October 17, 2017 Minutes

Armatage Neighborhood Association

Monthly Meeting Minutes
Armatage Rec Center

Date: October 17, 2017

Called to order: 6:35pm

Presided by: Denis Houle, President

Note taker: Bri Keeney

In attendance: Board Members — Ryan Antkowiak, Tara Brown, Kelly Falsani, Joel Federer, Jim Hoch, Denis Houle, Bri Keeney, Michael Kootsikas, Laurel Luxenberg, Stephanie Vigen

Other — Nikki Lindberg – Coordinator; Nikki Friederich – Park Director; Linea Palmisano – City Council Member

 

Residents – Gary Remafedi

 

Welcome

Quarterly Safety Update

  • Safety coordinator unable to attend tonight
  • Part 1 crimes report
  • Crime statistics are about the same as past years
  • One neighbor commented that it would be helpful if data were reported in a different manner: For example, “incidents per 1000 people” (add denominator to data); could then also compare to other neighborhoods in the city. Another suggestion is to look at continuum of crime reporting. For example, “What percentage of 911 calls end up in crime report?” or “What incident of crime actually end up in prosecution?” These data reporting adjustments would give us a better picture of what is actually occurring.

City Council Update

Park Update, Nikki Friederich

  • Halloween – Trunk or Treat – ANA Station (Friday Oct. 27; 6:00-8:30pm)
    • Still looking for Trunk or Treat people–the park provides the candy and little swag/toys
    • Snacks and popcorn; Sweet Dreams food truck; music; bounce house
    • Park is looking for volunteers to help with popcorn and s’mores
  • Skate park: Park Board is doing skate park activity plan; see Park Board website to give feedback online or other contact info. Looking at placement, needs/wants, concerns, etc.
  • Washburn Tot Lot feedback session: Come to the Tot Lot for snacks and give feedback on the new redesign of the Tot Lot! Rain plan: Maybe in Armatage Rec Center?

President’s Report

  • Denis: Neighborhoods 2020 still meeting, looking at March 2018 to unveil new plan and funding; at next NCEC meeting someone from Seattle will attend to talk about how Seattle supports and funds neighborhoods (Seattle and Mpls are top cities for neighborhood support and activity); Mpls Comprehensive 2040 planning going forward (what city should look like in 2040) are due Dec. 31, 2018, to Met Council.

Secretary Report

Electronic votes

Approval of Sept minutes

Treasurer Report

  • Judy sent budget update via email

Committee Updates

Community Engagement

Happy Hour – Red Wagon, Tues 10/3

  • Attendance was about 20 neighbors
  • Board discussed scheduling happy hours through 2018 (every other month); Ryan will check with Red Wagon about what works for them

Washburn Tot Lot – Community meeting 10/28

Muslim community/school event: Joel talking to contacts; response seems positive and will keep discussing and update Board when a plan takes shape

Green Team

  • No update as of now; will have three goals for 2018 to present on at next meeting

Safety

  • No update tonight

Summer Festival discuss potential changes

  • Need more volunteers (always challenging); one solution is to change up activities; right now the most challenging area is the carnival games (needs a lot of staff); may need to make tough decision to reduce/eliminate carnival games since we don’t have enough volunteers
  • One person suggested “Heart of the Beast” interactive activity (Brittany and Matthew Keith); another person suggested Circus Juventas
  • Another suggestion: More/better signage to show what activities and areas are at festival
  • Overall the festival went really well, despite the weather, good job Nikki!
  • Car show: Really great turnout despite rain (good job Laurel!)
  • Time of festival: 4-7pm rather than 3-7pm? (overall people like moving it to Sunday from Monday)
  • One suggestion: Location of band was problematic this year (was off to the side)
  • Date next year will be Sunday August 12, 2018, 4-7pm (new time)

Coordinator Update

Communication policy

  • How to accept communications to be in newsletter etc.
  • NextDoor, Facebook, Twitter, etc.–Please share, RSVP, invite others, post, and talk it up!

Accountant services

  • Neighborhood person who does this work; ANA would buy version of QuickBook for her to use (monthly subscription would be about $10/month); accounting services would cost $40/hour
  • This came out of a recommendation from the City: professional using QuickBook; also takes the burden off of the Board Treasurer and opens the position up to more people who may not have an accounting/finance background
  • Judy has the budget and records in really good shape at this point
  • $120 per year for QuickBooks and $1,000 (estimated) per year
  • Motion to approve approximately $1200 per year for accounting services and QuickBook subscription (pending reference check); second; motion carriesl

Bylaws

  • Subcommittee finishing recommendations tonight and then will share recommended changes to ANA; after that the City needs to look at it and approve; and after City approves/tweaks then ANA can vote on it. Goal is to get it to the City before the holidays, estimate that ANA will vote on new bylaws in Jan/Feb 2018.

Tree lighting

  • Lights are going up soon
  • Sleigh rental for photos is $250
    • Motion to approve $250 for sleigh rental; second; discussion; motion carries

Conflict of interest policy

  • Board members review and sign

New Business

  • Bri Keeney: seek approval for $600 for toys for the Toddler Play Time at the park: $400 for four transportation vehicles and $200 for large blocks. The ECR4KIDS brand is used by child care centers and public libraries–sturdy, durable, wooden toys that will last a long time.
  • Motion to approve; second; discussion; motion carries!
  • Joel Federer: Have Mobile Menders in Armatage Rec Center (would need strips for plug-ins); would need quite a bit of time in advance to announce and market
  • Denis Houle: Community Connections Conference–great event to meet other people, neighborhood organizations, free food, free registration
    • Saturday Feb 10, 2018, at Convention Center
  • Michael Kootsikas: Continuing to pass out welcome bags to new neighbors who move into neighborhood (cloth bag, magnets, water bottles, etc); looking for suggestions for welcome bags; one good suggestion is the Settergrens Service Providers List; Southwest Business Association list

 

Adjourn 7:48pm (motion, second, motion carries)