Downtown
Minutes from
The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board
of Directors of the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, Inc. (DMNA)
was held on
With a quorum present, Jerrie Hayes,
Chair, convened the meeting at
After introductions, Lisa made the following announcements:
¶
“Lunch with Lisa” is on Spring
break for May and June resuming on
¶ The $35 million proposal for the Minneapolis Central Library and state-of-the-art, 22nd Century Planetarium. The Planetarium would be designed as a regional attraction for adults as well as children, with IMAX-quality presentations, a series of displays including one of the Challenger, as well as an interactive holograph machine. Lisa advised that it would take $11 million to rebuild the Planetarium and that there is no referendum money in the deal for it, and although they’ve received $1 million from Planning they are considering two options for funding: State bonding; and project fundraising.
¶ The downtown transit, traffic and transportation issues (i.e., closed sidewalks, parking and traffic lanes due to construction, and increased traffic congestion) on which she’s been working. Lisa advised that 2 years ago she requested as part of the City’s budget to conduct a “best practices” study and implement a lane-closure fee to alleviate these problems. The results of the study showed that 13 of the 14 cities surveyed with similar populations charged a fee for lane closures. This fee is sometimes absorbed into the project cost and at other times used as an incentive not to close sidewalk, parking and traffic lanes during construction. Exemptions to the proposed lane-closure fee ordinance include when a covered sidewalk is put in place, and if the site only has access on one side. Lisa indicated that she would be introducing this lane-closure policy as part of an amendment to the right-of way ordinance at the Transportation and Public Works meeting next Thursday. Thereafter she’ll meet with the utility companies, contractors, and City Public Works crews (some of the worst offenders), then bringing it forth for action on May 24th. The revenue generated from these fees will be used specifically to hire more traffic control agents to clear intersections during morning and evening rush hours.
A. Board Meeting Minutes
Mark moved and Andy seconded to postpone approval of the
minutes from December 2000 to April 2001 until the next regularly scheduled
meeting on June 12. The motion was carried with
B. Committee Reports
1. Land Use Committee Report. Mark passed around
for board review a copy of the following: the Historic Mills District Master
Plan dated March 2001 (Attachment 1); Winter 2000-2001, Volume 3, Issue 4 of
the Opportunity Builder, a newsletter published by the Minneapolis Consortium
of Community Developers (Attachment 2); and the final version of the Development
Objectives for North Nicollet Mall dated September 29, 2000 (Attachment 3),
all of which he requested the Secretary to include in the next board meeting
package. Thereafter Mark distributed the notes from the LUC meeting held on
Motion 1 – After Mike Cronin and Tom McCarver
entertained questions, Mark moved and Jerrie seconded to recommend approval. The motion was carried
unanimously.
Motion 2 – After Ann Calvert entertained questions and distributed materials
related thereto (Attachment 5), Mark moved and Carletta
seconded to recommend approval. The motion was carried with Eric abstaining.
Motion 3 – After Mark entertained questions, the motion was carried
unanimously as amended by the Chair in the second sentence to read, “The DMNA
board encourages the Red Cross…”
2. Housing Committee Report. Since Glenn was
unavailable at that time, the Chair advised she would turn over to him information
she received concerning a Downtown Council taskforce on crime and safety. The
Chair further advised that the Housing Committee conducted a follow up meeting
with 5th Ward Councilmember Jackie Cherryhomes and
members of the
3. Finance Committee Report. Mark distributed the May 2001 Treasurer’s Report (Attachment 7) and advised the board that the Request for Reimbursement had been processed and the City would be issuing a check on Friday, May 11, 2001 that he anticipates to be in the amount of $20,000. After explaining Motion 1 of the Treasurer’s Report and entertaining questions, Mark moved and Eric seconded to approve. Motion 1 was carried with Dan abstaining.
After explaining Motion 2 of the Treasurer’s Report and entertaining questions,
Mark moved and
Addressing the Directors and Officers Coverage (Attachment 8) letter he distributed
dated
Lastly, Mark requested additional volunteers to assist him at DMNA’s
office on Saturday, May 19th at
4. Public Relations Committee Report. Carletta asked the board to review and comment and/or approve the samples of letterhead, business cards, font and logo designs mailed in the instant board package. After entertaining questions, the board voted for letterhead design No. 3 as amended by Joan to block the board’s name as in letterhead design No. 1 (Attachment 9). The board then voted and selected business card design No. 4 and font No. 1 Tork. Due to the “industrial/commercial” nature of the design submitted for the logo, it was decided that Carletta should pursue additional design options from Anjila Kozel of Art Institutes International for review at the next board meeting.
Carletta also advised the board that the database is up and
running, and that
5. Ad hoc Employment Committee Report. Mark advised that he had received the previous materials from James Grabek and solicited additional volunteers to assist him and the Chair in the continued pursuit of candidates.
6. Implementation Committee Report. The Chair
advised the board that at the NRP meeting scheduled with Barbara Lichness
on Saturday, April 28, at
Larry Calhoun - Master Plan
Rocco Forte - Crime and Safety (i.e., beat patrol and cell phones), about which he has met with Sharon Lubinski
Andy Hauer - Explore the Warehouse
Jerrie Hayes - Theater Experience; and Word Mural, the first draft of which is being reviewed by the City Planning Department
Mark Moller - Housing Coordinator
George Rosenquist - Skyway Signage and Kiosk
Carletta Sweet - Marketing, the database of which is up and running
The chair then advised that the next Implementation
Committee is scheduled for
Mark explained and distributed his North Loop Organization meeting update for board review and approval (Attachment 10). After lengthy discussion on Mark’s motion, Eric’s amendment thereto to strike the fourth sentence beginning with “Given this growth…” Glenn’s friendly amendment to strike “enthusiastic” from the last sentence, and Mark’s subsequent motion to reinsert the fourth sentence and replace “encourages” with “acknowledges”, the motion to reinsert the fourth sentence and replace “encourages” with “acknowledges” was carried with the Chair and Secretary abstaining.
There being no further business to address, the meeting was adjourned at
Signed and approved by
______________________________
______________________________
Chair
Secretary
Attachment 1
[Cover letter from Ann Calvert to Historic Mills District stakeholder
dated
Attachment 2
[Winter 2000-2001, Volume 3, Issue 4 of the Opportunity Builder, a newsletter published by the Minneapolis Consortium of Community Developers]
Attachment 3
[Cover letter from Jack Byers and George Kissinger to Interested
Party dated
Attachment 4
[May DMNA Land-Use Committee Items]
Attachment 5a
[Guthrie Riverfront Complex Summary and Status Report dated
Attachment 5b
[Memorandum from Ann Calvert to Community Development Committee
regarding Request for City Council Committee Action dated
Attachment 6
[Minutes to DMNA-North Loop Traffic meeting dated
Attachment 7
[May 2001-Treasurer’s Report from Mark J. Moller; Community Organization Report Form; Contract Budget and Cost Breakdown; Cost Analysis]
Attachment 8
[Insurance & Surety Specialists letter from Nancy Coumoyer to Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood dated
Attachment 9
[Letterhead, business card, and font selections]
Attachment 10
[Mark Moller’s Motion regarding the North Loop Organization]