2. Nicole Magnam and Officer Jabra Kawas, Minneapolis Police SE Community Community Crime Prevention/Safety for Everyone team, reported that two individuals were convicted of burglaries that included ones in Community Community Crime Prevention/Safety for Everyone team, reported that two individuals were convicted of burglaries that included ones in this neighborhood. There have been a number of unattended car thefts due to the cars left running. Last week Tower Grocery was robbed and there have been orange-colored notices of a crime alert posted throughout the neighborhood.
3. Motion made, seconded and passed without noes: "To accept, with a committee name correction, the minutes of the 11/22/99 PPERRIA B/M/N meeting as published in the 1/2000 PPERRIA Newsletter."
4. Steve Cross reminded all that the current considerations to change PPERRIA's by-laws result from recent indications that there is unclearness in the current by-laws, especially regarding that a vote on a specify issue represents whom: the neighborhood? PPERRIA's membership? or PPERRIA's Board of Directors?" This issue was brought up when the by-laws were last revised due to PPERRIA becoming a 501c3 organization. At that time, the ambiguity caused no problems. There existed organizations for neighborhood businesses. There were also regular meetings of residential, business, and educational organizations in the
southeast area: organized by the Southeast Minneapolis Planning and Coordination Committee (SEMPAC). This group no longer meets. The proposed schedule to discuss this issue is:
1/24/2000 PPERRIA B/M/N meeting. Presented are written recommendations by the Executive Committee.
2/7/2000 PPERRIA Special Board of Directors meeting. To consider the latest draft of the revision of the by-laws revision possibilities and to result in the latest draft of the PPERRIA By-laws.
2/14/2000 PPERRIA Executive Committee. Consider the latest draft the proposed revision of the PPERRIA By-laws.
2/28/2000 PPERRIA B/M/N meeting. Consider the latest draft of the proposed revision of the PPERRIA By-laws.
4/24/2000 PPERRIA B/M/N Annual meeting. Approval of a revision of the PPERRIA By-laws.
The following is a summary of the presentation by Florence Littman and Harrison Nelson of their survey of 33 Minneapolis neighborhood organizations similar to PPERRIA, the summary includes comments and concerns made at this meeting:
There are a total of 81 Minneapolis neighborhoods. Most of the organizations contacted a) have neighborhood business as members, b)are at best governed by a small-in-number Board of Directors, c) few if any have as large a consistent turnout for meetings as PPERRIA, and d) few if any are active participants in city zoning issues that affect their neighborhood. Florence and Harrison agree on the facts and issues and agree on all but one of the recommendations.
Issue One: the high level of participation by the membership/neighborhood. Recommendation: continue the current meeting format: a concurrent PPERRIA Board of Directors, PPERRIA Membership, and neighborhood. Organization history memory finds very few differences of opinion among the three groups. The high level of participation, evenwith the current limit to membership to residents seems to be working. There should be identified other means to allow the representation of neighborhood non-residents.
Issue Two: "Whose vote represents PPERRIA?" Recommendation: that the PPERRIA Board of Directors' vote on an issue represents PPERRIA's position on that issue. This follows state statute regarding 501(c)3 organizations. A process needs to be established that allows the vote of the Membership and neighborhood to be the vote of the Board of Directors unless the Board of Directors asks for a separate Board of Directors vote, and the Board of Directors must explain why this is asked. There was a comment from a PPERRIA member that the revision of the PPERRIA By-laws was not necessary and that this exercise was for the Executive Committee to control and limit an issue to themselves. Other PPERRIA members indicated that the core question is of a direct or representative organization and of the legal representation of the neighborhood.
Issue Three: "Who can change PPERRIA By-laws?" The recommendation is to retain but rework the current by-law. Currently 2/3 of the Board of Directors approve by-law changes but the by-laws do not address the current practice of either BOD or member implmenting the change.
Issue Four: "Who can vote on issues before PPERRIA?" Recommended is to retain the current system where the type of meeting determines who votes, i.e., committee, Board of Directors, Membership or neighborhood. The wording of the current by-law needs to reflect this and to address the issue of concurrent BOD/M/N meetings.
Issue Five: "Who is a PPERRIA member?" There are two recommendations: a) Each neighborhood resident and nonresident has two votes with a limit of two BOD memberships for nonresident stake holders. b) Each voting-age individual legal resident has a vote. There can be up to two nonresident BOD members. This allows PPERRIA to remain a resident organization.Comment from a PPERRIA member: if PPERRIA is a specific resident organization, there needs to be constructed safeguards for relationships with nonresident neighbors.
5. Florence Littman, Zoning Committee co-chair, introduced Mary and Ralph Rapson and spoke of their long and fruitful influence on the neighborhood. Ralph has been a long standing member of the zoning committee and on many design review studies. A story was told of Mary being a member of an organization, "The 4 M's," that was required to change their name to "FORUM," by a Minnesota corporation. This group among other things assured that the three houses on Prospect Terrace are still there and the saga of the "Red Barn" (ask a neighbor who was here in the sixties about this.) Mary and Ralph were presented with an engraved loving cup.
6. Motion made, seconded and passed without noes: "That the PPERRIA/NRP Action Plan for loan/grants to resident/owners in the Motley neighborhood be continued until 1/31/2001." Paul Schemer, Motley resident and PPERRIA member, indicated that there are still individuals interested and potential properties eligible for these grants-and there are funds available. He also reviewed his experiences in dealing with a "party house" next to where he lives.
7. Steve Cross indicated that all who would be interested in being officers, being on the Board of Directors and/or a member of the Nomination Committee, contact him at 376-0094 or cross@isd.net He also announced that NSP has been selected by the City of Minneapolis to install the sidewalk lighting through the neighborhood starting this spring. The bid of NSP is below the estimated
cost, for a savings on individual assessments.
Susan Larson-Fleming, Education and Human Services chair, report that this Fall 2000, at Pratt School, 38 students will be enrolled in a kindergarten class and a first grade class for neighborhood students. The Minneapolis School Board is to add each year one additional class.
Harrison Nelson, PPERRIA Vice President, indicated that there is to be a sale of stuff too good to be picked up during the annual neighborhood clean up. Individuals interested working on the sale and/or to be "Head Seller" contact him at 378-5377.
Eleanor Montgomery, Transportation Committee chair, indicated that the committee is working on reducing the speeds on the Glendale streets and the possibility of "speed humps" on Arthur Avenue. She reminded us of the 2/5/2000 Luxton Fire and Ice Festival and the 2/24/2000 Black History Program, also at Luxton Park.
8. Florence Littman indicated that "all is quiet at present with the Zoning Committee" and this makes her very anxious.
9. Susan Gottlieb, PPERRIA/NRP Coordinator, reviewed the PPERRIA/NRP contractor activities as published in the January 2000 PPERRIA Newsletter. The remaining two contractors' contracts are up on 4/2000, the annual meeting date.
10/11. Motion made, seconded and passed without noes: "To table the issue of the name used for the city park at East River Pkwy and SE Ontario." Neil Simons, PPERRIA member, indicated that he had information that there is opposition to the name "Slovak" and that some prefer "Slovakian." He is to clarify with the church that moved from the neighborhood and Paul Scheurer will contact the Minnesota Historical Society for their opinion on the issue.
12. Motion made, seconded and passed without noes: "To adjourn."
Daniel Patenaude, PPERRIA Secretary. Comments and/or corrections to 117 Arthur Avenue SE or marko001@po.metrostate.edu