ANA Meeting Minutes

3.16.21 / 6:30 PM / ZOOM 

BOARD ATTENDEES

Adriana Dobrzycka, Joel Federer, Vikisha Goberdhan, Ethan Komoroski, Nikki Lindberg, Sharla McIntosh-Ziegler, Donté Mearon, Kevin Ross, Judy Vecere

NOT IN ATTENDANCE: Samantha Bild

OTHER ATTENDEES

Lauren Anderson (Coordinator), Rachel Ireland-Henry (Accountant), Linea Palmisano (City Council), Eric Magnuson, Veronica Soria Miller, Janhel Leandre, Anne Hacker, Gail Roberts, Kelli Marks, Sarah Komoroski, Erin Shackett, Kristi Palmsten, Tara Carson

AGENDA

6:30    Welcome and Introductions

6:35    Special Election

Janhel Leandre was elected to the open board position.

6:40    Update from Council Member Linea Palmisano

• Linea addressed concerns around the Chauvin trail and recent settlement with the Floyd family. She indicated that the City Council does not get to choose the timing, rather, the Federal Court judge makes that determination. Council members do not get to object to the timing; they only vote on the settlement itself.
• She shared information about the Roof Depot project and concerns raised by our Green Team
• Her office has received an uptick in noise complaints around both planes and helicopters. Be sure to report your concerns to MAC or her office.
• She also addressed concerns around the limited number of charges that ultimately have been filed in regards to the recent rash of car-jackings (Strib article that explains this situation)
• She will need to follow up on questions around the status of the Minneapolis Truth & Reconciliation working group
• She will look further into concerns around the MPD driving through George Floyd Square on March 12. She was aware of many details around this event, but specific additional concerns were brought to her attention.
• Questions about future Minneapolis Rent Control options, Linea described the current situation, and that the charter commission should be presenting their recommendations to the council soon.

7:12    Armatage Reparations & Equity Action (AREA) – Eric Magnuson & Veronica Soria Miller

• Eric and Veronica are both Armatage area residents and came on behalf of their neighborhood group to present about the AREA1946 project.
• In the wake of George Floyd’s death, neighbors came together sharing frustration and sorrow over the continued killing of black Americans. One neighbor brought up racial covenants as an example of a fairly recent example of systemic racism in our neighborhood. This was something most people were unaware existed. Although these covenants are no longer enforceable, what they represent has had long-reaching impacts, has shaped our city and our neighborhood and contributed to the current housing inequity gap today.
• Even though we didn’t create these systems, we did inherit them, and by renouncing them are taking the first step in the process of reparations of acknowledging the injustice, and supporting more fair systems now and in the future.
• Through the Mapping Prejudice project with the U, all of Hennepin County has been mapped to show which properties still have a racial covenant (they are currently mapping Ramsey county).
• It is a personal choice to renounce a covenant on your home, and it used to be a fair amount of work. However, the city of Minneapolis, in partnership with Just Deeds has made this process much easier and free. In just the first week of announcing this partnership, Minneapolis has had more than 700 residents apply to renounce.
• AREA1946 sees this as just a first project, and they plan to find ways to further the reparations process through becoming involved with legislative actions, micro reparation programs, and organizations working to close the housing gap in the Twin Cities.

7:30    2021 Annual Meeting & Board Election Planning (May 18)

• Format – Zoom
• Topic/speaker
  • Speakers
    • Elected officials
    • AREA1946
    • New and ongoing committees (each group to present 1 slide)
  • Topic (focus is equity)
    • How this is part of our mission under funding guidelines
    • How we will share information and opportunities to learn more and take action through promoting awareness of groups like AREA1946
• Election process
  • Will follow last year’s process of opening a window for nominations/applications for board seats. People have a window of time to review the candidates and place their vote, culminating with the results being presented during the meeting.
    • Adriana expressed willingness to help flyer to promote the election (important to focus on rental areas to increase engagement from non-homeowners)

7:50    Spring Newsletter

• Annual Meeting & Board Election
  • Door prizes (must be present during drawing)

Motion was made and seconded to purchase three gift cards from neighborhood businesses at $50 each (a total of $150). Motion carried.

• Community Engagement Event (May 8)
• AREA1946
• Board Feature (Ethan)
• Block Clubs (Request for Block Leader Contact Info)
• Compost Bin/Rain Barrel Sales (if still relevant)

8:05    ANA Website Renewal ($550)

• $480 Web Hosting (2 years)
• $70 Domain Name (2 years)

Motion was made and seconded to approve the website renewal expenses. Motion carried.

8:10    Committees (3-minute updates)

• Safety, Equity & Outreach
  • Sam Bild and Nikki Lindberg, Co-Chairs
  • Nikki, Vicky, and Lauren will help build out safety resources (focusing on the trial to start) and how to mindfully share, report, or research safety concerns
  • Donté and Sam will learn about how other neighborhoods locally and across the US approach misinformation on platforms like Nextdoor and Citizen
  • Joel will invite the MPD to our May event
  • Next meeting April 10 (10 am) at the Park with masks
• Community Engagement
  • Lots of ideas were generated at their first meeting, and several neighbors were able to participate
  • May 8 Event: Will take place from  2:00-4:00 pm at park (Environmental focus, with planting kits, scavenger hunt, tea and coffee trucks, etc.)

Motion was made and seconded to fund seed kits at $250 request to make 120 kits. Motion carried.

• Green Team
  • March 30 Solar Workshop (7 pm/Zoom) Green Team and the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) on solar options including rooftop, solar gardens, options for renters, and more. Open to all, whether you live in Armatage or not. All attendees will be entered to win a solar portable charger (generously donated by MRES) or a $25 gift card to either Wagner’s or Ace (donated by the ANA Green Team). Must be present to win.
  • April 1 Reading Circle (7 pm/Zoom) Reading and discussing All We Can Save – Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, Chapter 3.
  • We will be scheduling a clean-up day near Earth Day with the Park Board (details TBD, the date is 4/23 weather pending)
  • Kid A (https://kidamarketplace.com/) will be in Armatage the first week of April (see eNews blurb)
  • Plan to have rain and native garden program with Metro Blooms again. The application will have two new questions about why they are interested and that they are aware of the maintenance required. Applicants interested in additional financial assistance for their rain garden will be asked to note that in their application as well.
• Mini-Grants
  • Taking a break and wanting to re-address later in the year. The pandemic has limited us both in ways to connect with the community and for grant implementation.

Meeting adjourned at 8:26

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS

• Mar 30 – Solar Workshop (7:00-8:15 pm, Zoom)
• Apr 1 – Community Engagement Meeting (5:30-6:30pm, Zoom)
• Apr 1 – Reading Circle Meeting #3 (7:00-8:00pm, Zoom)
• Apr 8 – Green Team Meeting (7:00-8:15pm, Zoom)
• Apr 10 – Safety, Equity & Outreach Meeting (10:00-11:00 am, Armatage Park Play Area with masks on)
• Apr 20 – Monthly Meeting (6:30-8:30 pm, Zoom)