Ward 3 Neighborhood Association
Agenda for Board Meeting
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 7 p.m.
Bridge Street School Library
Present: Lisa, Gloria, Owen, Tim P., Marianna, Joanne, Lola, Jim, Fred, Maddy, Jerry, Tim F., Angela (late)
Absent: Jennifer R., Phil & Arnie
(7:05 pm)
1. Approval of Minutes – Maddy
Approved unanimously
2 Treasurer’s May Report – Fred
Approved unanimously
1. Previous Balance $1376.95
2. DUES: None
3. Expenses: $113.71 Fire Watch Telephone from A. Levinson
4. NEW BALANCE: $1263.24
5. Note: $218.19 Allocated to Neighborhood Watch
6. LIST SERVE: for Ward 3ab = Previous 263; New = 263
7. LIST SERVE MESSAGES: for this period = 3
3. President’s Report – Jerry
A. Meeting of Neighborhood Association Presidents
-Only Ward 2 doesn't have one.
a. Social Event- May 24th is the date; 5-7 at the Florence Civic Center.
b. (7:26) Cleaning up City Gateways- Earth Day 2011. Considering big, coordinated event b.w. the neighborhoods.
B. Board Retreat Proposal
-Consider dealing with internal procedural issues at a retureat?
Plan: not necessary right now.
C. Future of the Meadows Cleanup
-We were the first there doing a meadows clean-up; now there is an Assoc. of Landowners, and the resident population is greater.
-Jerry also concerned about hazards down there, like needles and razor blades.
Fred: It might be better to do something more high visibility like cleaning or painting the overpasses.
Owen: Plantings is a good idea. Plus, we have no liability insurance.
Tim P.: Seems like new Landowner Association could manage the clean-up, but I hate to abandon the Meadows.
Angela: I will bring the issue to Landowners Association.
Jim: We want to maintain relationships with the Landowners Assoc. We want to be supportive of their efforts.
D. Monthly Meeting with the Mayor – Topics/People
Owen: I asked her for a map of private and public ownership of the meadows. She will provide it, maybe Capt. Savino could come to next meeting to discuss.
Fred: We discussed Main St. RR bridge. She says that City will eventually take it over and make it better. City will talk about drainage with RR, lighting already done. The City is looking at lighting for pedestrians and bicyclists; better lights that light more than the road.
Lola: I expressed my concern about the North St./Holyoke St./Hokanum St. RR bridges. Will the RR paint the bridges? She will bring that to attention of the RR. Mayor also said that maybe DPW or NWW or Smith Voke will help. Mayor very supportive of beautification issues.
Gerry: I asked her what is happening with the Round House lot. She said that there is a feasibility study for a new, consolidated court. The vision is to trade the Registry of Deeds/Probate court building (as an intermodal transportation station) for a one-acre parcel, possibly the Round House lot.
Gerry: The mayor said that the city health insurance may be going down, they can save 800K if union employees agree. City will also be doing more centralization of buying.
NEXT MONTH:
Jim: Can you target the green space at the edge of Hokanum and Pleasant for beautification?
E. Update about the “Dream” mural restoration
No decision yet.
F. Island Road traffic situation update: NTA
G. Exit 19 Advisory Committee update
H. Our Involvement in Complete Count for Census (Owen/Joel): NTA
I. Valley Time Trade (Owen): NTA
J. (7:50) Green Northampton Plastics Recycling Proposal - Lola
Lola: downgraded to plastic tray and pot collection. What about dates?
Discussion
Is it worth it?
Lisa: Can we coordinate it with a planting?
Jerry: Can we coordinate with veggie tour?
Plan: Let’s hook it with the veggie tour.
4. (8:10) Nominating/Membership Committee Report – Owen
-Kicking off our membership drive with updated Brochure: It’s all set basically for printing. Owen has an idea for increasing membership.
- Additional Alternative Reps for 3A and 3B: Adding one each.
Discussion
Lisa concerned it may be getting too big.
Lola concurs.
Plan
Discuss next month.
-Voting status of councillor/school committee representative: They now have the option of voting, should we leave it that way?
Discussion
Fred: We should give people the vote, that is the American way.
Tim: The reason not to vote is that the ex officio people didn’t really get on the board by votes. Owen: The history is a perceived problem with former councilor exercising undue influence on the board.
Plan
Nominating committee will make a proposal and then bring it back. (Jim, Owen, Fred).
5. (7:15) Update from Bridge Street School Committee/School Committee News – Tim F.
-Budget cuts will result in roughly one teacher per school being let go
how much are they really down? $800K, although maybe 700K for utility savings
--A good influx of school choice students has nicely rounded out Bridge Streets class sizes -- only the 5th grade of about 30 is problematic
working on cleaning up the dust bowl... safety issue.
next year school closing, redistricting all of that back on the table.
working on revamping the energy uses... via ConEd
--Enrollment continues to decline for all schools -- no one has examined precisely where these people are going
-down across the board- fluctuates...
--As part of the city's energy saving plan with Con Ed, all NPS schools will be upgraded this summer with significant energy saving measures
--I'm working to see if we can get a fix to the BSS "dust bowl", the dirt field in front of the school, added to the city's capital improvements project list. The PTO is able to add about $10k to the solution
--School Committee will vote this spring whether or not to extend the Superintendent's contract for another 3 years. Her current contract ends in 2011.
question on whether superintendent's contract will not be renewed... possibly.
-public roll call in June on that... please tell Tim or come to public session
--Work has begun to examine the feasibility of changing the high school start time to later in the morning. If the school committee votes to make this change it will take place starting in the fall of 2011.
--I'm planning to have "open office hours" this month. When I have a date and time, please help me publicize. I'm trying to get another school committee member to join me. Many people feel there is not a enough back-and-forth dialog with the school committee.
6. Discussion about establishing a 501c(3)-type organization to oversee land in Ward 3 –
--Maddy, Fred, Chris
We. may 3 met at 7 pm at Maria...Lola, Jane Potter, Gerry,
-would obtain MOU with Broadbrook to monitor Sheldon Field. Doesn't require 501(c)(3). We could do it for a year while we try to get things up and running to obtain Sheldon Field CR... consistent with suggestions with Attorney Levite.
Gerry: BB has meeting tomorrow night. This is an incremental approach. We would make sure it's being adhered- then cleave off, become 501(c)(3) and add others if they want. Instead of us doing it without really having the expertise.
Gerry: widen from 2 to 3 lanes on Old Ferry Rd... probably going with Sheldon Field vs. porches.
-Need a basic survey first... flora fauna roster, etc.
Tim: where are the plans for the road? Answer: that's the proposal...
Marianna: if we do this, BB will make the decision for what happens re: Ferry Rd.
Lola: Can we make sure we have a voice in this decision regarding MOU.
Maddy: What about conflict of interest between the homeowners and Sheldon Field?
Jim: Yes, we need to be in the middle of the issue.
Lisa: We will probably be a separate entity by then.
Joanne: Need clarification. We will be protecting rights of Sheldon Field...
VOTE: 3/4 Yes... that is enough
7. Sustainability Committee Update – Jim
KING STREET ZONING PROPOSAL: I have been privy to these discussions. They have bee quite fascinating. A draft for public consumption will be coming forward in June and it is expected that it will then be directed to the ZRC for public digestion and discussion. In the most general terms (because the details are in flux), the proposal likely will call for delineating upper king (auto oriented retail) from lower.
It will ask to loosen some of the restrictions on upper king that have reportedly hindered development. Walkability biking will be encouraged throughout. A concern for abutting neighborhoods will emphasize.
I anticipate that Parking will be an issue for us to take on in conjunction with this proposal. Parking is already an emerging issue around the ward (Market, Hawley, Kingsley, Phillips, Maple, Wilson, Edwards Sq. to name a few). Here is a surprising thing I have found, many businesses we have heard from are encouraging the neighborhoods to push back.
-businesses complaining that people parking in their place and then shopping elsewhere. pushback suggestions are meters, resident parking stickers, or city should develop shared lot for lower king st.
Angela: meeting with Edwards Square people b.c. they have this problem May 18th 6 pm ServiceNet Conference room: Ned Huntley from DPW will be there. (Gerry: could we have a report of that meeting.)
-This is just a reality of increased parking pressure versus residents. We should have a plan.
Plan: Let's have a coordinated effort with Parking Dept.
Fred: The RR might make it worse.
Tim P.: let's encourage walkability not just parking.
CHAMBER/SMITH COLLEGE: As you are aware there are some Smith Students who are part of a sustainability class working on projects in the ward. Owen and I have been invited to attend their final presentations next week. Since they are students public interaction is limited. A proposal for next fall is in the works for doing more extensive design discussions. The Professor leading this effort, Marcia McNally, reports that when the Smithies ventured into our ward they fell in love with it. They found our neighborhoods to be intriguing and interesting, full of character and surprises.
The students’ final projects are on display at the Smith College Campus Center off of Elm Street it is the first room on the right. It is on the back wall (orange) and is sharing the room with another exhibit.
7. Traffic Calming Committee Update – Lola, Lisa
8. (8:57) Exit 19 of I-91 Committee Update – Frank Werbinski
PAC meeting last evening.
-10 options listed & ranked (including "no-build."); wide range of costs, time frames, and impacts: (from round-about to double-flyover)
- All of the options improve traffic calming.
-Frank believes that round-about compatible with emergency vehicle traffic.
-None of the plans are great for bicyles.
-The options over #15 (the original large-scale plan) negatively impact environment, land-takings, etc.
Jerry: Frank has worked like a dog on this.
June 14th 6 pm public hearing. It would be nice to have a debriefing the night before.
Angela: the power-point is on my website.
Plan: Trying to put something together for Sunday night before the meeting.
10. Report of Transportation Committee - Owen
-Update about sidewalks, bikepath maintenance, train routing, and walking buses
11. (7:46) Update on Neighborhood Watch – Owen
-Read Memorandum of Understanding out loud
-We would authorize this and then executive committee enters decides on MOU.
Marianna: Are you going to get a separate bank account?
Owen: No,
Tim: What is happening with it? Are people walking around and taking numbers down?
Owen: Planning community building activities like potlucks, clean-ups. There may be more trainings or safety examinations that would be voluntary and in the future.
Voting: Carried by 3/4. One no vote (Maddy), two abstain (Lola, Angela).
12. Legislative Update from City Councilor – Angela
-Edwards Sq meeting May 18 6PM conference room Service Net
-North St meeting June 9 7PM BSS
-Recently ran into Deb Baye in the Grocery Store, she is being isolated in the community and she hopes we can still welcome them.
13. Update on “Best Practices” Committee- Lisa
14. Update from Ward 3 block party committee – Owen
-Valerie Lavender: Neil Anderson of Orchard Street is very keen on having a block party in July or August.
-getting a permit needs to happen right away.
-worked on a letter.
15. Report of Committee on Youth Involvement In The Ward – Maddy
16. (7:55) Update on Ward 3 veggie garden tour in August – Lisa/Joanne/Lola
DATE of Tour: Saturday, August 7th at 10 am (changed from Aug. 1)
- Lola and Joanne met with Kari Knapp, chair of the ‘Friends of Forbes Board” and the “Annual Forbes Library Garden Tour” for successful tour pointers, and for help with publicity. We received a list of publicity resources.
- Lola, Joanne, Lisa, Maddy, Owen, Gloria: need more volunteers - for the day of the tour AND for help with preparation for the tour.
-Need lots of publicity:
- Joanne will design and print and laminate a few posters to use to advertise the Tour at Plant Sales and Farmers Markets.
- Sell and advertise at determined places, such as, Hadley Garden Ctr.(Forbes sell tickets there), other nurseries such as, Wancyck’s, Hickery Dell, others? Other ideas anyone has?
Publicity List:
from Kari Knapp (electronic file in email)
Gerry’s Idea - about selling table spaces to individuals and/or businesses that sell products to the veggi garden market.
- Price $10
Report from Business Representative - Jim
Rail Road Bridge Lighting: Has anyone noticed the new lighting under the Railroad Bridge on Main Street? This was an effort coordinated by the BID with the help of the city. I find it makes quite a difference. The BID has also cleaned the bridge abutments and removed weeds.
Former Chilson’s Shops Buildiing: The building that formerly housed Chilson Shops is being developed into retail on the first floor and office space on the upper floors. Yes Computers will be moving into the ground floor and an architectural firm (name escapes me), will be occupying the upper floor.
The Former Eagles Club: This property is being converted to office space. When you put the two together the image and economic viability of Pleasant Street is changing in a positive direction.
18. New Business
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