WECAN Board Meeting September 3, 2015 at 64 Clingman Ave.
Board Members Present were: Byron Ballard, Joe Fioccola, AnnaBeth Hardcastle and Luke W. Perry. Board Members not present were Jessie Nell Coleman, Tom Gibson, Mike Kenton, Yuri Koslen, Rebecca Lance, Rachel Larson, Floree Lowery, Rafael Rettig, Marc Schieferstein, JoAnn Skinner, Suzanne Willis and Pattiy Torno. Also present were: CRO's Sean Davis and Lucas Lovelace.
Vice Chair Byron called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
MINUTES: The draft minutes from August 6 were approved as distributed.
TREASURERS REPORT: AnnaBeth reported that the current balance was $775 with one outstanding check for $125 for the Community Garden Fence.
APD/CRO UPDATE: Sean reported that a 12 tent homeless camp on West Haywood near the Boy Scouts was given a 7 day notice and moved and Christina Tugman with the Homeless Initiative will ask DOT to clean up the flotsam. There have also been extra patrols on Jefferson. Sean thanked the residents for calling in suspicious people and taking pictures. AnnaBeth thanked him for the extra patrols. Sean reported one car break in and vandalism under the Jeff Bowen Bridge. He also reported a traffic detail responding to RADBA complaints about speeding cars and not stopping for pedestrians on Depot Street and issued 11 citations.(mostly for seatbelt violations.) Byron reported a conversation with Mrs. Crisp about 'ladies' waiting in the garden to be picked up by their johns.
WATCH FOR ME CROSSWALK CAMPAIGN: Rachel has some information about the banner.
COMMUNITY GARDEN: Joe reported that the first harvest was in and a Corn Feast was celebrated on August 25th. Thanks to Rebecca for planting, growing, harvesting, cleaning, cooking, and serving the delicious fruit of our garden. (Is corn a fruit?) As many as six people had plots in the first planting: Joe, Byron, Rebecca, AnnaBeth, Lance and Meg. Mrs. Crisp originally was opposed to the idea of the garden but she wants to tend a plot next time. Next meeting we will talk about fall planting and wintering over.
GARDEN CLUB WEDNESDAYS: Joe reported that the Garden Club had uncovered the stone wall on Jefferson, mulched the Sunny Cultural Garden at Owens-Bell Park. (Thanks Pattiy for getting the mulch.) Cleared the vegetation around the Power Pole at Knoxville and West Haywood.(Thanks Helen!) and Cleared the fence at the top of the hill on Hilliard (up to the yellow Jackets nest!) We also cleared the overgrowth at the southeast corner of Hilliard and West Haywood to improve visibility and to create a path where the sidewalk ends. Joe noted that a lot of mowing had been noticed along the east side of Hilliard, the north side of West Haywood and even on Roberts Street. AnnaBeth reported that the end of Jefferson was being maintained. She thinks roundup has been used behind All Souls Pizza.
NEIGHBOR/BLOCK JESSIE UPDATES: Luke has a supply of gravelly debris from Yarrow Place that may find a use elsewhere. He also reported that Stan was doing okay . He observed that parking was a bit wild at the end of Clingman Place. Luke noted that Tracie's place as boarded up. Byron noted that Mr. Crisp was doing better. AnnaBeth is also doing better.
MASTER PLANNING: Joe reported that the Neighborhood Advisory Committee (on which he serves) will conduct a workshop on neighborhood planning on November 7th. (Time and place TBA) A new City Planning Director Todd Okolichany has been hired effective September 8 and in January the city will begin updating of the Comprehensive Plan. (2025 Plan) The workshop will help neighborhoods develop their own master plans and prepare them to be included in the updated comprehensive plan. Also the Riverfront Office has Open Office Hours every 3rd Thursday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at City Hall, 5th floor for information about Form Based Code or other river issues.
TRANSIT BUFFERING: Marjorie emailed Yuri about a new cement fuel tank at Transit across from her house on Park Avenue requesting a green screen/live evergreen landscape trees and shrubs around and asked about the MD plan to move Transit.
NEWSLETTER: Suggested articles include: Community Garden; RADTIP/Form Based Code; New Construction: Jefferson, Trade, Yarrow; Halloween?
WECAN MAILING LIST: last newsletter we mailed 66 paper copies to residents for whom we do not have an email address and now it is time to check and update the list. Byron will do a shout out on FaceBook.
LIVINGSTON COMPLETE STREETS IMPROVEMENTS: The goal of the project is to make the street safe and comfortable for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. Asheville residents were invited to an open house from 5:30-7 p.m. September 3 at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center to hear more about the project and give input.
PARTNER NEIGHBORHOODS: Byron met Shavonda Harper from Walton Street and was talking about the problems they were having with the Walton Street Pool: being closed most of the summer, pump problems and charging $3 admission. She asked about approaching NGO's such as Green Opportunities to possible develop vouchers or to partner to get needs taken care of. Luke thought that Parks and Recreation was doing an assessment of all the city pools. Without objection Byron will continue talking about working on infrastructure and will email Marsha.
WECAN PLANNING: Joe noted the major concerns in the next four months are: September: work on Mailing list, October: plan Halloween/Harvest Social, November publish Newsletter and December General Membership meeting and election.
The meeting adjourned at 7:18 p.m.
DRAFT Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola.
EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER:
September 4 Clips and Beer at Pack Square Park 7-830
September 8 Community Garden Group 6 pm
September 9 Garden Club 2 pm mulching garden at Owens-Bell Park
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
September 10 City Council Candidates Forum 6 pm ay YWCA
September 14 Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods Meeting 7 pm Oakley Community Center
September 15 Community Garden Group 6 pm
September 16 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
September 17 Riverfront Office has Open Office Hours 3–5 pm at City Hall, 5th floor
September 18 Time Capsule returned to Vance Monument
September 19 Asheville Housing Fair 10-2 Stephens-Lee recreation Center
September 21 Edible Park Work Day 5-7 pm
September 22 Community Garden Group 6 pm
September 23 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
September 29 Community Garden Group 6 pm
September 30 Garden Club 2 pm
RAD Farmers Market next to All Souls Pizza 2-6 pm
October 1 Next WECAN BOARD Meeting 6:30 pm
Fridays 8 pm Foreign Film Cinema Phil Mechanic Studios
