The Waite Park Community Council will hold a special board meeting on Monday, May 8, at 7 p.m. on Zoom to vote on submitting a letter to the Minneapolis Capital-Long Range Improvement Committee in support of reconstruction of 33rd Avenue. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86994131337
All current and aspiring Waite Park block club leaders are invited to attend a neighborhood-wide 2023 Block Club Kick-Off event on Wednesday, May 17, from 6:30-8:00pm at the Waite Park Recreation Center.
Meet and share ideas with fellow block club leaders, get a free Waite Park neighborhood T-shirt, and learn how to apply for the Waite Park Community Council’s $100 block club rebate program.
Guests will include Minneapolis 2nd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist Rashid Ali. Knowing your neighbors and having a block map to quickly contact them helps deter crime and improve the quality of life on your block or in your building.
This year’s National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, August 1. Block clubs may apply for a free street closure permit by contacting Rashid Ali at Abdirashid.ali@minneapolismn.gov. The deadline for applying is July 7. Block clubs may also request a fire truck or canine unit visit.
Block clubs encourage neighbors to know one another, watch out for each other, and report suspicious activity. The annual National Night Out is just one social event the neighbors may host. Other block club activities may include trash pick-ups, garage sales, or gardening projects.
WPCC Block Club Rebate Program
The Waite Park Community Council offers $100 annual rebates to block clubs to cover the cost of events such as National Night Out gatherings. Note: City rules related to our funding prevent us from paying for any food or beverage expenses. Plates, silverware, table clothes, and other serving materials are eligible.
Who is eligible: The rebate program is open to Waite Park residents who are part of a block club recognized by the MPD Second Precinct. Block clubs that are not affiliated with the police department may also apply if they host at least 1 gathering a year to which all block residents are invited and two members verify the application.
How to apply: Complete this online form, including a photograph of any receipts. You may also download and print a copy here and mail it to the Waite Park Community Council at P.O. Box 18476, Minneapolis, MN 55418. We are an all-volunteer organization and we appreciate your patience as we process applications, ideally within 1-2 months. Questions? Contact rebates@waiteparkcc.org.
Fine print: Rebates totaling $100 will be awarded until the program expires ($100 per block, per year). Rebates are provided only for projects in the Waite Park neighborhood. Receipts must be provided in order to verify and process your grant. No food or beverage expenses are eligible. Educational programming expenses are eligible. Rebates are for supplies and products only, no reimbursement for labor.
Waite Park Community Council
Regular Board Meeting Agenda - Thursday, March 30, 2023, 7pm
at Waite Park Recreation Center and Zoom
Call to order and land acknowledgement
Approval of agenda and February minutes
Bylaw/Policy Highlight: Mission statement
Committee reports
Operations & Finance, Dan
Treasurer's Report, Dan
Fall Festival, Nick
Equitable Engagement, Leah
Projects & Positions, Ali
Unfinished business
Grievance Policy, Dan
Whistleblower & EEO policy updates, Dan
New business
Community Connections Conference, Gary
Gardening update, Kate
Block Club Kick-off, Dan/Connie
It’s Waite Park Wednesday! Join the Waite Park Community Council on the first Wednesday of April for an informational presentation and discussion on how the latest generation of electric appliances for heating and cooking can benefit your health, wallet, and the climate.
Electrify Everything will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, in-person at the Waite Park Recreation Center, 1810 34th Ave. NE.
This free program will be facilitated by staff at the Center for Energy and Environment and is co-presented by the Waite Park Community Council and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation.
Questions? Contact the community council at info@waiteparkcc.org.
The Waite Park Community Council’s (WPCC) Equitable Engagement Committee carried out its first official Equitable Engagement Plan (EEP) in 2022. With funds allocated from the City of Minneapolis’ Equitable Engagement Fund, the WPCC hired E. Coco Consulting LLC to conduct outreach to Waite Park residents to learn more about their connections to the neighborhood, neighbors, and WPCC programs. In particular, the effort was designed to reach neighbors who have been historically underrepresented. In neighborhood meetings held during the development of the EEP in 2021, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); renters; and older neighbors (age 54+) were identified as priority constituencies to connect with.
E. Coco Consulting LLC worked with WPCC members to conduct a survey and in-person engagement of Waite Park neighbors. We sought to reach neighbors through mailings, door-knocking, office hours at Cosmic Coffee, interviews at community events, National Night Out, and the Waite Park Fall Festival. In 45 days, the team collected 300 surveys. The full report is available to view here. If you did not have a chance to complete the survey, you can always submit comments to the WPCC at: board@waiteparkcc.org. WPCC is continuously interested in hearing from residents about what improvements can be made. Please never hesitate to reach out to us.
WPCC would like to better connect with renters in the neighborhood. If you are a renter interested in helping to improve these connections, please contact engagement@waiteparkcc.org.
WPCC is looking for more volunteers to help carry out new programs and events in 2023 and beyond. As mentioned above, the 2022 work was supported through the City of Minneapolis Equitable Engagement Fund. WPCC is has a reduced amount of Equitable Engagement funding this year. Major recommendations from the EEP report included increasing overall awareness of WPCC, the number of community events, opportunities for resource sharing, support for businesses and other amenities, and connections with renters. Please contact engagement@waiteparkcc.org if you are interested in getting involved.
Waite Park Community Council
Regular Board Meeting Agenda - Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, 7pm
Waite Park Recreation Center and Zoom
Due to the snow storm, this meeting will take place on Zoom only.
Call to order and land acknowledgement
Approval of agenda and January minutes
Community announcements
2-PAC, Emilie Quast
New board appointment, Dan/Scott
New board welcome and introductions
Board member and policy review
Introduction of committees
Committee reports
Operations & Finance, Dan
Treasurer's Report, Jared
Equitable Engagement, Leah
Fall Festival, Nick
Projects & Positions, Ali
Unfinished business
Cosmic Coffee pilot program, Dan
New business
Whistleblower & EEO policy, Dan
Tax Forfeited Property, Nick
The following article was submitted by Minneapolis Public Works:
The City of Minneapolis, Public Works Department is preparing to perform street improvements in your neighborhood in 2023 and 2024. These improvements include upgrading deficient pedestrian curb ramps to meet American with Disabilities (ADA) Federal Guidelines and a 2-inch milling and installation of a new asphalt surface on 29th Avenue NE. This street was originally built in 1958 and these improvements, shown on the above map, will extend the useful life of the street.
This work is planned over two years, with the pedestrian curb ramp work in 2023 and the street mill and overlay in 2024. Along with the pedestrian curb ramp work, we invite public and private utilities to upgrade their facilities so future disruption can be minimized on the new street and street corners.
CenterPoint Energy has expressed an interest to improve their gas mains, services and meters along this project, so we are coordinating their work with ours.
The ADA pedestrian curb ramp work planned in 2023 will be paid for by property tax dollars. The work in 2024, which is the mill and overlay work is funded by property tax dollars along with special assessments to the adjacent property owners. There will be two meetings in 2024 which will go into more detail on this subject, these meetings will be scheduled in 2024.
The mill and overlay in 2024 provides an opportunity to improve the traffic safety and mobility of 29th Ave NE by adjusting the existing roadway striping to be more in line with City policies (Complete Streets, Vision Zero, Transportation Action Plan) and community needs. Additional engagement will occur in the spring of 2023 to discuss striping improvements for 29th Ave NE between Central and Stinson Avenues.
Public Works and CenterPoint Energy Staff will be in attendance in the Waite Park Community meeting on January 26th at 7:00 pm to meeting and discuss this further.
The Waite Park Community Council’s board of directors will meet for its regular monthly board meeting on Thursday, January 26, at 7 p.m. at the Waite Park Recreation Center (1810 34th Avenue NE.)
The meeting will be the board’s first in-person meeting in three years. A Zoom option will also be available at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87261724473
The board will hear a presentation from Minneapolis Public Works and CenterPoint Energy on upcoming resurfacing, pedestrian curb ramp, and utility work on 29th Avenue between Central Avenue and Stinson Boulevard.
The agenda also includes discussion for the upcoming annual meeting and board election on February 1, as well as other programming for 2023. A full agenda is available here.
The Waite Park Community Council invites you to attend the Waite Park Neighborhood Annual Meeting and Winter Mixer on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the Waite Park Recreation Center (1810 34th Ave. NE).
The event will mark the neighborhood’s first in-person annual meeting since 2019. It will feature snacks and social time, along with a state-of-the-neighborhood presentation, annual treasurer’s report, and board election. This year's election will seek to fill eight board seats, as well as officer roles for secretary and treasurer.
Participation in the board election is open to all people 18 years or older who reside, work or own property or a business in the neighborhood. Waite Park is geographically bounded by Central Avenue on the west, Stinson Boulevard on the east, St. Anthony Parkway on the south and 37th Avenue on the north.
The Waite Park Community Council is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a high quality of life in the Waite Park neighborhood by providing a forum for community engagement.
Board members meet monthly and help plan and manage a variety of events and programs, including the neighborhood fall festival, a low-interest home improvement loan program, and rebates for block club and home security improvements.
If you cannot attend in-person but would like to participate in the board election, please contact info@waiteparkcc.org for Zoom information.
WAITE PARK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
REGULAR BOARD MEETING AGENDA
DECEMBER 8, 2022 via Zoom
7:00: Call to order and land acknowledgement
7:05: Approval of agenda and October minutes
7:10: Open floor for announcements/information sharing
7:15: NorthEast Investment Cooperative presentation, Michael Darger
7:30: WPCC annual meeting plans and budget, Dan
7:40: Venue for January regular board meeting, Dan
7:50: Board comment on proposed NRP Policy Board districts map and NCR Neighborhood Grievance Process, Gary
8:00: WPCC Grievance Policy, Lucas and Tiffany
8:30: Reflection on 2022 board accomplishments
New business?
Waite Park is located in the far northeastern corner of Minneapolis and on the eastern edge of Hennepin County. Its borders are 37th Ave NE, Stinson Boulevard, St. Anthony Parkway, and Central Avenue. The neighborhood consists of mostly owner-occupied, single-family homes, with approximately 5,600 residents. It is home to Waite Park Elementary School, Cavell Park, and Deming Heights Park.
The Waite Park Community Council (WPCC) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)3 organization officially recognized by the City of Minneapolis as the neighborhood representative of Waite Park. Founded in 1954, the WPCC serves as a forum to support the interests of the Waite Park neighborhood, and to maintain a high quality of life through community engagement.
Click here to signup to receive occasional email updates from the Waite Park Community Council.
The Waite Park Community Council encourages anyone who lives, works, or owns property in the neighborhood to attend its monthly board meetings. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month at the Waite Park Recreation Center and Zoom.
Watch this website or contact info@waiteparkcc.org for log in info.
The Waite Park Community Council is an all-volunteer board serving staggered, two-year terms. Elections are held at an annual meeting in the first quarter of the calendar year. Contact the board by emailing board@waiteparkcc.org.
Dan Haugen, President
Casey Wahl, Vice President
Charlene Grahn, Secretary
Jared Holt, Treasurer
Gary Arntsen, board member
Nick Stroozas, board member
Joy Cattledge, board member
Kevin Horkheimer, board member
Jay Smigielski, board member
Adam Arling, board member
Latrice Daniel, board member
Manny Esguerra, board member
Madeline Harris, board member
Jamie Jackson, board member
Roni Lafky, board member
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