Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission (NCEC) update

Board members Lisa Boyd and Don Hammen shared a letter with the board that they received from Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) Director Robert Miller and Neighborhood and Community Relations (NCR) Senior Project Manager David Rubedor outlining plans for the April 19 meeting among neighborhood representatives. The meeting is a second attempt to achieve consensus among Minneapolis’ neighborhoods on how to elect eight individuals to represent 81 neighborhoods on the NCEC.

The letter outlined six selection models drafted by NRP and Rubedor based on the facilitators notes from the Feb. 21 meeting. The six models were broken into three broad categories: district representation based on population and geography, district representation based on number of neighborhoods, and representation based on neighborhood characteristics. Each category included an option with eight districts and no at-large representation or six districts and two at-large representatives.

The board decided to ask Boyd and Hammen to support representation based on neighborhood characteristics with six districts and two at-large representatives as LCC’s first preference. This is the model that NRP had used to organize the city.

Boyd reported that the city plans to hold a meeting of the NCEC on April 28 with or without the eight neighborhood representatives. Ward 9 Council Member Gary Schiff, who was in attendance, referenced Rubedor’s promise that NCEC would not conduct any business at the April 28 meeting.

Board members Melissa Erjavec and Ed Leaf expressed concern that holding a meeting without the neighborhoods might send the wrong message about the city’s priorities. “Thirteen neighborhoods are almost finished with their Phase II [NRP] funding. We can’t hold up business forever,” Schiff said.

Organizing to preserve green space

The board approved a scope of service that would allocate $4,000 of NRP funds to hire the Midtown Greenway Coalition to assist Longfellow in preventing Xcel Energy from building a substation on the east side of Hiawatha Avenue near 28th Street. Xcel is planning to build a substation in Longfellow and run high-tension power lines down the Midtown Greenway.

Board members Stacy Behm and Ela Rausch questioned spending $4,000 for lobbying assistance. Board member John Jensen countered that the coalition has a long history of working with government agencies to build and preserve the greenway.

Schiff told the board that he had proposed the defunct park and ride lot at the southeast corner of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue as an alternative location for the substation. Xcel declined because, according to Schiff, they wanted to be closer to the midtown corridor. Many board members pointed out that the lot is only a couple of blocks away.

Schiff affirmed that the Minneapolis City Council asked Xcel to bury the power lines under 28th Street. Hennepin County is also strongly in favor of burying the lines. Schiff pointed out that Xcel is answerable only the Public Utilities Commission.

Board supports Seniors Aging in Place
The board recommended $45,000 to continue the Seniors Aging in Place program that began April 2008. Because of the dollar amount, the board needs to take a vote of the general membership before it can release the funds.

John Jensen said that Access Solutions, the organization that administers the program, reported that it is being used to full capacity by 25 participants, with three on the waiting list. The responses from seniors who have availed themselves of the grants have given very positive feedback.

Schiff says foreclosures won’t cripple city
Board member Scott Cramer asked Schiff how the city plans to handle the rise in foreclosures and the resulting loss of property taxes. Schiff said that strong commercial and industrial real estate values would help make up for the loss of residential property tax income. “Property tax isn’t the be all and end all of city finance,” said Schiff.

Board member Grace Bartels told Schiff that she had heard a story on National Public Radio about a city using devaluation insurance to stem the downward spiral of home values. Schiff acknowledged that it was an interesting idea.

Hennepin County Community Works Project
Board member Marcea Mariani took over for Ed Leaf as LCC’s representative on the Citizen Advisory Council for the Hennepin County Community Works Project. According to the Hennepin County web site, the program seeks “to enhance how the communities of Hennepin County work together to create good jobs, provide access to employment, and build the long-term value of communities by investing in infrastructure, public works, parks, and the natural environment and by improving the existing implementation systems.”

Mariani said that she informed the consultant that if the county didn’t work with the neighborhood that Longfellow would “shut the project down.” Mariani has a meeting with Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin on May 4.

Annual meeting
LCC will hold its annual “No Pie Charts, Only Pies” meeting April 22 at Minnehaha Academy, 3100 W. River Parkway, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
New board members will be elected.

Buy local. Buy Longfellow
As part of an effort to keep consumer dollars in the neighborhood, the Longfellow Business Association has produced window clings that read, “Buy local. Buy Longfellow.” The clings are available at Longfellow businesses and at the Longfellow Community Council office, 2727 26th Ave. South.

Next meeting: Thursday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Check www.longfellow.org or call 612-722-4529 for meeting location.
Contact: 722-4529, www.longfellow.org
The LCC board meets the third Thursday of every month.

last revised: April 19, 2009

• Login or register to post comments