Mt Tabor Neighborhood Association - Meeting Minutes, November, 2004

February 2009 meeting minutes

Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association (MTNA) Regular
Meeting Minutes for February 18, 2009

Board Members Present: Cascade Anderson-Geller, Mark Bartlett, Jim Blackwood, Don Jacobson, Heidi Kohne, John Laursen, Paul Leistner, Bunny Marechal, John McLaren, Nancy Norby, Stephanie Stewart and Bing Wong.

Board Members Absent: Nadine Fiedler, Cathy Kuehnl, Gayle Marechal and Bruce Treat.

Others present: Katherine Anderson, Chris Burt, Scott Fernandez, Barb Gamelgard, Callie Goodman, Don Holden, Burt Jurgens, Sharon Kirkeby, Officer Gary Manougian, Janis McDonald, John Pedrick, Steve Reinemer, Deb Scott, Mike Shaver, Michael Van Kleeck, Michelle Van Kleeck and Roger Warner.

Bing Wong called the meeting to order by welcoming all who were present. This was followed with everyone introducing themselves.

The minutes of the November and January meetings were presented. November minutes MSC Nancy Norby, Jim Blackwood. January minutes MSC Paul Leistner, John Laursen. As a reminder, these minutes are also on the MTNA’s website, at www.mttaborpdx.org/about.

Bing presented the Treasurer’s Report. The good news is we do have money.

Announcements

Bunny Marechal (and later Janis McDonald) said Sunday Parkways will be Aug 16 in the neighborhood, 9am-4pm. The city blocks off several blocks of streets to allow bikes and pedestrians to go from park to park to enjoy various activities and food vendors at each park. Boundaries are within SE Clinton, Everett, 34^{th, 80th Avenues. There will be door
hangars placed at homes whose streets would be
affected, both for closures and for parking;
residents who live along the routes will be
allowed to access their homes. 400 volunteers
are needed, in 2-3 hour shifts. Maps were
provided of the route, 5 miles, mostly flat, and
3 miles around Mt. Tabor. There will be police
stations around the routes. They have raised
quite a bit of money, but are still looking for
more. Entertainment and food vendors are also
still needed.}

Heidi Kohne announced a church youth group fundraiser happening in late February called the 30-hour Famine. It is an event for teenagers to fast for 30 hours, and during that time to do community service to help the homeless and low-income people. MSC for MTNA to donate $100 Paul Leistner, Mark Bartlett.

Concerts in the Parks are happening again this summer. A motion was made for MTNA to repeat last year’s sponsorship of $500; MSC Don Jacobson, Heidi Kohne.

Tim O’Neal of SEUL wants to bring to Portland One Block Off Grid that does bulk purchasing of solar panels for homes, based out of California. He would like to know if MTNA is interested in having One Block Off come here. A motion was made to bring them here. MSC John Laursen, Paul Leistner.

Crime

Officer Gary Manougian reported that thefts from vehicles are still the biggest problems around here. Please do not leave anything (including gym bags, GPS units, IDs) inside your vehicle, ever. Catalytic converters are still being stolen. Many vehicle break-ins are occurring in the evening. Officer Pickett also reminds us to not use cable locks on bicycles, as they are also being cut and stolen.

Neighborhood Concerns

It was brought to the MTNA’s attention that TriMet is looking at moving a couple of routes in September because of potential cuts. A question was also asked (and confirmed) if #71 will be brought back to its original route when the 60th Ave. construction is completely finished.

A question was asked if homeowners are responsible for graffiti on their property (it was answered that, yes, neighbors are responsible for removing graffiti.) Paul and Nancy suggested the Office of Neighborhood Involvement and their graffiti team.

The City’s tree project (to unify tree zoning codes) is up and running. But, employees doing the work would have to take hours from other projects to make it work.

Old Business
^{Friends of Trees

There have been many calls from people
wanting trees. They have run out of a couple of
types of trees. Tree planting may be happening
in March.

Reservoirs

Jim Blackwood gave a brief background on the
reservoir and EPA (Environmental Protection
Agency) issue. There is a group called the
Friends of Reservoirs that is working with the
city to try to avoid having to cover all the
reservoirs, as required by LT2 of the EPA.
Commissioner Leonard has agreed to come to a
MTNA meeting specifically to discuss this issue.
Resolutions Northwest has been contacted to act
as a neutral mediator, and they have made
suggestions on how to keep the meeting on track.
Leonard would like the “invitation list” to
include congressional delegates, including
Blumenauer and Wu. The Arlington Heights
Neighborhood Association would also be invited,
as their acreage includes the Washington Park
reservoirs. We are looking at up to three dates
in early March, as April 1 is the deadline given
to the city to report to the EPA what the city’s
plans are to bury the reservoirs. MTNA would
host the meeting, which would likely be held at
Mt. Tabor Presbyterian.
Scott Fernandez mentioned that the Portland
Water Bureau is looking into building a
reservoir at Powell Butte, which would
ultimately cost some $1 billion. He mentioned
this to MTNA to keep this in mind when talking
with the commissioners.
A motion was made to host the meeting,
preferably on a Saturday in March (7 or 14). MSC
Stephanie Stewart, John Laursen
A letter will be written to Leonard asking
for something in writing in advance of the
meeting stating the City Council’s position on
the EPA issue.

Lincoln Street Buses

Mike Shaver reported that parts of Lincoln
St. are bicycle boulevards. A few people have
talked with TriMet about possibly keeping one
direction of #71 on Lincoln and the other
direction of the line to go onto Division.
TriMet has passed out a leaflet wanting public
opinion, with very little response. A petition
has circulated throughout the neighborhood to
support this route couplet, and now has some 200
signatures. Concern has arisen about students at
Mt. Tabor Middle School and the elderly who
would have to walk extra blocks to catch or get
off a bus. Concerns were raised at this meeting
that there are other people who are not in favor
of the bus relocations, and that their voices
are not necessarily being heard.

Police Precinct Redistricting

Katherine Anderson of the city came to
present the redistricting of police precincts.
North will be dissolved into Northeast.
Southeast will be dissolved into East. The Mt.
Tabor Neighborhood would be cut into two
different districts: west of 60th will be
District 722, east of 60th will be District 731.
Even though our regular officers will still roam
our neighborhood, they may be called to any
crisis in the entire East Precinct. Response
time could be affected. There may be a different
officer who would report to the MTNA. The future
of the police center on Burnside is still being
determined. The police chief is treating this as
a done deal, not a proposal. Public input can
still be given to the police bureau on February
25, 6pm, at the Southeast Precinct Community
Room (4735 E. Burnside).}

Committee Reports

SEUL (Southeast Uplift)
^{Paul Leistner reported they have a new
interim director, Paula Mann, who has worked
within SEUL before and lives in the Mt. Tabor
area. She will likely work with them through
June, and will help find a new permanent person.
SEUL is working with the Sellwood neighborhood
with their Sellwood Bridge issues. The ONI
(Office of Neighborhood Involvement) budget has
been turned in to Commissioner Amanda Fritz as
one of the neighborhood budgets to go before
City Council.}
Friends of Mt. Tabor Park
^{Nancy Norby reported that FMTP will have a
program March 12 at Western Seminary, with the
speaker talking about the invasive species that
appear around here. Volunteers are needed to
help maintain the invasive species, last
Saturdays 9-12 April-November. Foot patrol
is still going strong, and volunteers are always
welcome to join the group.}
Land Use
^{Stephanie Stewart reported that there will be
a pedestrian improvement at 46th and Belmont.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15pm.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 18
at 7pm at the Presbyterian Church at SE 54th &
Belmont.}