Broadmoor-Broadway Village NA

January 2003 Association President's Message from Ann Pattison

Mar 06, 2003

Happy New Year!

The year 2002 had its ups and downs for BBVNA.

We operated for most of the year with an incomplete board of directors after no one was elected secretary in March elections, and our two VPs subsequently resigned.

Mike Berard moved away, and Anne Murray wished to devote more time to her other projects. The voids were partially filled by newsletter editors Gail and Bryce Carey who attended all the board meetings and acted as unofficial "at-large" board members.

Last summer, Linda Abrams volunteered to fill in as Secretary for the rest of the year.
Treasurer Rita Toland also pulled double duty, when an out-of-town job kept me from fulfilling all of the President's tasks. Rita helped get the newsletters out and the announcement signs posted.

Special thanks to Anne Murray, whose time and dedication kept our neighborhood intact when the redistricting committee drew district lines through the neighborhood. Because of a pending lawsuit, this issue still is not settled. Stay tuned.

A round of applause for Susie Husband and Herb Wagner, who put together such a successful Hazardous Waste collection last Spring. Look for a similar set-up this year. Please don't throw out the hazardous wastes from household projects and hobbies (paint, batteries, etc.), as they can be brought for proper disposal right here in the neighborhood at this special annual collection.

Our annual Fourth of July parade seems to get bigger every year. This year Cynthia Holmes was Parade Chairperson, and Gail Cordy was in charge of ribbons and registration. Wayne Anderson and his partner, Bob Wach once again provided flags to insure lots of patriotic color. The Fabers continued their tradition as hosts to the post-parade social.

Halloween also gets bigger each year. At our November meeting, we discussed closing off one or two of the interior streets to non-residential parking. The meeting consensus was that this would create as many headaches and hazards as it solved, so we decided to leave things as they are.

There was a small turn-out for our first Dia
de los Muertos party. In 2003, it falls on a Saturday, so we are thinking of having a neighborhood street party during the day with crafts and games for kids and adults.

Our November neighborhood and arroyo
clean-up was a dud. Illness and forgetfulness (myself included) kept people away. November is a much more pleasant time of year to be out working in the sun than late May, so I think it is worth trying to switch clean-up times.

The City of Tucson has proposed improvements along Country Club including tall lights and a sidewalk. Country Club property owners will be assessed for the costs and most of them are against the plan.

George Stokes, who owns property on both sides of Country Club, spearheaded the footwork and house by house polling. The result is (of twenty-five households on the BBVNA (west) side of Country Club): twenty-one opposed, three in favor, and one undecided.

The future sequence of events should look something like this:
1) Staff will send proposal to Mayor and Council
2) Mayor and Council review the proposal, and put out notices of the planned improvements (newspaper announcements and placards).
3) There will be a fifteen day protest period (probably around the beginning of February --this is the time to send your letters again, this time to the Mayor and Council).
4) If a majority of property owners protest,
the plan will be discontinued, at least temporarily.

Note that only property owners' protests are considered and property owners include the City of Tucson (Randolph Park and a few other parcels) as well as commercial properties. This means that the issue is a close one, in spite of the fact that most residents are opposed.

If you are opposed, you must protest. No action is considered to be approval of the plan.

Editors Note: Many people from the neighborhood attended two City Council meetings and persuaded the Council to cancel the project.

Just before Christmas, a small band of hardy revelers ignored chilly temperatures and puddles left by a just-ended downpour, and walked through the neighborhood to view the holiday lights. Although we were surprised to find a number of houses with lights turned off (because of the rain??), we enjoyed the variety of creative decorations. The designs ranged from simple, but elegant edge lighting to fanciful, animated displays. The walk was such an enjoyable break from holiday over-indulgence, that we decided to do it again next year. Join us then!

Next year, BBVNA will begin working on a project to beautify the Treat pedestrian passage. Our goal is to make the walkway more park-like and wheelchair accessible. We will need a landscape design and will probably have to get a grant to pay for the necessary work (especially if it is possible to add a ramp to the bridge). If you are interested in helping out, let us know. It is time to form a committee for this project.
We have also taken initial steps to get historical designation for this neighborhood. Rita Toland is taking charge of that project. Let her know if you're willing to help.

Finally, in this time of frosty nights, I'm wondering why our neighborhood is so much colder than announced temperatures. I usually cover my plants whenever temperatures are predicted to fall below 40F, and sure enough, the next morning frost is everywhere, even if the TV and University broadcasters are proclaiming early morning temperatures in the upper 30s. Do any meteorologists in the neighborhood know the answer?

Here's to an active and productive 2003 for all the residents of BBVNA!