April 2018 Monthly Minutes
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
- Referrals are mainly made through hospitals and have recently broadened to include hubs around the city where people can get an assessment
- 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
- Educate community members about mental health issues
- To support the program:
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
- After an assessment, Parks will perform this maintenance:
- 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
- Budd Park
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
- Drivers license, passport, or military ID is now required to vote in elections
- 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
- After this initial work with the social worker, KCPD plans to move into an “enforcement stage” and sending homeless people through the legal system
- Officer Byrd and Trina Miller have visited “homeless camps” to connect people with 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