Chautauqua Park Neighborhood Association

Proposal for use of the Polk County Community Betterment Funds

Proposals by Iowa Community Health Leadership Institute

Chautauqua Park Neighborhood Association

Proposal for use of the Polk County Community Betterment Funds

2001-2002








Presented by
Iowa Community Health Leadership Institute
2000-2001 Polk County Scholars
Blake Edwards
Corinne Lambert
Chris Morphew
Tawanna Morris
Mike Newell

Overview and Summary

OVERVIEW
This proposal is based on the responses from residents to the “Chautauqua Park Neighborhood Survey of Talents, Gifts and Skills” conducted between January and May 2001. The neighborhood was granted $2,500 by the Polk County Board of Supervisors from the Community Betterment fund in May 2001.



SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS
The survey results highlighted four major areas of interest to enhance the neighborhood. Of the four major areas of interest, all received a similar amount of interest, so that no clear priority order was established. The majority of the residents felt that they had little time for neighborhood projects and activities. The four areas of interest are:
 Play areas and equipment for children
 Beautification to include enhancing the Gazebo area, cleanup around the 13th Street entrance into the neighborhood, experts sharing information on the best plants to attract birds, tree planting, gardening
 History of the Neighborhood including development, residents, housing stock
 Annoyances including safety and traffic, barking dogs, trash

Proposals 1-3

PROPOSAL #1:
Use the Community Betterment funds for the following projects:
 Playground Equipment – Work with the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department and Des Moines Public Schools to purchase and/or build equipment at the Casady School/Des Moines Public Schools Administrative Building site at 1801 16th Street. Residents who expressed an interest in this are: Susan Memanigh, James Brown, Lorri Bennet, Jan Johnson, Owen Steil. Use approximately $1,000 of the grant for playground equipment. Request in-kind placement and maintenance of equipment by Des Moines Parks and Recreation, request in-kind discount on cost by merchant, and use in-kind work of residents to secure equipment and assist with placement.

 Beautification – Purchase one or two wrought iron benches for the Gazebo area ($315 each) and provide a stipend with t-shirts for resident kids and adults to clean up the private area to the west of the 13th Street entrance. Residents who expressed an interest in this are: Susan Jellinger, Rebecca Kitcherside, Lorri Bennett, JZ Karche-Jenet, Bruce Coney, Owen Steil. Use approximately $750 of the grant for benches and stipends/T-shirts. In-kind by residents to clean up area and secure benches at Gazebo and request in-kind discount on benches from merchant.

 Annoyances – Work with the Neighborhood Liaison Officer and other city officials to make 13th Street a 3 way stop and a 4 way stop at Nash & Burlington Terrace, pursue the placement of speed bumps in strategic places, pursue the placement of “children playing” signs in strategic places. Use the neighborhood association newsletter to address some annoyances (see General Notes section for details). Residents who expressed an interest in this are: Susan Jellinger, Rebecca Kitcherside, Lorri Bennett, JZ Karche-Jenet, Bruce Coney, Owen Steil, Jessica Clark. Use approximately $600 of the grant for signs. In-kind work by residents, in-kind “navigating the city systems” by Liaison Officer M. Michael Shay, request in-kind signs and/or speed bumps from city, and in-kind work on newsletter by residents.

 History – Develop a walking self-tour of the neighborhood with directions and points of interest outlined on a legal and/or ledger size sheet of paper. Work with COPC for layout and Iowa Health System for printing. Borrow or purchase a tape player to record an oral history of the neighborhood by interviewing long-time residents and past residents. Contribute regular small history articles for the neighborhood newsletter. For the long-term, after the grant, work with COPC and the Historical Society to develop a more extensive booklet or book on the neighborhood history. Residents who expressed an interest in this area are: Shirley Shaw, Jan Johnson. Use approximately $150 for tape player and tapes. In-kind printing provided by Iowa Health System, request in-kind layout by COPC.

Budget summary for Proposal #1:
Playground Equipment $1,000
Beautification $ 750
Annoyances $ 600
History $ 150
TOTAL $2,500



PROPOSAL #2:
Use the Community Betterment funds for:
 Playground Equipment – Work with the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department and Des Moines Public Schools to purchase and/or build equipment at the Casady School/Des Moines Public Schools Administrative Building site at 1801 16th Street. Residents who expressed an interest in this are: Susan Memanigh, James Brown, Lorri Bennet, Jan Johnson, Owen Steil. Use approximately $2,500 of the grant for playground equipment. Request in-kind placement and maintenance of equipment by Des Moines Parks and Recreation, request in-kind discount on cost by merchant, and use in-kind work of residents to secure equipment and assist with placement.

Budget summary for Proposal #2:
Playground Equipment $2,500
TOTAL $2,500


PROPOSAL #3:
Use the Community Betterment funds for:
 Beautification – Purchase one or more wrought iron benches for the Gazebo area ($315 each) and provide a stipend with t-shirts for resident kids and adults to clean up the private area to the west of the 13th Street entrance. Use some of the funds for tuck-pointing the pillars at 13th Street. Residents who expressed an interest in this are: Susan Jellinger, Rebecca Kitcherside, Lorri Bennett, JZ Karche-Jenet, Bruce Coney, Owen Steil. Use approximately $2,500 of the grant for benches, stipends/T-shirts and tuck-pointing. In-kind by residents to clean up area and secure benches at Gazebo and request in-kind discount on benches from merchant.

Budget summary for Proposal #3:
Beautification $2,500
TOTAL $2,500

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