BOARD ASKS SLOWDOWN IN BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PLANNING
The board voted in favor of sending a letter to Sen. Larry Pogemiller about planning for the I-35 bridge replacement. “We support doing this correctly,” Wendy Menken said. “So moved,” said Joan Menken.

“What they’re doing now is not right. They want it out of their minds,” Joan Menken said. “This is an immediate fix and that is a mistake,” she said, adding, “Slow it down, do it right.”

10TH AVENUE BRIDGE REOPENING PROPOSAL, BRIDGE #9 TO OPEN
Council Member Gordon said there is a proposal to reopen the 10th Avenue bridge on an interim basis following the collapse Aug. 1 of the adjacent I-35W Bridge. The proposal calls for permitting mass transit vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians on the 10th Avenue Bridge. However, there remains concern about safety for those who would use the bridge, as well as the “gawking concern,” he said. Gordon said there are still victims in the wreckage, and Joan Menken agreed it is important to provide respect.

Gordon said pedestrian and bike Bridge #9 will be partially opened Aug. 15 to allow a view of the collapsed bridge and for closure. The west end, but not the east end, will be open to bike and pedestrian traffic, he said. (Later the same day, however, city officials closed the bridge after workers at the I-35 bridge site raised concerns about respect for victims and families, according to a report on Minnesota Public Radio.)

MEETING TO SEEK TRAFFIC IDEAS AFTER BRIDGE COLLAPSE
Council Member Gordon said he and 1st Ward Council Member Paul Ostrow have scheduled a meeting on Monday, Aug. 20, 7 to 9 p.m., Van Cleve Park building, to seek ideas for local street improvements to meet the changes in traffic following the 35W bridge collapse. Board President Menken said there have been ripple effects in traffic and that the long-term effects should also be considered. Menken also said she fears decisions about the bridge replacement are being made fast. “We’d rather live with the traffic so it can be done right,” she said.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLING TO LOOK AT REROUTING LRT
Council Member Gordon said he would be willing to look at the idea of changing the route of the proposed Central Corridor light rail train route to connect to the future I-35W replacement bridge. Gordon said it could save money, in reference to avoiding the expense of a tunnel under Washington Avenue and the cost of strengthening the Washington Avenue Bridge. Board member Bill Dane said the change would probably serve more students who live in the neighborhood.

JENNIFER LEE RECEIVES APPLAUSE FOR SECIA SERVICE
Long-time Resource Center Coordinator Jennifer Lee, who has resigned, received words of praise and heart-felt applause for her service. Lee was also presented a certificate of appreciation from the Como community.

Lee said it had been an interesting job, but added, “Nobody told me I was supposed to bring Kleenex to the board meeting.” 2ND Ward Council member Cam Gordon commented, “Jennifer has been a great resource for me too.”

GRAND ROUNDS PLAN SEEN AS THREAT, BENEFIT
The board discussed potential negative impact as well as benefits of routing the “missing link” of the city’s Grand Rounds parkway system through a part of the Como neighborhood. Routes are being considered by a citizen advisory committee, which will make recommendations to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Board member Connie Sullivan, a member of the advisory committee, said, “This would be very big for our neighborhood if we got a parkway and an 150-acre park.” It is likely to “change the dynamics of our neighborhood,” Sullivan said. A parkway would be “something positive for our neighborhood to compete with southwest neighborhoods,” she said.

Board member Joan Menken said, “We don’t have a river. We don’t have a lake. Damn it, we need to create something.”

Sullivan said, however, if 18th Avenue, for instance, is used for the parkway, “It will kill the neighborhood.” However, “I was told it would come to life in 10 or 15 years,” she quipped. Possible condemnation of residential properties was mentioned at an earlier meeting as an option.

Board member Jeff Haberer, the second SE Como representative on the advisory committee, said a route using 18th and Como avenues would be the least expensive.

“Then don’t do it,” Joan Menken commented. Haberer said he hopes there will be two or three route options to consider.

Board President Wendy Menken said, “It’s a big issue and we’ve got to get word out to the community and to monitor (the process) and to come to a board position.”

The citizen advisory committee will hold a meeting on Sept. 18 at the Van Cleve park building. Sullivan said it would be a chance to meet members of the committee and to provide input. The committee will also hold a meeting Oct. 18 at the Pierre Bottineau Library. Meeting information will be available at: www.minneapolisparks.org/home.asp.

LONE COUNCIL VOTE ON DELASALLE
2nd Ward Council Member Cam Gordon said the city council is scheduled to vote Aug. 17 on the DeLaSalle High School plan to build an athletic field on Park Board land on Nicollet Island. Gordon said he was the lone vote, at an earlier meeting, against vacating Grove Street, proposed as part of the athletic field plan.

“We appreciate that, Cam,” Board Member Connie Sullivan said. Gordon said he believes the council is supposed to safeguard the city street, “not give it away to DeLaSalle and the Park Board.”

Board member Bill Dane questioned the reaction of island residents, who are permitted to only lease Park Board property, when the Park Board makes other decisions.

BOARD SUPPORTS LANDLORD LICENSE ORDINANCE
The board voted to support an ordinance introduced by Council Member Cam Gordon. It would give the city authority to revoke or not renew rental licenses to landlords who have unpaid legal judgments against them.

SECIA’S ANNUAL MEETING CHANGED TO MONDAY OCT. 8
The board voted in favor of changing the date of the annual meeting to Monday Oct. 8 at the Van Cleve Park building. A room was not available on the original Oct. 9 date. Neighborhood Coordinator James De Sota said a half-hour social period will start at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will start at 7 p.m.

BALANCE AVAILABLE IN REVOLVING HOUSING LOAN FUND
SECIA Neighborhood Coordinator James De Sota reported there is approximately $212,000 available in revolving housing loan program funds. De Sota said the use of $100,000 of the funds toward other programs will be discussed at the September meeting, and a vote would be taken at the October meeting. The $100,000 would be used to help keep other programs running through 2008 after cuts in city Neighborhood Revitalization Program funding, he said.

SECIA STAFFING, WORK-STUDY STUDENT POSITION CONSIDERED
Board President Menken said changes in office staffing are “an opportunity to involve new blood.” Menken noted that Jennifer Lee has left and that Environmental Coordinator Justin Eibenholzl is asking to cut back in his hours. Menken said Neighborhood Coordinator James De Sota is committed to stay with the office.

Menken said she has posted a request to hire a work-study student from the university. The student would probably work 10 hours a week. The university pays three-quarters of the salary, she said. De Sota said the university was still deciding if SECIA would qualify to hire a student, but it appeared approval would move forward.

EXPANDED ISSUE OF COMOTION APPROVED
The board approved plans to publish an expanded issue of the Comotion newsletter in order to include the many activities planned in September and October. De Sota said costs might be offset through the Grand Rounds funds.

Board member Connie Sullivan said, “We’re not using The Bridge well.” Sullivan said the editor is looking for news items.

U WELCOME WEEK TO START IN 2008
University Student and Community Relations Coordinator Kendre Turonie reported that the university is planning to reinstate Welcome Week in fall 2008 for freshmen students. “This is a big impact on the neighborhoods,” Turonie said. Those students will be returning to campus the week before classes start, which is the Tuesday after Labor Day. There are 5,600 students in the freshmen class, she said.

Turonie said Welcome Week would help acclimate the new students to the university and to the community. It will include instruction in life skills, she said. Turonie said students will move in on Wednesday, attend academic orientation on Thursday, learn about student services on Friday, take side trips around the area on Saturday, and on Sunday participate in community service projects in neighboring communities. Turonie said planners are trying to obtain academic credit for Welcome Week students. Student participation will be mandatory.

Board Member Connie Sullivan said she likes the Welcome Week idea and that the plan sounds very thorough. Sullivan asked what the neighborhoods could tell students. She said some students think they’re on campus in the neighborhoods.

BY-LAWS CHANGES VOTE SET FOR SEPTEMBER
Board President Menken said she wants to have a vote on each segment of By-Laws changes at the September meeting. Connie Sullivan said she would attempt to present an alternative for a vote in September.

BOARD ELECTION NOMINATING COMMITTEE NAMED
The board approved nomination of five members to the SECIA board nominating committee. Committee members approved were Bill Dane, Jeff Haberer, Joan Menken, Lee Hibbard, and Marilyn Burns.

UNIVERSITY CONSIDERS LEASING TUTTLE BUILDING
Wendy Menken reported there was a very good conversation with university representatives at a meeting about potential re-use of the former Tuttle School building. Menken said the university is considering leasing the building. The school district closed the program this year and will transfer certain grades this fall to Pratt School in Prospect Park.

MAJOR CAMPUS EVENTS COMPARED TO STADIUM IMPACTS
Board member Joan Menken reported that the university’s Stadium Area Advisory Group (SAAG) mitigation committee would examine how current major university events impact the neighborhoods. Current events include Spring Jam and Homecoming. It will be a way to gauge potential neighborhood impacts, she said, by events at the new football stadium. It is expected to open in 2009.

REZONING FOR PARKING
Environmental Coordinator Justin Eibenholzl reported that the zoning committee on Aug. 27, 6 p.m., will consider a request to rezone two empty lots at 1500 E. Hennepin for business use.

BIKING, WALKING ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION SET AUG. 23
Council Member Gordon announced he will conduct a roundtable discussion on Thursday, Aug. 23, on biking and walking in Minneapolis. The meeting will be held at Brackett Park, 2728 39th Ave. S., 7 to 9 p.m. “Come find out what changes are coming for downtown and what new projects will be coming to your neighborhood, and share your ideas for how we can get even more neighbors walking and biking,” he said in a statement.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, September 4, 2007.

REGULAR MEETINGS: 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (New time to be evaluated in the fall.) Van Cleve Park, 901 15th Ave. SE

CONTACT: Office, 837 SE 15th Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414, phone 612-676-1731, James De Sota, neighborhood coordinator, secomo@secomo.org, website: www.secomo.org/site/center.html.

last revised: August 22, 2007

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