April 2014 Board Meeting Minutes

Attendance

• Board Members Present:  Sandia Slaby, Nathan Allan, Whitney Bowerman, Pat Bayle, Jim Longley, Kara Randall, Brian Brannies, Sheena Pietzold, and Mitch Dennis
• Board Members Absent: Katy Beattie
• Other Attendees: Jeanne Koenings (ENA Resident), Roger Horn (ENA Resident), Teresa Goen-Burgman

ENA By-Laws and Rules of Order

Nathan distributed a “cheat sheet” of Robert’s Rules of order, which the By-laws specify the Board must follow for meetings. Nathan suggested the Board consider updating the By-laws, considering (at least) these areas:

• A member is anyone who resides or owns property or a business within the neighborhood – should this be residents only or residents and business-owners only? To establish membership a person needs to provide ENA with their contact information – this should be updated to take advantage of available technology.
• Annual meeting is to be in February – should this date to be more fluid?
• At an annual meeting a quorum is 25 members – is this too large?
• Number of members on the Board is 10 – 20 – should this be reduced?
• Quorum is 30% of the Board – should this require a larger percentage?

Updating the By-laws would require voting at a General Meeting, a vote of 25 members (quorum). A committee was formed to review the By-laws (Sandia, Brian, Whitney, Sherry, Nathan, Jim). The plan is for the committee to propose amendments that the Board can then discuss, and later would be voted on at a General Meeting.

Dog Waste Stations

The City will provide dog waste bag stations and/or signs indicating to people to stop and collect their pet’s waste. The ENA needs to submit an application specifying locations.

• What about Lions Park? This would fall under City Parks, not City Water Resources (which is providing the stations to homeowners). Brian will contact Parks re: getting a waste station at Lions Park and a second at Madison Scenic Park at the top of the hill.
• Other locations with willing stewards: Legion & Fir or Legion & Fairview (Sandia); 10th & Central (Whitney); 11th & Central (Nathan).
• Place stations in blocks that are more walkable.
• City will potentially do a mailing to ENA residents telling them where stations are .
• Whitney will post on NextDoor asking for volunteers to steward waste stations on their property.
• What about asking the neighborhood churches if they would be willing to host a station? Sheena will contact churches directly.

Amazon Smile

• Amazon will donate 1% of purchases made to a designated non-profit.
• Sandia motioned to register the ENA for Amazon Smile. Sherry seconded. All those in favor? All aye.
• Nathan will register the ENA.

May Quarterly Meeting

The meeting will be on May 14, 2014, at 6:00 pm at New Bridge Community Church. New Bridge has approved ENA to use their Adult Education Room. There will be no charge. 6:00 pm meeting, with set-up beginning at 5:00 pm. Meeting will last approximately 1.5 hours. Attendees are asked to bring a dessert item to share. Brian will contact New Bridge to see if they will have their coffee bar open. Brian motioned to donate $50 to New Bridge if the coffee store is open. Sherry seconded. Sandia abstained from voting, the rest aye.

• Comprehensive Plan – issues of key interest/concern to the ENA (including urban corridors, neighborhood centers, upzoning potential).
• Dog waste stations – update and whether or not we are still looking for volunteers.
• Medela proposal.
• Thurston Food Bank Project

ENA Signage & Advertising for Meetings

• Discussion of allocating funds to print signs for advertising meetings and events. Brian motioned to approve funds to print 15 signs (~$200). Sandia seconded. All aye. Each Board member will steward one sign. Nathan will obtain and disperse the signs to Board members in the next couple of weeks.

Sidewalks

Neighbors are responsible for repairing the sidewalks in front of their property, but the City owns them. The City has extremely limited funds to repair sidewalks. The Board would like to continue discussions about sidewalks.

Thurston Food Bank Project

Thurston Food Bank Project is based on a program that originated in Ashland, OR, that was brought to Olympia by a resident in the Cain Road Area Neighborhood. Neighborhoods have captains who collect food from the people in their group. Food is picked up every two months. Provides regular stream of food to Food Bank (vs. large donations during the holidays which then taper off during other times of the year).  Jeanne offered to pay for bags (two re-usable bags needed for each program participant). Whitney will contact CRANA about presenting about the program at the June Board meeting. We need someone in the ENA to head this program up.

ENA Database

We’d like to create a database of addresses for the neighborhood. This would allow the ENA to mail newsletters. Brian will work on improving the list of addresses we currently have. Further discussion needs to be had over how to structure obtaining and using this information.

Wireless Subcommittee

Kara informed that AT&T plans to put another cell tower on the water tower.

Treasurer’s Report

Sherry would like to be able to send out postcards to remind people when their dues should be paid again. Luke Bowerman would like to be removed from the checking account, someone else needs to be put back on (in addition to Sherry). Nathan will be put on the checking account.   Meeting adjourned at 7:35 pm Minutes submitted by Whitney Bowerman, ENA Board Member