WATCH: LWV Ward 1 Minneapolis City Council candidate forum

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The Waite Park Community Council co-sponsored a League of Women Voters forum for Minneapolis Ward 1 City Council candidates on Wednesday, Oct. 4

Early voting for the November 2023 municipal election is underway until Monday, Nov. 6. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. More information is available at https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/

Watch a recording of the forum below:

Request for proposals for survey, focus group of residential renters

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Project: Neighborhood Renter Survey
Organization: Waite Park Community Council
Date: September 18, 2023

The Waite Park Community Council (WPCC) in Northeast Minneapolis is seeking proposals from qualified firms to conduct a survey and focus group of renters in our neighborhood. The purpose of the survey is to better understand the needs and interests of the approximately 250 rental households in the neighborhood.

Scope of Work

The firm selected to conduct the survey will be responsible for the following tasks:

  • Working with WPCC leaders to develop a survey instrument that is clear, concise, and easy to understand

  • Distributing the survey to all rental households in the neighborhood

  • Convening a virtual focus group

  • Collecting and analyzing the survey data and focus group discussion

  • Preparing a report that summarizes the findings

Timeline

The survey and focus group should be completed within 6 months of the award of the contract.

Budget

The total budget for the project should not exceed $10,000.

Qualifications

The firm selected to conduct the survey must have the following qualifications:

  • Experience conducting surveys and focus groups that reach underrepresented populations

  • Expertise in data collection and analysis

  • A proven track record of producing high-quality reports

Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted in writing to Waite Park Community Council at survey@waiteparkcc.org by Oct. 18, 2023.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • The quality of the survey instrument

  • The firm’s experience conducting surveys of renters

  • The firm’s expertise in data collection and analysis

  • The firm’s track record of producing high-quality reports

  • The total cost of the proposal

Selection Process

The Waite Park Community Council will select the firm to conduct the survey and focus group based on the evaluation criteria. The selected firm will be notified by Oct. 30, 2023.

Questions

If you have any questions about this RFP, please contact Waite Park Community Council at survey@waiteparkcc.org.

Thank you for your interest in this project.

Tackle fall projects with a Waite Park home improvement loan 🛠️

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Do you have home upgrades to make before the winter hits? Now is a great time to start them, with the help of the Waite Park Community Council and Center for Energy and Environment’s (CEE) easy financing programs. Our neighborhood partners with CEE to make sure residents have access to easy, community-based financing options for home improvement projects. 

CEE’s financing options offer: 

  • A variety of programs, so you can find a loan that makes sense for you

  • Flexible terms

  • Low monthly payments

  • Guidance and support from CEE’s team of loan officers

Through these loan programs, Waite Park residents can complete a variety of projects including remodels, installing solar panels, improving your home’s energy efficiency, and more. For a full list of eligible improvements, visit mncee.org/waitepark 

If you have any questions about loan offerings, reach out to CEE at 612-335-5884.

WPCC approves $1,000 grant for Cavell Park youth soccer program

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The Waite Park Community Council at its Aug. 31 board meeting approved a $1,000 grant from its Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds for a youth soccer program based at Cavell Park.

In the fall of 2021, a group of parents from the Waite Park neighborhood decided to organize soccer sessions for their kids. Interest grew, kids and parents showed up from all over Northeast Minneapolis.

The program was recently rebranded NEFC (Northeast Football Club). The goal is to build community, meet new friends, and play soccer (football). It’s for families who want to build community around soccer without the cost or time commitment associated with other programs.

The sessions begin at 5:45 p.m. every Thursday night at Cavell Park. Coach Dan Schuchman starts with skill building games for kids, then everyone scrimmages, including the parents (if they want to). Scrimmages are known to go for an hour or more! It’s very casual, come and go as you please.

There are also occasional special events: an outdoor screening of a USWNT World Cup game, a trip to a University of Minnesota soccer game, and an annual skills clinic with the Edison Girls Soccer team that takes place on the Edison High School field. It’s a big hit with the kids!

NEFC will use the community council’s grant to purchase equipment (nets, soccer balls, cones) and create branded merchandise (water bottle stickers, etc.) to help spread the word and grow the program.

Come to Cavell Park on Thursday nights! 5:45, all ages and stages. Connect on Instagram @ne.fc or just stop by.

Skeletons in your closet? Bring them to our Halloween costume swap on Saturday, Oct. 7

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Is your attic or storage space haunted by clutter? Get rid of that box of old Halloween costumes by bringing it to our first ever Waite Park Halloween Costume Swap.

Bring your clean, gently used Halloween costumes, props and clothing to Waite Park on Saturday, October 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. We will have tables to display your items for others to browse and take home.

Selling of items is not allowed — this event is for sharing only. By reusing items, we can collectively reduce waste and consumption.

Please do not bring items that could be dangerous (e.g. metal pirate swords that are sharp, cap guns that actually shoot, etc.) or harmful, otherwise we welcome costumes of all shapes, sizes, and styles. 

The event will take place outdoors, but in case of rain will be moved to the gymnasium in the Waite Park Recreation Center, 1810 34th Avenue Northeast.

All are welcome to attend and enjoy a bonfire and s'mores and connection with your neighbors, even if you don't plan to participate in the costume swap!

🙋 Volunteers needed: Help us put on another successful Fall Festival

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The Waite Park Community Council is in need of YOUR help at the annual Fall Festival happening on September 9th from 3:00-7:00p.

We need about two dozen volunteers to help set up, grill and serve food, run kids games, assist vendors, and clean up the park after the event. Please use this form provide your interest, time slots, and preferences. The council will allocate resources based on responses and share with volunteers prior to the event.

Volunteers will also receive additional instructions before and at the event when they arrive. Reach out to festival@waiteparkcc.org with questions. 

The festival's success is in large part due to our incredible volunteers that live or work in our community. Remember - friends outside of Waite Park are welcome too. We thank you for participating!

WPCC submits letter in support of 33rd Avenue reconstruction 🚧

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The Waite Park Community Council in a special meeting on May 8 voted unanimously to submit the following letter to the Minneapolis Planning Commission and Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee regarding the long-delayed reconstruction of 33rd Avenue. The letter was drafted by the council’s Projects & Positions Committee and signed by the board and several community members:

May 9, 2023

As the official neighborhood organization representing Waite Park, we are writing to ask that the Minneapolis Planning Commission and Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee please expedite the reconstruction of 33rd Avenue Northeast between Johnson Street and Central Avenue. It is worth noting that the 33rd Avenue NE project (PV157) is absent from this year’s CLIC proposed report and was missing from last year’s. 

This project is long overdue. The roadway was already 60 years into its expected 40-year lifespan in 2017 when it was removed from PV108 Concrete Rehab program due to its poor condition. City staff indicated at the time that it would need to secure funding for full reconstruction.

In 2021, community concerns over the lack of action on this project were brought to CLIC. Although CLIC seemed sympathetic there has been no mention of this project since.  It is now 2023. Residents have waited patiently for too long. We deserve answers on why the city keeps pushing back its reconstruction. 

The concrete street has been subject to repeated asphalt patches, which now cover the width of the street in some places. The patches are not holding up and causing loose rocks and debris to scatter in and near the road, creating hazards for cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Manholes and intersections are particularly degraded. Some areas look like “washouts.” 

It is no longer sensible to keep this up. 

The corridor serves approximately 1,000 vehicles per day and is one of the few that traverses the entire neighborhood from east to west. It is an important connection to Central Avenue, Waite Park Elementary School, and Saint Anthony Village, as well as the cross street for three Metro Transit bus stops.

This letter reflects the views of the Waite Park Community Council with input or support from 22 residents and business/property owners, who were engaged through door-knocking, a neighborhood meeting, and other outreach in early May 2023. 

We collectively urge the committee to prioritize this project as a way to preserve the city’s tax base and property values, as well as quality of life and the safety of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Signed

Waite Park Community Council Board
Cosmic Coffee, 3301 Central Ave
Gayle Bonneville, Projects and Positions Committee
Anna Haywood and family, 3246 Lincoln St NE
Nicholis Murphy, 3231 Johnson St NE
Krystle, Johnny, Johnae Murphy, 3243 Johnson St NE
Je’Naya Brown and Emma Veach, 3044 Tyler St NE

37th Avenue reconstruction meeting set for Wednesday, May 10

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Update from City of Minneapolis Public Works:

The 37th Ave NE Reconstruction project is in the final stage of full execution. The estimated project start date is the third week of May (contingent to the contract final approval), and planned to complete in this year’s construction season.

Prior to the start of the project work, City staff will host an in-person Pre-Construction Neighborhood Meeting in collaboration with the City of Columbia Heights. The intent of the meeting is to:

  • Provide an overview of the construction schedule

  • Discuss construction impacts

  • Answer questions and concerns

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023, at 6:00 PM at the Columbia Heights Public Library (3939 NE Central Ave, Columbia Heights, MN 55421).

We’ve also arranged a virtual meeting at the same time for those who can’t attend in person. The virtual meeting link will be posted on the project webpage on the same day of the meeting.

We mailed out and hand delivered the meeting invitation letter to the residents and business owners. I addition to these, a reminder GovDelivery notice will be sent out in this week.

More information can be found on the project webpage.

Calling all block club captains! Join us for a 2023 Block Club Kick-Off!

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All current and aspiring Waite Park block club leaders are invited to attend a neighborhood-wide 2023 Block Club Kick-Off event on Wednesday, May 17, from 6:30-8:00pm at the Waite Park Recreation Center.

Meet and share ideas with fellow block club leaders, get a free Waite Park neighborhood T-shirt, and learn how to apply for the Waite Park Community Council’s $100 block club rebate program.

Guests will include Minneapolis 2nd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist Rashid Ali. Knowing your neighbors and having a block map to quickly contact them helps deter crime and improve the quality of life on your block or in your building.

This year’s National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, August 1. Block clubs may apply for a free street closure permit by contacting Rashid Ali at Abdirashid.ali@minneapolismn.gov. The deadline for applying is July 7. Block clubs may also request a fire truck or canine unit visit.

Block clubs encourage neighbors to know one another, watch out for each other, and report suspicious activity. The annual National Night Out is just one social event the neighbors may host. Other block club activities may include trash pick-ups, garage sales, or gardening projects.

WPCC Block Club Rebate Program

The Waite Park Community Council offers $100 annual rebates to block clubs to cover the cost of events such as National Night Out gatherings. Note: City rules related to our funding prevent us from paying for any food or beverage expenses. Plates, silverware, table clothes, and other serving materials are eligible.

Who is eligible: The rebate program is open to Waite Park residents who are part of a block club recognized by the MPD Second Precinct. Block clubs that are not affiliated with the police department may also apply if they host at least 1 gathering a year to which all block residents are invited and two members verify the application.

How to apply: Complete this online form, including a photograph of any receipts. You may also download and print a copy here and mail it to the Waite Park Community Council at P.O. Box 18476, Minneapolis, MN 55418. We are an all-volunteer organization and we appreciate your patience as we process applications, ideally within 1-2 months. Questions? Contact rebates@waiteparkcc.org.

Fine print: Rebates totaling $100 will be awarded until the program expires ($100 per block, per year). Rebates are provided only for projects in the Waite Park neighborhood. Receipts must be provided in order to verify and process your grant. No food or beverage expenses are eligible. Educational programming expenses are eligible. Rebates are for supplies and products only, no reimbursement for labor.