Signed in: Pete Gamades, Michael Rainville, Ron Korsh, Jerry Evans, Laura Wiering, Linda Olson, Todd Roeder, Tony Hofstede, Lee Eklund, Nels Gronquist, Mark west-Teixeira and Gayle Bonneville (staff).

Meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by chair Michael Rainville. Motion was made (Tony Hofstede), seconded (Jerry Evans) to approve June minutes. Linda Olson raised objection to processing paperwork at Northeast Bank to allow Rainville and Gamades to be STAWNO account signatories since bylaws do not permit chair to be account signatory. Rainville suggested Linda Olson become second signatory pursuant to bylaws. Minutes were approved.

Financial report was delivered by Rainville. (8/31/2005 balance sheet was distributed). In addition to fees paid to GMHC to administer STAWNO loan program, city now charges an additional 2% of contract total as a fee. Several members including Rainville, Wiering, Olson, Roeder and Hofstede had questions about the fee and why it wasn't covered by fees paid to GMHC. Questions about who holds program income were also raised. Consensus was that no paperwork be signed without further information from GMHC and the city. Rainville agreed to get information and email to all board members for feedback and vote before executing paperwork.

Land Use and Planning Committee: Oral report was submitted by Linda Olson on behalf of Committee Chair Ron Korsh regarding property at 8th Avenue NE and Main and the proposed Bungalow Courtyard. Two houses were demolished and GMHC proposes to build a six-unit bungalow courtyard. Olson reported that committee unanimously voted to issue letter supporting the project. Project will not seek any STAWNO funding. After some discussion regarding concerns about density and possibility of units becoming rental property a motion was made (Hofstede) and seconded (Roeder) that the board approve the project but that the letter supporting the project specifically request that the condo association documents regarding the project specifically require owner occupancy of the units. Unanimously approved. Rainville will draft letter with Korsh's assistance. Next meeting will be Tuesday, October 4, 2005 if necessary.

B.F. Nelson Committee: Rainville presented report recapping July meeting. Park Board members will be invited to October meeting to discuss 8/29 STAWNO letter regarding concerns about Boom Island. Rainville also reported on resolution of bridge issue; wires will be buried not overhead and Met Council input of $600,000 allocation to B.F. Nelson.

Outreach/Fundraising Committee: Pete Gamades reported on Autumn Eve & 5k fundraisers. Donation letters have gone out for silent action items. 5k online registration is up and running. Volunteers for events are still needed. Ticket sale volunteers also still needed, 150 tickets have been distributed for sale. Event needs to be promoted.

Crime/Safety/Livability Committee: Committee did not meet over the summer. Several crime/safety issues have arisen. Report of rape in Boom Island Park was discussed. Also possible “drug house” 8th Avenue and University across form Super America. There was also a report of problems at 312 4th St. Rainville suggested reactivation of a problem properties hot list. This would result in coordinated city and neighborhood attention to designated properties including police, animal control, child protection and city and county attorney offices.

Michael Rainville reported on NRP budget, probably $240,000. Consensus was that money should primarily go to housing fund. Linda Olson raised issue of GAP funds; future use should include payback clause. Rainville agreed. Issue was tabled pending GAP funding requests.

Above the Falls Citizens Advisory Committee: Rainville reported that new representative was needed for STAWNO due to Joyce Vincent resignation. Tony Hofstede volunteered and was unanimously appointed.

MEND - Rainville reported that MEND was going to become active again. Organization is chaired by revolving chairs of member neighborhoods (STAWNO, SHERIDAN and Bottineau). Jerry Evans agreed to act as STAWNO alternate. Important issue for both MEND and STAWNO is northeast bike trails.

Tony Hofstede raised issue of additional funding for Joyce Vincent gardening project including Pierre Bottineau library site and moved that STAWNO approve a $200 grant. Motion was seconded by Olson and carried.

Tony Hofstede raised issue of proposal to city to allow off-sale liquor establishments to be opened to 10:00 p.m. instead of the current 8:00 closing time. After some discussion, none supporting a later closing time motion was made (Hofstede) seconded (Wiering) and passed unanimously to issue letter objecting to any change of closing time.

Presentation by Eric McDonald, Assistant Hennepin County Attorney assigned to 2nd precinct. Eric explained that he is on the county attorney property team and permanently assigned to 2nd precinct to deal with all property crimes. County Attorney's Office is seeking more input from communities on crime and safety issues. Any property crime issues should be addressed to Inspector at 2nd precinct or directly to Eric.

Eric also explained new Nuisance Property Initiative (which dovetails nicely with the problem properties watch discussed earlier at the meeting). This initiative allows for immediate and intense intervention in problem properties by all city and county officials hopefully resulting in correction or boarding up of problem property within 90 days.

Linda Olson objected to August 23, 2005 special meeting of the board as not in compliance with the bylaws. Copies of current bylaws were distributed and reviewed; Consensus that August 23rd meeting was not called in compliance with bylaws. Motion was made (Roeder), seconded (Gamades) and passed unanimously to ratify the votes taken at the meeting. Result is that money was transferred to loan program and JD Pride was elected as STAWNO representative to Citizen Advisory Committee for Delasalle.

Further discussion of bylaws resulted in consensus that bylaws are desperately in need of revision. All interested parties should forward any suggestions for bylaw revisions to Olson. She will email sample revised bylaws from other neighborhoods to board members. All submissions should be emailed by October 15. Olson will incorporate all suggestions received into a draft of new bylaws. A meeting will be held Saturday, October 22, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. at MainStreet Lodge to discuss the draft.

Todd Roeder, alternate to Delasalle Citizen Action Committee, reported on first committee meeting. Basically a get acquainted meeting with no business discussion. However, overview of project presented showed that current stadium proposal would use only 1.2 acres of park land of which .65 was already blacktop (tennis courts or road) Relocating project to adjacent parkland would consume 4 acres of parkland all green space. Next meeting of committee is September 13.