on this because they want to know the kind of traffic that is being counted. MPLS tries to take the highest possible “normal” volume.

o Growth – projected traffic volume growth .5% per year to 2030 because they suggest that there is going to be residential growth.

o 2030 base is the overall effect of the traffic volume growth.

o This is study 3.0 and they are up to 4.1. They are now focusing on trucks only for the new version.

o The Pedestrian Transit Mall - From the Washington Ave bridge to Harvard or Walnut. MET will be meeting with businesses near the Alumna Center to decide where to end the mall. Traffic would be diverted to East River Road – off University and off the Washington Ave. Bridge with the use of roundabouts.

o Failing intersections on the study material is measured by dwell time at a light: 15^th and Como (D), Rollins and 15^th ( c ), 18^th and Como (not factored in )

o Returned to structural questions about LRT. What is the MET’s next step?

o Get in application to FTA by September.

o Looks like T-Paw will fund the state portion without the tunnel.

o Is the Fed money only available for Sept? Now is best. They could wait a year but would have to add $40M to the cost.

o Comment: Feels that we are rushing something that is long term because of an artificial date setting pointing out that the highest bidder was accepted for the 35W bridge.

o Comment: Really concerned that decisions are being made that have long-term consequences as in the division of neighborhoods for 35W.

o Comment: Not being figured into the bill is the $200M mitigation cost. Moving the LRT to the northern rail line would incur this mitigation insurance policy because passengers would ride next to freight.

o Next meeting 12 to 4 on May 21^st.

o Question: People who are making decisions - have they looked at the North rail line? Bridge too narrow, would go through Section 8 housing, ground will have to be excavated further and that is contaminated soil.

o Reinforcement of the Washington Ave bridge will partly be done by MNDOT (a result of the 35W bridge collapse) and then MET will have to do more to carry the train. (thousands of tons of train) (– kind of like patching an already mended dress)

o Comment: U hospitals may be entirely wiped out by this plan down Washington Ave. because it will be nearly impossible to get to Fairview and the clinics.

o Jan M. called Wendy – the U is panicking the MET is stopping the northern route study. U of MN is asking that SECIA send a letter to continue to support the Northern rail line and NOT the Washington avenue route.

o A motion is made to write a letter to MET Council to continue and complete the study of the Northern Alignment. The surface route on Washington Ave is unacceptable to the neighborhood. Jake moved. Jeff seconds. Passed.

5) Tuttle Reuse Discussion (15) 7:15

Nacel International School, “Letter of Support” 7:50

o Nacel has backed out because there was too much space in the building. Feeling is that the Board has asked them to rent the entire building.

o Jackie said they are still recommending that Tuttle be retained for educational purposes. This puts Heart of the Earth back on the radar.

o There is a new over sight board for Heart to the Earth and they are trying to disassociate themselves with Heart of the Earth INC which has run into major problems. They are talking about a boarding school model. The demographics are 95% Native American and 5% other. Size of the school is unknown. It is a K-12 school.

o Wendy will call Nacel to get more information on reasons for not taking the building.

6) Councilmember Updates (Cam Gordon)(10) 7:30

• Unable to Attend - council updates are attached.

7) Grand Rounds ( Connie & Jeff) (10) 7:40

Board position – submit a letter of support, schedule meetings with Park Board * 8:04

• Connie: CAC will not meet again. Park Board has the report but CAC has not seen it and it is to be voted on May 23^rd. Word-smithing was done but no major rewrite as Connie thought was needed. Just learned that the Park Board said that they will put a bike route down Industrial Blvd. The report supported the equal affinity for the A route as well as the B route.
• Wendy spoke with Windom Park and Audobon Neighborhoods. WP is up in arms, they are aggressively watching this and are working with emails and concerned about the Park Board. The president is sign-ed up to speak at the meeting on May 7. Walt – PB – is angry with WP and their moves.
• Wendy recommends we follow WP and request that all pertinent documentation – all TAC and any documents on funding - Any handouts to CAC, minutes of last meeting of CAC plus a time line for the next meetings and planned agendas be sent to SECIA ASAP.
• Connie wants to meet privately with Walt to see if he is on our side as to the eastern route for the grand rounds.
• A motion is made requesting documents as regards any meetings concerning the Grand Rounds decision be sent to SECIA office ASAP. Moved by Jeane. Seconded by Jeff. Passed.

8) U of MN Alliance Update (Wendy) (10) 7:50

Selection of Demonstration Project

Passed for lack of time.

9) Zoning Update (Joan) (15) 8:05

Occupancy ordinance – send Livability Letter*

o Connie moves we accept the Livability letter as written and send it. Bill seconds. Passed.

10) Executive Committee (Wendy) (10) 8:15

Personal Committee*, Board retreat, office status

o Rape on 15^th at Talmadge.

o The SECIA office building is at the point of being sold. Craig Jansen who owns Elmwood is interested but in order to do so he will have to put a stair entrance out back to the second floor.

o Wendy will get James to look into the vacancy on 15^th and Como to see what they are asking.

o Letter was received from city attorney: Susan Segall new attorney who is interested in reaching out to the neighborhoods and schedule times to meet. We will take her up on that at some time in the future.

o Personnel Committee – Grid with salary increases was sent with packet – Stephanie will increase pay, James wants it all to go into insurance, Justin wants part insurance and vacation time. Jennifer will be looked at later as she has just returned. (There was difficulty in getting the totals that were projected for 2008 using the figures given in the chart. Connie asked that they be refigured and a corrected form be sent to the board next month. ) We need to approve the 4% increase and the unusual step to allow them to place all or part of this into insurance. (Pointed out that without an increase in salary and only an increase in insurance then the salary base in 2009 will be the 2007 salary base. Wendy said that was noted and will be used for a change in salary base (in kind) will add the insurance into salary to reach the 2008 new salary.) Motion¹ to increase 4% raise. Connie. Second Jeff. Passed. Motion² Moved Tedd that the split in compensation be done in the way noted in the chart. Second Lee. Passed. Lee noted that we have asked each employee to fill out a goals sheet for us.

o Announced that Marilyn has resigned because of a community positions she and her husband have accepted and that board meets on the first Tuesday evening.

11) New Business (10) 8:25

o Youth Line – Steve Zimmer, new summer hire for Van Cleve Park, Thanks SECIA for the help with the new hire and the support we have given for this hire.

o Obento Ya was just named the best Japanese restaurant in the city.

o Justin and Stephanie have seen Yellow Warblers in the Como gardens.

o Jake: Grant writer – has found a woman who has a lot of experience. Was working on two proposals. She is however in poor health and after an extended illness she has chosen not to do the job. Hired another young woman, came down with asthma and so she had to quit. Suggestion to get Chris Steller – he was positive and could come to fund raising meeting then called Justin saying he couldn’t come.

o Asked: We are collaborating with St. Anthony park and they have experience with Grant writing. Jake will check.

o Next: Where do we stand with illegal occupancy? Joan is working on her block to talk with the city. Heard about this issue from Globe Tool and Die; they asked about housing in the neighborhood – asked about student population first. So it is an issue. The city claims they are flagging but so far nothing has been seen. The Alliance will be meeting with the city so we should receive the list of the flagged properties.

o School board recommendation to retain the Tuttle building but they did not vote on it in this evening meeting – reported by Wendy on phone with Joan.

12) Adjourn 8:35

8:54