WECAN Board Meeting on Thursday September 1, 2011 at Merritt Park Meeting Room
Members present: Byron Ballard, Jeff Carnivale, Joe Fioccola, Bret Frk, AnnaBeth Hardcastle, Yuri Koslen, Luke W. Perry, and Pattiy TornoMembers not present were: Jessie Coleman, Tom Gibson, Mike Kenton, Geraldine Melendez, Jose Ruiz.
Also present were APD Officer Evan Coward, Marsha Stickford, Tara Irby, Dwayne Burton, Olufemi Lewis and Torin Kexel.
Pattiy called the meeting to order at 6:30. After introductions the August meeting minutes were approved as distributed. Rah! to APD Officer Evan Coward who finished first in his age group(under 30) in the Police Mountain Bike Association Congress. Officer Leslie Torgow finished second in her age group (30-39)
Hillcrest Walkover Bridge: Marsha reported that an encroachment agreement between the City, Progress Energy and DOT has been signed opening the way for further clearing out of brush and under growth along the steps to the Hillcrest Walkover bridge. and along the fences. Some trees will be removed on recommendation from the city arborist. Patiy suggested all that merely limbing trees up to six feet was very effective at Aston Park. Should be completed by the end of October. Lighting should be sooner. Luke asked about picking up trash there. Marsha suggested talking to Susan Roderick with Asheville Greenworks to coordinate volunteers and supplies. Marsha can help with Liability waivers and sanitation pick ups. Luke suggested having a cook out afterwards. A date for the cleanup will be set in October. Discussion of how Hillcrest can be more involved in cleaning up the area. Luke wants to push for Hillcrest to be more involved. Olufemi advised they are dealing with issues on their side about the presence of cameras and outreach to new residents. She observed that everyone has their own bubble of what they consider their safety zone –whether an apartment in Hillcrest or a house in WECAN. The gate appears to be closing between 8 and 9 p.m. She also announced upcoming classes at Hillcrest. An 8 week workshop conducted by ‘Just Economics’ would begin on September 27. Residents of all neighborhoods are welcome to attend.
The City version of National Night Out called “Night to Unite” will be on Saturday October 1st at MLK Park from 4-7 p.m. All Community Resource Officers will attend and have tables set up with information about services available, food and fun and games for the kids.
Marsha reported on the Depot Street Parking Plan an outcome of the ‘Between the Bridges” meetings was a need for more parking on Depot St. Two alternate plans have been suggested. Plan A has 28 parking spaces and Plan B has 41 with new sidewalk on the east side and a crosswalk about halfway down. She passed around a copy of the plans which were hard to read. Once the plans are fully fleshed out there will be a community meeting with enlarged drawings.
The D.O.T Contact Committee has not met yet
Marsha is on the Kudzu on Jefferson Dr growing over a hydrant, street light, no parking sign and guard rail. Bret suggested posting points on GoogleMaps to show DOT or city crews exact locations of homeless camps and overgrown kudzu.
Block Captain Sub-Committee. Yuri passed around a map and anticipates about 5 block captains will be needed to cover 15 to 25 addresses each. Still some flexibility in arranging the ‘blocks.’ The goal is improving communications and community watch. Pattiy will attach maps of the different blocks to the next WECAN News Flash. Yuri will bring markers and maps to the next meeting.
By-Laws Sub Committee- Joe and Anna Beth met to review the WECAN By-Laws and update them to reflect what we actually do. 1) Where ‘written notice’ of meetings was satisfactory in 1997, most neighbors now have email so ‘electronic’ notices should be as good as written. 2) Officers do serve for more than 2 one year terms so if they are willing they should be re-newable each year. 3) Proposed alterations must go out with notice of the meeting to consider their adoption.4) Yuri suggested that the geographic description of the WECAN boundaries be described verbally rather that by reference to the (expired) ‘2010 City Plan.” Also that the chair may designate al alternate to conduct meetings when the chair and vice chair are both unable to preside. AnnaBeth will email final draft to Pattiy by Sept 30 to be published in the WECAN News notice of the General Membership meeting on November 3.
Tara Irby from the Sustainable Communities Initiative explained what that groups goals are. Project Manager is Jeff Stoddinger and the city has received a Federal planning grant of $850,000 to collaborate with DOT, EPA, HUD to promote live-ability and efficiency and find out what the needs of residents and business owners are in areas of affordable housing, transportation choices, building on infrastructure, connectivity, leveraging resources, valuing communities. To build on communities rather than wipe out communities (unlike the results of urban renewal initiatives in the 1960’s and 1970’s) Citizen participation: hearing what is important and needed in communities from Southside, S French Broad, Livingston, Walton to WECAN and Hillcrest. The ‘Between the Bridges’ meetings of stakeholders were the first steps. It is a federal requirement to make a good faith effort and take it seriously. They are not revisiting ‘Urban Renewal.” Talking about “messaging,”’ interviewing stakeholders and getting “buy in.” The TENTATIVE kick-off was proposed for Thursday October 6 from 4:30-9 p.m. at either the Reid center or Livingston Center. Lively discussion about this conflicting with our regular Board meeting date ensued. The main point being that since WECAN is reputed to be among the most organized neighborhoods in the city it is insulting, irresponsible and disrespectful to set that date for the kick-off that is supposed to be about community participation. A secondary point was to add to the planning process the skills and talents of community members such as urban planners, designers, architects and artists who actually live in the community. For avoiding conflicts in future it was noted that Kendra Turner in the Office of the City Manager has a comprehensive calendar of all public community meetings. Tara advised she would take our concerns to her group’s next planning meeting.
Pattiy asked if there were any concerns about the Silver Dollar closing and a new restaurant opening soon that will be open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Except for more expensive food it was generally considered a plus rather than a minus. She will invite the new owners to our next meeting and ask for a menu.
AnnaBeth gave a follow up report on the Downtown Market that a collective was formed; They have downsized(only the Café and Grocery are still open.) and they had a good write up in the Citizen times. Ready for the next step after some good discussions with the bank. Once there is an agreement there will be a grand opening.
Clingman Streetscape schedule was published in the meeting notice and is copied at the end of these minutes.:
Pattiy reported that Clingman Lofts requested money to plant a garden. She advised them that our treasury was almost bare. She will ask them to come to a future meeting and make a proposal of where and what they want to plant and what their plan is. They may be able to use our 501©3 status to write a grant.
Pattiy began discussion of the use of our email lists which was posed on g-mail She volunteered to draft criteria for ethical use of email, face0book, web-pages, Blogs, etc.
Adopt a Highway date set for Tuesday September 19 at 5 p.m meet at the Sign Corner..
Yuri announced that ‘Get There Asheville’ was having a City Council Candidates’ Transportation Forum at the Clingman Café on Thursday September 22 from 6-7 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola.
***************************************************************************************
From Mason Sexton, project manager for Moore & Sons : mason@mooreandson.net
Here is the tentative schedule for Clingman Avenue. This is hard to schedule what gets done when because a lot of this is done simultaneously or immediately following removal. There is also the unknown of the gas line and the proposed storm drainage.
Saw Cut Asphalt & Concrete 09/19/11 2 Days
Install Storm Drainage 09/21/11 3 Days
Remove Concrete & Asphalt 09/26/11 On Going Estimate 4 Weeks
Replace Concrete Curbing, Aprons & Walks 09/26/11 On Going Estimate 4 Weeks
Relocate Meters 09/26/11 4 Days
Relocate Cleanouts 09/26/11 2 Days
Paving 11/07/11 2 Days
Striping 11/10/11 2 Days
Landscaping 11/14/11 3 Days
Estimate completion date of November 17, 2011 weather permitting with a September 19, 2011 start. We were ready to start back on August 8, 2011, but based upon the WECAN meetings and complaints about starting we moved another project up so we wouldn’t have to start and stop on Clingman. We may be back and ready to start on September 12, 2011 but I am not sure due to the rain events and additional work on the other project.
Thanks,
Mason Sexton Project Manager Moore & Son Site Contractors, Inc. 103 McDowell Road Mills River, NC 28759
No comments:
Post a Comment