October 2008 meeting minutes

Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association (MTNA) Regular
Meeting Minutes for October 15, 2008

Board Members present: Cascade Anderson Geller, Mark Bartlett, Jim Blackwood, Heidi Kohne, John Laursen, Paul Leistner, Nancy Norby, Bruce Treat and Bing Wong

Board members absent: Nadine Fiedler, Don Jacobson, Cathy Kuehnl, Bunny Marechal, Gayle Marechal and John McLaren.

Others present: Houston Bolles, Tom Dolan, Marie Del Toro, Robert Dortignacq, Bonnie Ell, Adam Fitzpatrick, Herb Fricke, Barb Gamelgard, Don Holden, Susan Kelly, Craig Kolins, Sara Maier, Officer Gary Manougian, Greg Phillips, Tim Phillips, Jerry Shrall, Dawn Smallman, Greg Snider, Al Staehli and RNW

Bing Wong led introductions. Minutes from the September meeting were previously distributed via email. The minutes were adopted upon motion by Nancy Norby and seconded by Jim Blackwood. Bing Wong presented the treasurer’s report.

Announcements

Bonnie Fifield of the American Cancer Society announced that ACS is hosting a Climb to conquer cancer event in the park next spring and soliciting help from neighbors for ideas, suggestions and perhaps participation, in order to increase involvement from the Mt. Tabor community. Contact Bonnie at bonnie.fifield@cancer.org if you’d like to volunteer.

Craig Kollens of the Southeast campus of Portland Community College visited to seek support for the upcoming bond measure. It is a 10 year bond and 30-40% of the funds would go to the Southeast campus at Division and 82nd.

Amber and Stuart of Resolutions Northwest talked about how they are a free service for residents to resolve neighbor dispute issues. The service is paid for by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement. Resolutions Northwest is also taking applications from people who wish to become mediators and work in their program. You can contact them about their program by going to their website at www.resolutionsnorthwest.org.

Officer Gary Manougian visited to say that there are still thefts happening in the neighborhood. He said that one way to combat this is to be the “nosy neighbor” and know who generally should be in your neighborhood and at what times. He also handed out security checklist which we will be posting to the website.

Old Business

Bureau of Development Services (BDS) granted the request for adjustment at 1150 SE 50th. Following up on a motion made at the September meeting, MTNA appealed. A hearing is set for Tuesday, November 18th at 9 a.m. at BDS. Interested neighbors and others are encouraged to appear and possibly testify. Tom Dolan was commended for his hard work on the appeal.

Jim Blackwood followed up on a topic last month regarding wording on a proposed new bench in the park. Jim spoke with John Laursen and Don Holden and they came up with the following wording: “In Memory of Howard Verne Ramsey (1898 – 2007) Howard Ramsey was the last survivor of many Mt. Tabor neighbors who served our country with honor in World War I and cared for this city upon their return. He loved Mt. Tabor Park  and regularly strolled around this reservoir for over 50 years.” After much discussion about Cascade Anderson Geller’s concerns about placement of the bench and litter from it making its way into the reservoirs and finding out how much the plaque would cost, Jim made a motion that MTNA write a letter to the Water Bureau supporting the bench and the language on the bench. Nancy Norby seconded. Motion passed. Someone will find out how much the plaque costs and discussion will ensue in the future about MTNA paying for the plaque.

Sara Maier of the Water Bureau visited for the second of three meetings to discuss the Mt. Tabor Historic Structures Report being prepared by the Water Bureau. Sara had a made the first report available on our website and solicited comments from anyone who had read it. She said that comments are due by October 31. Al Staehli commented that he would like some of the equipment preserved for historical review, perhaps by school children or historians. Al thinks some of the equipment may be some of the last in the country. Cascade Anderson Geller thinks the people hired by the Water Bureau are well qualified and likes the report. Sara introduced lead architect Rob Dortignacq. Rob gave a summary of the report and said comments should be organized around short and long term needs. He said to consider whether something was necessary and structural or aesthetic.

Jerry Shrall spoke about the land use adjustment recently granted for the property at 63rd/Yamhill. He said that the owner did address some issues such as sightlines with neighbors but he thinks MTNA should still appeal. Cascade made a motion, seconded by Dawn Smallman that MTNA appeal. Motion passed. Jerry will provide a first draft and MTNA will appeal.

New Business

Al Staehli raised the issue of a vacation of land near Main and what would be 63rd, adjacent to the park. No recalled the issue coming before MTNA previously and no one seemed to think it was a good idea to vacate the land Al described. Bruce Treat is to contact John Deyo with PDOT to investigate and report back to the neighbors.

Amy Chomowicz, a volunteer with Friends of Trees, informed everyone that on March 21, there will be tree planting events in Mt. Tabor, Montavilla and Center neighborhoods. Amy is also looking for volunteers and financial help from MTNA for assitance. Jim Blackwood made a motion that MTNA donate $300 to Friends and also formally support. Cascade seconded. Motion passed. Amy will come back in January or February to try and garner more volunteers.

Committee Reports

Southeast Uplift (SEUL)

Paul Leistner said that the Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) opposes future neighborhood identifiers such as the Mt. Tabor Entryway sign at 50th/Hawthorne. Neighborhood coalitions like SEUL are letting it be known that since Mt. Tabor was able to get one (after many years and much hard work by neighbors including but not limited to John Laursen) they should contact MTNA to see what assistance MTNA could provide them. Paul reported on the progress at Tabor Commons that the roof is done, the neon signage was removed and that they are seeking concrete contractors to assist with the work.

Friends of Mt. Tabor Park

Nancy Norby said that Portland Parks is considering using Parkscan which is a web-based reporting system that tracks maintenance conditions in parks. They are also hosting a meeting on Tuesday, October 28, at Southeast Precinct at 7 p.m. to discuss the model for Plan B by Opsis Architects for re-doing the central maintenance yard at the park.

Mt. Tabor Park Master Plan Update

John Laursen said that the City Council work session scheduled for October 7 was postponed. Members of the Master Plan Update group will attempt to speak individually with City Council members rather than in work session. There will be a meeting on Saturday, November 15 from 9-1 to discuss the selected model (Plan B) of what is supposed to happen at the maintenance yard. There will also be a meeting on October 30 to discuss the Long Block between Sherman and Lincoln.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:00

The next MTNA meeting will be Wednesday, November 19 at 7 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church as SE 54th /Belmont.

Previous Minutes can always be found at www.mttaborpdx.org/about