ENA Board Meeting

April 8, 2025, 7:00 PM

Swantown Inn, 1431 11th Ave SE

MINUTES

Members Present

Jim Rioux (Treasurer), Jim Sweeney (Secretary), Karen Clemens (CNA Representative), Abigail Twombly, Therese Vogel

Guest: Valerie Roberts

1) Armory update – Valerie Roberts

Valerie provided an update on progress making the Armory into a safe, accessible, functional community arts center. A full-scale audit of the facility has been completed along with phase 1 design and construction plans. The Council will be asked to approve the budget in May and construction should take 12 to 18 months.

The City negotiated with eight community arts non-profit Anchor Partners who will occupy and operate the facility under long-term leases.

2) Approval of March meeting minutes

A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the March meeting minutes as submitted.

3) Treasurer Report

Checking                    $465.77

Savings                   $2,948.17

Total                        $3,413.94

Jim R. reported there were a couple of recent dues payments.

4) RNA grant

Jim S. asked if there is any new information about our RNA grant. Jim R. said Nathan submitted the application. Karen said the CNA expects to hear from Brittany Gillia next week about the grants. It was decided to continue this item until May.

5) CNA report

Karen reported on an Affordable Housing Forum the CNA is planning with City officials on May 21. All Board members and residents are encouraged to attend.

She also discussed the Habitat for Humanity housing project planned on Boulevard Road, and efforts to lower the cost to build affordable housing.

The City has a Middle Housing survey on the Engage Olympia website for people to tell the City what they think about housing code amendments. The survey will close on April 30^th.

The CNA requested that the City keep their online construction map up to date by adding projects as soon as they are aware of them.

6) Newsletter topics

Jim S. suggested adding a feature allowing people to ask questions of the ENA to the monthly newsletters. The idea is to encourage people to ask about things they might see or hear that would be of general interest. Someone from the Board could then volunteer to research it and write an answer for the next newsletter. Examples include: What is Ziply Fiber? What was recently installed on the Fir Street water tank? Who is responsible for hazardous trees in the City’s rights of way? Why is it so hard to add a sidewalk along 7^th Avenue west of Lions Park? Abigail suggested asking a neighborhood expert to answer plant and garden related questions.

The Board generally liked the idea but agreed to continue the discussion to the May meeting as we are not expected have an April newsletter.

7) May event ideas

Jim S. said he would like us to have an outside event in May if the weather cooperates. The group discussed possible walking routes, such as starting at Lions Park and ending at Beerwerks. Jim and Abigail agreed to talk later and let the group know if we come up with a feasible time and place.

8) Other

Abigail reported she met with Dan Rydholm and Emma Shaw to discuss purchasing swag. The Board agreed to continue this discussion until the next meeting, and to talk about buying a new event sign.

The next Board meeting will be May 13^th at 7:00 PM.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.

ENA Board Meeting

March 11, 2025, 7:00 PM

Swantown Inn, 1431 11th Ave SE

Members Present

Jim Rioux (Treasurer), Jim Sweeney (Secretary), Karen Clemens (CNA Representative), Nathan Allan, Abigail Twombly, Therese Vogel

Guest: Emma Shaw

1) Approval of February minutes

The February meeting minutes were approved as submitted.

2) Treasurer Report

Checking                    $427.69

Savings                   $2,943.88

Total                        $3,371.57

We need to continue reminding Eastside residents of the need to pay annual dues. Nathan suggested letting people know how their dues helps to leverage neighborhood projects, events and volunteers. Jim R. made a motion to add a reminder to the next newsletter. Karen seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

3) CNA report

Karen described the following topics which were discussed at the March 10^th CNA meeting.

• 2025 RNA grants – 12 RNAs requested $40,000 total; the next step in the process will be a City review panel
• Changes to Intercity Transit bus service
• Energize Thurston County heat pump program
• Briggs Village zoning changes, Fieldstone affordable housing project, Community Planning and Economic Development staffing, and the upcoming housing forum.

4) Newsletter topics

Board members brainstormed possible newsletter topics. The aim is to generate interest in events happening in the neighborhood and the city. Some possible topics:

• ENA membership dues
• RNA grants
• Armory interpretive sign
• The Procession of the Species art studio
• Energize Thurston County heat pump program
• West Bay Yards development proposal
• Ziply internet
• Work on the Fir Street water tank

Jim R. will be featured as the neighbor profile

If you agreed to do a write-up for the newsletter please try to send it to Nathan within a week following the monthly meeting.

5) Other

Jim S. mentioned the City’s ‘Wayfinding Master Plan’. You can read more and take a survey at: https://engage.olympiawa.gov/wayfinding-plan

Jim S. talked to Valerie Roberts, the Armory building manager, about the Military Department’s interpretive sign. She agreed to attend the ENA Board meeting on April 8^th to talk about this and other issues.

The next Board meeting will be April 8^th at 7:00 PM.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.

ENA Board Meeting

7:00 PM February 11, 2025

Swantown Inn, 1431 11th Ave SE

Members Present

Jim Rioux (Treasurer), Jim Sweeney (Secretary), Karen Clemens (CNA Representative), Nathan Allan, Abigail Twombly, Cheryl Bayle, Therese Vogel, Dan Rydholm

1) Approval of the Minutes

The January meeting minutes were approved as submitted.

2) Treasurer Report

Checking                    $757.01

Savings                   $2,943.62

Total                        $3,700.63

Jim R. reported a reimbursement check to Sherry has not been cashed. There are two additional deposits through Stripe for $48.25 and $66.89 as well as a $1,840 deposit that included City RNA grant reimbursement, plus $80.00 in donations from the annual meeting. 

He also mentioned that people have asked him if we could remind them to pay dues. The Board discussed including swag for various membership tiers. Dan and Cheryl volunteered to be on a swag subcommittee.

3) Workgroup Update

Jim S. reported that a work group has met twice to work on:

1. The ENA Website – Dan made several upgrades to the website, including the calendar. He suggested we add a statement on the home page to the effect that the ENA welcomes all groups and individuals.
2. Events Calendar – Nathan brought the website calendar up on the screen and Dan explained the free WordPress plug-in. We agreed to pick a date for every event when it’s entered on the calendar, with the understanding we may need to change it later.
3. Newsletters – Nathan said newsletters will be sent out about a week after monthly Board meetings. He also created an archive on the website for newsletters. Dan said he can create a newsletter template using Mailchimp, and we can add a link to the newsletters on Facebook. Jim R. volunteered to draft a profile on Therese.

Board members expressed appreciation for all the work Nathan, Dan and others have invested in improving our communications abilities.

4) 2024 RNA Grant Closeout

Jim R. reported he has completed the submittal to close out the 2024 RNA grant.

5) 2025 RNA Grant Application approval

Nathan walked us through the online grant application. After a few minor changes, the Board agreed on projected volunteer hours, the grant request amount and other application details.

Nathan made a Motion to approve proposed RNA grant application and forward it to the City; Dan seconded and the motion was approved unanimously.

6) CNA Report

Karen reported that the CNA discussed the following during its February 10meeting.

The South Capital RNA used Capital City Press to print and send their newsletter.

Councilmember Clark described the City’s position regarding news filtering down from the other Washington.

A proposal to build a new WA FED bank near 4^th and Water Street. Abigail described discussions that have taken place at the Design Review Board.

Changes proposed for the commercial zoning in Briggs Village.

A housing project on Franz Anderson road.

The West Bay Yards project. For more information see:

https://www.olympiawa.gov/info/construction_in_olympia/west_bay_yards.php

Middle Housing. Joyce Phillips briefed the CNA on code changes being considered in response to recent legislation affecting residential zoning. She offered to come and talk to neighborhood associations. More information can be found here:

https://www.olympiawa.gov/government/codes,_plans___standards/missing_middle.php

7) Other

1. Jim S. described the CNA “Sounding Board” comments on the comp plan Land Use and Urban Design chapter. These comments have been forwarded to the project planner and the next step will be an in-person meeting.
2. The City recently announced a project to reconfigure the intersection at State Avenue and Wilson Street. A public information session is scheduled in the City Council chambers Thursday February 20^th from 5:30 to 7:00. More information can be found here: https://www.olympiawa.gov/info/construction_in_olympia/state_and_pacific_project.php
3. Suggestions for guests we may want to invite to future meetings:
4. Zeima Kassahun, Urban and Community Forestry Specialist, to talk about tree pruning.
5. Brittany Gillia, Associate Planner, to talk about the City’s neighborhoods program and RNA grants.

The next Board meeting will be March 11^th.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.