Downtown
Minutes from
A regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of
Directors of the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, Inc. (DMNA)
was held on
With a quorum present, Monroe Bell, Chair, called the meeting
to order at
The Chair announced that the recent resignation of Michael Murphy created two DMNA vacancies: a board of director vacancy (which Sharon Fisher of St. Thomas had expressed to the Chair a desire to fulfill and for which action would be taken at a later date), and a Restorative Justice committee member vacancy.
The Chair also announced
The Chair then brought the board up-to-date regarding the
issue of a fiscal agent. Upon the recommendation of the DMNA Finance Committee
to obtain a fiscal agent, the Chair spoke with Bob Miller, Director of the city’s
NRP, who strongly urged DMNA to follow through on this since it would strengthen
the association to have its accounting work done according to state and city
regulations, and recommended to the Chair to seek the assistance of Project
for Pride in Living for such a fiscal agent. After speaking with Project for
Pride in Living, they referred the Chair to a
The Chair also expressed the desire to continue conducting DMNA Executive Committee meetings approximately mid way between the scheduled monthly Board of Directors meeting, the next one proposed for Saturday, July 31.
The Chair turned to the matter of the minutes from the
The Chair prefaced his introduction of the PSP and downtown zoning and housing updates by emphasizing their importance on DMNA’s agenda. Since affordable housing is a critical issue in the city of Minneapolis, and since DMNA’s First Step Plan had only allocated 15 to 20 percent of its NRP funds to this issue (as opposed to the required 50 percent), going forward DMNA would be legally required to allocate almost 100 percent of its next $1.5 million NRP funds to housing. Therefore, in an attempt to rectify the affordable housing situation, the Chair felt that the emergency transitional housing project would be an appropriate agenda item. The Chair then distributed a draft memo (Exhibit 2) in support of the PSP project (echoing the support of the Mayor, Councilmembers Joan Campbell and Lisa Goodman, the County Commissioner, and the neighborhood associations from Elliott Park and Stevens Square), for board review.
Annette Rodriguez explained that since PSP’s
lease at
Lisa stated that she has been very active on the council regarding affordable
housing issues. As context, she further explained that the city recently reconstituted
the City County Homelessness Task Force that was developed in 1989 and contained
a series of recommendations that helped solve some of the housing problems in
the early ‘90s. Now that the city is back to square one with serious symptomatic
housing problems, they are hoping this joint task force will address these current
housing problems. Lisa expressed the opinion that PSP’s
current location is an abominable situation since it is a gateway to downtown
and that the building is in horrific condition (next to a formerly premier building,
the Drake Hotel, that is also being used as transitional housing), that the
city is not thrilled about how PSP operates, and as a result the current owners
of the property will not renew PSP’s lease. However
PSP is facing serious obstacles in relocating to
Andy moved and
Turning to the more specific issue of zoning, Lisa distributed and then summarized the Downtown Council’s and BOMA’s Report from the Ad Hoc Zoning Committee (Exhibit 4). The proposed downtown zoning code (as presented and as testified to in public hearings) enjoys broad support from downtown residents and many of the small downtown businesses, but continues to receive strong opposition from large developers and large downtown business owners whose primary concern involves the site planning review process.
In closing, Lisa announced to upcoming events: Lunch with Lisa on July 28 at 11:45 a.m., at the Acadia Café with Representative Margaret ______________________ (Scott please verify) who will give a legislative report; and National Night Out on August 3 at 5:00.
The Chair distributed Al Smith’s and Scott
Engel’s resolution to form a standing committee of the DMNA on Land Use &
Development, and to include Sue Jahn to sit on said committee in addition to the five names
(Ken Beck who sits on the Minneapolis Police Department Civilian Review Board,
and Michael Kraus (Scott please verify), Executive Director of
the Green Institute and contributing writer of the Skyway News, both nonboard
members) listed on the resolution. Andy moved and
Scott advised the board that the Implementation Committee has begun advertising (through the Twin Cities neighborhood email forum, University of Minnesota, Humphrey Institute, etc.), for the housing coordinator position. The DMNA Employment Committee will review all potential candidates and will expect to have a recommendation for board approval by the August 10 board meeting. Scott also mentioned that the Downtown Council is working on hiring a coordinator for the ambassador program, and that since the police buyback contract has been approved, the Implementation Committee will meet with Sergeant Pat Helen and Luther Kruger of PCP Safe at their next meeting on Thursday, July 15. In addition, the committee is working with the Historic Preservation Commission to further develop the word mural project, and working with the Public Works Department on the kiosk project developing the orientation signs. No action was required of the board.
Addressing the issue of the Restorative Justice
committee member vacancy,
The Chair expressed concern that since the Restorative Justice program has been in place for 3 years and is attempting to move from a pilot program status to a permanent program status, and since no DMNA board member has seen or received an auditor’s report or any other financial statement, and further since DMNA appears on the Restorative Justice program letterhead, the Chair has insisted that this type of information be routinely submitted to the board henceforth.
The Chair then updated the board on current board member terms: that four board members are serving their first year of a 2-year term (Dee Cotton, Larry Calhoun, Sue Jahn, and Al Smith), and that the remaining eight board members’ 2-year terms will expire in November. Board vacancy replacements are not eligible to serve out the remaining term of the vacancy filled.
Cecile Bedor of the Central Community Housing Trust (established in 1986) briefed the board on CCHT’s board membership (i.e., 2 representatives elected from each of the five CCNP organizations, seven members elected by residents of her building, then they in turn appoint seven members at large who bring special expertise to the board), and its mission (i.e, to serve the homeless, working poor, and those at the high end of moderate income). Cecile also noted that CCHT will not do a project without a city-recognized citizen participation organization approval.
The Chair then mentioned that Jonathan had previously requested of Joan to serve on the DMNA Employment Committee and that Joan agreed to do so if appointed. Larry then moved and Carletta seconded to appoint Joan Wilshire to the DMNA Employment Committee. There being no further discussion or debate, the motion was carried unanimously.
Sue updated the board on her and
Carletta then moved and Larry seconded that Scott include all exhibits and attachments related to the minutes going forward. The motion was carried unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at
Exhibit 1
[Insert
Exhibit 2
[Insert Chair’s draft memo in support of PSP project]
Exhibit 3
[Insert PSP’s Capital Initiative 2001 document]
Exhibit 4
[Insert Report from the Ad Hoc Zoning Committee]