Category Archives: Minnehaha Creek

March 15, 2019 eNews


March 19, 2019 Meeting Agenda

  • Welcome
  • Park Update:
    • Park equipment needs for Spring & Summer
    • Summer Registration
    • Egg Hunt
  • Plan Modification: Funding for Mini Grants & Rain Gardens – Stacy Sorenson, City of Minneapolis Department of Neighborhood & Community Relations
  • Spring Newsletter
  • Summer Festival
  • Neighborhoods 2020
  • SW Parks & Minnehaha Parkway Master Plans
  • Other New Business
  • Secretary Report – minutes approved via email
  • Treasurer Report – financials emailed
  • Committee Updates
    • Green Team
      • Fix-it Clinic Recap
      • Donation Drive – April 6
    • Mini Grants
  • Coordinator Update
    • Proposed changes to Garage Sale
    • Shredding Event
    • Board special election April

Upcoming meetings/events:

Apr 6 – Green Team Donation Drive (10:00 am – 12:00 pm)
April 13 – Egg Hunt (10:00 am)
April 16 – Monthly Meeting (6:30 – 8:00 pm)


Green Team Donation Drive

Saturday, April 6
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Armatage Recreation Center

Whether you are spring cleaning, need to Marie Kondo your house or just want to make a donation to help someone in need, bring your goods on Saturday, April 6 and the Armatage Green Team will help you sort and pass them along to one of many wonderful organizations.

Organizations supported through the Donation Drive include Ready for Success, Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, Animal Humane Society, CornerstoneMN, Tech Dump, Leonardo’s Basement, Committee Against Domestic Abuse, DAV, and Second Harvest Heartland. Accepted items include clothing (especially men’s and women’s professional clothing), working electronics and cords, new children’s clothing, baby food and formula, new toiletries and personal care items, clean textiles and stuffed animals, food shelf donations, wire hangers, and more.  Contact anacoordinator@armatage.org for more information.


Street Flooding and Storm Drains

Thanks to our record snowfall and rain, many streets are flooded and storm drains are blocked. Please contact 311 to report flooded streets so crews can keep our roads safe.

If you’re able to clear the snow and ice from your block’s storm drain(s), please do! Many Minneapolis residents are using Google Maps Street View to find the locations of the storm drains on their block. The City of Minneapolis will re-launch its Adopt a Storm Drain program this spring.  Learn more and sign up to adopt your storm drain at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/stormwater/adoptadrain


Avoid Ice Dams with Help from the City and CenterPoint Energy

Icicles and ice dams mean that a lot of energy – and money – is being wasted as heat escapes through the roof of your home. You can solve that problem by sealing air leaks between your house and attic adding insulation in your attic. Insulation can help protect your house from ice dams and water damage while saving you money and energy – and even reducing the pollution that contributes to climate change.

Get Help

  • CenterPoint Energy offers rebates for 30 percent of the cost ($500 maximum) when you air seal and insulate your attic. For details, visit www.centerpointenergy.com/rebates.
  • The City of Minneapolis offers loans for the work with no interest. For more information, call 612-335-5884 or visit mnlendingcenter.org/mpls.

Shovel Out Garbage and Recycling Carts

This winter’s frequent snowfalls have made it difficult for crews to collect garbage, recycling and organics, and pulling a cart out of a snowdrift can injure them. Remember before your collection day to shovel a 36-inch-wide path from your garbage, recycling and organics carts to the street or alley.

City ordinances require this path be cleared for garbage, recycling and organics carts within 48 hours after the snow stops falling. If City crews have to shovel out the cart(s), a fee of $30 per cart will be added to your utility bill. If the snow stops for less than 48 hours and the carts aren’t yet shoveled out, for their safety, crews can’t empty the carts.

Learn more about garbage, recycling and organics collection here.

Neighborhoods 2020 – Comment by March 31

Want to keep the Summer Festival, Halloween at the Park, Happy Hours, rain gardens, Fire on Ice, forums on pressing community issues, or security rebates? These and more are all services provided and supported by the Armatage Neighborhood Association. Funding for neighborhood groups like ANA and the events we support runs out next year.

The City of Minneapolis is reviewing new guidelines, funding, and whether neighborhood organizations will continue to exist to support our community’s needs. The vision of Neighborhoods 2020 is to have an inclusive community where all people are valued, all communities are engaged, and leadership mirrors the great diversity of the city. View the new recommendations at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/ncr/2020 and submit your comments in support of continued funding and support for neighborhoods in one of the following ways:

Please cc the ANA at anacoordinator@armatage.org and Council Member Linea Palmisano at linea.palmisano@minneapolismn.gov on your comment. Thanks for making your voice heard.

Southwest Parks and Minnehaha Parkway Initial Concept Designs

In case you missed it: Initial Concept Designs are out for each Southwest Minneapolis park and for the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail.  We’ve posted the design options for Armatage Park, the Washburn Tot Lot, the 58th & Oliver Triangle and Minnehaha Parkway on the ANA website at https://armatage.org/southwest-park-plan-initial-concept-designs/  All Southwest park designs are searchable at minneapolisparks.org/sw and full Minnehaha Parkway designs are at minneapolisparks.org/minnehahacreek.

Share your feedback by March 31:

  1. Take the online surveys for both projects:
  2. Drop off a comment: All 13 Southwest Minneapolis Recreation Centers as well as MPRB Headquarters and Parade Ice Arena have a printed packet of concept designs, along with comment cards and drop-off boxes.

March 29, 2019 eNews


Neighborhoods 2020 – Comment by March 31

Have you submitted a comment to the City in support of continued funding for neighborhood orgs yet? It takes just a few mins to do so before the comment period ends on March 31.

To comment, email neighborhoods2020@minneapolismn.gov or text/leave a voice mail at (612) 440-5762. Please cc the ANA at anacoordinator@armatage.org and Council Member Linea Palmisano at linea.palmisano@minneapolismn.gov on your comment.

Your voice is critical in making sure the Summer Festival, Safety Rebates, Rain Gardens, Happy Hours, support for Armatage Park events, and forums on pressing community issues continue.  Funding for neighborhood groups like ANA and the events we support runs out at the end of 2020.  Learn more at https://armatage.org/neighborhoods-2020/ Thank you for making your voice heard!


Green Team Local Nonprofit Donation Drive

Saturday, April 6
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Armatage Recreation Center

Whether you are spring cleaning, need to Marie Kondo your house or just want to make a donation to help someone in need, bring your goods to the Armatage Rec Center on Saturday, April 6 from 10:00am – 12:00pm and we will pass them along to nonprofits and other great organizations for environmentally and socially responsible reuse. If for some reason we cannot take your item, we will find the best recycling or disposal option for you.

Volunteers Needed: Looking for a fun volunteer opportunity during Earth Month? Volunteers are needed to help attendees sort their items at the event and deliver donations after the drive.  To help with part or all of the event, please contact anacoordinator@armatage.org

Check out the full list of accepted items and organizations supported through the Donation Drive at https://armatage.org/donation-drive/

Armatage/Kenny Egg Hunt

Celebrate the arrival of spring with our annual egg hunt at Armatage Park. Bring the whole family down for this fun event. Enjoy an Egg Hunt, caricature artist, arts and crafts, live bunnies, and a light continental breakfast.

Important details:
*The Egg Hunt will begin at 11 am sharp.
*$5 per child.
*Pre-registration is required. Spots are limited and we will not take registration at the door.

Register today at: https://apm.activecommunities.com/minneapolisparks/Activity_Search/86682


Street Resurfacing Meeting

If you live in the area highlighted above, the Department of Public Works will resurface your street this season. Get all your questions about the resurfacing process and assessments answered at the upcoming informational meeting:

Tuesday, April 2
6:30pm
Armatage Recreation Center


Help shape the future of transportation in Minneapolis!

The City is hosting 5 community workshops and 1 online open house in April to collect public input on transportation-related opportunities, issues, and priorities to develop the Minneapolis Transportation Action Plan and the Vision Zero Action Plan. We’ve linked the SW and Online Open Houses below – see the rest at http://msptap-staging.com/get-involved

Community Workshop (Southwest)
Tuesday, April 9
4–6pm
Richfield Lutheran Church 
8 W 60th St

Online Open House (Facebook Live)
Tuesday, April 30
6:30–7:30pm
City of Minneapolis Facebook page

Can’t attend an event? You can still get involved!

You can learn more about the Transportation Action Plan and provide direct feedback on our interactive website. Our topic pages include short surveys and are a great place to share your thoughts. You can also use #gompls to talk transportation with us and follow the City of Minneapolis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


Climate Change, Energy & Transportation Town Hall

Senator Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis), Representative Frank Hornstein (61A), and Representative Jamie Long (61B) invite their constituents to attend a town hall meeting on climate change, energy, and transportation opportunities that are being discussed at the legislature and in Minnesota.
         
Sunday, April 7
1:00-3:00pm
Temple Israel (2323 Fremont Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55405)

Upcoming Metro Blooms Workshops

Unseasonable warmth, long periods of drought, and flooding rains are the new normal in Minnesota. Metro Blooms is offering three different workshops to share practices for building resilience in your yard so it can withstand these challenges.

  • Resilient Yards Workshop  A framework for understanding resilience including site planning, raingardens, turf alternatives, trees, other plantings and more, as well as one-on-one design assistance for your yard.
  • Turf Alternatives Workshop  Your guide to a low-maintenance lawn that require less watering and fewer chemical inputs, with instructions for establishing it.
  • Healthy Soils Workshop Learn how to lay the groundwork for healthy soil that helps plants thrive, filters and cleans water, prevents erosion and is teeming with life.

Learn more and register at metroblooms.org/workshops

Southwest Parks and Minnehaha Parkway – Comment by March 31

Check out the Initial Concept Designs for Armatage Park, the Washburn Tot Lot, the 58th & Oliver Triangle and Minnehaha Parkway on the ANA website at https://armatage.org/southwest-park-plan-initial-concept-designs/  All Southwest park designs are searchable at minneapolisparks.org/sw and full Minnehaha Parkway designs are at minneapolisparks.org/minnehahacreek.

Share your feedback by March 31:

  1. Take the online surveys for both projects:
    1. Southwest Parks Plan direct survey link
    2. Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail direct survey link
  2. Drop off a comment: All 13 Southwest Minneapolis Recreation Centers as well as MPRB Headquarters and Parade Ice Arena have a printed packet of concept designs, along with comment cards and drop-off boxes

March 19, 2019 ANA Meeting Highlights

  • Park Update: Summer program registration is now open! The Armatage/Kenny Egg Hunt takes place Saturday, April 13 from 10:00-11:30am. Pre-registration is required.
  • Stacy Sorenson from the City of Minneapolis Department of Neighborhood & Community Relations attended to answer questions on plan modifications. The ANA Board voted to move $25,000 from NRP Housing Loan Repayment Funds to two neighborhood priorities:
    • $11,000 will go to a new Armatage Neighborhood Mini Grants program, which is set to launch on April 1. The application deadline will be June 15 and awards will be made by August 1.
    • $14,000 will go to subsidized rain/native gardens for Armatage residents in 2019. This year’s program will include slots for renters and a limited number of additional $100 grants for residents who meet income guidelines. The board also voted to purchase an additional day of Conservation Corps of MN crew time to fund 17 rain or native gardens in 2019.
  • Green Team:
    • The Green Team is hosting a Local Nonprofit Donation Drive on Saturday, April 6 from 10:00am-12:00pm. Volunteers are needed to help attendees sort through items.
    • The Fix-it Clinic on March 9 had great attendance in spite of the weather – 49 attendees brought 66 items for help repairing from skilled volunteers. Thanks to Green Team volunteers for helping and serving cocoa at the event.
  • Spring Newsletter – the ANA board voted to approve $1,400 to print and mail its spring newsletter.
  • Neighborhoods 2020 – the ANA board will work on a feedback letter for the City before the comment period ends on March 31. Thanks to board member Brett Anderson who volunteered to draft the letter.
  • SW Parks & Minnehaha Parkway Master Plans – the board voted to approve a letter on both master plans with feedback gathered from the February 19 ANA meeting and comments from board and committee members.
  • Kenny/Armatage Garage Sale – proposed changes include adding sales on Friday 5/31 and online-only registration with no fee. ANA will wait for final confirmation from our partner, KNA, before finalizing details and communications.
  • Kelly O’Neill’s team is sponsoring a free shredding event on Saturday, May 11 from 10:00am-12:00pm at Armatage Park.
  • The ANA website transitioned to a new, secure server, which has caused issues with receiving and sending email this week. The board voted to approve $300 in additional technical support hours.

Upcoming meetings/events:

Apr 6 – Green Team Donation Drive (10:00 am – 12:00 pm)
April 13 – Egg Hunt (10:00 am)
April 16 – Monthly Meeting (6:30 – 8:00 pm)
May 11 – Free Shredding Event (10:00am – 12:00 pm)

 

Southwest Parks Plan Initial Concept Designs

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board released initial concept designs for each Southwest park and Minnehaha Creek.

See the designs for Armatage Park, Washburn Tot Lot, the triangle at 58th & Oliver and Minnehaha Creek by clicking on the following link: Armatage Neighborhood_SW and MPRT concepts

Your Feedback is Needed!

Take the online survey at the SW Parks Plan project page (open through March 31)

Take the online survey for the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail at the project page

Drop off a comment: All 13 Southwest Minneapolis Recreation Centers as well as MPRB Headquarters and Parade Ice Arena have a printed packet of concept designs, along with comment cards and drop-off boxes.

Attend a workshop: each workshop has the same format and park design concepts and includes kids’ activities and refreshments.

Thursday, January 31, 2019, 6:00-8:00 pm                                                                        Lynnhurst Recreation Center, 1345 W Minnehaha Parkway                                                           This workshop will also have information on the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail Master Plan.

Monday, February 4, 2019, 6:00-8:00 pm
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S

Thursday, February 7, 2019, 6:00-8:00 pm
Whittier Recreation Center, 425 W 26th St.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 6:00-8:00 pm
Jones-Harrison Residence, Centrum Room, 3700 Cedar Lake Ave.

July 15, 2016 eNews

July Meeting Agenda

July 19, 2016
6:30pm in the Armatage Community Center

  • Welcome
  • City Council Update
  • Park Update
  • Committee Updates
    • Safety
    • Community Engagement
    • Summer Festival
  • Coordinator Update
  • Treasurer Report
  • Secretary Report
  • New Business

Please submit agenda items and any special requests at least 3 days in advance.

ANA Summer Festival
Monday, August 8, 2016
6:00-8:30 pm
Armatage Park

Movie in the Park at dusk – Where the Wild Things Are

Volunteer sign-up now available. Learn about all that will be happening that night including

live music • food trucks • carnival games for kids* • face painting and henna tattoos* • bounce houses and giant slide* • NEW games for adults including Kan Jam • great info booths with games and prizes

 

Bring a water bottle to fill up at our water station donated by Minneapolis Tap

Thank you to our additional sponsors  Anytime Fitness   SWBAlogo_Page_1   MPRB_Logo

MPD
Burglary Alert

There have been 5 reported burglaries since July 11 in a 2-3 block area in the Tangletown neighborhood. The burglaries occurred overnight between the hours of 10pm and 6am while the homeowners were asleep. In three incidents the burglar was unable to make entry into the home because the windows and doors were locked. Entry was made in the other burglaries through an unlocked window and in one case, pry marks were found on the side door.

If you have any information that could lead to a suspect on these burglaries, please contact our property crimes investigator Sgt. Warnberg at (612) 673-5599.

Home Security Prevention Tips

  • Lock your home, apartment, and garage doors and windows at all times, even if you are in the home or yard.
  • Do not leave valuables in plain sight. This includes laptops, purses, wallets, keys, and anything else that may contain personal information. Remember: Treat your garage door opener as a key to your property.
  • Record the make, model, and serial numbers on your valuables and keep in a safe place. This information can greatly assist in recovery of items. Photographs may also be of assistance. NOTE: You can register you bicycle for free with the City. This can help recover your bike if it is ever stolen.
  • Secure windows and doors in homes and garages.
    • Use deadbolt locks with at least a 1” throw on all exterior doors. Use 6” strike plates and 3” case-hardened screws that enter the studs behind the doorframe.
    • Pin or add auxiliary locking devices to windows and sliding glass doors.
    • Place an opaque material over garage windows.
    • Install a solid core door with a deadbolt on garage service door.
    • Secure overhead garage door tracks with a padlock.
    • Consider installing security film on windows near or on doors to prevent access to door locks via breaking a window.
  • Consider using timers on lights, radios and/or a TV when you are away from home.
  • If you have a security system, use it even while at home. Dogs can be a deterrent as well.
  • Know who is in your home; service providers and contractors should do background checks on their employees.

How to report a burglary

Call 911 to report a burglary, whether or not you witness the burglary in progress. Note missing items, suspect description, tools, objects, or DNA evidence left at scene, possible time and date of occurrence, video surveillance, etc. See http://www.minneapolismn.gov/police/crimeprevention/index.htm for additional tips and resources.

Call 911 on all suspicious activity including suspicious persons and vehicles loitering near homes and in alleyways, or unfamiliar noises such as breaking glass.

 

2016 logo_tag
National Night Out
Tuesday, August 2

You can request your block closure for free until July 19! After that, it costs $100! So act now!

Minneapolis has already had 1,000 parties registered! We continue to be one of the most engaged communities in the nation and hope you will help us all continue this trend. NNO is a great way to meet your neighbors and improve area safety.

This year we will be putting blocks with new event registrations, or where we haven’t had a registraiton in a long time, at the top of our list for team visits. These are investigators, lieutenants, commanders, and our top brass who visit many events throughout the night. We should have as many as 80 teams rolling around on August 2nd! As always our Crime Prevention Specialist and other officers from the precinct will be “party-hopping” too!

Also for many years we’ve included Mall of America Nickelodeon Mystery Tickets which are always a hit with kids at NNO block parties, and this year is no different. Register your party today!

vote
Early voting has started for the Aug. 9 Primary Election. Although Minnesota voters already had a chance to participate in selecting each party’s presidential candidates in the caucuses held by the parties in March, there are other races on the primary ballot. Every seat in the state legislature is up for reelection this year, and several of those seats will be on primary ballots in order to decide which candidate will be moving forward for each major political party in the November General Election. Check out What’s on the ballot for more information about what contests are on the primary ballot, and to get a copy of your sample ballot.

In-person early voting

Voters can come downtown to cast an absentee ballot for the primary in-person. In-person voting is at the newly opened Early Vote Center located at 217 S. Third St, one block from City Hall. Early voting can be done Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., through Monday, Aug. 8. The Early Vote Center will also be open the final two Saturdays before the primary, on July 30 and Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Early in-person voting is convenient. It can be especially helpful for voters who need special accommodations, such as language support, by providing the extra time, attention and onsite resources more readily afforded at the Early Vote Center than across all polling places on Election Day.

Vote by mail

Voters who choose to vote early by mail just need to submit an absentee ballot application to have a ballot sent to them along with a postage paid envelope to return that ballot. This can be done by completing the application online or by completing a paper application and submitting by mail, email, fax, or in person to the Elections Office. Get downloadable forms available in 11 languages and full instructions for returning the application and mail ballots on the absentee voting section of vote.minneapolismn.gov.

More election judges needed

Several hundred more election judges are needed to serve in the City’s 132 polling places on Election Day, for the Aug. 9 Primary and the Nov. 8 General Election. Judges can work in the polls on either or both dates to help voters cast their ballots, and run polling place operations. Election judges are paid for their service, at $13.30 per hour beginning Aug. 1, and also receive pay for the required training they will complete prior to Election Day.

You must be an eligible voter in Minnesota in order to serve as an election judge. The Elections & Voter Services website has more information about serving as a judge, and is also the place to go to get signed up by completing the online application.

MPRB_Logo
Fall Park Program Registration Open Now

You can register online or in person at the Summer Festival (or at the park building). Youth sports including football and soccer are just some of the popular offerings through our parks.

Through August, adults can also take advantage of a new Zumba class on Wednesday nights!

Home Energy Squad


Home Energy Squad Visits

Interested in saving money on your home or rental property?  A Home Energy Squad visit is a great way to have a trusted  expert come to your home and install free energy efficient materials, safety check your heating and water system and evaluate energy savings opportunities.  This typically costs $70 and over 9,000 Minneapolis households have participated.  For a limited time, the City of Minneapolis is offering FREE visits for income qualified residents along with 0% financing for insulation and/or air sealing upgrades.  To learn more call 612 335 5874 or visit mncee.org/hes-mpls.

MinnehahaCreekCleanup2016
Minnehaha Creek Cleanup: July 24

Registration is now open for the 2016 Minnehaha Creek Cleanup on Sunday, July 24! RSVP here.

As the event marks its 10th anniversary, volunteers now have three cleanup locations to choose from – Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and Lake Hiawatha Park in Minneapolis. The expansion to Minnetonka provides opportunities to clean the creek all the way from the creek’s headwaters near the Gray’s Bay Dam to Minnehaha Falls – 22 miles downstream. This year’s goal is to collect 4 tons of trash. Learn more at www.minnehahacreek.org/Cleanup

February 11, 2016 eNews

February Meeting Agenda

February 16, 2016 Agenda

  • Welcome
  • Guest: Save Our Minneapolis Parks (referendum)
  • City Council Update
  • Park Update
  • Committee Updates
    • Crime & Safety
    • Community Engagement
    • Summer Festival (Aug 8)
  • Coordinator Update
    • Welcome packet assignments
    • Bank account updates
    • Park updates
    • Annual Meeting (May 17)
  • Secretary Report (January minutes approved via email)
  • Treasurer Report
  • New Business

Please submit agenda items and requests for childcare at least 3 days in advance.

Southwest Home Improvement Far 2016

 

scam smartScam Alert

With income tax filing season in full swing, the Minnesota Department of Revenue is warning taxpayers of a recent over-the-phone phishing scam. Taxpayers should beware of phone calls from a scammer claiming to be from the department who demands immediate payment of tax debts.

Phishing (as in “fishing for information” and “hooking” victims) is a scam to trick taxpayers into revealing personal and financial information which can be used to steal the taxpayer’s identity and swindle them out of money.

When contacting you the department will not:

  • Demand immediate payment without first mailing a letter.
  • Demand that you pay taxes and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.
  • Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For instance, require that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
  • Threaten to call the police or other law enforcement agencies to arrest you for not paying.

Use caution and NEVER provide personal information unless you are absolutely sure the situation is legitimate.

More information about these types of scams can be found on the IRS website.

Learn more about frauds and tax scams and how to report suspicious calls or messages you may have received by visiting our website.

For more emails like this, please sign up for our email subscription service and select “scam and fraud alert updates.”

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District

Clean Water Landscaping Grants

In the middle of winter we’re thinking spring at MCWD. To better serve you, our cost share grant program will now accept applications for clean water landscaping projects at designated times throughout the year.

The spring deadline for non-homeowner grant applications is coming up on March 18. Homeowner applications are due June 17. Another round of applications for non-homeowner projects will be accepted in the fall. The grants are available to any person or organization within MCWD. Learn more and apply here.


Taxpayers take note: If you made energy efficiency improvements to your home in 2015, or if you are planning upgrades in 2016, you may be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $500.

The Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit originally expired at the end of 2014. But Congress recently renewed the credit, making it retroactive to January 1, 2015, and extending it to December 31, 2016. Learn more!

Rethink Recycling

Get to Know the Know What to Throw Guide

You can recycle more than you think! RethinkRecycling.com has resources to make you a more successful recycler, including the newly revised Know What to Throw Guide.

Get Engaged

We are looking for people to join our committees:

  • Crime & Safety
  • Community Engagement
  • Summer Festival (on Aug 8, 2016)

We’d love your input and involvement! If you are interested in helping our neighborhood, let us know (anacoordinator@armatage.org).

May 20, 2014 Minutes – Annual Meeting

Armatage Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting

After an allotted social time, the meeting was called to order at 6:46 by Board President, Betsen Philip

ANA board members in attendance: Tom Alagna, Sarah Broich, Lance Custer, Kelly Falsani, Jeff Forss, Denis Houle, Steve Johnson, Bri Keeney, Nikki Lindberg, Betsen Philip, and Keith Swanson.

Others in attendance: Tina Erazmus, ANA staff member; Speakers and over a dozen residents.

Welcome

Betsen updated everyone on the annual meeting shift to May, recent ANA events (personal safety workshop, meeting on crime, Twitter and Facebook activity, involvement with Fair Skies, having the Chief of Police at a meeting, etc.)

MN Honey Company – Kelley Flanders

Kelley and his wife own the MN Honey Company store at 50th & Xerxes. They support over 30 different local beekeepers (ranging from age 10-80). With the recent significant loss of hives, many businesses have struggled or closed, so they are glad to be supporting this new, growing industry. The bee hive collapses are a worldwide problem, but Minnesota is proving to be a leader in finding solutions (both through hobbyists and professionals, as well as significant research through the University). Our region represents a significant percentage of honey production. The bee loss issues is complicated, and educating ourselves as consumers is a great start in helping the bee population return.

City Council Update by Linea Palmisano

Minneapolis was just announced today as the host for the 2018 Super Bowl. The LRT station at Target Field just opened last weekend, and trains to Union Depot in St. Paul will begin June 14. Pedestrian safety continues to be of concern (especially in the Calhoun neighborhood), and they are looking at solutions/improvements for Xerxes Ave. The city has begun looking into become self-insured, which could provide huge city-wide cost savings. Regarding composting and recycling, juice and other aseptic box packaging is now recyclable. Another $1M was just appropriated for road repairs (report issues through 3-1-1). Although the City Council is looking as banning Styrofoam, her feeling is that most business are already phasing it out, and that it wouldn’t be enforceable, and would rather see the city look at ways to encourage wider composting programs. Some concerns were raised over parking on Penn (especially with local construction and during rush hour) and questions were asked about any possible parking concerns near Lola. No specific concerns have been brought to her attention, but know that traffic enforcement would help in both areas (again, you can call 3-1-1 with specific concerns).

Minnehaha Creek Survey Results – Fulton Neighborhood Association President, Jim Tincher

Jim provided a very brief history of this project and the gathering of input (feedback doors, neighborhood festivals, surveys, etc.). The Park Board has set aside $6-7M for path development along the Creek. The neighborhoods requested they hold off any development until after some other projects are completed, and after this feedback could be gathered, so the path development won’t take place until 2018-19. Overall, the feedback was to keep paths as natural as possible (not cement) and to increase access to the Creek. Neighborhood involvement is done for now, and the Park Board with be creating the final recommendations for development. These plans will then be made available for public response some time in 2016.

Bee Speaker & Flower Recommendations – Rene Lynch

Rene agreed that the issue of bee hive loss is complicated, but wanted to show us ways we could support our native pollinators, particularly two species of bees: Blue Orchard Mason and Leaf Cutter bees. These pollinators, unlike honeybees, are non-aggressive, since they are not protecting a queen. They are solitary dwellers, and life in holes in trees. You can provide a bee house, which has tubes to encourage a bee habitat in your own yard. Blue Orchard Mason bees hibernate over the winter in cocoons. When they emerge one Blue Orchard Mason bee can pollinate at the level it would take 600 honeybees. However, they can’t fly very far (and are often being harvested in one part of the country and shared with other areas during pollination seasons). Blue Orchard Mason bees are active in the spring, while Leaf Cutter bees are fall pollinators. Leaf Cutter bees also will live in the tube, but instead of a cocoon, the use a piece of a leaf to create a hibernation capsule. You can order bees online to help establish a population. There are also many native plants that encourage and help these pollinators: hollyhock, globe thistle, garden phlox, echinacea, ligularia, hyssop, lobelia, dumosus, joe pye weed and golden rod, for example.

Board Elections

Ballots distributed. Slate of candidates approved:

New Business

  • The Home Loan Program is in the development stage. We should have the details about these low interest home improvement loans soon.
  • Armatage Summer Festival  is Monday, August 11. Watch for more details in the coming months and consider volunteering a 1/2 hr of your time!

Meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m.

February 28, 2014 Creek Survey

The next Armatage Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Meeting is Tuesday, March 18th at 6:30 p.m. in the Armatage Park Building (57th and Russell Ave. )

The Minneapolis neighborhoods of Fulton, Lynnhurst and Armatage are working together with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board to explore possibilities for improving the Minnehaha Creek Corridor between Lynnhurst Community Center and Zenith Avenue. The Park Board has allocated funds in 2018-19 for the full stretch of the Minnehaha Creek corridor. Depending on rehabilitation needs of existing features in combination with community interests, some of the funding could be used to improve the landscape and access in this part of the corridor. Your neighborhood associations would like to prioritize the possible improvements based on your feedback.

The suggestions on this survey were gathered from neighborhood residents over the last year by a variety of methods. Every neighborhood resident or business owner can fill out a survey, but please only one per person.

We are hoping that you will take a moment to give us your feedback.  This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard and have impact on funding decisions.  We thank you for your time in protecting and improving this important community asset.  Here is the link to the survey:

http://sgiz.mobi/s3/38803b348528