Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Monthly Board Meeting, April 8, 2015

Members in attendance: Hetal Dalal, Robert Roedl, Whitney Emanuel, Jess Alexander, Anders Christensen, Lisa Skzeczkoski-Bzdusek, Matt Klausner, Mark, Dane Esethu, David Fenley, Dan Swenson-Klatt, Scott Mueller,

Alternates in attendance: Dean Laite (Alternate 2), Brigitte Mussack (Alternate 1), Madelyn Sundberg (alternate 3)

Members absent: Anit Bhatia

Others in attendance: (staff and guests) Sarah Linnes- Robinson, Debra Behrens

Meeting called to order at 7:10 PM

Name of meeting chair: Hetal Dalal

Confirmed quorum: Yes

Presentation and Board Conversation led by Debra Behrens, 6th district NCEC Representative:

NCEC Background: We are the body formed to advise the city council and neighborhood on best practices for neighborhoods. We are elected by neighborhood organization reps and there are 10 neighborhoods in the district. We run on a two year election cycle. The other half of the seats are appointed by certain people in the City.

I am working on (based on feedback from neighborhood groups) the City Engagement Task Force, community innovation fund committee, and serving on the NRP Policy Board to determine the spending down of the final dollars (not a lot of action but important to have resident voices determining changes and use of those dollars).

I have a concern that many people running for a neighborhood do not speak for the neighborhood but instead have a single/personal voice. We need advocates for neighborhood work. Please consider talking to people you know in other neighborhoods and districts and encouraging them to run for open seats, as well as consider appointments as an option to fill seats.

We are at risk constantly for neighborhood funding, and the commission is split just barely in the favor of neighborhoods, but the city appointed positions talk often of dismantling or “blowing up” neighborhood organizations. She sees the danger of the groups being dismantled in 2020 and the NCEC at that point would be the group that would then bring forward the recommendation of defunding groups.

Diversity survey she believes will be used to prove that neighborhood associations are not diverse or representative (and thus should not be funded).

Question: seeking racial diversity or economic? It flip flops but believe that it is racially based.

Issue: communication with under-represented community members due to language barriers. Although translators offered for event they aren’t available for door knocking or day to day outreach. The core of recruitment comes on the block level and city translators don’t help at that level.

Resource: city has outreach coordinators for specific underrepresented groups. Their work often seems to be with groups in the community but not always connecting them to the neighborhood associations.

Issue: Different neighborhoods have different requirements for running for board: pre applying for a position, or just showing up and running. Some present more barriers than others.

Neighborhood highlight: suggest that it is something forthcoming.

KFNA Board Member comments that it is more than a single event but a full year calendar of engaging people in their communities. Another responds that a new outreach event called “cultural café/parent nights” are being planned.

Open seats—share website.

Monthly first Monday Happy Hour 4 PM, open to staff and one rep of the board. …need board rep. Let Sarah know if you want to represent KFNA there on May 4.

Consent Agenda

March Board Minutes approved.

Board Actions

Redevelopment Motion: The KFNA Redevelopment Committee recommends to the KFNA board that they support this concept of four homes on this site [15 West 37th Street] and that the board, via their Redevelopment Committee, work with Minneapolis Public Housing during the design development and explores sustainable opportunities and encourages the addition of tornado shelters to be incorporated.

David moves that the Board support the Redevelopment Committee’s motion. Lisa Seconds.

Vote Aye, all.

Project Updates

38th Street Development Meetings: organized by Elizabeth Glidden, report by Anders, 75-100 people at each meeting.

·  History

·  Specific sites

·  Speakers from various ownership models including: Co-op, Community Land trust, northeast investment co-op

Annual Activity Planning Chart Discussed and Updated (see attachment).

Meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM

Minutes provided by Sarah Linnes-Robinson, KFNA Executive Director.