Meeting Minutes

Date: March 17, 2020

Format: Virtual meeting held via Zoom

Called to Order: 6:33pm

Presided by: Joel Federer (President)

Note taker: Brett Anderson

Board members in attendance: Adam Miller, Ryan Antkowiak, Lauren Anderson (Coordinator), Michael Kootsikas, Patty Grabski, Adriana Dobrzycka, Judy Vecere, Joel Federer, Brett Anderson, Rachel Ireland-Henry (Accountant)

Others in attendance: Linea Palmisano (Council Member, Ward 13)

Board members absent: Tyler Mulcahey, Donte Mearon

Welcome & Introductions

Update from Council Member Linea Palmisano

• Transportation action plan in progress
  • Look for ways to participate online
• N2020
  • Palmisano Presents Forum for N2020 scheduled for 3/24 has been canceled
  • Pushing to extend public input period – Likely a decision coming soon (likely to postpone)
• Covid-19
  • State of Emergency at the City level declared – streamlines decisions to Mayor’s office.  Council approves after instead before (so less oversight)
  • Will be a City website for Covid-19 information resources
  • Sign up for e-news updates with Palmisano – these updates will keep you up to date on City decisions

May Meeting/Elections

• Annual meeting/elections was on the calendar for May 19th
• Possibility exists of doing online meeting and online elections
• For elections can do a simple self-reporting on address and where you live as means of qualifying to vote.
  • More simple/low tech the better.
  • Could do bios online ahead of time and provide election results after the meeting.
• Board expressed a desire to delay the annual meeting/elections until at least June.  Will start communicating this in April.
• Board will need to make decisions soon on other future events such as movie in the park, organics workshops, etc.

Covid-19

• ANA can serve as a centralized place (i.e. website and social media) where people can turn for help.
• ANA could help people connect if they need assistance like snow shoveling.  ANA could also gather information and provide it on the ANA website in one consolidated place (e.g. Byerlys store hour changes).
• If you come across helpful information like this send to Lauren and she can consolidate and put on website, send in newsletters, post on social media, etc.
• Spring Newsletter being held until early May instead of early April due to the events

N2020 Strategy

• Board to start thinking about how to tell the story to the neighborhood – should be simple.  That is why neighborhoods matter.
• A base amount of $25K/year doesn’t seem politically palatable per Lauren’s conversations with CM Palmisano and other electeds.
• Brett, Lauren, Joel, and Ryan to work on communications pertaining to N2020 including a draft letter for residents to send to elected(s) and NCR.
  • Needs to be clear so that we have a clear ask for neighbors and what we want them to say in their feedback.
• While CM Palmisano supports a higher base amount of $25K, other City Council members likely do not.
• Thoughts on ANA feedback strategy are to acknowledge that ANA supports the equity work of the City but to survive needs a larger annual base, e.g., $15,000.

Other Business – None

President’s Report 

• Judy to continue term and serve as Treasurer until May 2021.

Minutes approved via email

Financials sent out via email – no questions

Committee Updates

• Green Team
  • Organics grant: Update on the grant, there is a delay due to Covid-19 and grant period will hopefully be extended
    • Plan to purchase organic starter kits ($10/each); these will go to any resident signing up for organics recycling the first time.
    • ANA/Green Team could also do a home visit with a pair of volunteers bringing the starter kit to the resident.
    • Considering doing organics recycling lawn signs for those that have signed up already as this bumped up participation rates for organics recycling in other neighborhoods.
    • Plan to do a Pop up event at the tot lot along with events such as workshops.
    • Grant is for $10K with half allocated to staff time.  Will be able to bill some of Lauren’s time to this.
  • One thought is in the future to shift the ANA board focus to green team activities due to the high interest in the neighborhood and the lower future money available.
  • Rain gardens update:  Projected to be some cost savings of approximately $1500. Plan to offer $200 to anyone that meets the low-income qualifications (<=200% of the federal poverty limit).
• Mini Grants
  • Deadline closed.  Received 3 proposals.  Quality of proposals were really good.
    • Green triangle at Penn and 58th
      • Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board is open as long as any project works within the soon-to-be-passed plan for the park.
    • Welcoming equity committee of Armatage school – support to bring in speakers.
    • Support for greening in the internal courtyard of Armatage.
    • Talk about the equity grant in our N2020 communication/letter to highlight work we are doing.
• Summer Festival
  • Will try to do dunk tank this year
  • Will have a 50/50 raffle
• Complete Count Meeting
  • We have paused due to Covid-19 but the plan is to meet virtually this month via Zoom.
  • Joel has been doing Census posts on social media.
  • Lauren to follow up with state to see if we are unable to have a large outreach event (due to Covid-19) if we are able to keep/use the money for something else.
  • May be the opportunity to do something similar to a letter/campaign if we have funding.

Meeting Adjourned: 7:51pm