January 2018 Monthly Minutes
Indian Mound Neighborhood Association Meeting Minutes from January 15th, 2018
Next Meeting: Monday, February 19th, 6:30pm at the North-East Branch Library (6000 Wilson Rd, KCMO 64123)
Manny Abarca, IMNA Vice President
- Update on Thacher School
- About 3 years ago IMNA worked to get $150,000 dedicated to re-use materials from the demolished Thacher School to build neighborhood markers
- They will go along Independence Ave
- 1 each at Wilson Rd, Hardesty Ave, Van Brunt Blvd, and Jackson Ave
- Announcing the Beans, Beads and Booze event
- February 13th at the Attrium in the 18th & Vine District
Abby Judah, Legal Aid of Western Missouri
- The house at 415 N. Elmwood is ready to work on
- Beth asked about house on Windsor that neighbors insist needs to be demolished (structurally unsound)
- Abby said that someone bought it at the last minute at the tax sale
- City can’t do anything unless it’s an emergency
- Neighbors can still call 311 to raise awareness about the property
Ana Ramirez, Americorp VISTA w/ NEAT/Mattie Rhodes
- Ana has been doing outreach with students, administrators and faculty at Northeast HS
- Students need to complete service hours to graduate
- IMNA should let Ana know what opportunities there will be for students to volunteer on projects in the neighborhood
Jenna Wilkins, IMNA Secretary
- Parks Committee Update
- Recap of IMNA requests made to PIAC in 2017:
- Renovate the main shelter house at Budd Park
- Establish dog park at the Northeast Athletic Fields
- Security Cameras at Indian Mound Park
- Repave the walking trails along Gladstone Blvd and Budd Park
- The Parks committee will begin meeting quarterly starting in February 2018
- Recap of IMNA requests made to PIAC in 2017:
- Community Garden Update
- To do a better job managing the community garden, IMNA will host bi-weekly garden workdays starting at the end of March
Rebecca Koop, resident
- Asked about the large wall that’s part of the building adjacent to the garden on the west side
- IMNA would need to locate money to finance a mural
- KCPD recently made an announcement about volunteer murals?
- NEKC Arts has free paint
- IMNA membership needs to brainstorm about this more before deciding
Donna Miller-Brown, IMNA Treasurer
- Review of IMNA’s 2017 Accomplishments
- 2 neighborhood-wide cleanups
- Expanding use of Urban Homesteading Program with Legal Aid
- PIAC requests submitted (continuing to follow up with 2015 and 2016 requests)
- Grants awarded
- KC Healthy Kids ($1000)
- Neighborhood Rising Fund ($3000)
- Events Hosted (with NRF grant)
- Budd Park Community Days
- National Night Out
- Pumpkin Patch
- IMNA participated in the Northeast HS Homecoming Parade
- Attendance overall has increased at IMNA meetings compared to 2016
- Collected $600 in dues
- Created Parks Committee and Events Committee
- Increasing capacity around crime watch efforts
Beth Beavers, IMNA Administrative Vice President
- Brainstorming ideas for what IMNA can address in 2018
- Problems
- Engaging youth (high school) – preventing boredom
- Communication
- Expanding Block Watch beyond digital
- Trash
- Demographic/representation gap
- Looming Hardesty Renaissance/GSA Clean-up – make sure we stay in the loop
- BIG neighborhood
- Stronger engagement needed
- Gentrification
- Community Garden upkeep
- Solutions
- Utilize panels more
- Utilize Northeast library activities
- Five new Urban Homesteading properties
- Engage with youth and churches for volunteers
- Meeting people where they are
- Work closer with community organizations (NE Arts, Mattie Rhodes Center)
- Ms. Freeman at NEHS – send communication about service opportunities
- Create email list of contacts for service opportunities
- Find right contacts for engagement at KC Public Schools
- NRF Grant – Block Party kits/groups
- Block captain training
- Stronger collaboration with Lykins NA
- Delegate
- Watch who is investing and where – and why
- More neighborhood meetings at the community garden
- Problems
Amanda Wilson, resident
- Gave a crime update