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North Loop Annual Meeting: What You Need To Know

November 2, 2023

The North Loop has earned the reputation of having the best annual meeting of all neighborhood groups in Minneapolis–largely because of the hundreds of neighbors who turn out to share a free drink and a bite, watch video highlights from another great year and take home a few gifts from area businesses.

Plus–you get to help decide where the North Loop board members should focus their efforts in 2024 and cast your vote for new board members (if you’re a North Loop resident or business rep).

Check out the bios of the 10 candidates here (note: 2 candidates withdrew after an earlier listing was posted).

We have a new location this year: on the 7th floor of the Steelman Exchange building, 241 North 5th Avenue on Wednesday, January 31st.

Happy Hour begins at 5:30 leading up to the 7:00 meeting.

We will be selling raffle tickets for 12 AMAZING prize packs (each valued over $300). And the first 350 attendees will go home with a free North Loop swag bag filled with fun things provided by North Loop businesses and organizations!.

This big, free event wouldn’t happen without the help of dozens of volunteers, setting up the room, filling and passing out the swag bags, registering guests and many other odd jobs. Please sign up to help out here.

North Loop business reps are also invited to a 4:30 Business Social on the top floor of the Steelman Exchange building on January 31st to meet other business reps in the neighborhood.

For more information about the North Loop Neighborhood Association, click here and scroll down.

And below are the minutes from the 2023 Annual Meeting which will be approved at the start of this year’s meeting:

North Loop Neighborhood Association

Annual Meeting

Date: 1/25/2023- 7:00pm

The Fillmore- 525 N 5th Street

  1. 2023 Annual Board meeting called to order at 7:03 pm by Woller
  1. Approval of 2023 Annual Meeting Agenda- the neighborhood annual meeting agenda was approved unanimously by North Loop neighbors
  1. Approval of Minutes from January 2022 Annual Meeting- the 2022 annual meeting minutes were approved unanimously by North Loop neighbors 
  1. Financial Report- Lancaster presents the 2022 financial statements to the neighborhood 
  1. 2022 Accomplishments  
    1. Many Successful Events
      1. Food Truck Fair
      2. Candy Grab
      3. National Night Out
      4. Halloween 
      5. Safety Meetings and Workshops, North Loop Block Club
      6. zAmya Theater Performance and Listening Sessions 
    2. Parks and Placemaking
      1. Dog Park Cleanup
      2. Riverfront Cleanup at James I. Rice Park
      3. Public Art
    3. Washington Avenue Safety Plan
    4. Service Saturday
    5. Neighborhood Map & Interactive Map
    6. Partnership with Avivo 
  1. Words from Special Guests 
    1. Mayor Jacob Frey  
    2. Ward 3 Councilmember Michael Rainville 
      1. Washington Avenue Safety Update
        1. Bumping out sidewalks, add pedestrian refuge in the middle as the first phase
        2. Adding a hand activated light for pedestrian crossing 
        3. First round of changes coming in the Spring of 2023
      2. Encampment Questions- How are we going to do better?
        1. Avivo Village is the best way to get people into temporary housing
        2. The city does not want to allow people to live outside but wants to be sensitive to the needs of unhoused people
        3. The county has added staff and resources to help people get out of encampments 
    3. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara  
  1. Meet the Current Board 
    1. Diane Merrifield- President
    2. David Crary- Vice President 
    3. Scott Woller- Community Engagement
    4. Pat Dawson- Co-chair of Safety & Livability Committee
    5. Ericka Jones- Co-chair of Safety & Livability Committee
    6. Margee Lancaster- Treasurer
    7. Mollie Scozzari- Co-chair of Planning + Zoning Committee
    8. David Kisan- Parks + Placemaking Committee
    9. Jo Hamburge- Secretary
    10. Sarah Traczyk- Community Engagement
  1. A word from current NLNA president Diane Merrifield
    1. Thank you to neighbors and board members
    2. Losing 3 members of the board: Mollie Scozzari, Jo Hamburge, and Sina Pleggenkuhle 
    3. Thank you to Mike Binkley, an outstanding volunteer
    4. Thank you to neighborhood businesses and sponsors
  1. Neighborhood engagement
    1. Call for Volunteers 
    2. Get to know you survey via sli.do
    3. Get involved 2023 via sli.do 
  1. Board Elections
    1. Bylaw requirement overview
    2. Candidates 
      1. Nathan Bakken- Community & pedestrian safety, multi-mobile transit options
      2. Cristy Blake- Volunteers with NLNA by greening and organics recycling
      3. David Crary (incumbent)- Parks + Placemaking, removal of invasive species at James I Rice Park, Washington Avenue Safety
      4. Pat Dawson (incumbent)- Focused on neighborhood safety, Washington Avenue Safety
      5. Shayla Frechette- Interested in diversity, works in the North Loop, and wants neighbors to engage more in neighborhood
      6. Jeff Gaynor- Can provide website support to NLNA  
      7. Karise Gaynor-Morgan- Financial advisor, and attorney, can provide these services to NLNA. Interested in creating a North Loop parents’ organization
      8. Margee Lancaster (incumbent)- Financial support, has made efficiencies as the treasurer
      9. Kyle Mack- Looking to engage with the community 
      10. Blake Peterson- Lives in the neighborhood, interested in the Planning + Zoning committee 
      11. Jeff Sondag- Loves community-oriented events, interested in planning + zoning, walkable and bikeable city, calm traffic
      12. Jason Vogel- New to the neighborhood and interested in connecting 
      13. Taylyr Winestorfer- Supporting local businesses, better infrastructure, real estate advisor
    2. Voting via sli.do
    3. Results of voting available in the next 24 hours
  1. 2023 North Loop Priorities
    1. Review of 2022 priorities
    2. Vote via sli.do on neighborhood priorities 
    3. Results of voting available in the next 24 hours online 
  1. The Annual Meeting adjourns at 8:20 pm
  1. Voting results- Post Meeting 
    1. Cristy Blake
    2. Pat Dawson
    3. Shayla Frechette
    4. Margee Lancaster


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