WECAN Board minutes 3 December 2009

 

WECAN December 2009 Board Meeting Minutes • Draft

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

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

Pattiy called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. --------Owens-Bell Volunteer Maintenance “contract" Marsha reported there will be a meeting next Tuesday to iron our details regarding insurance needs.--------Homeless Camps: Officer Coward reported on more homeless camps in the area the recent ones are on DOT property and some are on city property near the railroad, interstate and both sides of the river. Marsha advised the city is seeking a blanket trespass letter to cover all sides of any interstate inside the city limits, which would help the police to keep these areas camp-free. Officer Coward reported that highway-solicitation signs are planned for all ramps along Highway 25(Hendersonville Rd/ Biltmore Ave/Merrimon Ave) and 25-A (Sweeten Creek Rd/ McDowell St/Southside Ave/S Charlotte St) which will deter begging at those intersections..--------Aston Gateway Community Board Pattiy advised there was an unconfirmed report that the hired coordinator Roxy Wynn has resigned. Pattiy also reported obtaining a domain name for ASTONGATEWAYCOMMUNITY.ORG. This should cover the area from Patton Avenue to AB Tech and from Coxe Avenue to the river. It will have a page for WECAN, one for S French Broad Neighborhood, one for River Arts District, one for the APFit Grant, and room for other pages such as Aston Park, Bethel Seventh Day Adventist Church, Senior Opportunity Center, etc. Updating a community watch section weekly or biweekly could serve as a community building tool. Officer Coward reported that more people are using Aston Park with their families and reporting unruly young people (aka skateboarding punks). Pattiy announced that another Twilight Together at Aston Park would be held on Sunday December 13 from 3-6 p.m. with sparklers, food and caroling. Laura will be there from 2p.m since the facility will be closed and perhaps as a rain location we can be inside? We talked about hot food like turkey or hot dogs or marshmallows and agreed that snacking foods would be better given the time between lunch and dinner****Food contributions as follows: Byron will call Atlanta Bread; Pattiy will bring cheese, fruit, cups and napkins; Jessie something like chips and dips and plates; Marsha: crackers; Joe Spiced cider; Pattiy will also ask the Café for coffee or hot chocolate; The Aston Gateway Community Board is not set to meet in December. There has also not been a steering committee meeting since July. Marsha will talk to Laura and Frank about calling one.--------Marsha reported the city has an intern organizing the Community Garden Project and there is a meeting scheduled for next Monday. Byron has an article about a community garden recently established near Atlanta.-------- Suggestions for At Large Members: Jean Boyd and Elaine Robinson are interested if WECAN becomes a fiscal agent for any other non-profit. Marsha Stickford and Floree Lowery were also mentioned. With the current board membership at nine we can have 3 at large members. They serve a 1 year renewable term beginning in January.--------Joe read the rest of the WECAN 2010 Plan goals (See Addendum).: Future Land Use goals appear to be met. Utilities: Water improvements have been made. Sewer improvements are more complicated. Traffic Circulation: Some sidewalks have been added. Some truck traffic has been limited. There is in process a streetscape plan for Clingman Avenue from Roberts St to Hilliard Ave. Parks and Recreation: there is a group established continuing development of Aston Park. Owens-Bell Park was added in the study area. Neighborhood Enhancement: a formal neighborhood organization has been celebrating its 12^th year and has been called one of the most organized neighborhoods in the city. Police have been successful in solving problems with drug dealing, prostitution, and winos in Aston Park and eliminating prostitution and other illegal activity on Jefferson. Approximately equal numbers of new single family houses and demolished ones. Three new multifamily condos built by MHO. (Merritt Park, Prospect Terrace and Clingman Lofts.) Some new and proposed housing may not be in keeping with neighborhood character. We should contact City Planner Alan Glines about new construction meeting city codes. --------Pattiy reported some frustration with Mike Lewis of Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods calling her at night to find out who to send an invoice for dues from WECAN. Byron had attended meetings until her frustration with the petty problems of prosperous neighborhoods dominated C.A.N.’s attention. Discussion of what C.A.N. has done and should do followed covering being a voice for neighborhoods, what representation means, doing what is best for the entire city, not being a personal soap box or fiefdom. Problem with focusing on limited-interest stream buffer issues instead of more widely concerning sidewalk issues. Joe moved that WECAN refuse to pay the $50 annual dues as an unfair burden. It is not in our interest to raise funds for C.A.N. when we don’t even raise funds for WECAN. The motion passed unanimously. Byron volunteered to talk to Mike Lewis about broad concerns, speaking from communities and personal agendas.

The meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm.

Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola

SUN 13 Dec 3-6 p.m Twilight Together at Aston Park caroling food and sparklers

THU 17 Dec 5-6;30 Asheville Middle School Natl Jr Honor Society Spaghetti supper (See Below)

7 Jan 2010 6:30 WECAN Board Meeting Merritt Park