May 2015 Board Meeting Minutes

Swantown Inn Bed & Breakfast, 1431 11th Ave SE (corner of Central)
Wednesday, May 20th, 2015, 6:30PM – 7:30PM
Monthly Board meeting of the Eastside Neighborhood Association
Board Members in Attendance: Nathan Allan, Melissa Bluestein, Rita Sammons, Sheena Pietzold
Board Members Absent: Brian Brannies, Susan Herring, Ira Silberlicht, Sherry Cillicut, Ted Baird (had volunteered at Annual meeting but did not show up), Mitch Dennis (we are confirming if he is continuing on as a board member)
Neighbors in Attendance: Joe Hanna, Teresa Goen-Burgman, and Kathleen Burgman – Concerned Eastside Neighbors (Medela Rezone)

Minutes

  • Approval of April Minutes
    • Tabled until next month
  • Dog waste stations update
    • All installed with one spare. Thanks to Patricia Campbell for the assistance! Last two were 7th and Edison and 7th and the laneway. Hosted by Ira and Kirsten.
    • Would be great to have a location above Lions Park.
    • We are nearly out of bags. Approximately 4,000 bags lasted nearly a year. Sheena made a motion to approve $136.30 to purchase 4000 more bags. Rita seconded the motion. Board will vote via email to involve more board members.
  • Neighborhood Match Grant Update
    • The City made a list of its top picks for the grants. Our proposal for the Annual Picnic did not make the list of top projects. Our proposal for improvements to traffic calming devices did, for a total of $500.
    • City Council will make final decisions made in May.
  • Annual Garage Sale
    • More signage? We tabled this from the April Meeting to see how the Matching Grants played out. Signs would serve dual purpose with Annual Picnic promotion and general meetings.
    • Sheena made a motion to approve $182.57 to purchase 10 more signs and 15 more stands (as they break). Melissa seconded the motion. Board will vote via email to involve more board members.
  • CNA – Nathan provided a report from the neighborhood representative attending CNA meetings.
  • Treasurers Report
    • As of 4-30-15:
      Checking $689.40
      Savings $1360.20 (combined CD and savings acct)
      Neighborhood Signs $1297.27
      Legion Way Trees $151.35
      Community Beautification $505.14
  • New business
    • Open house at Madison Elementary on May 27th at 6:30
    • The school has asked the ENA to host a table with information. Nathan and Brian will attend with signs showing the dates for the annual garage sale and picnic. They will also bring a laptop to show visitors the ENA website and help them sign up for the email list.
    • Concerned Eastside Neighbors – update on proposed rezone of area behind Forest Cemetery, off 9th and Boulevard (to the east)
    • Joe, Teresa, and Kathleen attended a City Council meeting to comment on the rezone. The City attorney advised the council not hear comments on the rezone based on its relationship to the proposed new development and a rule against hearing comments on development proposals within certain time periods. They felt like they were being silenced.
    • At that City Council meeting, the council also discussed a comprehensive plan amendment that would upgrade 9th east of Boulevard. There will likely be a hearing of some kind between now and September or October when comprehensive plan amendments are voted on.
    • Joe, Teresa, and Kathleen, as well as Brian Brannies attended a public meeting on April 23rd related to the proposed development to voice their concerns to the planning commission.
    • Concerned Eastside Neighbors put signs up at 9th and Boulevard to show their concerns.
  • Meeting adjourned at 7:40
  • Minutes submitted by Sheena Pietzold, Joint ENA Secretary

November 2014 Board Meeting Minutes

Attendance

  • Board Members Present:  Nathan Allan, Whitney Bowerman,  Brian Brannies,  Sandia Slaby, Pat Bayle, Jim Longley, Mitch Dennis, Sheena Pietzold, Katy Beattie
  • Board Members Absent: Kara Randall
  • Other Attendees: Roger Horn, Eddy

Dog waste stations

Church will help with dog waste stations; There are still troubles Getting a hold of people; Locations of sites were discussed;

Purchasing bags….biodegradable bags are they worth it? Cost effective? Sandia would like to look into the cost difference and what that means for ENA. Cost of bags (Nathan added to minutes when he found the details relevant);

$138.18 for 4000 Biodegradable bags (funny thing only considered so in 49 states not CA)
Shipping did cost.
What Aly found on Amazing is basically $31.38 for 1000 bags. So about the same.
Nathan searched around a little and did not find an alternative that works.

Future of the board

Join the ENA board! Four members are not continuing, possibly five. Become an active advocate for your neighborhood. Once a month meetings, and accomplishing tasks like the dog poop bag stations, food bank donations, etc.
February is goal for annual meeting.

Newsletter

  • Some neighbors have said they miss it.
  • Idea to send postcards directing people to read more at the website.
  • Print a few newsletters for those who may request it.
  • Brian is willing to print off postcards; ENA may still have credit at a local printshop.
  • Brian is willing to spearhead getting this accomplished.
  • We hope that mailing list is more accurate than in the past. A lot of effort has been put into verifying addresses.

CNA

It seems the focus of the CNA is less about working together and more about listening to presentations.  ENA has been represented in some capacity at almost every meeting this year. Representatives are wondering about the effectiveness of the CNA and the overall purpose of it as it seems to be very much concerned with big picture issues like city planning. Our presence is valued at the CNA meetings is that our voice is then reported back to City Council. CNA can, and has been in the past, be an effective voice.

Treasurers report

  • Sherry was absent from the meeting but reported $750 in checking.
  • Nathan still needs to get on the account as back-up.

Madison Holiday Store

Madison Elementary PTO Representative, Eddy, says they are looking for donations for kids to purchase for presents for their families.

Report from City Council

  • Providing $250,000 for downtown plan
  • Talk of changing code to work on creating neighborhood centers like Westside coop or San Francisco street bakery
  • Putting money into hazard trees which would affect legion way

 

The Madison Holiday Store

Madison PTO will be collecting items from Thursday, November 13 until Wednesday, November 26. Donation boxes will be located by the front office or at the First United Methodist Church across from the Madison school.

The Madison Holiday Store is a much loved annual tradition and will be held on Friday, December 12 from 4-6:30pm.

The Students of Madison Elementary love this event.

Madison Holiday Store Flyer