May 21, 2013 Minutes

ANA board members in attendance: Tom Alagna, Sarah Broich, Kelly Falsani, Jeff Forss, Nikki Lindberg, and Keith Swanson.

Others in attendance: Tina Erazmus, ANA staff member; Jen Swanson, Josh Neiman, Danielle & Tom Walczak, Linea Palmisano, Matt Perry, Jack Kelly, Amy Lavender.

Armatage Neighborhood Association Meetings

Called to order at 6:36 by Kelly Falsani

Safety Update – Amy Lavender, Officer Jack Kelly & Keith Swanson

Luring incidents: Amy noted that an investigator has been assigned to these incidents and that the Community Response Team (CRT) has also been assigned to our area. Extra patrols have been sent during before and after school times. Sign up for crime alerts to be kept informed about this another safety issues. It was also mentioned that an inspector was interviewed by WCCO & KARE 11.

There have been a couple of daytime break-ins of homes. Due to Penn construction there have increase traffice incidents and concerns, so more patrols have been on Oliver & Newton. If you see regular speeders, try to get identifying marks on the vehicle to help identify cars. If you see anything suspicious or worrying, please call 9-1-1.

City Council Update – Jen Swanson, aide for Betsy Hodges

Today the City announced a bike registration program, which you can do by calling 311 or it is available online. It is a free program to help people recover their stolen bike. Twin Cities Bike/Walk week will be June 9-15, and they are looking for volunteers to help with commuter pit-stop stations (more info online). Transportation & Public Works committee brought forth a pedestrian lighting recommendation in which the City would cover 100% of this lighting. It passed committee and will be presented to the City Council on Friday. If passes, we will get it for Penn Avenue (and along 46th Street, which will also be done this summer). The Ward 13 newsletter is available. Please sign up to get it via email if interested.

Park Update – Tina Erazmus for Jerry Peterson

2 full time “junior” staff have been hired for the summer to work at the park as part of the Youth Start Program. This has been a very successful program for the park and neighborhood. Armatage is one of the only parks in SW to offer summer lunch (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday — Lunch 12-2:30 and Snack 3-3:30) and will provide parents a reduced cost option via a punch card. There are lots of programs at the park this summer, more than ever, including Art in the Park (free program from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts), new sports, and more. Program registrations are down from this time last year, so please spread the word about all these great offerings.

Coordinator Update – Tina Erazmus

Garage Sale Update — The sales will happen this Saturday from 8-4. Armatage had 19 forms turned in, so with Kenny neighborhood, there are over 50 sales listed on our map.

Summer Festival — City Church (now on 54th) said they would still do ice cream. She has a lead on band and has been securing past entertainment. More details next month.

Fair Skies Update — Current focus on getting information to and increased awareness with residents. Noise complaint forms available online. There is a new video on their website which does a great job of explaining the issues. They will be at local farmers’ markets, festivals, etc. and will be at our festival.

Neighborhood Survey Update — Via Survey Monkey, we gathered 46 more survey responses. She will be going through comments with our city contact to help review the results. We will also have the survey available at the Festival. The results will help us to set our neighborhood priorities.

President Update

Insurance Vote — There is a $4 annual cost for “acts of terrorism”  to be added to our insurance policy. A motion was made, seconded, and passed, to pay for this additional insurance.

Heroic — An online handyman listing service, used in Linden Hills, approached the ANA. They would develop and manage it for free. NEHBA can give us a list of our businesses which can use on our site, and then hook into Yelp. The board didn’t feel this was something worth pursuing.

Treasurer Report

Not much to update. The annual meeting had lower expenses this year, and our overall financial health if good.

New Business

  • Nikki provided an update regarding the Art Wraps program. The final 12 artworks have been selected, and the program will be revealed publicly as soon as agreements are final with the artists.
    It was requested that we get regular updates as to the distribution of the welcome packets.
  • NEBHA: Due to the Penn Ave. construction, we all need to help 54th & Penn business, to increase traffic. Matt will meet with Tina to see what we can do. The new brochures are out. June 28-30 they will be at the Minneapolis Pride Festival. City of Minneapolis awarded NEHBA a grant (which helps pay for the Experience Southwest posters/brochures/etc), and will help fund a new component: Walk-Bike-Shop Local (with online itineraries/maps, plus incentives to encourage people to do it, and work with neighborhoods to get additional Nice Rides stations). A suggestion was made to encourage businesses to offer free delivery (for those larger purchases that are hard to bike or walk with). City can help cover 50% of bike loops (which we want at 54th & Penn and maybe at 56th & Xerxes).

    It was asked if plans were in the works for the building damaged by fire which housed Beek’s and Diamond Lake Renal (DLR).  DLR owns the building, and he has been buying rental equipment to replace what was lost. They may be able to save some of the structure. Although no formal plans have been submitted, he expects something in the future.

  • Linea Palmisano: Running for city council. 14 year resident of  the 13th ward. Learn more at lineapalminsano.org
  • Josh Neiman: Running for park board. Grew up in the neighborhood, worked at Armatage & Windom parks, and currently lives in Kenny. Learn more at joshneiman.com

Meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m.