Neighborhood Planning Council 2 - North Central

NORTHCENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COUNCIL #2 Meeting Minutes – Monday, April 11, 2016 Located at NIBC Board Room d/b/a Southwest Michigan Community Development Corporation Board Room Members Present: Joe Hooper, Lynn Ward Gray, Sam Gray, Larz Martin Bey, Ron Sweet, Bettie Roberston, Kitty Hillian, Jeffrey Dinkins, Geraldine King, Michelle Williams, Steve Lee, David Kemp III (NIBC/SWMCDC) Guests: Officer Chad Francisco (City of Battle Creek) handed out stat report, Chris Walden (Michigan Works) Chris Lussier (City of Battle Creek, Neighborhood Services) brought code enforcement report, Margaret Osborn (Annex Student Living), Megan Riley (Annex Student Living), Prentice Thompson, Jennifer LaGrand, Tina Wood, Roger Wood, Laura Adams Members Absent: Terris Todd, Karen Lynn Todd, Sheryl McDonald, Family Health Center, Chemical Bank 1. Call to Order & Welcome: Mr. Hooper called the NPC #2 meeting to order at 7: 09 p.m. Mr. Hooper welcomed everyone. 2. Attendance: 3. Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the March 14, 2016 Meeting- Approved 4. Correspondence (sent/received) & Announcements: Mr. Hooper brought in mail-in recycling kits for batteries provided by Waste Management and explained their usage. Mr. Hooper distributed copies of the BCATS newsletter. Zoning board will be meeting 4/12/16 at 4: 00 p.m., room 301. Historical District Committee meeting held 4/11/16. Sign up sheet passed around for the Welcoming Cities Initiative, Mr. Hooper will be making a presentation about it on 4/12/16. 5. Guest Presentation: 1. Chris Walden, Director of Talent Solutions from Michigan Works announced an open house and ribbon cutting at their new location at 200 W. Van Buren (former Davenport College), May 6, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Explained merger of counties during the past year (they serve Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Branch and St. Joseph) and services offered by the agency. Hot Jobs in Michigan are currently skilled trade (training and resources available for all of them) due to shortage of skilled trade workers and average age of population of current skilled trade workers (59 in Battle Creek). They currently have 1500 unfilled positions in the area, from entry level to executives. As part of the BCVision process (College and Career Readiness), they need to know what services are needed in the neighborhoods and are doing outreach. Sam Gray suggested using booths at festivals  (Cereal/Juneteenth/International Summerfest/Urban League Family Day/NPC 2 Block Party). Pastor Hooper said that they can check with local pastors. A mobile computer lab is available to do on-site classes. 2. Margaret Osborn and Megan Riley representing Annex Student Living, redeveloping Shelborne Park Apartments (now called Annex of Battle Creek). The company is based in Indianapolis and their niche is to go into communities with smaller universities and colleges that are underserved with student housing and do redevelopment. Investment in the redevelopment is about $6 million dollars. They have found that students that live close to campus (within easy walking distance) are more likely to go to class and graduate). There is no relationship between the company and KCC. They want to make sure the students who live there are safe and secure. The apartments scheduled to be ready for move in 8/26 (when classes start). This should be 60% as they have found some asbestos. Complex will have a club house. Noted that this can be a huge recruitment tool for student athletes. “Suite style living”. Each student has a private bedroom, individually locked and individually keyed and only leases that room to provide more financial security. $460/month for bedroom in 3 br/2 bath townhome inclusive of utilities and fully furnished. It is meant for college student. There are some one bedroom apartments. Background/financial check required. Most units are two or three bedrooms, roommate matching available, but they won’t mix students/non- students. They are Fair Housing compliant. They have 30 people ready to lease with 118 beds available. Some financial aid/scholarships can be used to pay for their housing at the complex. They are in talks with BCCF to create a fund for housing. 6. Committee & City Staff Reports: a. Fire Department: None present. Lynn Ward Gray noted that they may not know they need to come. Requested that they be followed up with. b. Police department: Officer Chad Francisco passed out the Crime Stats Report for March. He read the highlights. Aggravated Assault, drug offences and larceny up. 131 foot patrols. Noted that this is taking place at the schools and through this initiative, doors at Lakeview Schools have been found open on several occasions by officers doing a foot patrol and checking the doors. c. Neighborhood Services: Chris Lussier, Neighborhood Services, distributed NPC Report. Chris reviewed the Home Rehabilitation program that has been targeted in Urbandale the last couple of years. They are moving the program to NPC2. They are extensive and extensive rehabs, that they concentrate in a neighborhood where they will have a neighborhood benefit. They have proposed putting together a task force that will meet three times to identify that target area. They are asking for two representatives from the NPC to serve on the task force. People who serve on the task force cannot directly benefit from the program. Lynn Ward Gray and Bettie Robertson volunteered to serve as the NPC2 representatives. Sam Gray added Ron Sweet’s name. Motion to  appoint the three members as representatives made and seconded. Motion carried. d. Beautiful Battle Creek Award Nominations: None e. Membership: Discussion of how residents become members. NPC 2 does not have a requirement for meeting attendance prior to becoming a member. Bettie Robertson nominated Tina and Roger Woods as of 115 Ann Avenue as members. Approved. f. Community Engagement: Sam Gray reported no committee activity, no financial report. Reminded members of date and time of block party. August 27 from noon to 4:00 p.m. discussion of items available for rental from the Federal Center, Washington Heights UMC. Church is the rain location. Shawn agreed to DJ for $175. Porta-potties needed. Planning to ask SWMCDC to sponsor the event financially through the $1,000 funding for NPC’s. Making asks from Meijer/Sam’s/Walmart. Michelle Williams suggested inviting the SHARE Center. g. Elected Officials: Lynn Ward Gray noted that there is a lot going on, requested members speak to her after the meeting for more information. Vacant and Abandoned properties work session coming up by Community Services (Marcie Gillette) to give an update on the proposed changes to the update. 5:30 (before the 7:00 commission meeting on 4/12). No meeting the prior week to due to spring break. Commission to vote on becoming a dues paying member of the Welcoming Michigan organization. Noted this has been misrepresented as related to immigration, but this is focused on people moving to the state from other states. Naming of obsolete property district purchased by 180 Urban to qualify for tax abatements to do major rehabs on vacant buildings downtown. Youth Advisory Board deadline is 4/15 at 5:00. Applications due in City Managers. City Hall is looking for a redesign for safety issues (change where the main entrance is to west side of building) and is looking for public input. Can be made via the website. New way of budgeting will allow city to be more transparent and provide a “dashboard” of how dollars are being spent. Next workshop at 4/21 at DPW. Urban agriculture ordinances under discussion. No decisions made, but presentation made at last planning commission made in March and full presentation to full commission, allowing bees, goats, chickens, etc. Annual Keeping You Informed Town Hall meeting 5/31, probably at Ann J. Kellogg elementary, collaboration between City and BCPS. Time: TBD. h. Battle Creek Public Schools: Ron Sweet noted that they are still taking community input regarding school closures. Vote to be taken Thursday 4/14/16 at School Board meeting. 7. Old Business: None  8. New Business: Mr. Hooper handed out the battery recycling kits to each member. Mr. Hooper asked if the NPC wanted to do an information booth at Juneteenth. Lynn Ward Gray will bring a sign-up sheet to see if people want to staff the booth for one-hour shifts. Sam will bring a vendor application form. Ron Sweet suggested asking other NPC’s to have information booths as well. 9. Public Comments/Member Comments: Lynn Ward Gray noted the Urban League is selling ads for events around their 50th anniversary. NANBPW banquet tickets available. Next Juneteenth meeting is Thursday 4/14 at the Urban League. David Kemp shared the SWMCDC home ownership program and neighborhood impact program (up to $7500) and accessibility modification program (up to $15,000) (both are grants not loans). Geoffrey Dinkins suggested people try and find out about this proposal regarding urban agriculture and be ready to make an impact on it. Larz Bey asked if Ron Sweet had a price on the uniforms for Dudley STEM, but Ron noted that is on hold because that school is under consideration for closure. Chris Lussier noted that school of choice is a merger that is happening in the least efficient and most damaging fashion. 10. Next Meeting: Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at Southhwest Michigan Community Development Corporation – 47 N. Washington Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 11. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m. NPC2 Mission: To improve the quality of life by listening and engaging residents. NPC 2 Vision: A safe, friendly, family-driven neighborhood where everyone wants to live. The City of Battle Creek will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered in the meeting upon reasonable notice to the City of Battle Creek. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the City of Battle Creek by writing or calling the following: City Clerk Office at (269) 966-3348/TDD. Mailing Address: City Hall, 10 N. Division St., Room 111, Battle Creek, MI 49014 Phone (269) 966-3348 Fax(269) 966-3555 Web: www.battlecreekmi.gov