Flowers of Marengo

Mtg Minutes 3/28/99

Meeting Minutes, March 1999

Minutes

Flowers of Marengo

March 28, 1999 Sunday @ 2 PM

Attending: Sarah Bixler, Rob Wittry, Judith Saunders, Herman Calderon, Willian Frizzie, K. Sam Essien, Adriana Rodriquez, Alice Sendejas, Candie Calderon, Francis Friedman, Jepter Ross, Lauren Bailey, Margaret Baxter, Rosa Rodriquez, Sal Sendejas.

Minutes: Minutes from January were reviewed and accepted with revisions.

1) Old Business.

a) Street Lighting/Tree trimming. Robert's light meter is not sensitive enough for the survey we want to do. He is ordering a stronger light meter.

b) Street Cleaning/School Clean-up.

i) We have continued to clean Marengo sidewalk along the border of Washington Middle School the first Saturday of each month (8 AM @ Marengo & Penn). The school principal talked with volunteers during the March cleanup day, and provided donuts and juice. Robert wrote a letter to the principal to summarize Flowers of Marengo's work with the school.

ii) Street cleaning seems to be more regular now.

c) Donation/Dues Boxes. Margaret made a Dues box and a Donation box for Flowers of Marengo. These boxes will be available at each meeting so that people can either pay their voluntary annual dues (what ever amount, if any people can afford) or donate money to our treasury for special events and refreshments. Thanks to all who help.

d) Tremont/Summit store. Nothing visible has happened. Store still littered with trash. Larry Mills (744 3756) discussed the process. We gave him the information our members (Sam Essien and Sarah Bixler) had discovered about the store ownership. Larry promised to speed up the city's action on this serious public health hazard we reported a month ago. He suggested we check back with him or his supervisor (Michael King @ 744 4149) in a couple of weeks.

e) Redevelopment District Letter. Robert shared the letter he wrote to have the neighborhood covered by three neighborhood organizations (Monk's Hill, The Los Robles Corridor and Flowers of Marengo) considered for the redevelopment project. They have responded that our the area we have nominated is definitely being considered. This project could help bring money, jobs and neighborhood rehabilitation to this part of Northwest Pasadena. Lauren reported that she had spoken with Joyce Streator who was very encouraging about our possible selection.

f) No Flowers of Marengo officer has received a request from a neighbor who needs our help. We will continue to post that notice on our flyer.

g) Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations. Margaret attended the Public Safety meeting last month. They plan on having a mobile police unit that will visit different neighborhoods for a day at a time. She will continue attending this meeting.

2) New Business.

a) Treasurer Report. Margaret reported that we have $65.50 in dues and $2.00 in donations for a total of $67.50 in our treasury.

b) Bake Sale. The bake sale is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 beginning @ 9 AM @ Vons at the corner of Fair Oaks and Orange Grove. Sarah Bixler and Judith M. Saunders will coordinate the bake sale. We will use the phone tree to remind people and to see if we can't get more people to donate baked goods. People signed up for baked items and to help with the sale..

c) Neighborhood Party. The party is scheduled for September 11 @ Judith M. Saunders' house. We have begun to organize committees for the party, but still need more help and donations. Lauren agreed to organize the children's entertainment. Others signed up for several of the committees.

d) Traffic. We reviewed all the options for meeting our traffic goals of reduced volume and speed, and eliminated many of the options because they are ineffective, costly or unsightly. We kept open the options of Chokers & Staggered Parking Chicane. We have had only minimal police enforcement of the existing stop signs. Lovelyn will call for more police enforcement on Flower and on Summit. The survey of foot and vehicle traffic still needs to be done for Garfield and Flower. Candy will do this. Robert will write a letter about options, including changing the traffic signal timing on Woodbury. Margaret and Candy will also try to phone about police coverage.

e) Summit. Sam and Marie have neighbors who are throwing trash in their yard; Larry Mills encouraged them to talk with the neighbor's landlord to help with the problem.

i)

f) Phone Tree.

i) Robert will revise the phone tree to include people living within the expanded boundaries. He will substitute Herman and Candy as to call neighbors on Flower instead of Francis. When the list is revised, each person will need to check the information for accuracy.

ii) We will use the phone tree to remind people of the monthly meeting and to ask people to donate baked goods for the bake sale.

g) Other

i) Sam gave a form to Judith to apply for the tax status for Flowers of Marengo. We agreed that Judith, Margaret and Lovelyn are approved to write checks once we have an account established. Two signatures will be required.

ii) Sam announced that he has a job available for an office manager/administrator. Person needs to be skilled with Microsoft Office, etc.

iii) Kendal Jackson of KRLA and Channel 56 has offered to help, whether with something for videos with kids for the September party, setting up a video to tape people who run the stop sign, etc.

iv) People have complained about the noise and partying, especially when drinking alcohol beverages in the front yard is involved. We will try to talk with the neighbor's to see if noise can be managed and drinking confined to indoors or back yards.

h) Next Meeting April 25th @ Judith Saunders' house.

Respectfully submitted

Judith M. Saunders