Committees and Task Forces

Task Forces Operational Model Board Member listing

• Housing Task Force (Phase I Programs completed. )
  

Home Improvement Loans
Emergency Repair Grants
Problem Properties/Livability Issues
Welcome Packets

• Planning & Development Committee
  (Public participation welcome. Member-only voting)

New Development oversight
Economic Development Plan
Streetscape Improvements (Completed)
Commercial Facade Design Guide
Facade Improvement Matching Grants (program completed)
Business Directory (On hold)

• Environmental Task Force (Phase I Programs completed. )
  (Possible restart, Spring 2013.)

Lake Nokomis Naturescape
Neighborhood Tree Planting & care
Southeast Nokomis Pond Vegetation
Nokomis Shoreline Restoration

• NENA Board
  (Public observation & comment at Board meetings welcome. However, only elected members have participation and voting priviledges.)

Bi-annually elected membership
Oversees NENA operations and long-term vision

	2012-2013 Board of Directors
		Kent Knopp-Schwyn Chair Wenonah Representative
		George Jelatis Vice-Chair Keewaydin Representative
		Betty Jones Treasurer Wenonah Representative
		Eric Rehm Secretary Minnehaha Representative
		Char Dobbs Minnehaha Representative
		Lisa Dunn Keewaydin Representative
		Larry Flaskerud Morris Park Representative
		Andrea Jauli Morris Park Representative
		Bill Koncak At-Large Representative
		Leah Nelson Minnehaha Representative
		Mark Preston At-Large Representative
		Marian Streitz Morris Park Representative
		Will Tevan At-Large Representative

Top of Page

NENA Task Forces Model

The purpose of this document is to demonstrate the organizational structure and procedural guidelines for the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association Task Forces, allowing them to better develop positive solutions to accomplish the strategies outlined in the NENA NRP Full Plan.

Volunteer Task Forces are structured around the Task Force model as described in the NENA Participation Agreement. Each Task Force is directly responsible for achieving the strategies in the NENA NRP Full Plan by researching the costs, resources needed, and creating a workable Scope of Service to accomplish each task. Each completed Scope of Service is presented to the Steering Committee for review and possible further action.  

Composition

A Task Force is comprised of community volunteers working towards a common vision. The membership of the Task Force is open to all residents, property owners, business owners, and persons directly employed in the Keewaydin, Morris Park, Wenonah, and Minnehaha neighborhoods. Ideally, a Task Force should have at least one person from each of the four neighborhoods, and an otherwise balanced, diverse membership.  

The Task Force operates under the direction of an Expediter who’s responsibilities include keeping the group focused, supervising timelines for projects, setting meeting agendas, ensuring meeting notes are taken, and maintaining communications with NENA staff and the other Task Forces and Committees. The Expediter also represents the Task Force as a seated member of the Steering Committee.

The position of Expediter will be determined by one or more nominations by Task Force members with final appointment by the Steering Committee.  Expediter’s are appointed to one-year terms, with appointments made in September of each year.

Individual projects are developed by volunteer working groups headed by a Project Leader responsible for coordinating the research, contacting resources, and presenting the resulting Scope of Services to the Steering Committee.  A working group may be comprised solely of the Project Leader or may additionally include several volunteer contributors and community and professional resources.

Working groups exist only until completion or implementation of its project and may share members with other working groups. The Expediter may serve on a working group in any capacity. 

The Full Plan

The NENA NRP Full Plan, ratified by the neighborhood in October 1998, contains the potential areas open to consideration for NRP funding. This document lists the goals, objectives, and strategies working together to form a basis for long-range development and improvements in our neighborhood.

Goals describe broad neighborhood changes needed to realize our vision. Goals are defined as non-concrete, neighborhood improvements, for example, "Increase Property Values."

Objectives are concrete, measurable descriptions of things to achieve a goal, for example, "Remodel and Repair for maximum increase in property values.”

Strategies are the individual plan or plans designed to achieve the desired objectives. For example: "Create low interest home improvement loans.”

Projects describe specific actions to be taken to accomplish a strategy, for example, “NENA Home Improvement Program.”

Working Method

The Task Force will meet regularly and will share their interim results with other members and with the Expediter, who will in turn report this progress to the Steering Committee.

Projects and Scopes of Service

Any project appropriate to the Full Plan may form the basis for a working group. Projects may be initiated by any individual meeting the Nokomis East Neighborhood Membership requirements and interested in becoming a Project Leader for that specific project, forming a working group, and seeing the project through its completion. Project Leaders will report their progress to the group and support discussion among the Task Force membership at each scheduled meeting. 

Before a project is presented to the Steering Committee, Task Force members will have a chance to discuss the project. General comments will be forwarded along with the written Scope of Services to NENA Staff for action with the Steering Committee. No specific vote or consensus by the Task Force is necessary to forward the Scope of Services to the Steering Committee.

After the Steering Committee has reviewed the Scope of Services and comments, the Project Leader may be asked to make a brief verbal presentation and answer questions. The Steering Committee will weigh the merits of the project, the accuracy and viability of the Scope of Services, cost and available funding, and consider the members’ comments. It may choose to support the plan as is, or modified, for approval to the Board; it may recommend further work; it may stop the project altogether; or it may table it until further discussion and/or research can be completed.

Operations

Minutes will be recorded at all regular Task Force meetings, but are not required of working group meetings independent of the main meetings.

NENA staffing is not compulsory at Task Force meetings, and as such, minutes should be recorded and drafted by a designated member, or rotation of members. Draft minutes should be submitted to NENA staff who will prepare the minutes in accordance with policy. Minutes should be submitted to staff no less than ten (10) days before the next scheduled meeting for distribution with the meeting agenda.

In the event the Expediter cannot attend a meeting, s/he should make prior arrangements for an alternate Expediter to conduct the meeting.

Pending and active projects and recruiting needs should be promoted to the neighborhood in the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger, the NENA Review, and perhaps on bulletin boards such as at the Nokomis Beach coffee house.

Policy

All NENA Task Force members are responsible for knowing NENA policies.  These include, but are not limited to, NENA’s Bylaws, NRP Participation Agreement, Conflict of Interest Policy, Policy on Soliciting Contributions, and Policy on Contracting for Services.  NENA policies apply to all directors, officers, employees, independent contractors and participants in committees, sub-committees, task forces and working groups.  Members who have questions on policy-related matters should contact NENA staff.

Top of Page