The East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership represents Nicollet Island, Marcy-Holmes, University (including Dinkytown), Southeast Como and Mid-City Industrial. (Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association)
Following a late-October residents’ vote, the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership was certified by the Minnesota Secretary of State in November, clearing the way for the newly-formed group to begin the serious work of organizing and representing its neighborhoods.
Chris Lautenschlager is the executive director of the partnership. He said the organization is “moving forward” with new bylaws and policies and getting the proper paperwork filed with the City of Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Relations department (NCR). Lautenschlager said that work should be completed by mid-February.
Although the association combined the assets of the Marcy-Holmes, Nicollet Island and Southeast Como neighborhood associations, East Bank Neighborhoods also represents the Dinkytown, University, East Bank and Mid-City Industrial neighborhoods.
The neighborhoods are equally represented by 15 directors: Barry Clegg, Derek Eicholz, Erik Jordan, Hersh Berman, John Larkey, Jordan Leick, Katie Fournier, Kelly Rogers, Kim Hansen, Siya Shelar and Vince Netz. Four of the 15 wear a second hat: Ted Tucker, president; Karyn Entzion, vice president; Lisa Hondros, treasurer; and Claire Thefaine, secretary.
“We’re really in a transition period,” said Lautenschlager. “We’re trying to build gradually.”
For example, in the next few months the organization will formulate rules for the election of officers. (The interim board members were appointed.) “By July or August, we should have election procedures in place,” he said. “In addition to the officers, all 15 director seats will have to be elected. They’ll most likely be staggered two-year terms, with half of the directors elected for a one-year term and the other half to two years.”
East Bank Neighborhoods has received a $70,000 grant from the University of Minnesota Good Neighbor Fund to help with legal services. The group is also working with an accountant to put its finances together. At present, checks are still going to the individual neighborhoods instead of the umbrella group. “It’s taking some time to get everything into one bank account,” Lautenschlager said.
Then there’s the communication aspect. The organization is building out its website and recently did a soft launch of its newsletter. “We’ll be working hard in the next two-three months to get our name out there,” he said. Representatives will staff a table to tell the East Bank story at the Community Connections Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Saturday, Feb. 8.
Like the 2023 merger of the Beltrami and Northeast Park neighborhood associations, the East Bank merger was necessitated by the cessation of state Neighborhood Revitalization Program funding, accompanied by a mandate to become more inclusive of under-represented BIPOC community members. By combining their operations, the East Bank neighborhoods reduce redundant activities and expenses and receive a combined $45,000 in annual city funds with which to organize community events, services and resources, instead of $15,000 each, which barely funds an office.
Lautenschlager has been working on the merger for 18 months. He’s looking forward to getting committees established and seeing the association begin work on things like transportation safety. “It’s a work in progress,” he said.