TLC Meetup in Minneapolis
Wednesday, April 20, 5-7 PM
Dangerous Man Brewing
1300 NE 2nd Street

Join Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) on Wednesday, April 20, for a happy hour gathering in Minneapolis. Come meet their new executive director Jessica Treat and connect with other staff and advocates. They’ll share a bit about their current work—at the legislature and beyond—but the main focus is on conversation with local members interested in transit, bicycling, and walking. Light food is on TLC.

All are welcome, but RSVPs are much appreciated.

RSVP here: http://www.tlcminnesota.org/calendar/

How to get to the meetup:

TLC’s event location at Dangerous Man Brewing is served by Metro Transit bus routes 11 and 30. Bike parking is available. The 5th Street Bicycle Boulevard and other bike routes are nearby. Find Nice Ride bike-sharing stations about three blocks away at University & 12th and at Broadway & Marshall.

Questions? Contact Hilary Reeves, Member Engagement Director, at [email protected] or 651-789-1415.

MINNEAPOLIS – At a special business meeting on March 15, the Minneapolis Board of Education finalized an updated search process for hiring the next Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). As part of that process, qualified candidates will be screened by a Superintendent Selection Committee. Today, the application to be on the committee was posted.

The selection committee will be comprised of 11 individuals: six community members — including one student community member — three Board members, the Board’s Student Representative and community engagement facilitator Radious Y. Guess. Board Director Nelson Inz will chair the committee. At its March 22 meeting, the Board will hear how selection committee applications will be reviewed and put forward for Board approval.

Anyone may apply for one of the six community member positions, and all applications must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 1.

Visit bit.ly/1o2Dbvh to complete the selection committee application. Paper applications will be available at all school sites and the Davis Service Center (1250 W. Broadway Ave.). Stay up to date and learn more about the Superintendent search process at board.mpls.k12.mn.us/super-search.

Attn: Bottineau Neighborhood

On February 9, 2016, the Board of Directors for Bottineau Neighborhood Association (BNA) voted to move $2062.41 of program income funds from the NRP II housing loan program administered by the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) to the Environmental Contract of Eastside Environmental Quality of Life (EEQL) for studies and research–Contract C-26748.

If you have questions please send an email to [email protected] or call 612-367-7262 and leave a message. We will get back to you promptly.

Part II of Downtown Service Area Master Plan kicks off Feb. 25

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MRPB) would like to thank everyone who took the time to review and weigh in on initial park concepts created for the Downtown Service Area Master Plan, which will provide a cohesive, long-term vision for every park property in Downtown Minneapolis.

Part I of the plan wrapped up Jan. 28, now please join us for Part II on Thursday, Feb. 25, 6:30-8:30 pm in the Board Room at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road N. The agenda includes a review of the most recent draft plans for parks in the downtown area.

The Steering Committee invites the public to attend its meetings and values input from all interested park users. An opportunity for public comment will be provided.

Date:  Feb. 25, 2016
Time:  6:30-8:30 pm
Location:  MPRB Board Room
Address:  2117 West River Road N.

This project is part of a joint effort between the MPRB and the City of Minneapolis to improve parks and public spaces downtown. The cooperative work done on the Downtown Service Area Master Plan (MPRB) and the Downtown Public Realm Framework (CPED) is known collectively as Pathways To Places: Shaping Downtown Together.

Learn more at the Downtown Service Area Master Plan project page.

To learn more about this project and others, visit www.minneapolisparks.org/planning.

Project Manager

Jennifer Ringold
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Phone: 612-230-6464
Email:[email protected]

Meeting accommodations

Cindy Anderson
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Phone: 612-230-6472
Email: [email protected]
Minnesota Relay System: 711

Language interpretation

Español: 612-230-6573 | [email protected]
Soomaali: 612-230-6574 | [email protected]

At its Jan. 20 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners approved language for a 2016 ballot measure that will ask Minneapolis residents for a property tax levy to help maintain, rehabilitate and invest in its chronically underfunded network of 160 neighborhood parks. After a year of public meetings about the current condition and maintenance service level of  neighborhood parks in the city, Commissioners voted to approve MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller’s final recommendations for the Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks (Closing the Gap)initiative.

Resolution 2016-112, passed Wednesday night by Commissioners, includes ballot language for a November 2016 referendum and elements of an agreement with the Minneapolis City Council to address sustained current funding. Superintendent Miller also provided an overarching implementation plan for a referendum at the direction of Commissioners. If approved by the residents of Minneapolis, the referendum will generate the additional resources needed to provide a long-term strategy to fund annual maintenance, repair and capital investments for neighborhood parks in Minneapolis, as long as other current funding sources are sustained.

The maximum annual amount of the proposed tax levy increase is limited to .0388 percent of the estimated market value by the city per year. It would begin in 2018 and continue to be collected for the next 20 years. If the levy had been in place in 2016, it would have generated approximately $15 million and added $65.68 to the property tax bill of an owner of a home valued at $190,000.

All expenditures related to the levy would be subject to full public examination. A one-page fact sheet gives an overview of how funding generated by the levy would be spent in the first five years; Superintendent Miller will provide specifics of the 2018-2022 implementation plan in April.

The Superintendent’s presentation materials and numerous other resources regarding Closing the Gap are available at www.minneapolisparks.org/closingthegap under the “Key Documents” section.

Background

Closing the Gap: Investing in Neighborhood Parks is an initiative of the Superintendent and Commissioners that shared information with Minneapolis residents and partners about the current condition and service level of neighborhood parks.  Closing the Gap looked at the impacts of the age of the system and deferred maintenance – or delayed regular upkeep past the point of repair – has had on the 160 neighborhood parks in Minneapolis.

The Closing the Gap initiative gathered information from Minneapolis residents and partners about investment priorities for operation, maintenance and replacement of existing neighborhood park assets. Since May 2015, a spectrum of community engagement methods and communications tools were used to share and collect information for the Closing the Gap initiative.

Minneapolis’ neighborhood parks have the greatest number of physical assets that require greater resources to operate, maintain and replace. To sustain the current level of physical assets in the park system the MPRB needs $14.3 million plus inflation each year to meet capital investment needs. The MPRB currently has $4-5 million per year to invest in these assets. Based on 2015 costs, the annual capital gap is $9.3 million plus inflation. The neighborhood parks also require annual investments to operate them to industry standards for activities such as mowing, building maintenance, tree pruning and roof and path repairs. Based on 2015 costs, the operational gap is a minimum of $3 million plus inflation per year.

On Oct. 21, 2015, the Superintendent provided three reports to the Board of Commissioners:

• “Investing in Neighborhood Parks – Final Report” completed by MPRB staff
• “Public and Private Funding Strategies for Neighborhood Parks” completed by the City Parks Alliance
• “Conservation Finance Feasibility Study – Minneapolis, Minnesota” completed by The Trust for Public Land.

The Board of Commissioners directed the Superintendent to work on a possible referendum to address neighborhood park funding challenges following discussion of the reports presented on Oct. 21.

Closing the Gap: Investing in our Neighborhood Parks

An abundance of information on the state of Minneapolis’ neighborhood parks is available at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/closingthegap:

• “Park Profiles” detailing where investments have been made and where funding gaps are in every neighborhood park in the city. (Under “Background” tab)
• Two 2015 budget fact sheets showing where MPRB’s budget comes from and what it supports.
• A neighborhood parks fact sheet explaining how the funding gap was created and what MPRB is doing already to help close it.
• An FAQ with concise answers to 27 questions commonly asked during 2015 Closing the Gap meetings.

To stay informed on Closing the Gap please visit http://www.minneapolisparks.org/closingthegap and sign up for email updates.

January Learning Lab: Immigration Affects Us All – Important Issues facing Minneapolis Immigrant Communities

When: Wednesday, January 27th, from 6:30pm to 8pm
Where: Mercado Central, 1515 E. Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55407

Featured Speakers:

• Mariano Espinoza, Latino Community Specialist
• Abdirashid Ahmed, East African Community Specialist
• Michael Yang, SE Asian Community Specialist

Topic: Each speaker will lead a discussion with Neighborhood Leaders and City Staff about how they arrived in Minneapolis, what challenges communities are facing, and ways in which Neighborhood and City leaders can understand and engage immigrants.

Space is limited! To register for this Learning Lab, send an email to [email protected]

INSECT AND WEED ID AND MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS

Insects: Saturday  February 6, 10am-3pm
Weeds: Saturday February 20 from 10am-3pm

Location: The Good Acre Classroom (1790 Larpenteur Ave. W., FalconHeights, MN 55113)

Cost: $85/Class
Click here to register.

Details:

Feb 6th:  INSECT ID/MNGT

Improve your growing skills through increased knowledge of insect and pest management. Learn proper Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. This workshop will contain in-class lectures and hands-on activities. Beginning to Advance Farmers and Growers welcome.  Dr. Ribbing will be there to answer all your insect questions.

Feb. 20: WEED ID/MNGT

Improve our growing skills through increased knowledge of weed identification and management. Learn proper organic pesticide selection, safe application and handling. This workshop will contain in-class lectures with hands-on activities. Beginning to Advanced Farmers & Growers welcome. Dr. Ribbing will be there to answer all your weed questions.

Dr. Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing, WEI Faculty and Consultant, is a former research scientist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Extension Specialist with the University of Illinois; and Assistant Professor of Crop Science with the University of Wisconsin in River Falls where she taught courses such as Organic Production Systems, Sustainable Agriculture, Weed Control and Integrated Pest Management.   Her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois is in Crop Sciences, specializing in Plant Pathology.  She has many years of previous research, extension, and teaching experience and has publications related to IPM for agronomic and horticultural crops, developing bioherbicides, and other plant and microbe interactions.

Do you or someone you know need some basic computer training? As usual, East Side Neighborhood Services (1700 Second Street NE) has a program for that, and it’s FREE. Class schedules are listed below but, to participate, you need to sign up in advance. Interested? Contact Ellen Stavreff at 612-787-4095 to RSVP.

FREE Computer Basics Training (English language)

February 1: 10:30-12:30, Basic computer
February 2: 10:30-12:30, Microsoft Word
February 3: 10:30-12:30, Internet
February 4: 11:30-1:30, Gmail
February 5: 9:30-10:30 Computer Practice/Review, 10:30-12:30 Northstar Certification Exam.

FREE Computer Basics Training (Spanish language)

February 22: 10:30-12:30, Basic computer
February 23: 10:30-12:30, Microsoft Word
February 24: 10:30-12:30, Internet
February 25: 11:30-1:30, Gmail
February 26: 9:30-10:30 Computer Practice/Review, 10:30-12:30 Northstar Certification Exam.

Again, please contact Ellen Stavreff at 612-787-4095 to RSVP.

There are many important programs at East Side Neighborhood Services. Here are few you can add to your calendar:

FREE Financial Empowerment Sessions at East Side
Budgeting to Create Emergency Savings
January 14, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Learn how to use your current budget to build a realistic savings for life’s unexpected but sure-to-happen emergencies. Call Camri (612) 787-4068 to register.

Prepare and Prosper FREE Tax Preparation
Tuesday evenings, Thursday evenings, Saturday mornings
January 23 – April 18 at East Side
Prepare and Prosper will provide free tax preparation to low-income individuals and families. There is no need to sign up – service is walk-in only. The order in which clients are served will be determined randomly. Everyone present at the sign-in time, which is 5:15 pm on Tuesday and Thursday, and 8:15 am on Saturday, has an equal chance to be served and to be seen first. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before the sign-in time. Those arriving after the sign in time will be served if there is time.

Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
Mondays and Wednesdays January 25 to April 13
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM at East Side
12 week class to reduce risk of falls by improving balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and mobility through coordinated movements in a slow, circular, flowing motion. $10 suggested donation pays for 24 classes. Contact Brenna Horn to register: 612-787-4055 or [email protected]. Tai Ji Quan: Moving For Better Balance is sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging in the 7 county metro area.

FREE Tax Assistance for Seniors – February 1 to April 13
Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings beginning February 1 through April 13
AARP will be providing free tax assistance to low-income senior and disabled individuals at East Side. Assistance is by appointment only and may be made in person or by calling the front desk. Volunteer tax preparers will be here Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings beginning February 1 through April 13. Appointment times fill up fast, so if you know anyone that could benefit, encourage them to call early. (612) 781-6011

Twin Cities Snowshoe Shuffle
Saturday – February 6 – 9:30 AM
The biggest snowshoe race in Minnesota! Participants come from around the country to participate in this fun and challenging winter race. All proceeds benefit Camp Bovey, a summer youth program of East Side. For more information, visit www.snowshoeshuffle.org

40th Annual Senior Appreciation Valentine Luncheon
Thursday, February 11, 2016 – 11:30 AM seating
Admission by ticket only – Cost $4.00
Community members 55+ welcome.
Tickets can be purchased at: the Senior Food Shelf (1801 Central Avenue NE) or at East Side Neighborhood Services (1700 Second Street NE). Call 612-781-6011 with questions.

FREE Financial Empowerment Sessions at East Side
Strategies for Paying off Debt
February 11, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Learn the shortcuts that lenders and debt collectors don’t want you to know and begin your journey to financial freedom! Call Camri (612) 787-4068 to register.

Living Well with Chronic Conditions – Six week workshop
February 16 to March 22 – Tuesdays – 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Contact Brenna Horn to register: (612) 787-4055 or [email protected]