Columbia Park Neighborhood Association

Meeting Minutes June 2007

CPNA BOARD MEETING MINUTES: 6-18-07

COLUMBIA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION



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In attendance: Liz Wielinski, Ciara Schlichting, Tracy Rognrud, Melody Devine, Mike Melman, Kathy Buchanan, Peter Doughty.

Call to order: 6:08 pm.

Motion to approve agenda; seconded and approved.

Motion to approve 5-21-07 minutes; seconded and approved.

Note: Mike Melman is interested in becoming a board member. Peter makes a motion to suspend the rule about coming to the annual meeting or two consecutive meetings in order to become a board member in order for Mike to become a member immediately. The motion is seconded; all ayes. A motion is made to elect Mike Melman to the CPNA Board. The motion is seconded; all ayes. Mike Melman is an official board member.


Election of 2007-2008 Officers


Nominations: Liz Wielinski is nominated for President; seconded. There is no Vice President since Judy Meyer moved away. Ciara Schlichting is going on maternity leave and asks not to be nominated. Melody Devine is nominated for Secretary; seconded. Peter will continue as Newsletter Editor. There is discussion about the duties of the Secretary and Treasurer. Main job of Secretary is to take minutes when Community Organizer is absent. The bookkeeper deals with the checkbook and other accounting details, so the job of Treasurer is mainly helping approve any check requests. Mike Melman is willing to be Treasurer and is nominated for this position; seconded. All in favor of the slate say aye; all ayes. We will table the Vice President spot for now.


Open Spaces/Mississippi Task Force


Above the Falls Citizen Advisory Committee (AFCAC) Update: Ciara will be on maternity leave and needs alternates, Peter or Liz, to attend AFCAC meetings. Lately attendance has been low at the meetings and there haven’t been agendas. There hasn’t been a lot going on since the market has been slow. AFCAC seems on hold while the City goes through a big Mississippi study right now which is looking to find a leader/holder of the plan at the end. The AFCAC meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm, at the Park Board Headquarters building. They are reviewing the Park Board’s dedication ordinance: when land is subdivided the developer has to dedicate part of the land for park use or pay a fee. Some exceptions apply. The suggested unit fee is $3000. Affordable housing would pay a lesser fee, but if the land is sold for regular use, the regular fee would apply. These fees should help the Park budget. The money is supposed to be used within a six block area or in the nearest neighborhood. The Park Board is releasing its draft July 16th, so this is an opportunity for comments.


Gateway: Tracy says there is one empty plot available still. Liz may be interested.


Parks: Liz says that Hi-View Park has begun its summer staffing program, continuing Monday - Thursday from 3-8 pm, Fridays from noon - 5 pm. The target age for this program is elementary school age. A program called Float Factor is offering free swimming lessons at Jim Lupient Water park and there will be free transportation from Hi-View Park. The lessons are once per week for six weeks.



Crime/Safety/Housing


Northeast Crime Patrol (NECP) Walking Group: No representation here tonight, but they have been walking Monday evenings.


Discussion of area problems: Liz reports that garbage cans were set on fire on her side of the neighborhood (West of University Ave.). One garage caught fire as a result; firefighters arrived. There was a hovering helicopter over Columbia Parkway near the park a couple weeks ago, very late at night. It could have been in conjunction with a shooter on 35th and Central Avenue. A neighbor on Columbia Parkway had some windows broken on both their car and home recently. Tracy relates an incident told by a neighbor involving youths on bikes blocking Madison Avenue while he made a turn in his car from 37th Avenue. Police say to call 911 if that happens. It is important to report all kinds of incidents like this. Ciara says her garage was vandalized with a Sharpie marker.


Shoreham Area Advisory Council (SAAC) Update: Liz reports that the meeting at the Salvation Army was sparsely attended except by railroad union members who stated that every neighborhood should have an evacuation plan. The railroad representatives said they felt ambushed by the union presence. There is a re-use study for the Roundhouse at Shoreham Yards and they are looking for money to fund it. They are hiring people. The Roundhouse does have historical designation from the City, but because it is on private property, it can sort of be ignored. A charette was held downtown with developers, etc., including Hillcrest, who is known for turning a profit. A question is asked about the likely use for the area, if it could be used for housing. Liz answers that it can never be used for housing due to the pollution. It can be used for commercial or industrial purposes. The concern is that “big box” stores will come in, but usually they require larger area populations to support them. New website: www.shorehamyards.org .


Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) Phase II: Ciara asks if the NRP has some kind of template for an RFP letter. Melody will find out from Bev Banks if one exists.
Liz asks if we want to form a task force to continue this work or stay with the original two people (which is actually just one, since Ciara will be on maternity leave). Another option is for our small board to do it. Liz asks if anyone knows about a list defining what is considered exterior improvement. What about plants and sod? How is structural need vs. beautification determined? Let’s make sure that is clear for anyone applying.

Old Business


Northeast Library Renovation: Mike Melman has volunteered to represent our neighborhood on this committee. Thanks, Mike!


St. Anthony Parkway Bridge: Liz says that money is being sought to rebuild it, but it is not specific how they’ll rebuild it. (Meaning historical vs. modern) Liz talked to someone from Marshall Terrace neighborhood who would like to keep the trusses for historical reasons. There are some groups committed to keeping historical structures around. What we need is a point person to fight for this bridge, do a lot of the legwork involved. Liz put the topic on the neighborhood’s website. Mike says his wife Lotte is invested in the bridge and has fought for it in the past. Liz says she should talk to Paul Ostrow, Walt Dziedzic, and State Reps Diane Loeffler and Larry Pogemiller right away to ask for their help and to get it on their saving lists. Mike says that there are fewer and fewer steel truss bridges. Liz: All the more reason to preserve them. Talk to people on the Historic Preservation Society to get reasons and resources to preserve it. Marshall Terrace is our ally. Peter says it is part of the Grand Rounds. Liz says the Parks want to tear it down in order to fit their bike path on it. Cost is a big factor. If Paul Ostrow is behind it, it would help. Building probably would not happen until 2010. Mike thinks Lotte might be interested, and she recently had a letter in the Northeaster about other topics she’s passionate about. Peter says it would be great to keep it (the bridge) popping up in the Northeaster. Lowry needs rebuilding also. Ciara says AFCAC says it is supposed to be built with a signature design.


Central Avenue Planning Meeting: Next meeting, June 28th at 7:00 pm at the Salvation Army building.


Neighborhood ID Signs: No update since Melody has been busy.


New Business


August Newsletter: Deadline is July 20th for submissions to August newsletter.


National Night Out: Tuesday, August 7th is NNO. Liz will be the point person for the one at Hi-view as the Columbia Heights Women of Today will no longer be coordinating it. Does anyone know about Spain Place or Architect?


Gateway: Tracy has put the water tower at the gardens in working order by re-hooking up a hose inside, but since the watering hose is already hooked up to the fire hydrant, we’ll continue using that as a water source.


2007-08 Priorities: Liz wants us to create a list in order to develop priorities. Issues noted: 1) Crime/Safety issues. NECP, more involvement. 2) NRP Phase II implementation. 3) Maintain newsletter quality. 4) Save the St. Anthony Parkway bridge. 5) Slow Down signs up in September.

 
Bookkeeper’s Report: Balance is $6913.52. Tracy lets Kathy know that one of the checks written last month meant for the printing bill from CBF was written out to Tracy by mistake - should be changed in checkbook. Liz requests a report of the average staff wages from Kathy. Tracy lets Kathy know about the sales tax/ tax exempt issue with CBF. Tracy will call Bev to find out our tax exempt number and let CBF know. They were audited and came up with a few bills where we didn’t pay sales tax, but they had no tax exempt number for us, and were asking us to pay it. We have been paying sales tax on the newsletter printing otherwise.


Other: Liz asks if anyone is planning to go to Paul Ostrow’s meeting on Monday, June 25th at 7 pm, at the Salvation Army building. Any suggestions on citizen involvement?

Liz went to the meeting about the future of NRP and Community Engagement at the Mayor‘s office. There was low attendance, perhaps because of the timing and lack of notice? She also called 311 to ask about the CLIC Public Hearing and they didn’t know what it even was, and the city’s website had no information about CLIC.

Discussion about the funding of NRP…Keeping it funded as it is currently would be less that 1% of the city budget. It’s a different funding stream…we’re going to have to fight to keep NRP money…the city has been borrowing from the development money…they invested it and lost about half…they’re trying to tap into NRP money. We need to tell Paul Ostrow that NRP is important to us.

Motion to adjourn; seconded; all in favor.

Meeting adjourned 7:45 pm.