Indian Mound Neighborhood Association Meeting Minutes from April 16th, 2018.

Next Meeting: Monday, May 21st, 6:30pm at the North-East Branch Library (6000 Wilson Rd, KCMO 64123)

Austin Strassle, Truman Medical Center

• Works in the Supportive Housing Program with chronically homeless people
  • Currently works with 80+ clients
  • Similar program is the True Futures program that works with people 18-25 years old experiencing or at risk of becoming homeless
  • Goal is to help house 500 people in 5 years
• Truman Medical Center is the 3rd largest housing provider in the city
  • The health care workers see housing as a medical intervention
• Focuses on mental health issues, especially anxiety and depression, which disproportionately affect low-income people
• Donna asked how to make referrals
  • Referrals are mainly made through hospitals and have recently broadened to include hubs around the city where people can get an assessment
    • ReStart is the hub for Northeast that provides assessments
    • Although KCPD recently hired a social worker, they aren’t making direct referrals
• Manny asked about available resources for people “on the cusp” of homelessness
  • The Supportive Housing Program focuses on helping people who are chronically homeless (experienced homelessness for 1 year or more, or been homeless 4 times in the last 3 years
  • There is a city-wide deficiency in services for people who aren’t chronically homeless, and Truman Medical Center doesn’t have a program
    • Bishop Sullivan Center, ReStart, and KC Housing Authority are organizations that may help
• Beth asked what can neighbors do?
  • Most people experiencing homelessness have already been contacted by services providers
  • When someone is in crisis, it may not be best for neighbors to directly intervene because they haven’t received mental health training
    • Should call KCPD and ask for a CIT officer
• Truman Medical Center is a large institution, but trying to do more community outreach to provide services better
  • To support the program:
    • Educate community members about mental health issues
      • Mental Health First Aid is a course that community members can take
      • People with mental health issues are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators

Douglas Schroeder, KCMO Parks Aquatic update

• PIAC money was approved a few years ago to improve Budd Park pool
  • After an assessment, Parks will perform this maintenance:
    • Replace media in water filter
    • Inspect laterals
    • Rewire filtration controls
    • Redo the chemical delivery system
    • Replace ventilation in the pumphouse
    • Install new spray ground water features
  • If any money is leftover, it will go towards installing shade structures and improving the furniture
  • The work will be completed before May 25th
• Pool opens May 26th:
  • Monday: Noon – 6 p.m.
  • Tuesday: Noon – 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday – Friday: Noon – 6 p.m.
  • Weekends/ Holidays: Noon – 5 p.m.
• Rebecca asked about the area near the pool that gets muddy and obstructs the walking path
  • Doug Schroeder has ideas for removing soil and redirecting trucks doing maintenance to keep the mud from building up

IMNA Officers gave an update on 4/11/2018 meeting with KC Parks

• Topics discussed included:
  • Budd Park
    • Rebuilding the shelter house that burned (should it be relocated to a different part of the park?)
    • Main shelter house
    • Installing disc golf
    • The tennis court is being converted into a futsal and basketball court
    • More benches
    • Ash trees need to be replaced (threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer)
    • New nets for soccer goals
  • Indian Mound Park
    • Move picnic tables closer to the grills
    • Possibly close off the street near the lookout to prevent dumping and cars crashing into the stone wall

 

Small Group Discussion to talk about parks

 

Marissa Baum, Democratic Ward 12 Committee-Woman

• New voter I.D. rules in Missouri
  • Drivers license, passport, or military ID is now required to vote in elections
    • At the DMV, they can provide a state-issued photo ID for free to use for voting
• Data for registered voters and election turnout in 12th Ward since 2012
  • Voter engagement is highest in years with presidential elections
  • Marissa will be working to increase voter registration in the 12th Ward
• Upcoming Elections
  • August 7th, 2018, Primary
  • November 6th, 2018, General Election
• Resources:
  • Sample ballots for upcoming elections: www.ballotpedia.org
  • Jackson County Missouri Election Board: www.jcebmo.org
  • Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners: www.kceb.org
• Bryan pointed out that the 2015 Mayoral and City Council election was a very low turnout, despite how much decisions made at the city level impact residents

Brandon Mason, Legal Aid of Western Missouri

• The goal of Legal Aid is to use the law to help improve neighborhoods
• The Urban Homesteading Program is currently working on 3 properties in the neighborhood and looking for more potential urban homesteaders

Officer Byrd, new CIO with KCPD

• Trina Miller is the new social worker for East Patrol
  • Officer Byrd and Trina Miller have visited “homeless camps” to connect people with services
    • After this initial work with the social worker, KCPD plans to move into an “enforcement stage” and sending homeless people through the legal system
      • Plan is to alert courts of the issue and see if they can mandate that people seek out supportive services
• Manny asked if Officer Byrd could add more data to the crime statistics, like comparisons for the city overall or other nearby communities
• Amanda and Bryan will plan on communicating with Officer Byrd about specific instances for follow-up
• New Police Athletic League hours:
  • Friday – Saturday, 4:30 – 9:30pm
  • 1801 White Ave, Kansas City, MO 64126

Northeast Kansas City Historical Society

• Membership meeting on Wednesday, May 9th, 6:30pm at 815 E 5th St, KCMO 64106
• $20/year to be a member
  • Discounts on Annual Homes tour, NEKCHS apparel, and neighborhood books

Announcements/Upcoming Events

• Concert Series: 3rd Fridays at 7pm at the Colonnade (May 18, June 15, July 20, August 17, September 21)
• Chalk Walk: May 19th and 20th, 9am to 5pm, at the Concourse Fountain
• Independence Ave MAX bus community meeting Tuesday, April 17th, 4:30 – 6:00pm at the NEKC Chamber Office, 2657 Independence Ave, KCMO
• Community Garden Workdays
  • Sunday, April 22nd, 12:30 – 2:30pm
  • Sunday, May 6th, 12:30 – 2:30pm
  • Sunday, May 20th, 12:30 – 2:30pm