City of Minneapolis Opportunity for Small Businesses

For the third year, the Minneapolis office of the Small Business Administration has been selected to offer a free intensive training course to area businesses. Past year Minneapolis participants include Mother Earth Gardens, soon to open a location in Ward 1.

WHAT: e200 Emerging Leaders is an intensive training initiative to accelerate growth of high potential small businesses located in America’s cities. Developed by the U.S. Small Business  Administration, e200 offers qualified business owners powerful benefits including innovative strategies to grow, acquire financing, access new markets and leverage networking.

WHO: The e200 training is open to small businesses located in the City of Minneapolis or City of Saint Paul and surrounding suburbs with annual revenues between $400,000 to $10 million that have been in business for at least three years. This training is not for start-up businesses. e200 is considered a mini-MBA type of training with the case study being the owner’s business, but it does require a major time commitment of the CEO.

WHEN: Thirteen classes will begin early/mid April and run through early November. Space is limited to one C-level executive per business.

WHAT’S THE COST? The only costs are your time and commitment to complete the curriculum. Anticipate 100 hours of combined classroom, homework and peer-to-peer mentoring.

CLASSROOM LOCATION? To be determined.

HOW DO I REGISTER? To request a letter of interest form, contact Cindy Collett at 612-370-2312 (Cynthia.Collett@sba.gov)

Letters of interest must be received by March 5, 2013. If you are interested in this opportunity, but may have issues meeting the deadline, please contact the First Ward Office as soon as possible at 612-673-2201 or kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov.

Message from Council Member Kevin Reich

While the 2012 election is over, our examination of the process is not. Minneapolis’ 81% voter turnout was the highest percentage for the city since 1943 and higher than the State of Minnesota’s overall turnout. These are numbers to be proud of, but that good news is tempered by significant issues at a small percentage of our polling places, including long lines, signage issues, parking shortages and equipment failures. These types of issues are a serious matter, since access to voting is key to a vital democratic process. The City Clerk and City of Minneapolis Elections Division reported to the Council’s Elections Committee on December 3 on problems that arose last November, as well as planned next steps to address those problems. That report is linked HERE.

The only precinct in the First Ward identified as having experienced a high level of issues was 1:1, a precinct that saw changes due to redistricting. I received reports from voters of long lines, extended wait times and a lack of parking. Elections staff will be assessing these reports, doing site visits to the polling place and making any alterations to parking and voter processing necessary to ensure that this location operates effectively. I would appreciate receiving further input from voters who were affected by these issues. In 2010 my office worked with community members in the 1:7 to move their polling place from the Elections Warehouse to Van Cleve Park. The move significantly improved the voting process for this precinct and I appreciated the neighborhood input that brought the issue to my attention.

A related issue of access has been brought to my attention here at City Hall. Our City Council offices in Room 307 of City Hall do not make sufficient accommodation for the sight-impaired in terms of braille signage. Since access to elected officials is another element of an effective democracy, I take this deficiency in signage very seriously and have committed to the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities, who first brought this to my attention, to remedy the situation. My office is working with Neighborhood & Community Relations to get the appropriate signage installed in the very near future.

~ Kevin Reich

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Contact Kevin Reich
350 S. 5th Street
Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-673-2201
Kevin.Reich@minneapolismn.gov

Nicollet-Central Transit Open House

An open house is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the MPHA Parker Skyview Community Room, 1815 Central Avenue NE, to provide an update on the Nicollet-Central Transit Alternatives Study. The open house gave the public the opportunity to learn about modern streetcar and enhanced bus options being considered on the Nicollet-Central Corridor, and share their ideas on improving transit service. The results of the study’s initial screening of transit alternatives and an overview of the next phase of the study was presented. For more information, visit the project website at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/nicollet-central/ and to learn about modern-day street cars, you can visit: http://www.modernstreetcar.org

MACC Adoption Event

Anitra Francis of North Minneapolis holds a 
dog she fostered during a Minnesota Spay 
Neuter Assistance Project clinic outside 
Minneapolis Animal Care & Control. 
The dog was adopted by a NE 
resident and named Mitzy. 
(photo credit: TC Daily Planet)

Minneapolis Animal Care & Control (MACC) is sponsoring “Share The Love”, a pet adoption initiative, throughout the month of February. Go to their website to find and print a coupon good for $10 off the cost of adoption through February 28.

MACC is a full service shelter and adopted 1,408 animals to good homes in 2012. The public is welcome to tour the facility, interact with the animals and explore potential adoption. The facility is located at 212 17th Ave N. and hours are 3-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The adoption fee, prior to coupon, is $90 plus tax for dogs and puppies and $60 plus tax for kittens and cats. Minneapolis residents must license their pet at the time of adoption. The animal must be spayed or neutered within 30 days of adoption for adult animals (longer for puppies/kittens). Dogs are vaccinated for distemper and parvo-virus; cats are vaccinated for feline distemper. For further information, contact 311.

I-35W North Corridor Study Open House

The I-35W North Managed Lanes Corridor Study is intended to identify a managed lane concept and improvement strategies along the corridor from downtown Minneapolis to Forest Lake, and determine how improvements could be strategically implemented over time. The study began in November 2011 and is expected to conclude in April 2013. MN DOT is hosting public open houses in February to offer information about the project background, goals and objectives, as well as the alternatives evaluation process and study recommendations. The open houses are scheduled for:

• Tues, Feb. 19, 5-7 p.m., Blaine City Hall, Cloverleaf Farm Room, 10801 Town Square Drive NE, Blaine.
  
  
• Thurs, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, Doty Board Room, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

Please note that this project is not related to the I-35W/4th St. S ramp project/noise walls in Minneapolis.

5th Annual We Love Our Presidents Walk

(Photo from 2011, by Robin Sauerwein, www.TCdailyplanet.net)

Join your neighbors for the 5th Annual We Love Our Presidents Walk on Saturday, February 16. This walk, which celebrates Northeast Minneapolis’ presidential streets, begins at 10 a.m. at Edison High School, 700 22nd Avenue NE. The 1.5 mile walk will proceed to Eastside Food Co-op for a cocoa stop and then continue on to Northeast Middle School, with presidential and Northeast history related along the way. Pets and stuffed animals are very welcome on the walk, in keeping with this year’s theme of “Presidential Pets”. A chili lunch, trivia contest and other activities will start at noon at Northeast Middle School. For further information and to download details about the “Name the Presidents” and coloring contests, go to www.mynortheaster.com.

2nd Precinct Block Leader Training

Are you interested in organizing your block or apartment building to improve safety, deter crime and increase the livability of your neighborhood? The City of Minneapolis’ 2nd Precinct has scheduled a block leader training for Wednesday, April 10, 6 – 8 p.m., at 2nd Precinct, 1911 Central Ave. NE. This training offers an opportunity to meet your crime prevention specialists and learn how to organize a block or apartment club. For further information and to RSVP, call 612-673-2874.

Metro Paint-A-Thon

Each year, on the first weekend in August, Metro Paint-A-Thon rallies volunteer teams from corporations, congregations and civic groups to paint the homes of seniors and people with disabilities. The program helps homeowners remain living independently in their own homes and improves neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area. Applications are currently being accepted for this summer. 

Eligible homeowners must be over 60 or have a permanent disability, own and occupy a single-family home that does not require major repairs in Hennepin county or other specific county within the metro area and meet specific income guidelines. The application deadline is April 12, 2013. Applicants will be notified by July 15 if they are selected for the 2013 Paint-A-Thon or referred to another organization for assistance. For applications and further information, call 612-276-1579 or go to www.paintathon.gmcc.org.

Save the Date:

NE Network
Thursday, February 14, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m., Eastside Food Co-op’s Community Room, 2551 Central Ave NE.
This month’s topic is “The New Face of the 2nd Precinct: Exploring Crime and Safety in Northeast”. The panel will include 2nd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialists Susan Bradshaw and Nicholas Juarez, as well as Hennepin County Parole Officer Blaine Muyres.

Northeast Middle School Wellness Day

Friday, February 22, 4 – 8 p.m., Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes St NE.
Have fun and get fit at Northeast Middle School’s Wellness Day. Activities include roller skating, cross country skiing, inflatable jumping games, snowshoeing, swimming and gym games. There will also be 2K and 5K races at 5 p.m. This event is open to all ages. $15 for a wristband that includes dinner or $1 per ticket.

Gardening Matters 9th Annual Community Garden Resource Fair

Saturday, March 9, noon – 5 p.m., Metropolitan State University, St. Paul.
The Gardening Matters Resource Fair offers opportunities to learn about the many resources available to home and community gardeners. The keynote speaker this year will be LaDonna Redmond of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy on the topic “Reconstructing Our Relationship with Land”. Other events include a community conversation about being part of the Good Food Movement. For further information and to register for the resource fair, go to www.gardeningmatters.org.