Armatage Neighborhood Association

Monthly Meeting Minutes

Armatage Rec Center
Date: July 18, 2017
Called to order: 6:33 pm
Presided by: Denis Houle, President
Note taker: Ryan Antkowiak

In attendance: Board Members — Ryan Antkowiak, Kelly Falsani, Joel Federer, Jim Hoch, Denis Houle, Bri Keeney, Laurel Luxenberg, Judy Vecere, Stephanie Vigen
Other — Nikki Lindberg, Coordinator; Nikki Friederich, Park Director; Tim Schwarz,City Clerk Office, Roger Worm, Volunteer SWBA Project Lead

Guest Presenter

• Tim Schwarz, Elections and Voter Services – City Clerk Office
  • Polling Location Update

• • Debating a polling location change from Anthony Middle School to City Church
    • Will this be well-recieved by those affected?
      • Nikki to post on NextDoor for feedback
      • Will initiate immediately barring negative feedback
  • Armatage Community Center remains in tact

Park Update – Nikki Friederich, Park Director

• Football registration is coming very soon.
• Activity Guide has been published. Printed version available in Armatage Rec Center.
• • Contact Nikki Friederich for electronic version
• Festival coming up in August

Business Grant Program  – Roger Worm program lead from SWBA.

• Matching grant for façade/signage improvement
  • Used to improve neighborhood aethestics and overall attractiveness of neighborhood businesses.
  • SWBA has been awarded funds for the Great Streets Program. We could partner with SWBA and supplement their program.
    • The Great Streets Program has been widely successful in participating neighborhoods.
      • Only available for designated business nodes.
      • The areas within Armatage which are applicable are 54th/Penn and 60th/Penn.
        • Helped improve the facility at JUMP (54th/Penn); new windows.
        • Currently working with the new owners of the Café Maude location (Kim Bartman ownership group).
        • Currently working on the Dry Cleaners (54th/Penn) location to improve the windows.
    • Roger feels the three businesses on Penn (Strip Mall) could benefit from a facelift. Could help the drycleaner (56th/Xerxes) into a GREEN cleaner. These are examples.
      • ANA expressed concern about how funds could/would be distributed so we can be selective towards who gets funding.
  • How it works….
    • 1/3 of the cost of the program would be donated by Great Streets/SWBA (up to $5,000 max).  ANA could then contribute another 1/3 of the cost ($5,000 max). The applicable business would then contribute the final 1/3 or more. Maximum grant would be $5,000 SWBA & $5,000 ANA.
      • ANA could develop their own guidelines. Roger Worm can only work with façade improvements. ANA could take it further – landscaping, design, repaving, etc…

President’s Report – Denis Houle

• We have gotten too comfortable voting online. In general, we should be voting during meetings not online (only online if facing deadline).
• Secretary notes – Kelly to take minutes for September, Bri for October, Tara for November
  • Minute taker to pass along to Ryan to clean up and pass along to Nikki for voting

Committee Updates

• Community Engagement – Bri Keeney
• Tot Lot update – project manager assigned, community engagement this fall
  • Beginning of 2018 construction season will be initiated
    • Timeline: Summer for 2018
  • Looking for more board participation as well as neighbor engagement
    • Important to get people who live right there involved
• Ryan Antkowiak will the new Engagement Committee Chair as Bri has asked to step down
• Green Team – Tara Brown and Laurel Luxenberg
• Metro Blooms/Rain garden funding
  • Tara provided a response in terms of how to share in the cost
    • Need to vote online by July 28th
      • From there we would approach Metro Blooms
• Safety Team – Nikki Lindberg
• Personal Safety Workshop, Saturday, Sept. 23
  • Stun and Run Self Defense Class? $100/hr 1 or 2 hour session
    • Is this something we want to sponsor?
      • Approved 2 hour session ($200)
• Summer Festival – Nikki Lindberg
• Frisbees or other ANA give-away
  • Approved to purchase 200 frisbees for $225
    • To be given away at Summer Festival

Coordinator Update – Nikki Lindberg

• July/Aug newsletter
• Tara will be the next board member highlighted in the newsletter
• Summer intern
• Working on summer festival
• Bylaws
• Committee: Judy, Joel, Jim, Kelly & Laurel
  • Need to update/review

Secretary Report – Ryan Antkowiak

• Electronic votes
  • Approval of June minutes
  • $25,000 grant to Rita’s House project
  • Approval of award and gift for Steve Johnson
  • Will make sure Steve is at the September meeting

Treasurer Report – Judy Vicere

• Current financial statements sent via email. Update on contracts sent via email.
• Establishment of clear tracking between two bank accounts (one for the City monies (Restricted), the other for program income (Non-Restrictive)).

New Business

• Solar Power Hour event, July 26, 4-5pm at Insight Brewing (SE Como Association Event)
• Info session on solar, rain gardens
• People for Parks
• Declined
• Fulton shooting
• Happy to provide support but decided not to make a deal of it. Allow time to pass as everything is still so raw surrounding it.
• Café Vin
• Ryan to reach out to see if they may be willing to host our September event.

Meeting adjourned: 7:55 pm

Submitted by: Ryan Antkowiak, Secretary