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January 2004 meeting minutes
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
Regular meeting minutes
January 21, 2004
Board members present: Eric Bosler, Denise Brem, Nadine Fiedler, Laura Gordon, Charles Heying, Paul Leistner, Nancy Norby, Diane Redd, John Turner, and Mary Ann Seth Wish.
Others included: Bill Guthrie, Gayle Marechal, Bunny Marechal, Robin Denburg, Cascade Anderson-Geller, Travis Vieux, Pam Dyer, Frank Gorshe, Greg Danielson, Mark Derienzo, Marilee Dolph, Ivan Farber, Floy Jones, Porfirio Peña, Dan Newton and Robin Cash of the SEUL homelessness working group, neighborhood DA Caroline Wong, Amy Dudley of SEUL, and Officer Brendan McGuire.
Diane Redd led introductions and pointed out the treasurer’s report and information sent to SEUL. The November minutes were approved with one change.
Presentations
SEUL homelessness working group
The group discussed perspectives on homelessness, passed out sample opinions to begin conversation, and asked for concerns and solutions, including lack of mental health services, too much rhetoric, and lack of a safety net for ex-prisoners. They asked MTNA to take action, including a resolution.
Community needs assessment
Diane Redd would like to initiate a neighborhood needs assessment based on the one done by Laurelhurst. It should broaden the base of support for MTNA in the neighborhood and help in planning. Various methods of delivery were suggested, including hand-delivery, with collection points available and using schools' email lists. SEUL will help tally the results. Diane R. and Robin Denburg collected a list of concerns through a short brainstorming session.
Neighborhood Issues and Concerns
A special meeting on land use is scheduled for April 7, 7 to 9 p.m., at the Western Seminary. Gayle and Bunny Marechal will head the spring clean-up on May 15 and are looking for volunteers. Ivan Farber brought up concerns about pedestrian safety on Hawthorne between 41st and 50th; Nancy Norby said that the area was part of the Hawthorne plan, but it has not yet been put into place. Greg Danielson has done a visual chronicle of the park and will give 10 percent of poster profits to the park, and 5 percent of profits from original art.
Committee Reports
Police and crime
Officer Brendan McGuire reported a decrease in the crime rate for December and January and took questions, some of which concerned lag time and meth labs.
SEUL board and LUTC
Charles Heying said that SEUL was meeting about a new provision for neighbor's complaints about nuisances as part of liquor licensing. The city may buy Washington High School as a SE neighborhood center; a move to write a letter in support of the purchase was passed unanimously. SEUL has had to cut $30,000 from its budget and will eliminate a staff position.
John Turner reported that neighborhood associations were demanding input for PDOT decisions, and that there was controversy over use of the county buildings next to the Lone Fir cemetery. Others recommended that it be a SEUL concern.
Off leash
Nancy Norby and Sharie Dietz will observe the park; an off leash area is scheduled to open May 1. The city off leash committee has hired a volunteer coordinator that will speak only to coalitions, not associations. Laura Gordon spoke to Wendy Sample of the parks bureau, who said that they're doing dog watches and seeing lots of off leash activity and little clean-up.
Newsletter
Paul Leistner would like to see ad rates raise to $60 for a business card and $120 for a quarter page. This was moved and passed unanimously. Nadine Fiedler said the February issue was in production and that the group was writing a manual for newsletter production. Laura G. asked for more notice for deliverers.
Mt. Tabor Park and reservoirs
Cascade Anderson-Geller said that as of January 15 the reservoirs in both Mt. Tabor and Washington Park are on the National Register; the historical nomination for the entire park is in process. Laura G. said that the city had turned all decision-making about the reservoirs to the advisory panel. Floy Jones mentioned an initiative petition campaign to establish a water board for rates, refer increases of more than 3 percent on capital improvement projects to voters, and require a vote before demolishing or selling major components of the Bull Run water system.
Graffiti
Frank Gorshe talked about response to the graffiti article in the last newsletter, a new graffiti abatement coordinator at ONI, and a web-based system for tracking graffiti incidents. Travis Vieux handed out a brochure with information on the Track-it system and contact info; he is a former prosecutor on the graffiti task force. He said that taggers are now back in force, and he is working with DA Caroline Wong to get neighborhood deputy DAs working on the problem. They now are training officers to investigate graffiti incidents.
—Submitted by Nadine Fiedler
To be approved at the February meeting |
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