Pedal Indoor Cycling Studio opens
Board president P. Victor Grambch introduced a new member of the NIEBNA business community to those in attendance: spin cycling enthusiast and entrepreneur Maryjo Hockett, whose new exercise palace, Pedal Indoor Cycling Studio, opened at 21 Fifth Street NE in Minneapolis earlier this year. The exercise studio offers, among other types of classes, a bike-while-you-sing karaoke class, a power class using Pilates bands while you pedal, and a yoga/bike combination class. No initiation or membership fees apply. The website is www.pedalstudios.com.

NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS
Two nominations from the floor took place — Jerry Foss and Bob Olson — to fill the board’s two vacancies; hearing no objections and with a convincing “aye” voice vote, the following residents were selected as NIEBNA board members:

Barry Clegg, Jeff Meehan, Grambsch, Steve Rosenberg, Tom Sheran, Ryan Curry, Dale Herron, Lisa Hondros, Jam Deming, Judy Richardson, Foss and Olson.

The board’s 12 members each hold a one-year term. One must maintain continual residence in the NIEBNA neighborhood area to be eligible to serve on the board. Meetings occur six to eight times per year, with the occasional special meeting. The charge of the board is to represent the neighborhood in reviewing development proposals and other matters affecting the NIEBNA area, including police programs, traffic and transportation issues, parks, etc. Speaking at public hearings and serving on task forces and citizen advisory committees are also within the purview of board member functions.

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
Grambsch said there was “considerable concern” people will disrupt the city as well as the convention, with the potential for people camping and living in the park, increased break-ins, more people on the street, and “squatters” taking up residence in vacant houses.

Third Ward Representative Diane Hofstede commented that hotels are filled, so there is some concern that people may be interested in camping along the river. “That does not mean that they are up to mischief. It doesn’t mean that they’re bad people. It just means we need to be aware and that there will be more activity in the neighborhood.”

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT (NNO)
The first annual community-wide NNO gathering will take place 6–8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Chute Square Park. This is the first such event in the park. The Ard Godfrey House will be open that evening, with free tours given 5:30–7 p.m.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT
State Senator Larry Pogemiller and State Representative Phyllis Kahn updated the NIEBNA fellowship and fielded questions.

The legislature “got out of partisan deadlock,” Pogemiller said, and got something done. He described three legislative actions that “should have some lasting impact:”

Modest steps were made toward wellness-oriented health care reform that could result in a 12¬15 percent lowering of health costs, leaving Minnesota well positioned for national changes.

A state constitutional amendment called Minnesota’s Great Outdoors and Heritage Amendment will be on the November ballot to raise taxes for clean water. The amendment would dedicate a dedicated sales tax incorporating $30 million dollars a year for 25 years to address long-term the quality of life in Minnesota. The monies would fund not only water quality but support wildlife, cultural heritage and natural areas.

Kahn commented that the passage of the clean water constitutional amendment would demonstrate that the people of Minnesota are willing to pay for things they value.

Pogemiller said the legislature “primed the pump” for job creation, with a transportation bill geared toward mass transit, a $7 billion dollar bonding bill for higher education and a megamall subsidy. The megamall project, Pogemiller said, would create 700,00 construction job and stimulate $2 billion in private investment. It’s a good idea, he said, during a time when the construction trades are struggling.

KAHN’S REPORT
Kahn distributed an eight-page document outlining her assessment of the year’s legislative accomplishments.

“This was a session marked by compromise and bipartisan cooperation,” Kahn wrote. Achievements include a balanced budget, direct property tax relief to homeowners, additional resources for schools and nursing homes, a major transportation initiative, health care reform, and a jobs/capital improvement improvements bill focused on higher education and environmental initiatives.

Kahn said she was “very disappointed” over the governor’s veto of a bill to set permissive state policy for stem cell bill research and another one that would have facilitated trade and education exchanges with Cuba. She said the governor’s veto was “sucking up to McCain.”

The vetoed Cuba trade and education exchange bill was reconfigured into a Minnesota House of Representatives resolution, which passed and will be sent on to the congressional delegation.

Kahn’s legislative session summary includes legislation allowing health department studies on methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MSRA) control in health facilities and human papillomavirus (HPV) inoculations to control cervical cancer.

The HPV inoculations, Kahn said, could actually stop the first cancer since Nixon’s declaration of war against cancer. She will be working on the HPV vaccine issue during the next session.

Kahn talked about the DREAM Act, an act that would allow children who graduate from Minnesota schools but whose parents are unregistered immigrants to pay resident tuition. Attempts to pass legislation for the development of such a system in Minnesota have been unsuccessful.

Kahn’s written summary included a bulleted list of 13 bills vetoed by Pawlenty during the legislative session, from protection for state employee whistleblowers to increasing the minimum wage to modifying the existing newborn screen law to including testing for heritable and congenital diseases, has this following sentence of summation:

“His pride in using his veto pen is clearly connected to inflicting harm on the state and its citizens.”

QUESTIONS FOR LEGISLATORS
A Q&A session followed the presentation by the two legislators. Some discussion was held regarding concerns that the Riverfront Regional Park is not yet finished and it is not clear how to fund the necessary completion.

Pogemiller commented that the Minneapolis Park Board knows the work needs to be done, but they are not sure how to do it.

Grambsch asked about the possibility of getting a train station when and if the Red Rock Line (a rail corridor between Hastings and St. Paul) goes forward. A few spots in the area, including Seventh Street behind the Banks Building or the Superior Plating site, were identified as prime spots. Pogemiller said that Congressman Jim Oberstar was interested in trains and figures the Red Rock Line will be developed.

MAIN STREET NORTHEAST BRIDGE
Grambsch advised the audience that the bridge reconstruction project will be finished by the end of the year

CHUTE SQUARE PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Grambsch updated the residents regarding improvements at the park, home to the Ard Godfrey House, on Central and Hennepin Avenues. The Loring Park Association is serving as the neighborhood involvement model, and the Park Board is involved with the improvement plans. Additional lighting is planned along with possibly some landscaping.

THE BRIDGE SAYS HELLO!
Linda Lincoln from The Bridge newspaper (www.readthebridge.info) greeted the NIEBNA residents gathered at the meeting. “You are on one end,” Lincoln said, of the 10 neighborhoods the newspaper covers. Lincoln stated that the Star-Tribune daily newspaper covers neighborhood news less and less, and that the newspaper values NIEBNA residents as leaders in the community. She encouraged folks to call with story ideas, photographs, or if there is a desire for advertising space. Lincoln writes a social column called the Bridgeland Angler and invited residents to let her know what’s going on.

MINNEAPOLIS RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Third Ward Councilmember Diane Hofstede updated the group regarding this newest nonprofit in Minneapolis. A flyer she distributed at the meeting describes the board as being a mix of public and private concerns, and that members of the community, the park board and other government agencies would work collaboratively to “guide the reclamation of the riverfront area.” Their goal is to spearhead development in the upper riverfront.

“It is not a development that is a celebration of concrete,” Hofstedt said, “but a celebration of the natural waterways and the historic nature of our riverfront.”

The general functions of the corporation are to support and facilitate coordination among the involved parties; to address fundraising and advocacy for identifying priorities along the riverfront; create communications regarding the river’s vital nature, its assets and opportunities; and establish planning and design input guiding public and private development and potential implementation programs including land acquisition.

Hofstede said that the University has been invited to join the corporation.

WARD-WIDE MEETING
A ward-wide meeting for the 3rd Ward will take place Oct. 8, 6¬–9 p.m., at Eastside Neighborhood Services at 1700 Second Street NE, Room 103e, to discuss transportation and economic issues, which Hofstede said were “getting a lot of attention.”

Thomas Fisher, dean of the University’s School of Architecture, will be on hand, as will be the “second person in command” from the department of transportation, Hofstede said.

NRP UPDATE
Hofstede said that the issue is winding down. The only public hearing will be at 5 p.m. on either August 20 or August 21 in council chambers (go to the city’s website for details).

CARE MEETING
The next CARE meeting will take place Aug. 20, 7–9 p.m., at Eastside Neighborhood Services at 1700 Second Street NE, Room 103e. The meetings focus on discussion regarding problem properties, foreclosure and livability issues in the 3rd Ward.

The next NIEBNA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9; the time and location will be determined at a later date.

last revised: August 4, 2008

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