The 11/24/97 Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Association (PPERRIA) Board/Membership/Neighborhood (BMN) meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm at the Prospect Park United Methodist Church by Alison Katagiri, Vice President. A quorum was present.

Added to the agenda as item 17 was information by Neal Simons on the closing of Fourth Street between Bedford and Berry by KSTP.

2. The minutes of the 10/27/97 and this meeting will be included in the January 1998 Newsletter.

3. Motion passed without noes, "That PPERRIA releases $5,000 to the Glendale/Prospect Park Employment Training and Education Program from the PPERRIA/NRP Action Plan, Business Jobs and Employment section, the $5,000 resource to start an employment clearinghouse." Motion presented by Jerry Stein, Glendale/Prospect Park Committee chair. These funds should permit the finishing of work started earlier to establish a job program using PPERRIA/NRP Early Access Funds. Experience from the early part of the program demonstrated that a different process was needed, one that was neighborhood-based not agency-based and employer-centered not client-centered. "What counts is who is still working six months from the time they start the program." There will be "retention" as well as preparation and placement parts of the program. A report on the earlier process is being prepared, this in response to questions about the earlier program. Once the program is in place, there should be city funds available to continue the program.

4. Motion passed without noes, that "PPERRIA amend the previously approved plan for Homebuyer's Assistance of $5,000 of U of M-owned properties for sale in the Motley district to include a student housing co-op which, if the buyer is successful, will lease the property a 815 SE Fulton to the co-op." This motion was presented by Andy Mickel, Housing Improvement Committee chair. The Student Co-op, which has had a student co-op house for many years on University and 16th Avenue SE, across from the UM Armory, asked about using one of the UM's Motley houses for an additional student housing co-op. They propose to lease, not own, the property from a current resident of Motley who will purchase the property from the U of M. Only one of the two (co-op or resident) will apply for the Homebuyers Assistance Grant. A variance would be needed from the city and the PPERRIA/NRP Motley Home Assistance Program needs to be amended. Housing co-op's in Minnesota qualify for the homestead credit. This motion and the co-op proposal was approved by the PPERRIA/NRP Motley Task Force and the PPERRIA Housing Improvement Committee.

5. Motion passed without noes, that "PPERRIA approve the plan by MCDA for Homebuyer's Assistance of $200 for each loan, and in the case that the loan involves the financing of rehab work, an additional charge of $175." Motion presented by Andy Mickel, Housing Improvement Committee chair and he indicated that this is in response to a 10/31/97 letter from Larry Walker of MCDA. Walker indicated that PPERRIA needs to formally approve the confirmed cost of administering the $5,000 homeowner-purchaser grants for buyers of U of M-owned properties for sale in the Motley District. Previously we had allotted money for 15 (15 x $5,000=$75,000) plus administrative costs (estimated at 5% per $5,000 = $250.) In total PPERRIA has previously approved $100,000 for use in Motley from the PPERRIA/NRP Housing budget of $1,200,000 earmarked for housing.

6. Mary Lergis, Environment Committee chair, reported that there have been four meetings with American Can, located at Essex and 27th Avenue SE, regarding the issue of their air pollution. American Can will be moving most of the worst pollution generating process to another plant out of the state of Minnesota and that plant is much better prepared to reduce air pollutants. The study that started in August 1997 is about to be published but due to the issue of confidentially of industrial information the PPERRIA Environmental Committee will not see the actual report but a secondary report from a consultant selected by the committee and paid by American Can.

7/8. Harrison Nelson, PPERRIA/NRP contractor, indicated that the audit of both PPERRIA and PPERRIA/NRP by the state auditor has been completed. The Executive Committee will review the report and present the report to PPERRIA B/M/N at a future meeting. There were no substance issues only ones of detail procedures. Although audits are part of the NRP Agreement, this audit was a learning experience. There were no recommend formats, schedules of audit nor scope of audit information provided by NRP. This also seemed to be the situation of the state auditor. An internal audit is being done by PPERRIA/NRP contractors regarding PPERRIP/NRP allocated funds and PPERRIA Minutes. Did we follow our own procedures?

A treasurer's report will be presented at the January 1998 B/M/N meeting.

9. Florence Littman, Zoning Committee chair indicated that except for a letter from the federal guarantor of the mortgage on the proposed student housing building on the Electric Machinery site with concerns about the proposed occupancy level (estimated at 900+,) the only other information the committee has is that the existing University rents are about one half the rents proposed by Dunbar or a doubling of the estimated occupancy (1800+) for Dunbar to match the UM's rent rate. All this plus the cars that come with these students. The development of the new Minneapolis Zoning code shows the zoning code is not so bad for the neighborhood, but there could be a problem with the mapping when it is done, i.e., who is to do the mapping and who does the interpretation. The committee is developing a way to be included so that what the neighborhood wants can be included.

10. Andy Mickel, Neighborhood Directory chair, indicated that a draft of the directory has been circulated, there is still time for your own ad to be included and soon the directory will be printed and circulated.

11. Jim Widder, Luxton Board Member, announced that the Luxton "Fire and Ice Festival" will be held 2/7/98. Call 331-6129 to volunteer to help.

12. Vera Marshall, SEED Committee Member, said to watch for an announcement in the South East Angle for three focus group meetings to be held at Van Cleve Park regarding environmental effects of the SEED Master Plan.

13. Jeanne Moses, Education/Human Services Committee member, indicated that the bookmobile has added a once per month stop at Pratt the first Monday of the month from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm, this is in addition to the weekly Tuesday 4 to 5 pm stop at Luxton.

14. Motion passed with out noes, that "PPERRIA release $11,975 of the $12,000 Allocated at the 5/19/97 PPERRIA B/M/N meeting from the PPERRIA/NRP Environment Plan(page 14, section A.3.a) to support the "Sustainable Planning Recommendations on Urban Transformation" in the SEMI/Bridal Veil Industrial Area, these funds to be used by Cunnningham Group as matching funds. Motion presented by Dean Lund, SEED Committee member, and he indicated that this project is about developing and including site specific sustainable development guidelines related to building design and construction for the Bridal Veil Area. Contracts are being developed between the Cunningham Group and PPERRIA as to what the project will provide. The Minneapolis Planning Department will provide the up front money to the Cunningham Group and the city will be reimbursed by PPERRIA/NRP and other funds as the project is completed. There will be a neighborhood's ad hoc review committee and there will be a PPERRIA member on the committee.

15. Susan Gottlieb circulated copies of the PPERRIA/NRP contractors' activities and billed hours as of 11/7/97. They continue to work on ongoing issues and are 49% under projected budget expenses for wages.

16/17. Neal Simons expressed concern about the closing of Fourth Street between Bedford and Berry by the KSTP expansion north of Fourth street that permits connection of the two sites. Issues were: KSTP seemed not to pay market rate for the street vacation; that the process was improper and that the process is not understood as to what the street vacation process is and how it works; that a concerned was presented at the 5/19/97 PPERRIA B/M/N Meeting about foot and bike traffic continue through the closed part of Fourth Street. Mentioned was made that PPERRIA, the Fourth Street residents and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis have approved the street vacation. Simons said he will continue to research the issue.

Nicole Magnan introduced herself as the Crime Presentation Specialist for this neighborhood from the Minneapolis Police department SAFE program. She passed around her card and a current crime map of the neighborhood. The area had nine burglary from dwellings and sixteen thefts from auto. This type of crime can be reduced by neighborhood residents themselves. Mentioned was confusion and concern by residents as to the reporting mechanism. More to come on this issue.

Respectfully Submitted by Daniel Patenaude, PPERRIA, Secretary.

Comments and corrections to 117 Arthur Ave SE or d-pate@maroo.tc.umn.edu