Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association (MTNA) Regular
Meeting Minutes for April 15, 2009

Board Members present: Jim Blackwood, Heidi Kohne, Paul Leistner, Bunny Marechal, Gayle Marechal, John McLaren, Nancy Norby, Stephanie Stewart, Bruce Treat and Bing Wong.

Board members absent: Cascade Anderson Geller, Mark Bartlett, Nadine Fiedler, Don Jacobson, Cathy Kuehnl and John Laursen.

Others present: Katherine Anderson, Mike Bell, Chris Burt, Jeremy Carples, Rebecca Casanova, Laura Conroy, Dallas DeLuca, Wayne Dietz, Laurie Errend, Joe Fitzgibbon, Beth Fox-Kobel, Matt Gmur, Barbara Grimala, Eric Hagstette, Don Holden, Rick Housman, Karl Hugo, Mark Hunter, Floy Jones, Mike Jones, Susan Kelly, Sharon Kirkeby, Kyle Kobel, Tom Leiner, Jeff Lockwood, Officer Gary Manougian, Cha Cha Mills, Joay Mills, Sue Puckett, Lisa Renard, Ron Ruggiero, John Rutherford, PB Sens(?), Sid Spencer, Nathan Sramek, Kate Tosswill, Randy Webster, Robin Webster, Jason Weinstein, Kenton Wiens, Tracy Wiens, Amy Williams and Aaron Wong.

Bing Wong led introductions. Due to last minute changes to March Minutes, they will be subject to approval at the May meeting. Bing Wong presented the treasurer’s report.

Bing Wong reminded everyone that the May elections for Board seats are approaching and for everyone to consider if they would like to run for re-election or election. Potential Board members in addition to residing in, owning property or a business in the neighborhood need only have attended two meetings in the past twelve months to be eligible to be a MTNA Board member.

The Water Bureau will be throwing a block party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20^{th in the middle of 59th St. for neighbors affected in the recent past by pipe work around Hawthorne, 60th, Lincoln and 59th.}

Susan Kelly of the Water Bureau also announced that all repaving on Hawthorne, 60th and Lincoln will be taking place in April and May and should be done by June 1st.

Bruce Treat has heard from several attendees and neighbors with hearing problems wondering if it would be possible for MTNA to use a microphone to hand around to speakers. He will look into that and get back to members at a later date.

Bing Wong will be absent at the May meeting but would like to run again for the position of Treasurer.

Officer Gary Manougian, our neighborhood response officer, said that crime was down generally. He did say that there were two residential burglaries in the neighborhood. Officer Manougian said the biggest problem is still with car prowls and people stealing car parts such as catalytic converters and fenders for the metals. Some neighbors noted a rise in cigarette butts after the enactment in January of non-smoking laws in eating establishments.

Deb Scott reminded everyone that the annual clean up is Saturday, May 9th from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at Mt. Tabor Middle School. Volunteers are needed so please contact Deb at scottde@comcast.net if you can help. This is the major fundraiser for MTNA so please help yourself and MTNA by cleaning out your garage, basement or backyard and bringing that junk down to Mt Tabor Middle School. Deb went on to say that Metro is thinking of cancelling or at least greatly reducing the grants which allow MTNA and all other neighborhood associations to run these clean ups. Motion made by Jim Blackwood and seconded by Nancy Norby that MTNA will write a letter to Metro Councilor Robert Liberty in support of Metro keeping the grant program.

Amy Williams visited and informed neighbors about Providence Montessori School’s Summer Camp VIDA program which runs from June 15th through August 28th. Camp VIDA is open to kids aged 2 1/2 to 12 and offers opportunities in yoga, art, music, dance, and free play as well as field trips and adventures throughout Portland for the older kids. Call 503-215-2806 or email Amy at amy.j.Williams@providence.org for more information

Jim Blackwood announced that the City will not be contributing to the bench at Mt Tabor Park and made a motion, seconded by Heidi Kohne that MTNA cover up to $250 of the cost for the plaque. After some discussion, motion passed.

Mike Shaver came out to seek MTNA’s support of Trimet’s “couplet” idea of moving the eastbound bus line off of Lincoln St. to Division. At previous meetings, Mike sought support and was told to seek support in the community and come back. Mike and a pro-couplet group went out and gathered about 250 signatures of support. At MTNA’s further request at the February meeting, the group notified people affected on Division between 52nd/60th and 60th between Lincoln and Division. Notice was also sent via the Mt. Tabor list serve which is not moderated by MTNA and sends emails to about 250 people and via email from MTNA to over 90 people who have listed their email address when attending previous MTNA meetings. Notice was placed in the March minutes as well as on the MTNA website.

Much discussion ensued about the merits of the convenience of having a bus on Lincoln instead of walking one block to Division. Those not in favor of the couplet also voiced an opinion that it was unsafe to cross Division or 60th to catch the bus. They also felt that there had not been adequate notice of the impending MTNA vote. In addition to the notices referenced above, it was pointed out to them that MTNA publicly meets at regular times and dates in the same public location. Some people felt that notice had not been in the “Minutes” in the SE Examiner. The response to that was that what appears in the SE Examiner are not “Minutes” but are “Neighborhood Notes.” The Secretary said what he sent to the SE Examiner included reference to the Lincoln St. vote but that SE Examiner controls what is in their newspaper and chose to not include that part as well as other parts sent to them. This did not come to the Secretary’s attention until a few days before the April meeting. Pro-couplet people voiced concern about Lincoln being a City designated Bicycle Boulevard and expressed general safety issues and particularly about busses turning onto Lincoln from 52nd. It was pointed out to everyone that if Trimet received a letter from MTNA supporting the couplet, they would still want to poll neighbors before making a final decision. A motion was made by Jim Blackwood, seconded by Deb Scott that perhaps MTNA was too closely divided on the issue to take a position. After much discussion, motion failed by a hand count of 26-14. Mike Shaver then made a motion, seconded by Tracy Wiens that MTNA after hearing all of the pros and cons take a pro-couplet position. Before a resolution could be reached, Stephanie Stewart made an amendment to the motion, seconded by Jim Blackwood that if MTNA is supporting the pro-couplet, that it be noted that some in the neighborhood were not in favor of the couplet. Amendment to motion passed. Original motion by Mike Shaver as amended by Stephanie Stewart passed 26-10, with five abstentions. Bruce Treat with assistance from Mike Shaver will write the letter to Trimet that the neighborhood supports the couplet.

Paul Leistner reported that 178 people attended the open forum meeting on April 11th between Friends of Reservoirs, Water Bureau, Oregon Wild and Commissioner Leonard about taking the reservoirs offline, treatment options and potentially covering them. Representatives from the Congressional delegation also attended. Because of questions raised, there will be a future meeting at a time and place to be determined. Floy Jones reminded everyone that ultraviolet treatment or filtration may open up the Bull Run area to currently forbidden usage of the area such as logging and recreational vehicle use. Stephanie Stewart made a motion, seconded by Deb Scott to write a letter opposing the filtration plant because it is four times more expensive than the treatment plant option. Motion passes.

Mark Hunter, who is part of the new non-profit group organizing the Adult Soapbox Derby, visited to seek the support of MTNA for the annual event which is taking place on August 22nd this year. The event is in its 13th year at the Park and Mark said that among some new rules, they are limiting the number of entrants and that other changes include the “cars” will now have horns. Nancy Norby expressed some reservations about the rowdiness and intake of alcohol. Heidi Kohne made a motion to support the Derby, seconded by Nancy Norby. Motion passed.

Aaron Montaglione and Sean Rivers came out seeking support for the Rockin’ Relay run marathon on September 19th in the Park. Aaron said they Relay was previously at Duniway Park but they wanted to move to Mt. Tabor because of previous successful run/walks (Doggie Challenge) and access to the amphitheatre. Concern was expressed about amplified music and the length of that music. Montaglione assured MTNA that the residents of Duniway Park had not complained about the noise and that he didn’t think it would be a problem here either. It was pointed out to him that Mt. Tabor Park has some apparently unique acoustics and some thought that maybe he was playing amplified music a bit early (9:15 a.m.) on a Saturday morning. Montaglione and Rivers again assured the neighbors that there would be no amplified music that early, only un-amplified music then. They said that the louder music would be in the noon to 2 p.m. time. Jim Blackwood made a motion, seconded by Nancy Norby that MTNA approve the request for the Rockin’ Relay with the provision that the amplified music be limited to three hours maximum and that it be in the middle of the day and not too early.