WECAN General Membership Meeting Minutes Sept 1, 2016
Board Members present: Byron Ballard, Jessie Nell Coleman and Joe Fioccola.
Members not present: Tom Gibson, Mike Kenton, Rebecca Lance, Rachel
Larson, Floree Lowery, Luke Perry, JoAnn Skinner, Pattiy Torno and Suzanne
Willis.
Vice Chair Byron called the meeting to order at 6:35 pm acknowledging
regrets from Marsha, Pattiy, Sean, Rachel and Luke.
MINUTES: Jessie moved and Byron seconded a motion to approve the minutes
of the August meeting as distributed. The motion passed. There was no
treasurer’s report.
APD/CRO UPDATE: Officer Sean Davis sent the following in an email:
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend WECAN this evening. My wife is
expecting and our doctor’s appointment this morning was postponed to
4:30pm. I wanted to come after the appointment however my personal
vehicle is not operating at the moment. I am sorry for my absence. Follow
up from the complaint of prostitution on Hilliard Ave close to Rector St.
I made contact with Juanita Benson who advised that when she travels
downtown her brother drops her off in the area of Clingman/ Rector St.
Mrs. Benson advised that she in not engaging in prostitution crimes in
that area but frequents S. French Broad Ave. I have known Mrs. Benson for
several years and she is fairly open about her activities. I have
requested that she seek out an alternative location to be dropped off. On
8/11/16 a residential B&E was reported to APD. The offender entered a
secured bedroom and removed rolled coins that were concealed in closet.
The suspect is a family member of the victim. I completed a lighting
assessment on Hilliard between W. Haywood St and Clingman Ave. It was
recommended that lighting be improved but that Luke should be contacted
for input prior to any work. I have received several complaints of new
homeless camps emerging along I-240 adjacent from W. Haywood St. They
appear to mainly be staying on the property of Boy Scouts of America. We
are monitored and removing them as we come across them. Please send me
any questions and/or concerns. Thank You, Sean Davis. Luke emailed that It
looks like Duke power has located a street light right across Hilliard
from Rector, which I think will help a lot. It might still be a few weeks
before they install it
BLOCK JESSIES: Byron noted that on Green Street even though the generator
and banging doesn’t begin before 7 the work crews gather before then and
have loud conversations.
OWENS-BELL PARK TENTH ANNIVERSARY: Last time we decided on the date and
time. (4 pm Sunday September 11.)The original program is attached. The
program emerged for the tenth anniversary of the dedication of the
Owens-Bell Park as follows: Welcome, History of the Park with explanation
of who Owens and Bell were, Unveiling the sign garden and refreshments.
Joe has used 4 wheelbarrows full of mulch thanks to Luke. And can get some
plants in before the event. He will try to contact Gloria Howard Free
about the banner and the original photos used to replacing the faded photo
panels. Byron will create a Face Book Event and invite City Council
members and Terry Bellamy and other dignitaries. Joe will do an invite
announcement on Next Door since some of us are ignorant of Next Door.
There should also be some outreach to get email addresses from new
neighbors.
WECAN NEWS: Some ideas generated for the annual WECAN Newsletter included:
Plan on a Page, New Belgium, RAD TIP Travel tips, National Night Out
candling, Clingman Triangle, Community Garden second season attack of the
cucuzzi and squash, Luke’s Housewarming. If you feel inclined you may
write one. Please have them ready for the next Board Meeting. Some
consideration should be given to the next Board of Directors slate since
both Joe and Jessie will be completing their second term in December and
will have to rotate off the board for a year. The current three classes
are: 2016-- Jessie, Joe, AnnaBeth (moved), Jeff (moved) and Tom (never
attended). 2017-- Mike(never attended), Joanne, Suzanne and Rebecca and
2018-- Byron, Rachel, Luke (filling Yuri’s term) and Pattiy. At Large:
Floree and (one vacancy)
ASHEVILLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE SURVEY: Joe sent out a link to the
survey to everyone on the email list. Due to computer problems they have
extended the deadline to September 12 so there is still time to have your
voice heard. Also the first Public Workshop (with the survey results) will
be at the Collider on Wednesday September 28 from 4-8 pm.
NEW BELGIUM BREWERY: Joe has been attending a neighbor roundtable for the
last couple of years and was invited to tour the facility. He was shown
the Liquid Center, the proper way to pour from a tap in the brew house,
the fermenting area, lab and bottling section with local artist decoration
recycled metal and lumber kept on site. The landscaping looks good and
will only get better around the site as well as in Penland’s Creek.
COMMUNITY GARDEN REPORT: Joe reported that in addition to the apple tree
mowed down one of the elderberries was also mowed and the mowers attacked
parts of the pollinator garden. At first it was the lilies on the upper
edge and then it has started to attack the driveway edge and in behind the
bushes. The Transit mowers need to be talked to. The wire fenced garden
has been invaded by volunteer cucuzzi vines and gourd vines and they are
climbing the fence and the chain-link fence with a vengeance.
GARDEN CLUB: With the weather cooling off the list has been growing like
kudzu: priority will be on the Sign Garden trimming and Owens-Bell park
new sign planting and weeding the established garden. Then there is the
Rector Triangle at Hilliard, the kudzu hill below All Souls Pizza, Roberts
Street below Park Square, the top of Knoxville Place, the corner of West
Haywood and Hilliard, oh, and also the Melk wall. Some areas should be
maintained by property owners like the Melk wall and the corner of
Clingman and Hilliard with the apple trees.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: There need to be some planning if there is to be an
event. Byron will check with Rebecca about coordinating the commemoration
and invitation for the rescheduled event.
GRAIL MOVIE HOUSE: Luke has left a message with Grail movie house about
the screening of the WECAN video, but hasn't heard anything yet.
Meeting adjourned at 7:13 pm
Minutes submitted by Joe Fioccola
Mark Your Calendars for upcoming WECAN dates:
Sept 11 4 pm Owens-Bell Park Tenth Anniversary
Sept 12 New Deadline for Avl Comp Plan Update Survey
Sept 28 4-8 pm Asheville Comprehensive Plan Update Workshop at the Collider
Oct 6 6:30 WECAN Board
