May 19 Meeting Recap
Thanks to Council Member Palmisano for giving an update on how the City continues to address COVID-19, including the current budget deficit. The Board discussed its 2020 Board Election (June 9-16) and planned next month’s virtual Annual Meeting (June 16), approving a small budget for communications and door prizes.
The new Neighborhood Art Journal is underway with many submissions received already. The Board approved funds to continue spreading the word through chalk drawings, social media and flyers around the neighborhood. Additional topics of discussion: board expectations, Mini Grant recipient orientation, Rain/Native Garden program, and the Green Team’s Organics Workshop (thanks to all who attended!).
Armatage Neighborhood Art Journal
During this time of social distancing, what have you and your family members done to express yourselves creatively? Please share your creations with us as we compile a journal to document this moment of time in Armatage. We will assemble your submissions into a free journal available to download at armatage.org/art and possibly feature them in ANA communications about this project or in a future community mural.
See submission guidelines and an awesome video about this project at armatage.org/art/
Armatage Annual Meeting & Board Election
Tuesday, June 16
7:00-8:30pm
Zoom
Join your neighbors for a virtual Armatage Annual Meeting! Connect with your elected representatives, win a gift card to a local business, and hear a short, fascinating talk on the 2020 Census and its impact on Minneapolis before board election results are announced.
Please note that voting for this year’s Board Election will be held online from June 9 through June 16 at 7:30pm. All Armatage residents 18 years and older and designated business representatives are able to vote in the election through an online form that will be posted at armatage.org on June 9. See below for more details on running for election!
Join the Board
We will have a few open board seats in June so why not run for the Armatage Neighborhood Association’s Board of Directors? Board members have a critical role in shaping our neighborhood nonprofit for years to come.
Members of underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to run for the board, including renters, seniors, residents with disabilities, and residents who identify as LGBTQ or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color).
Learn more about what’s involved and register to run by June 8 at armatage.org/2020boardelection/
Take Action by 5/31 to Win a $50 Gift Card
- Take the 2020 Census: my2020census.gov
- Take Action. Choose from the following list…
- Snap a selfie and share with hashtags #WeCountMN #Census2020 #ArmatageTakesTheCensus
- Share a social media post with my2020census.gov and hashtags #WeCountMN #Census2020 #ArmatageTakesTheCensus
- Reach out to a neighbor (or two!) about completing the Census using #socialdistancing. (This is a perfect chance to check in remotely).
- Visit armatage.org/2020census and enter your info for a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards to local businesses. All Minneapolis residents are eligible to enter.
Masks Required Indoors Starting 5/26
Yesterday Mayor Jacob Frey signed Emergency Regulation 2020-12, which will require people in Minneapolis to wear cloth face masks or coverings when they are in an indoor place of public accommodation, including grocery stores, recreation centers, hotels, retail businesses, the skyway system, and government buildings.
The order takes effect Tuesday, May 26 and applies to everyone over the age of 2. See mask FAQs at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus/faqs#Masks
Request Your Absentee Ballot to Vote by Mail
Many public agencies including the City of Minneapolis recommend voting early by mail this election year. Sign up now to get your ballots for the August primary and November general election mailed to you. It takes just a couple minutes to sign up and ballots will arrive approximately six weeks before those elections, along with postage-paid envelopes for return.
Register to vote (or update your registration) here
Apply for an Absentee Ballot here
Share your Stories with the Hennepin History Museum
As we transition into this new phase of the COVID-19 response, the Hennepin History Museum asks that you take a short survey to document your experiences so far. Their hope is to gather stories to preserve snapshots of our lives.
The museum will preserve these stories in their archive and–if you want–will share some of them online. Stay tuned for snippets from some of the stories that have already been submitted! Link to survey: https://hennepinhistory.org/documenting-our-experiences/
Armatage Park Play Area Improvements Survey
If you haven’t done so yet, there’s just one week left to weigh in on upcoming improvements for the Armatage Park Play Area. Take the survey and sign up for project updates at https://bit.ly/ArmatagePark
This survey is open through May 29 and is expected to be first in a series on prioritizing and designing improvements. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas and opinions for our beloved park! Click here to take the Armatage Park survey.
Comment Period for the Transportation Action Plan Ends Today
Did you know that streets and public right-of-ways make up 22% of the land in Minneapolis? The draft Transportation Action Plan is a 10-year action plan to guide future planning, design and implementation of transportation projects for these spaces and for all people in all the ways we move around Minneapolis.
Visit the interactive website at http://go.minneapolismn.gov/ to provide your input on specific strategies and actions during the public comment period, which runs through today (May 22).
Minneapolis Park Amenities to Re-open
Playgrounds, skate parks, athletic fields, and courts will slowly open over the next week to groups of 10 users or less. Read through the details at https://www.minneapolisparks.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information/
Please keep social distancing measures in place when you and your family members use parks to keep these critical community spaces safe for everyone. Check the MPRB’s COVID-19 page in the weeks to come for updates.
Minneapolis Firefighters’ Virtual Story Time
Check out Minneapolis firefighters reading children’s books for a virtual story time in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools. Watch the videos here:
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Carl Johnson reading “Lola Loves Stories.”
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Carl Johnson reading “Blackout.”
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Amber Lage reading “Even Superheroes Make Mistakes.”
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Amber Wood reading “This Little Trailblazer.”
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Bryan Tyner reading “Brave.”
- Storytime with the Minneapolis Fire Department: Jenn Hall reading “Not Norman: A Goldfish Story.”
Help is Available
Check out our updated COVID-19 Resource Page for links to emergency assistance, unemployment, food shelves, maps of local businesses offering curbside pick-up, online kids’ activities, and details on our new Stay Safe MN order at https://armatage.org/covid19. We are in this together. <3