FRNNG Board Meeting Notes, Wednesday May 16, 2012
Present: Stearline Rucker, Wade Warner, Ted Moe, Willie Bridges, Jeri Elsner, Karen Young, Shannon
Guernsey, Gerry Sell , Nicholas Peterson, Tom Powers, Chris Schommer
Not Present: Kirk Andersen, Keely Wheaton, Pete Burlute, Shelley Nystrom, Mary Ellen Mueller , Kevin
Kelley, Carol Kennedy.
Committee Updates:
Greening: Planting along the 35W Corridor between Minnehaha Parkway and 42nd Street is to be
completed by June 6th. They are currently working on the project right now. Working with MNDOT,
Elizabeth Glidden, John Quincy and the various neighbors regarding the Gateway project. Utility box
wrap project list has been submitted to the city. Their inspectors need to review and get back with
Greening as to which boxes they are able to do.
Requests for proposal for food venue at Nokomis is due this month.
Community & Safety: Working with Sue Roethele regarding door knocking to develop new block
leaders and get residents involved in the neighborhood. The cookbook subcommittee is working on
getting recipes and developing a plan to engage neighborhood restaurants and other businesses.
Finance: A Night on 48th – need to decide the date for the event.
Treasurer’s Report: Financials submitted. Working on another CPP submission. Need to build into the
budget the extension period.
Business: No new business.
Education: No new business, other than approval at the last meeting to fund the Watershed HS project.
Already have 120+ kids signed up for the class. Discussed the signage that went up at the Field School.
Parks: Developed a postcard with all the different events going on this summer in FRNNG. Also lawn
signs. Everything is on schedule for the Parade. Organic lawn care had 18 people show up. Another
one is scheduled for this Saturday.
Other business: The city along with FRN is trying to get the Lee house on the National Historical
Registry. Discussed some alternatives for maintaining the landscaping the neighborhood put in last
year. Motion to write a letter from the board to John Quincy & Elizabeth Glidden regarding expediting
this and legal protection of the monument and the house . Moved by Willie Bridges, seconded by Ted
Moe. We will vote on-line.
It was discussed whether to install a sprinkler system to maintain the property. Minimally needed at
this time are hoses and a hose reel. One bid was obtained by Stearline for a sprinkler system. It was
decided to get a few more bids, and to pursue with the owners of the property some assurances as to
maintaining the property in perpetuity from the heirs of the property. More discussion to follow.
Request by Wade Warner to replace some of the annuals that didn’t make it last year. Seconded by Jeri
Elsner. Motion carried.
Elizabeth Glidden: The city of Mpls is going to single-source recycling and trash collection. This should
increase the amount of recycling by 60% . It will be approximately 9-12 months before this plan goes
into effect. The new redistricting boundaries have been set. The city will put a link to their website with
the new boundaries and changes to polling places. There have also been meetings between council
people and the Mpls school board regarding repurposing vacant school properties, such as Northrop
school.
CPP Plan:
Community Participation Efforts
To be submitted to the city by June 15th. Jenny and Stearline will write the proposals.
Recurring Events: Close to Home Publication, Night on 48th Fall Event, Annual Neighborhood
Celebration and Parade in the Summer, Gateway project with Greening, Annual Meeting
Current Projects: Minnehaha Watershed Grant involving Education and Greening, Bullying Forum,
Youth Engagement (attending school), Utility Box Wrap, neighborhood welcome packets, business
directory, Community Clean Up project, partnering with Nokomis Healthy Seniors to get seniors involved
in the neighborhood, (intergenerational partnering program), seminars and workshops.
Building Organizational Capacity:
How do we reach out to get volunteers to work with projects we are outlining for the future, beyond the
board members. Help to develop the Field and Regina neighborhoods on-line email group.
Building Neighborhood Relationships:
Involvement of under-engaged stakeholders: who are affected by our work.
Housing Activities: monitoring, tracking and promoting of programs
Clean up 46th
Unused Funds: what to roll-over to other funds
Cpp Budget: Have $130,000 to allocate, plus left over, must follow new guidelines. Need to follow.