ENA Board Meeting, Swantown Inn

Attendees: Sherry Chilcutt, Roger Horn, Cheryle Bayle, Nathan Allan, Jim Rioux, Jim Sweeney, Karen
Sweeney, Dan Rydholm

1. Treasurer Reports
   Sherry delivered the following report via e-mail.
   Checking $759.55
   Savings $963.27
   Signs $1306.91
   Trees $153.36
   Beautification $409.97
   So far this year, we have $255 minus fees in membership revenue.
2. Minutes Approval
   There were no minutes because the June meeting was primarily focused on reviewing and editing the newsletter content.
3. Newsletter Mailing Report
   There were a significant number or of returns, Sherry is going through the mailing list we got from the city’s database and comparing it to an older one the that Brian had. She estimates approximately 300 houses were missed. When she is done, she will split up the list and give each of us a portion to verify. We still have some grant left to pay for a follow-up mailing.
4. Van Camping
   The board discussed the issues of vacant houses and van camping. Dan asked if the association had any policies because someone was car camping for multiple weeks outside his home. The board does not have any policies on this topic. Nathan and Sherry recommended approaching the individual and checking in to see what he may need and request that he respect the rest of the neighbors. Update – the van was towed by the city a few days after the board meeting.
5. Plum Street Village
   Nathan mentioned that the city’s coordinated entry program is not working very well. The only way to get into a house is through the city and they are not processing requests effectively. He is concerned that the Quince St. mitigation site will have a negative impact on Plum St. He is also concerned the Community Action Committee is not being heard by the city.
6. Block Party Report
   All four block parties were well attended and overall great events for the neighborhood. We estimated about 30-40 attendees at each event. The McCormick St. party may have gone as high as 50 attendees. The board discussed the need for “Block Party Kit”, or at least a checklist to remind hosts about items like recycling and compost containers, name tags, and sign-up sheets.
7. Events at Lions Park
   Sherry expressed concern about not being notified when there are events at Lions Park. Dan asked whether someone at the city could put us on a notification list.
8. Neighborhood Centers
   The city’s consultant is holding a number of in-person and virtual events to hear what people think about their draft report. The report focuses on 12 existing centers. This is a disappointment since we worked directly with the city to get support for new centers in our neighborhood. Jim Sweeney plans to attend at least one of the meetings. Nathan thought that he and Roger should contact Jay Burney directly.
9. CNA Report
   Karen provided a brief update on the following items that were discussed at the July CNA meeting:
   • The neighborhood grant program had left over money for the first time in many years.The CNA is considering using the neighborhood grants for additional technical support.
   • Discussion continues about creating a common web site that all neighborhoods can use.
   • Clark and Dante are the CNA liaisons at this time.
   • Dante did not attend but Clark provided the following updates:
     • The city is evaluating response times for ambulances<.
     • A regional fire authority is currently under consideration,
     • There will be an Olympia Bicycle Rodeo on July 30 from 11- 2pm.
     • Council approved making Olympia a sanctuary city for reproductive rights.
     • Tim Smith shared that the development permit list is huge.
     • There will be some affordable housing as well as some new businesses.
     • He said that we should expect Olympia to be crowded in the near future.
     • Randy Haines introduced himself as the new emergency response lead. Karen asked about the Neighborhood Mapping program. He was not familiar with the program. Karen will meet with Randy to discuss starting one again.
     • The CNA will discuss the comprehensive plan update at their next meeting.
10. Annual Picnic
    Shelter reservation is made for August 6th. We should put out signs on August July 30th. Jim R. will send out files for sign inserts. Nathan will check with Tom for hamburger donations, but he is not sure that we’ll be able to receive them.
11. Fall Events
    Roger shared that he is discussing the talent show with the Salvation Army and the Elks club. The Salvation Army seems like the best location, but the Elk board is meeting tomorrow to discuss our request. Our tentative date is October 8th with the 15th as a backup. The Art Crossing community discussion is scheduled for Sept. 29th at the Armory. Sherry will connect with Stephanie to see what we can do to promote the event.
12. Rat Control Concerns
    Dan asked about rats in the neighborhood. Everyone acknowledged that rats are a problem throughout Olympia. The best actions are to contact Thurston County Health and do everything you can to try to keep them out of your structures.
13. Sidewalk Repair Inventory
    Mark Foutch heard that Lacey is getting ready to spend money on sidewalks. This would be a good time to pitch specific sidewalk needs to the city. Everyone agreed that a prioritized inventory of sidewalks needs would be good and should put the 7th Avenue facility high on the list.
14. New WebSite CMS
    Nathan demonstrated a new web CMS that he is using with the Beekeepers Association. It’s a bit easier to use and has better functionality for collecting dues and maintaining member data. The board agreed to continue looking into the CMS.