May Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 15 • 6:30pm
Pizza dinner featuring pies from both Pizzeria Lola and Red Wagon Pizza
Special Guests: Senator Dibble
Colleen O’Dell with the Southwest Service Area Master Plan (SWsamp)
What would you do to improve Armatage neighborhood if you had $50,000?
Currently the neighborhood is involved in the programs listed below, but we want to know what you, our neighbors, would like to see happen! Join us at our annual meeting to share your ideas and see how you can help us make it happen.
Current programs/projects:
- Summer festival
- Happy hours (every other month)
- Neighborhood communications (eNews, social media, website, newsletter, etc.)
- Safety initiatives (ideas abound; we’d like your input)
- Subsidized rain gardens with Metro Blooms
- Events at the park
- A facade improvement grant for area businesses
- A growing Green Team with lots of ideas they’d like your input around!
Other Ideas: tool library; micro grant program; additional park enhancements; speed signs on Penn & Xerxes
We will be electing board members, and setting priorities for what the ANA will do over the next several years to support our neighborhood, its residents and businesses. To view the current list of candidates, please see the ballot.
Upcoming meetings/events
Palmisano Presents: A Conversation on the Draft Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan
May 23 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm (time correction)
Southwest High School Auditorium
The draft Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan hasrecently been released (www.minneapolis2040.com) and Ward 13 residents have many questions about the impact of the proposed plan. Ward 13 Council Member Linea Palmisano will host a public conversation on May 23 with a short presentation and plenty of time for Q & A. Joining her in this important discussion will be City of Minneapolis Long Range Planning Director Heather Worthington.
Road resurfacing
Project to begin this summer in Armatage from Xerxes to Penn between 60th and 54th. The project is awaiting final Mayoral approval. Details updated on the project website.
Kenny/Armatage Neighborhood Garage Sales
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
NEW: Register online and/or pay via PayPal (payment to anancoordinator@armatage.org)
Our neighborhood garage sale is a great way to get a lot of bang for your buck! Clear out your clutter and make a little cash! Again this year, we will partner with our friends in the Kenny neighborhood to amp up the traffic to this event.
Your $10.00 registration fee includes:
- A general garage sale ad in the StarTribune newspaper, website, social media and Craigslist.
- Your sale location will be marked on the map of sales and a packet of maps delivered to your home the day before the sale. This map will also be available through Google Maps.
A check for $10.00 payable to the Armatage Neighborhood Association (or pay via PayPal) to: Armatage Neighborhood Association, 2500 W 57th St, Minneapolis, MN 55410 (or drop off at the park desk)
Forms can also be emailed to anacoordinator@armatage.org. Questions regarding registration can be directed to the ANA office by calling 612-668-3206 or anacoordinator@armatage.org.
Registration deadline is Tuesday, May 29!
City Updates
Attend one of five upcoming open houses to discuss the draft Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan. Each event will feature the same family-friendly activities created by local artists, as well as free food from local businesses.
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12
Northeast Recreation Center, 1530 Johnson St. NE
5:30-8 p.m. Monday, May 14
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S.
5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 16
North Commons Recreation Center, 1801 James Ave. N.
5:30- 8 p.m. Thursday, May 17
Dayton Gaviidae YMCA, 651 Nicollet Mall #300
5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, May 31
Powderhorn Recreation Center, 3400 15th Ave. S.
2020 Roadmap
The Neighborhood 2020 Web Page has been updated with the revised Roadmap, public comment report, work group overview and updated timeline. http://www.minneapolismn.gov/ncr/2020
Elections & Voter Services has now posted on the City jobs site (http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/jobs/) thirteen available positions to assist at our in-person absentee voting (“early voting”) location located one block from City Hall at 217 S 3rd St.
Absentee Voting Team Member
(Seasonal Election Support Specialist I) – 13 to be hired, $18.39/hr
Providing customer service and assisting voters in the absentee ballot process; processing absentee ballot applications; processing voted absentee ballots; entering/looking up data in the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS); and performing related clerical work. Positions would be full-time (32hrs/wk), and run from mid-June through November. Some evenings and weekends required.
*Especially encouraged to apply are those with fluency in English plus one of the following languages: Somali, Oromo, Hmong, or Spanish—to assist voters with limited English skills.
SW Parks Planning
In addition to attending Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings, there will be many other ways to get involved in the project:
- Sign up to receive email updates by visiting www.minneapolisparks.org/subscribe. If you are already a subscriber, add “Southwest Service Area Master Plan” to your subscription preferences. Email updates are the best way to stay informed about meeting and event dates.
- Attend other public project meetings. Though they have not yet been scheduled, MPRB expects numerous community meetings throughout 2018 and 2019.
- The project team will share project information and listen to ideas be at dozens of community ice cream socials, festivals and park events this summer. Stop by and see us!
- Email Project Manager Colleen O’Dell at codell@minneapolisparks.org if you’re interested in inviting someone from the project team to present at a meeting or event or engage your organization, group or community in the planning process.
- Share your thoughts now via the SWSAMP online survey.
SWSAMP Project Page
CAC Meeting #1
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Time: 6-8 pm
Location: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center
Address: 4055 Nicollet Ave S
Spring Lawn Care Tips that are Useful All Year
Did you know that you and your neighbors have waterfront property? Your yard and the nearest lake, stream, or wetland are connected by the nearest storm drain or ditch. That means the actions you take on your property affect the local water bodies.
In urban areas, rain falls on hard surfaces such as streets, driveways and rooftops and flows into the storm sewer system, which carries it to the nearest body of water. This rainfall, called stormwater runoff, brings along any pollutants it has picked up along the way. You can help reduce the amount of pollutants entering local lakes, rivers and streams (and save money at the same time) by following a few simple steps:
- Water wisely – if your lawn needs water, do it in the morning when it’s cooler to avoid evaporation, and make sure to aim sprinklers so they don’t water hard surfaces. Lawns typically only need one inch of water per week, so if it rains, you can skip the watering.
- Mow three inches or higher – Mowing grass to a height of three inches or higher will encourage thicker and healthier grass and make your lawn more resistant to weeds, drought, and erosion.
- Sharpen your mower blades – Sharper blades will cut grass to three inches or higher more effectively. Dull blades damage grass, which can give the grass a yellow or white tint.
- Leave grass clippings on lawn – Leaving your grass clippings on your lawn puts the same amount of nutrients back into your grass as one application of fertilizer. If you don’t want grass clippings on your lawn, compost them. Be sure to sweep up any clippings that blow into the street so they don’t run down the storm drain.
- Fertilize smartly (if you need it) – If you choose to fertilize, only do it in the fall when it’s most effective. Apply only the amount directed and be sure to choose a zero-phosphorus fertilizer. Many lawns already have plenty of phosphorus in the soil and any excess will just run off into local waters and produce algae (do a soil test first if you aren’t sure about your lawn). Another alternative to fertilizing is aerating your lawn.
- Pick up pet waste regularly – In addition to preventing lawn burns, regular pick-up of pet waste will keep bacteria from running off into storm drains and our local waters.
Following these tips will help keep your lawn healthy while keeping our waters clean and safe this summer. Learn more at www.minnehahacreek.org/education.
Free glove for kids aged 5-8 at
Twins Community Fund
Glove Giveaway Celebration on May 16!
Bring your young softball or baseball player to Sibley Park next Wednesday, May 16, 6:15 pm for the 2018 Twins Community Fund Glove Giveaway Celebration!
Kids aged 5-8 will receive a Minnesota Twins fielding glove and ball and have the opportunity to meet T.C. Bear and a surprise Twins player!
If you have a child interested in attending, please email Kent Brevik at kbrevik@minneapolisparks.org by Monday, May 14.
The Minnesota Twins Community Fund has generously donated equipment and uniforms for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board youth RBI baseball and softball for the past 25 years.
Twins Tball Kid North Commons
Twins Community Fund Glove Giveaway
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Time: 6:15 pm
Location: Sibley Park
Address: 1900 E 40th St., Minneapolis, MN 55407
Voting begins June 9 and ends June 16 at 7:30pm during the virtual Armatage Annual Meeting. All Armatage residents 18 years and older and designated representatives of an Armatage business are eligible to vote once here. Neighborhood boundaries are shown below.
