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MINUTES of the MHNA General Membership Meeting
October 16, 2007
University Lutheran Church of Hope, 601 13th Ave SE • Minneapolis

1. Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm by MHNA President Arvonne Fraser.
2. A motion to approve the September minutes (B Sherman) was made and passed.
3. Jon Chiglo, MN DOT 35W Bridge project manager, brought us up to date. His
office is now near the site, in the Ceresota building across the river. We were
encouraged to contact MNDOT’s Public Comment Hotline 612-236-6901 if we
have problems. Also in attendance – Linda Figg, bridge designer. The new
bridge will be built by Flatiron Construction Co.

Ms Figg’s company exclusively designs bridges. They have received 268 design
awards for their work. Also on the team – a local landscape company Oslund and
Assoc. and TKDA, which will work on energy and lighting. All have been
impressed with the area history, the falls, ruins and their work is tapping into that.
They wanted a design that is in harmony with the environment, that fits into the
context of the site, one that is safe, modern, retains some elements like arches and
reflection. A functional cement structure with piers was chosen and two options
were shown. The first, Option A, with curved piers, had observation platforms
and left a lot of open greenspace below. It would preserve the historic stone wall
on our side of the river. There would be room for an eventual suspended
pedestrian bridge below the vehicle bridge, with plenty of headroom and a great
new view of the river. No piers would be in the water. The geographic challenges
of the downtown side of the bridge are taken care of in the design.

Option B’s columns reach up to the underside of a cantilevered edge of the
bridge. The inside of the column is colored – perhaps gradations of blue to
suggest going from water to sky. A series of light tubes would indicate when one
is crossing the river. They are looking at LED lights whether washing the full
surface in a soft glow, or lighting the underside like the Stone Arch Bridge.
Railing details still need to be decided – open or solid, as well as bridge color.
The bridge will have 10 lanes with wide shoulders. It will be built to
accommodate light rail down the middle. They are in the process of designing
some gateway monuments. People were invited to take part in a design charette
next week to decide details. They will be using local labor and materials. Ms Figg
called it a low maintenance, smart bridge that will have reporting data built into it.
There will be a de-icing system and grooved roadway. There are no “fracture
critical members” and it is very “redundant”. The bridge design ensures
flexibility for the future when 4th St and University are eventually reconstructed.

The team is coordinating navigation with the Corps of Engineers. There is no
funding in the project currently for the suspended pedestrian bridge – but we were
encouraged to contact our legislators if we want it. Construction is about to begin
as most of the old bridge has been removed. The main pier footings will be
drilled, although there will be some pile driving. They will try to do that during
the daylight hours. In the evenings they will do quieter work, like pouring
concrete. There will be web cams on site so people can stay involved, also daily
sidewalk visits are encouraged. The new bridge is scheduled to open Christmas
Eve 2008. There will be overhead signage but the structure design will be
distinctive, tubular or arched. The bridge design is “of its time” and designed t o
not overpower any of the others nearby. The new design will improve the
entry/exit experience at University Ave. State Representative Phyllis Kahn
suggested this would be a good time to look at the Whitewater Park plans, work in
the runoff now as a stream or canal on the east bank. The design charette is Oct
24th at the Sheraton Hotel off 35W. People wishing to attend were told to rsvp
asap.Check the MHNA website for updates: www.marcy-holmes.org

4. Kathleen Reilly announced that it looks like our SE library will be opening in Jan
08. Work is underway to spruce it up. She also informed the group that Arvonne
will be speaking at the Central Library and signing her newly published memoir,
She’s No Lady.
5. MHNA bumper stickers are here – $2 with proceeds going to MHNA.
6. Meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm

- Melissa Bean, MHNA Executive Director

News of the MHNA Board meeting earlier in the evening:

Executive Committee:
Board member Leonard Paredes introduced a by-law amendment last month. The
Executive Committee reviewed it, but due to time constraints, was not able to present it at tonight’s General Membership meeting. If Leonard wants to bring it up again for a vote at the June meeting, we need 30 days notice to members so it should be discussed again at the April meeting. The purpose of the change is to allow members to be permitted to fill a board vacancy without the current one-year membership requirement.

A new restaurant is opening in Dinkytown, called Pagoda. They were looking for support
for a wine and beer license. Executive Committee members visited the site and
interviewed the owner. The Executive Committee voted no objection to the license
request as long as Dinkytown Business Asoc was satisfied.

NRP Committee:
The NRP funding situation was again discussed. The amount of NRP funding available to
us in the next year keeps changing, making it difficult to plan staffing and projects.
Arvonne suggested stopping all NRP programs immediately, except for Student Liaison
and Master Plan Implementation. Then, after we have a clear picture of all unspent
funds, the Executive Committee and the NRP Implementation Committee will meet to
redistribute funds to: 1. streamline our operations and 2. get a housing revolving fund so we get some guaranteed MHNA income .A motion was made ( Jo Radzwill) :

Motion: Given that cuts in NRP funds from the city have been made and are anticipated to continue to be made; and that funds derived from NRP housing loan programs revert to the neighborhood organization, it is hereby resolved that:

1. All NRP programs, except for student liaison and master plan implementation, be stopped immediately
2. That the executive committee, working with the NRP committee, evaluate all current NRP Projects and programs in the light of these changed conditions and develop proposals that:
a. take advantage of the loan program opportunity
b. result in streamlining the financial operations of the organization

3. Report back to the board in November so that a 2008 budget and reallocated NRP program can be adopted at the November and December meetings of MHNA.

After seconded, discussion followed.

Gordon Kepner reminded all that only 90% would beme back to MHNA be returned,
as 10% is admin cost. He also questioned reliance on a source of funding that is subject to that that is subject to politics –- look what the city council has done to NRP over the past few years. Will they change their minds and take the money back?

Elissa Cottle, NRP coordinator, noted that with the cutback to 38% we would not have admin money for January 2008.

The motion passed unanimously.

Safety & Livability Committee report–
Leonard Paredes reported in Eric Nauman’s absence. 813 5th St SE is still a problem –has been seen occupied but is now boarded. The city is making a move to revoke the rental license there.

The T Mobile antenna issue is almost resolved. The HPC staff report about the issue was passed out to the board.

Inspector Skomra is planning a State of the Precinct meeting in early 2008.

The city’s draft lighting proposal has been reviewed at open houses. Leonard will review it and report at next MHNA meeting.

Land Use Committee report –
Jo Radzwill and reps from the other SE neighborhoods met with CPED Planning Director
Barbara Sporlein to discuss the problems with the city’s Administrative Review process. It does not appear that the process will be scrapped, but several changes could help improve it. Jo expects to hear ideas from PPERRIA and SECIA and will report back. No actions but much

Land Use news:

Grand Stay Hotel (Archive): Plans have changed and they are able to avoid demolition of the lower (in height) building at the corner of Seventh St. SE and Central Avenue. The development is essentially the same but since they did not have revised sketches to show us the item was postponed.

St. Anthony Parking Ramp. Ira Heilicher, owner, appeared to update us on the plans for the ramp. The plan was to keep operating the ramp with many improvements. There would be more lighting, better operation. He was planning to purchase or rent a Segway so it would be easier for employees to patrol the ramp. Hopes to increase contract parking – all reserved – and charge $50 a month. Has thought about charging tiered rates – charging a premium for the lower, more
sought after parking spaces. The ramp has 900 parking spaces and at the present time, a maximum of 400 parking spaces are utilized. Ira intends to increase signage and hopes to institute a validation program with the merchants in the area. Eventually, development around the perimeter of the ramp will occur – residential, commercial and office space.

University Inn (formerly the Gopher Motel). Stacy Hinkemeyer appeared representing the owner. Plans are to open the Inn on October 15. The inn has 45 rooms, which will be operated as residential, extended stay rooms. All rooms have a kitchenette, a stovetop, a microwave and refrigerator and will be furnished. There is a coin-operated laundry on site. They expect business will be good. Faculty House (across the street) is usually full. The website is www.universityinnmn.com. They hope to have a responsible student live in so they can have 24-hour desk coverage. Stacy will be at the desk during the day. No walk-in traffic is expected. The committee expressed its good wishes and happiness that the facility was opening.

American Spirit Graphics. Update. American Spirit Graphics applied to the city to vacate the portion where 9th Street was vacant and used for a parking area. The City granted the vacation. They will now be able to upgrade and landscape the area.

801 14th Avenue SE. The two-story building with the black tile front (west of Gorshe) has been torn down and will be “redeveloped” although we have not been contacted about any aspect of this project.

University RFP for graduate and professional student housing. The University is considering issuing a request for proposals for the U to lease privately owned apartments with the principal objective of offering U-managed housing appropriate to grad and professional students. This item was discussed at length and it was decided that Arvonne would contact Jan Morlock and try to set up a meeting with representatives of the University, SE Como, Prospect Park and Marcy-Holmes to try to determine: What are the plans? What are the guarantees? What are the checks
and balances? If they still want ideas on landlords to contact, more committee members are willing to meet with the University. Bill Huntzicker, Dan Lanske and Paul White would be interested in meeting with the University folks if the opportunity arises.

Mill Trace Condos are in the redemption period of foreclosure.

A brief update from the Chapter Ten group was presented. A small group met Tuesday, October 2 at the Purple Onion to begin an inventory of the work that has already been done and to begin to formulate a strategy for focusing on the area between 14th and 15th Streets SE and 5th and 7th Avenues. A project is being proposed for the Dinkydome block. It will be on our December Land Use agenda. The U is updating their Campus Master Plan and MHNA will have some input.

Reminder that the Land Use Committee meets the first Wed of the month at 5:30 pm, Dunn Bros Coffee at 6th & University, To be added to their mailing list and get agendas in advance, contact MHNA: office@marcy-holmes.org

Misc -
The 5th St SE Historic District signs were again discussed. Current HPC staff has indicated that the design they provided and 13 locations for signs on existing poles are no longer an official HPC initiative and if we want to pursue, MHNA will have to go through the “certificate of appropriateness” process. This involves getting address labels of nearby property owners, submitting copies of plan, and attending a public hearing. This is contrary to what the previous staff proposed. The new application would require money for the postage and labels as well as sign fabrication. The current HPC staff could not say whether the Commission would vote in favor of the project. MHNA received the $420 from Public Works that was designated (partial payment) for this project, with NRP dollars ($600) to cover the rest. Those numbers were based
on estimates from three years ago when this all started. It was decided to reconsider next month after we know NRP budget decisions.

SEMCOL ( SE Minneapolis Council on Learning) We were asked to name new reps to this
group. Item postponed until next month when /if their by-laws are changed.

Grand Rounds – After discussion with the SECIA (SE Como Improvement Assoc) president, it is clear that some of the “missing link” options that are being proposed would be harmful to the SE Como and/or Marcy-Holmes/ University area. In particular, the routes E1 and E2 would remove housing along 18th Ave SE and businesses in our area without delivering the greenspace the project promised.. SECIA passed a motion opposing these routes and instead recommending the G routes that run further east in an industrial area and would provide additional greenspace and preserve wetlands. A motion (S Swanson) was made and passed to support SECIA in their opposition to any route that tears down housing in SE Minneapolis to facilitate the completion of
the Grand Rounds. In addition, our letter should include something about our experience as a neighborhood torn in two by a roadway.

Board member Leonard Paredes nominated Norman Lynskey to the board. Norman has been active on the Safety & Livability Committee. The process, according to bylaws:
Section 3. A vacancy occurring in an office of an officer or an elected director shall be filled by a majority of the board of directors present and voting; provided that due notice of the election shall have been given in the call for the meeting of the board. To comply, we will have the vote on the November meeting agenda.

Matt Schmit was introduced. He is filling one of the student seats, a GAPSA
(Graduate and Professional Students Assembly) appointee to the board. He is VP of GAPSA public affairs committee, currently studying public policy and public health. Note – we have one more student seat on our board open for a MSA rep.