Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 CALL TO ORDER Cheryl Eastwold, Neill, called the Presidents Council Meeting to order on January 22, 2018 at 10:00 a.m., after which introductions were made. SECRETARY S REPORT Bob Knutson, PC/RPC Secretary, Ravoux, requested if anyone comes across discrepancies in the Minutes, to bring them up at the next P.C. meeting. A Motion was made by Bill Hughes, Iowa, to accept the Minutes as they stand. It was seconded by Tim Gjerdahl, Ravoux, and the Motion carried. TREASURER S REPORT Melissa Pappas, PC/RPC Treasurer, Seal, presented the Treasurer s Reports for both November and December. The register balance for November was thirty thousand, three hundred ninety five dollars and eighty-seven cents ($30,395.87); with an ending balance of thirty six thousand, five hundred fifteen dollars and sixty-seven cents. ($36,515.67). The register balance for the month of December was twenty eight thousand, six hundred thirty-two dollars and 69 cents ($28,632.69); with an ending balance of thirty-five thousand, six hundred twenty seven dollars and twenty-four cents ($35,627.24). The reports will be filed for audit. RECOGNITION Charisse Brown, Assistant Resident Services Senior Manager and John Cardoza, Commissioner, Cleveland, presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the PHA and Presidents Council to Flesia Paige, Wilson Hi-Rise. She was able to identify and called the police regarding a serial burglar who had been breaking into and stealing items from the PHA offices and maintenance areas. Sgt. Kent Cleveland, St. Paul Police Department, emphasized how important it is to be a good neighbor and report all suspicious activity. GUEST SPEAKER Catherine Keating, Dispute Resolution Center (DRC). Flyers were handed out to all Representatives. She stated many disputes between people, or people and organizations, can be handled using the services of the DRC. They re a non-profit organization that helps people solve their disputes in a peaceful atmosphere. Their email is www.disputeresolutioncenter.org, or you can contact them at: 651-292-7791. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REPORT John Cardoza, Commissioner, Cleveland, said there was no Commissioners Meeting in December, but they will be meeting on Wednesday and he ll give a report next month. Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 1 of 7
MAINTENANCE REPORT Tim Angaran, Maintenance Manager, wanted to assure everyone that the government shutdown won t affect any of the maintenance services. Lots will still be plowed and sidewalks will be cleared. Also, the Valley plumbing renovation is going well. In the last two weeks they were given notification that the PHA is going to receive a seven hundred fifty thousand dollar ($750,000.00) grant, to aid in their replacement of the plumbing at Montreal Hi-Rise. They hope to begin that job sooner than expected. He then took questions. PHA MANAGEMENT REPORT Charisse Brown, Assistant Resident Services Senior Manager. All residents should have received notices regarding flat-rent increases. The Valley plumbing renovation is going well and is projected to end in November 2018. The next hi-rise slated for plumbing renovation is Montreal. She s been getting a few calls regarding the government shutdown, and she wanted to assure everyone that the shutdown does not affect anything regarding the PHA at this time. SAFETY & SECURITY REPORT Kent Cleveland, Sargent, St. Paul Police Department ACOP. They are nearly operating at full staff. A new liaison officer started working two months ago and has been in training to learn what ACOP is all about; and she will begin working on her own starting next week. He also has two other new officers. One is starting on the 10 th and the other in March. The hi-rises have been pretty quiet; just some auto thefts, some thefts in general and dealing with unauthorized people entering the buildings. He strongly stressed people not leave the keys in their cars if making a quick trip into a store, etc., or leave it unattended while warming it up. No Old Business. OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS 1. ALLINA Health Grant Application (See Resident Initiatives Report). 2. Appointment of Bob Knutson as Presidents Council Secretary. A Motion was made by Leona Eishen, Wilson, that Bob Knutson, Ravoux, be appointed as P.C. Secretary. It was seconded by Tim Gjerdahl, Ravoux, and the Motion carried. 3. Draft of changes to the existing Computer and Internet Use Protocol. John Cordoza, Cleveland, made a Motion to approve changes to the Computer & Internet Use Protocol. Donna Walters, Seal, seconded and the Motion carried. 4. Draft Disbursement Document update. David Owens, Mt. Airy, made a Motion that we approve the Disbursement Document as amended. It was seconded by Drusilla Garrett, Dunedin, and the Motion carried. Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 2 of 7
NEW BUSINESS (continued) 5. Cold Weather Rule states: If at 7:00 a.m. -- as reported by WCCO (Channel 4) on the morning of the regularly scheduled President Council meeting -- the actual temperature is 1-degree below zero and/or the wind chill is 20-degrees below zero, the Presidents Council Meeting will be cancelled and will not be rescheduled for that month. The Presidents Council Executive Board will revisit the wording of the Cold Weather Rule and will advise of any suggested changes. 6. Presidents Council Executive Board. Bob Knutson, Ravoux, resigned from the P.C. Executive Board and was replaced by Tim Gjerdahl, Ravoux. Teresa Souvannachack, Montreal, made a Motion to appoint Tim Gjerdahl to the P.C. Executive Board. John Cordoza, Cleveland, seconded, and the Motion carried. 7. Computer updates: Timer purchase in the amount of $641.00, plus tax. Solid State Drive purchase in the amount of $3,840.00, plus tax. Aaron Smothers, IT Digital Literacy Coordinator, passed out the minutes from the Computer Team Meeting which was held December 21, 2017. At that meeting it was voted to approve the purchase of a computer time limit manager and solid state hard drives. The purchase and installation of these items would speed up the operation on all hi-rise computers. He also stated the ROSS Grant is ending soon, and this will be his last P.C. report. He cancelled the hi-rise computer classes he wanted to conduct on Sundays, because of a lack of responses from residents. David Owens, Mt. Airy, made a Motion to approve the purchase of the solid state hard drives and the time limit manager. Leona Eishen, Wilson, seconded and the Motion carried. RESIDENT INITIATIVES REPORT Alicia Huckleby, Resident Initiatives Director & Interim Human Resource Director, stated it s time for our annual joint application with the City Wide Residents Council and the PHA, for another Allina Neighborhood Health Connection Grant. They ve been applying for these grants on an annual basis for close to five years and they ve been very successful. Once again Allina Health has announced the opportunity for non-profits, government agencies, or organizations, to apply for grants, which in the past have been in the amount of $10,000.00. We have to select activities that are primarily going to fall under the things we currently do with our Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Program (SHIP), which Betsy Christensen runs with our friends at St. Paul Ramsey County Public Health. These are activities that are focused around active living, nutrition and other wellness-favored activities. A memo from Jon Gutzmann, Executive Director, to the Commissioners, broke down and explained the three different items the Allina Grant would cover, along with the amount granted to each one. The three items were: 1. In partnership with Allina Health, continued participation in, and expansion of the national Walk With A Doc program throughout the PHA. Walk With A Doc encourages the establishment and support of community walking groups, with the inclusion of a health-focused presentation by a health care practitioner. This would include purchasing necessary supplies to support these events ($2,000 request); and Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 3 of 7
RESIDENT INITIATIVES REPORT (continued) 2. Implementation of the 1593 Jackson Street Community Garden Organic Soil Remediation Project in partnership with St. Thomas University and the McDonough resident gardeners, to create more space for community gardens, increase access to healthy foods, and build social connections among residents living at McDonough Homes. This would include purchasing necessary supplies to support these events ($7,000 request); and 3. The implementation of Gray Ducks Famly Yoga Initiative, to encourage increased physical activity and social connection among residents and families. This would include covering the cost of classes and any necessary supplies to support these events ($1,000 request). Donna Walters, Neill, made a Motion that all three items be approved. David Owens, Mt. Airy, seconded and the Motion carried. SECTION 3 UPDATE Beth Pacunas, Section 3 Projects Coordinator/Youth Literacy, stated there are a lot of jobs available and employers are competing against each other to hire. Many employers are loosening their policies regarding individuals who may have had a felony in the past, along with people with disabilities. A Job Fair was held at Mt. Airy and attracted a very large turnout. Most employers in attendance offered onthe-job training or pre-job training. The number of employers was so numerous, it was necessary to put some of them on a waiting list. These events are sponsored by the ROSS Grant and also through a partnership with Renewal by Andersen Windows. A Small Business Workshop will be starting up on Thursday, January 25th, which will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the McDonough Community Center, and will last for ten weeks. This will be the third time they ve partnered with African Economic Development Solutions. There will be introductory workshops at Central Hi-Rise February 1 st, McDonough February 5 th and Mt. Airy on February 7 th. Flyers will be sent out. If you have any questions, or you know of any residents who are seeking jobs, job skills, or both -- along with education -- get in touch with Beth at 651-228-3204. ROSS TEAM Ed Petsche and Val Wolf, ROSS Employment & Educational Coordinators. Ed Petsche stated they are winding down, and this will be the last Presidents Council meeting they ll be attending. He wanted to add to what Beth Pacunas had to say about the employment situation and how it changes. Also, older workers are finding it a lot easier to obtain employment now. To date they ve helped 170 residents find employment, since July of 2015. Val Wolf said they re still open for business for the next month; so if you, or someone you know, needs help finding a job or getting education, or both, give Ed or Val a call. Ed Petsche can be reached at 651-298-4931, and Val Wolf at 651-298-4933. COMPUTER UPDATE Aaron Smothers, IT Digital Literacy Coordinator, talked about the price of Comcast, and the lowest figure he was able to find was $69.95 a month. However, Cleveland Hi-Rise found a monthly rate of $64.95 due to Comcasts Loyalty Retention Program. The standard speed is 25 Megabytes. Comcast only offers three-year contracts. As ROSS shuts down, they re trying to get as much done as possible before then. Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 4 of 7
SHIP GRANT UPDATE Betsy Christensen, PHA SHIP Coordinator, shared the prospective Walk With A Doc schedule this year. They ll be going to six new sites; Montreal in May, Iowa in June, Roosevelt Family Site in July, Central in August, Edgerton in September. October will include both Exchange and Wabasha Hi-Rises. She passed around a form for the six sites chosen, and they were asked to circle which time of day they would like have the event. If you have any questions contact Betsy Christensen. She also handed out a list of health topics that people requested at the last Walk With A Doc event in October, and said if anyone had a health topic not listed, they can add it on the back of the flyer. The existing topics were then read. Betsy passed out the schedule for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Smoking Cessation Workshops; who they ve partnered with the past years. NAMI has also partnered with Walgreens to have a pharmacist on site during the workshops. They re only able to do eight workshops. The eight hi-rises will be Hamline, Seal, Montreal, Central, Front, Iowa, Ravoux and Exchange. Flyers will be given to these hi-rises to post. Anyone is welcome to attend these workshops even if your hi-rise isn t listed. Ann Tranvik, St. Paul Public Health Nurse, also wanted to speak about the NAMI Workshop. Most everyone should be aware by now, that the new no-smoking HUD rule will be implemented at the end of July. The important thing to keep in mind is, the cessation classes have very good information, which can help you better understand the process of quitting. Medication, which will help curb the urge to smoke, will also be available and is free. She also talked about QuitPlan Services and the programs they offer. QuitPlan has also added new programs. Their main goal is to do everything they can to help you conquer your addiction and become one hundred percent tobacco-free. Not with lectures, but with genuine support. Check out all the free tools and services they offer, and then choose the ones that are best for you. There are five people from five different sites, who have been accepted to participate in the Garden Mentor Program. The orientation is this coming Wednesday. Master gardeners will be available to assist at your site. More information is to come. GREEN INITIATIVES Annie Li, Recycling & Organics Program intern, helps with the Waste Reduction Initiatives Grant with Yen Tran, Green Initiatives Technician. She works with Pilot Organic Selection Program, which started last year, and to date have 71 out of 88 total units enrolled. They will be holding a couple of focus groups throughout the next month, to gather resident experiences about how the project has been going. Another project, is improving recycling efforts in all sixteen hi-rises. They ve established a Recycling Survey, which will go out to all buildings, except Exchange, which has already participated. In the next couples of months, she ll be connecting with the Recycling Coordinators of each hi-rise, to have them help distribute the Survey to the residents. After completing the Survey, residents can turn it into their management office. They ll also be entered into a drawing for a $20.00 gift card after completing the Survey. Gift cards will be distributed at resident council meetings, and you must be present to win. Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 5 of 7
CLOSING Julia Hupperts, Resident Council Coordinator: 1. If your hi-rise had a picnic, all receipts MUST be turned into the Presidents Council by March 1 st. If there s any question about whether your hi-rise has turned in those picnic receipts, contact Julia. 2. RPC Grants to hi-rise councils: She s received some questions about the checks, and she stated the check your Hi-Rise Resident Council received, was the first half of the PHA Grant for FY 18, and the first half of the Resident Participation Fund for FY 18. 3. Challenge Grant Update: Betsy Christensen, PHA SHIP Coordinator, has been going through the surveys and doing research regarding outside activities. A flyer was handed out regarding outside activity kits and exercises, along with other supervised activity. Outdoor Activity Kits are good to have when weather permits, and Indoor Activity Kits are for when you re kept inside. 4. The Hi-Rise Council Recognition Event will be held Monday, June 4 th, at the Wilder Center, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and noon. It s being held at the same place as last year s event was held 5. The IRS mileage reimbursement rate this year is $.545 cents per mile. This information has been sent to all of the hi-rise Treasurers and must be kept with the council books. If you have any questions, get in touch with Julia. She reminded everyone that there must always be some sort of verification, and the purpose of the trip must only be for resident council activity which benefits the residents of the building. Reimbursement will not be made if council purchases are combined with a personal receipt. Julia thanked the ROSS Grant Coordinators, who have done wonderful things by keeping the hi-rise computers in good shape, and assisting people in learning how to use them, or how to do job searches, etc. Many have found employment using that method. She also wanted to remind everyone that the Comcast contract that we were talking about previously, cannot be entered into by just one board officer alone. You must take that to your resident council and have them approve proceeding with the contract. She also stated the Disbursement Form will be finalized very soon and will be updated in the Resident Council Guide. It will also be sent to all officers, and she suggests it be shared at your resident council meetings, so everyone s aware there is a new Disbursement Form. No further Presidents Council business was discussed or conducted, and the meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m. Submitted by: Bob Knutson, PC/RPC Secretary peetiebird2@gmail.com 651-222-7656 Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 6 of 7
Meeting Reminders: Next Presidents Council Meeting: Monday, February 26, 10:00 a.m. - Noon Executive Committee: February 16-11:00 a.m. - 3 rd floor. Community Building: February 2-11:00 a.m. - 3 rd floor. Computer Team: February 15-1:30 p.m. Board Room. Presidents Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2018 Page 7 of 7