BRYN MAWR
SCHOOLS REFERENDUM WINS SUPPORT: A motion supporting the 8-year, $60 million Minneapolis Public Schools property tax levy referendum was approved by the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association [BMNA] Oct. 13.
The vote by the Executive Board added BMNA to a growing list of neighborhoods that have voted in support of the Strong Schools Strong City campaign.
HARVEST DINNER: BMNA is sponsoring an appetizer competition at the neighborhood’s annual Harvest Dinner Oct. 30.
Neighbors can bring an appetizer to enter in the competition or a salad or dessert to share. Beverages will be provided.
The Harvest Dinner is 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Bryn Mawr Community School, 252 Upton Ave. S.
EAST HARRIET
NEW BOARD MEMBERS: Attendees elected six members and one alternate to the East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association’s 11-member board on Oct. 1. Bruce Wadman, Roger Worm, Staven Bruce, Vice Chair Dean Carlson and Chair Matt Perry were all re-elected. Andrea Breen was elected as a new representative, replacing longtime member Bruce Thomson, who chose not to run. Howard Dallin was elected as an alternate. All members serve two-year terms.
SUPERAMERICA CHEMICALS: State Sen. Scott Dibble gave attendees a brief update on the closed SuperAmerica at 40th & Lyndale. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) continues to test the site for potentially harmful chemicals. Earlier this year, MPCA investigators discovered chemicals in the soil — likely from a dry-cleaning or other former business, not from the gas station — and will determine later this year whether cleanup is necessary.
ECCO
NEW BOARD MEMBERS: Attendees elected 10 members and two alternates to the organization’s board on Oct. 2. Board members elected were: Ruth Cain, Judy Shields, John Ellis, Anders Imboden, Robert Kean, Mike Ekholm, Gary Farland, Elaine Beyer, Ralph Knox and Brad Durham. Alternates elected were Glen Christianson and Chris Prinsen.
FULTON
NEW FACES, OFFICERS, VACANCIES: The Fulton Neighborhood Association (FNA) elected new officers, albeit in a tedious manner, Oct. 8.
While no one was exactly quick to volunteer for the respective positions, the 2009–10 officers are: Nick Mark, president; John Finlayson, vice president; Kathy Olivier, secretary. Due to an oversight of FNA bylaws that stipulates officers can only serve a maximum of three consecutive years in the same capacity, new member Earl Savage replaced Linda Romine as treasurer.
When nominations for vice president were slow to come in, Finlayson quipped: “The difference between being vice president and sleeping is slim,” drawing a chuckle and a nomination. FNA Coordinator Tara Kumar said she will soon seek full-time employment elsewhere but agreed to stay on through the end of 2008.
MR. MULCH IS THE MANN: Fulton resident Tony Mann accepted a Fulton Award for his neighborhood service. Council Member Betsy Hodges (13th Ward), who presented the award in place of state Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-60, cited Mann’s tireless commitment to the neighborhood trees, dubbing him “Mr. Mulch.” Residents Susie Troha and Nancy Malone were also honored but were not present Oct. 8.
LOWRY HILL
1900 COLFAX AVE.: City Council Member Lisa Goodman (7th Ward) told the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association board at its Oct. 7 meeting that Minneapolis City Planning staff have recommended against demolishing the 107-year-old apartment building at 1900 Colfax Ave.
Goodman and many LHNA board members have opposed developer John McCarty’s proposed eight-unit condo complex.
WI-FI: Goodman told the board that Lowry Hill would be getting Wi-Fi soon. She assured the board that decorative poles have been ordered and will replace the wooden poles that are being used to get the emergency communication system up and running.
PROJECT LEGOS: Mike Jackson from Project Legos introduced himself to the board. Project Lego’s mission is to inspire young people from all walks of life to be agents of change in their communities. The organization has worked with 3,000 children since its inception. Project Legos recently moved into office space at 1900 Hennepin Ave.
BURGLARIES: Fifth Precinct Insp. Kris Arneson reported that, despite the fact that year-to-date burglaries are down from last year, there has been a spike in recent weeks that concerns her.
Arneson urged residents to call 911 about any suspicious people or activity, to close and lock doors and windows, and to keep garages and cars locked. She told residents to call 348-2345 for nonemergency reporting.
MISSING LINK TASK FORCE: Board member and chair of the task force Janet Hallaway told the board that the Minneapolis Park Board has recommended that instead of a sidewalk, they install a trail that would accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
The trail would extend the existing sidewalk through Kenwood Park to Penn Avenue. The sidewalk currently stops at Franklin Avenue forcing people to cross Franklin at a dangerous curve in the road.
BOARD MEETING DATE CHANGE: The next board meeting will be Nov. 11 so as not to conflict with the election on Nov. 4.
KINGFIELD
NEW PROJECT ORGANIZER: The Kingfield Neighborhood Association board approved hiring Sarah Gleason as the organization’s new project organizer on Oct. 8. Gleason will manage several of KFNA’s events, including the annual garage sale and festival, coordinate outreach initiatives, and work closely with the organization’s Crime Prevention and Safety Committee.
FARMERS’ MARKET INDEPENDENCE: Debate continued on plans for the Kingfield Farmers’ Market to separate itself from KFNA. The board needs to approve the separation and asked market organizers to return in November with a financial plan that demonstrates that the market can be sustainable without KFNA support. Organizers said that if the market becomes independent, it will still be named the Kingfield Farmers’ Market and be held in the same parking lot at Nicollet Avenue & 43rd Street. The board may vote on the separation as early as November.
LINDEN HILLS
STILL SEEKING LOGO: Despite a months-long search, Linden Hills Neighborhood Council board members have yet to receive a submission for a new neighborhood logo. The board even kicked around the idea of a monetary compensation if they don’t receive voluntary designs. The next step will be to seek designs from local art and graphic design students, or other graphic designers in the neighborhood. The logo should incorporate neighborhood landmarks — notably the Lake Harriet Trolley. The current Linden Hills logo was borrowed from a Minneapolis phone book two decades ago. Contact: Info@lindenhills.org.
ON THE FENCE BEFORE THE BONFIRE: The board will have at least one vacancy for residents to fill at the upcoming election/bonfire Friday, Oct. 17 in Linden Hills’ park building at 43rd & Xerxes.
Sam Will is currently the only confirmed outgoing board member.
LHiNC members Debbie Evans and David Jones, as of Oct. 8, were still on the fence. Neighborhood Board Chairwoman Linea Palmisano will seek another term.
STEVENS SQUARE
LOAN PROGRAMS COMBINED: Four different loan programs sponsored by the Stevens Square Community Organization [SSCO] were combined into one on a vote by the neighborhood’s Board of Directors Oct. 9.
A separate vote established a new committee to administer the combined loan program. The loan committee will include representatives from SSCO and Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development.
NRP PROGRAM CHANGE: SSCO will host a neighborhood meeting in November to seek neighborhood approval for a change to their Neighborhood Revitalization Program plan.
The plan change will involve moving revenue from the SSCO loan programs into other NRP strategies. The meeting will take place on a date yet to be determined in November at Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Ave. S.
When a date is set the meeting will be publicized on the SSCO website (www.sscoweb.org) and on flyers distributed around the neighborhood.