WECAN Board minutes 3 September 2009

 

WECAN September 2009 Board Meeting Minutes • Draft

West End Clingman Avenue Neighborhood Board Meeting Thursday September 3, 2009 at Merritt Park. 

Board Members present were: Jessie Coleman, Joe Fioccola and Pattiy Torno. Not present were: Bret Frk, Lisa Hadden, Erin Jasin, Laura Loftis, Floree Lowery, Geraldine Melendez and Jose Ruiz .   Also present was APD Officer Evan Coward and Marsha Stickford.

     Pattiy called the meeting to order at 6:37pm after the Garden Club weeded the planting at Owens Bell Park.-------A question about the Clingman Avenue Streetscape why was paving done recently on the Phase 2 side? Because that was DOT and Streetscape is now a city project. Marsha offered to bring larger project maps. It was recommended that they be brought to the general membership meeting set for Nov 17.--------Refreshments for the Lovin' on Owens Bell Park maintenance day set for Labor Day Monday will be secured by Pattiy: Bottled Water and Coffee; Byron: Atlanta Bread. --------Joe and Jessie met with Greenworks' Susan Roderick about the DOT and Pepsi  property across from Asheville Transit. It is mostly overgrown with kudzu now and all agreed that a few goats could really take care of it. Marsha said they were successfully used at Beaverdam Run setting up a solar electric fence and even getting the permit. Susan has a contact with a goatherd and will contact them on Tuesday. Then she proposed writing a letter to Pepsi about requesting use of the land in front of the billboard. Susan had a great idea that the sunny spot would be a great location for a tree or plant nursery besides being a green and low impact use.  Groundhogs are still in residence there. Marsha suggested we contact Nikki Reid with the City Real Estate Planning group. They have had success with the city using DOT rights of way at the skateboard park and parking area on Cherry St. Their goal is to promote urban gardening and establish community gardens. The idea is for the city to fence and run water and rent plots to individuals. Under consideration are locations at Weaver Park and Murray Hill behind Bartlett Arms Apts. Working with Nikki is Diane Ruggiero with the Cultural Arts section of Parks and Recreation and Cultural Arts.--------The fence gate at the Progress Energy site on Riverside across from the Curve Studios has been repaired. Thanks Marsha.--------The date for the National-Nite-Out replacement during Crime Prevention Month has been confirmed as Tuesday October 13th from 5:30-7:30 at Aston Park. APD will provide hot dogs and buns for about 60 (expected attendance from WECAN, SFBNA and WITO) There is a movable grill at the center. Beverages and  pot luck to be arranged and Byron will pick up another Atlanta Bread donation. We could use an official and snappy name. National Night out is probably trademarked. Suggestions are welcome: something like Crime Prevention Night or Twilight Night? Taking Back the Night? Community Take Down Night? etc.---------A date for the next Adopt A Highway clean up was set for 9:00 a.m. on Monday September 21.--------Article ideas for the Oct 1 deadline of the WECAN Newsletter include Lovin' on Owens Bell Park workday with photos by Pattiy, and a Clingman Avenue Streetscape (5 years in the making) update.-------- Looking to fill board vacancies: Josh Winocur is interested in serving.--------New houses are now for sale on W Haywood St.

The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola

-------Future events for 2009: fill board vacancy, At-Large members?  Oct newsletter Nov gen mem mtg? Dec?    

    Monday    Sep   7     8-11       Labor Day at Owens Bell Park   

    Monday    Sep 21    900 am    Adopt A Highway Clean Up

    Thursday  Sep 24    5:00         Aston Park Community Board at Covington Center

    Thursday  Oct   1    6:30         WECAN Board Meeting at Merritt Park

                   Oct   1                    Newsletter deadline

    Tuesday   Oct  13   5:30-7:30  Crime Prevention Month Celebration at Aston Park 

    Tuesday   Nov  17     5-7         WECAN Annual General Membership Meeting 

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History of Glen Rock Hotel July 2009

 

WECAN Board minutes 4 June 2009

 

WECAN June 2009 Board Meeting Minutes • Draft

  West End Clingman Avenue Neighborhood Board Meeting Thursday June 4, 2009 at Merritt Park. Board Members present were: Jessie Coleman, Joe Fioccola, . Not present were: Bret Frk, Lisa Hadden, Erin Jasin, Laura Loftis, Floree Lowery, Geraldine Melendez, Jose Ruiz and Pattiy Torno . Also present APD Officer Evan Coward and Ellen Bailey.

    Jessie called the meeting to order at 6:35pm------- Minutes were approved as distributed. No treasurers report. Garden Club needs to schedule a workday to trim the abelia hedge in front of our sign. Joe will do this on Friday or Saturday. Adopt a Highway was scheduled for July 14, 2009 at 5pm. No obvious good time for a semi annual general membership meeting. Joe will call Luella about scheduling a pool party in July. Perhaps the 18th of July or the 1st of August will work? --------Fit Communities Grant Ellen Bailey is employed ay UNCA and lives in West Asheville within walking distance of Aston Park and as part of her Masters project in Public Health through UNC-CH will be conducting the community perception survey for the Fit Communities Grant. The confirmation on whether the grant is approved will come on June 10th. (Conditional on whether the Governor reduces the funding available.) The Aston Park Organizing Board has met once and will meet again on June 25th to approve the questionnaire to aide in selecting playground equipment before the end of August. Ellen is seeking the best way or ways to get community input and involvement in the selection process. The mailing list is about 100 as is the email list. Door-to-door and phone survey are also on the table. There are not any scheduled WECAN events before August, with the potential exception of the pool party. She requested input on the types of questions to survey: some examples include: Do you go to the park? What do you use there ? Why or why not? Do you use it more often recently? Why? Do you live near the park? Do you walk? drive? take the bus? How long have you lived here? Have you seen the new equipment/ facilities? How do you like them? Do you use them? What kind of equipment would you use if it was available to borrow( basketballs, badminton, frisbees)? What would be the best way to check out equipment? What kind of classes would you be interested in?(Tai Chi, aerobics, gardening, etc?) What interests, skills or strengths do you have that you would like to share with others?(knitting, history, walking ) What is the best way to get information about programming? (email, phone tree, kiosk announcements, newsletter?) What comes to mind when you think about Aston Park? Does it feel safe and welcoming? Why or why not? There is an Aston Park Board. What should they know about how the park should be used? Who else should we talk to? Ellen can be contacted by phone 273-8913 or email ebailey@mtnarea.net . Evan asked about the need for police presence during the day or nights and if resources were budgeted for any.--------Joe received an email from Yuri Koslan about the Bus Stop: I did follow-up regarding the brick pavers at the bus stop on Clingman at Hilliard. The brick pavers would not meet the intent of the ADA laws associated with the bus stops, they could be used to outline an acceptable concrete pad.--------The Clingman Avenue Street Scape Pattiy emailed Joe: I have heard that the city is thinking about staging the Clingman Streetscape project doing the roundabout and the bottom half first and rethinking the top half to include a bike lane on the uphill side of Clingman it sounds like what that will do is cause the neighbors on the west side of Clingman (Hilliard to Rector) to lose some of their front yards... to be able to have a bike lane and the on street parking on that same west side....I think everyone should know about that but nothing has been decided as far as I know at this time. Concerns should be directed to Cathy Ball. The discussion was that there was only a need for a climbing lane uphill on the east side of Clingman where there is no parking now. The west side (downhill) doesn't need a bike lane since gravity will assist cyclists in the travel lane

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola

-------Future events for 2009: fill board vacancy, At-Large members? Jul Pool Party? August National Night Out? Sept Review 2010 Plan? Oct newsletter Nov gen mem mtg? Dec?    

    Sat/Sun June 13-14 River District Artists Studio Stroll

    Thursday Jun 25 5:30 Covington Center: Aston Park Community Board Organizing meeting

    Thursday Jul 2 6:30 WECAN Board Meeting at Merritt Park

    Tuesday July 14 5p.m. Adopt A Highway Cleanup