Ward 3 Neighborhood Association Board Meeting
Monday, November 21, 2011 @ 7 p.m.
Bridge Street School Cafeteria
Present:
Jesse Rosado, Joan Rasool, Wendy Newton, Fred Zimnoch, Gerald Budger,
Rick Clark, Maddy Weaver Blanchette, Jim Nash, Denise Fernier, Owen
Freeman-Daniels. Guests: Sydney Stern, Frank Werbinski, & Jackie Misa.
Absent: Marianne Geller, Tamatha Gaumnitz, Bob Reckman, David Fenton, Gloria Parker, Howard Moore.
7:09
1. Approval of Minutes – Maddy
-deferred to next month Maddy will resend to all
2. Treasurer's Report – Fred
3. Previous ACCOUNT Balance: = $2585.35
4. DUES: = $190.00
5. DONATIONS: =$53.75; Ryan ODonnell (new) Colleen Currie
6. NEW MEMBERS: Molly Watkins, James Hatzis, Nina Harper-Elkins, Lu Stone, Ryan O'Donnell, Tamatha Gaumnitz
7. Neighborhood Watch = $178.01
8. ACCOUNT BALANCE: $2824.10
9. LIST SERVE: for Ward 3ab = 283
10. Total Members: = 284;
11. LIST SERVE MESSAGES: for this period = 8
LIST SERVE
(Fred has not updated list serve with Owen's list. Please remind him!)
12. President's Report – Jerry
- Update on Pomeroy Terrace Historic District
Sarah LaValley asking us to take pictures of the additional historic houses in the district. Kesse Rosado will do it.
- Neighborhood Associations Update - Gateways
Speaking with sign makers. Meeting with CoC re: fundraising.
- Monthly Meeting with the Mayor – Topics/People
*What are the plans for solid waste and recycling?
DN looking for recycling and reuse as a way to diminish waste. Looking
to acquire an additional space for a reuse center for furniture, looking
to centralize information to refer people to for reuse options. (Owen
saying fees will certainly go up… diversion of waste will be key; reuse,
composting [20-30% of material], etc. A new board will be formed for
solid waste reduction.)
*Is there a plan for a light at Damon Rd. and Industrial Dr.?
Yes. There is a larger plan for that area, trying to break it down into
small packets including bike lanes, etc. It's a high priority- as the
rail project will be coming in 2 years. ?Public hearing come soon.
*Is there a plan for working on the traffic around BSS?
City has been looking at the issue for several years. Ideas have not
been followed through with budget crisis. A petition came from Union
Street residents, but they did not come to hearing. Another being
scheduled. Would like to encourage bus use and biking. (Fred says that
residents willing to pay 100% of cost of speed bumps. The temporary ones
can't go in now- too late in the season.)
#Next month:
-Fred:
Assessors suggesting to City Council that they retain the "factor of 1"
in the property assessments (residential and business have the same
rates). What are the pros and cons?
-Rick:
School parking… someone suggested once that the Sheldon Field lot could
serve as a shuttle spot. Has that ever been consider?
-Wendy: Who do we call to find schedule of repairs of Market/North Street?
-Owen: Could there be a painted cross walk across Parsons by Bridge Street?
-Jim: Can we post these to the listserve?
-Sydney: Will he continue the Mayor's newsletter? And, if so, what will the structure be?
- Fairgrounds Redevelopment Update – Bob
NTA 7:45
- Street Cemetery Gravestone Repair – Marian
Very overwhelming project. Marian trying to get together names of those who are interested…
-difficult to even prioritize.
- Update from Salvo House & Cahill Apartments – Denise
Housing authority did well responding to the blackout. Held a resident meeting.
Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow… everyone is welcome.
(Jerry- talking about an international dinner in the spring.)
- Website issues
Group of volunteers to update the website, to transition away from Owen's control, etc.
- Agriculture Committee – Proposed Priorities – Jesse
i. Making
contact with State Commissioner of Agriculture regarding difficulty in
accessing local land for young farmers. (i.e., out-of-state farmers
lease Meadows land.)
ii. Making
documentary film about history and culture of farming in Ward 3.
(Networking with historic society, Northampton Public Access).
4. Membership Committee - Jim 8:21
-New member of committee; Maddy.
5. Update from Bridge Street School/School Committee News –Howard
Moore NTA
6. Update about Meadow City Conservation Coalition's efforts in Ward 3 – Fred
MCCC Report November 2011
The
annual mtg (11/16/2011) of the MCCC presentation by naturalist, author
and NPR commentator Laurie Sanders a great success. I can't imagine a
more auspicious beginning for the MCCC.
We now know were the largest river forest and beach are located. We also learned about:
- the geology of our valley,
- the role of native Americans,
- the role of settlers placing names in the Meadows,
- the commercial value of the River for transportation & logging (see note),
- the wild but pastoral landscape that drew 19th century notables, artists and tourists,
- the green dragon and snap-dragon-hybrid,
- the fleet footed beetle with hypertrophic mandibles and most importantly,
- the etymology of Rainbow Beach from its crescent shape and sequential stripes of erosion.
I
was surprised to learn that this awesome presentation was created
specifically for MCCC. At the end of her talk Laurie made a strong pitch
for donations. It's clear that Laurie a local naturalist of special
repute see MCCC as an important force in the Meadows. Laurie has set the
standard for our efforts. To that end we need a board mtg in December
to consider our next moves.
The newly elected Board in no particular order consists of:
Budgar, Jane
|
584-2964
| |
Clark, Marcy
|
586-1636
| |
Clark, Rick
|
586-1636
| |
Everett, Mac
|
584-0068
| |
Parshall, Tim
|
587-9655
| |
Potter, Jane
|
586-3252
| |
Schmalzer, Sigrid
|
?
| |
Tymoczko, Maria
|
586-3908
| |
Zimnoch, Fred
|
586-1522
|
Next Board mtg will be 12/4 PM, 12/10 AM and 12/11 PM.
I
think all who attended including BBC personages concluded that we did a
super job putting together our first annual mtg. The result was some
great contributions that Mac will later report!
NOTE:
While our CT River is not the mighty Mississippi it does have levees
and continues its commercial value. Its green hydroelectricity attracted
the billion dollar computer center in Holyoke which will markedly
effect the area.
7. Sustainability Committee Update – Jim
-Split on Council re: King St. zoning.
-OPD talking about rezoning Hawley St. and Conz. St. (Western sides of both streets into central business…) not going to counsel… looking for public feedback.
8. Traffic Calming Committee Update – Lola
Holyoke, Hockanum, and Hawley going to 25 MPH.
9. Exit 19 of I-91 Committee Update – Frank Werbinski
Frank Werbinski:
Would like to replace Christine Cahillane on PAC with Joanne Mackewicz.
Looking for support of the nomination of the board with the Mayor.
Vote: unanimous yes.
-No meeting currently planned.
10. Report of Transportation Committee (Owen)
-PVPC:
Hartford to Springfield expecting 27 x day. Designing a double track,
unclear if $ for a double track. Sooner is the two trips a day from NYC
through Northampton knowledge corridor Springfield North. Wayne will do
update for W3NA …
->25% phase to connect bike trails within 18 months.
-Mtg 4PM November 15, 2011
Power Point report on laser system for truck warning delayed to December 20, 2011.
Truck Escape route delayed to December 20, 2011
8:35
11. Update on Neighborhood Watch – NTA
Group seems inactive. Going to invite them next month to ask them to reinvigorate, hand it over to others, or dissolve.
12. Legislative Update from City Councillor - Owen
New
votes: First vote on tax rate = "factor of 1;" "King St."- new zoning
district created, double tree belt, still some big box options.
Upcoming votes: general obligation bond issues- $20M for Bean Allard, Fire Station, etc.
(Very
little in cash reserve/stabilization, affecting negatively S & P
future assessments? For now, rates still very good.)
8:55
13. Vegetable Garden Tour – Joanne
-Update on next year's tour; gardens starting to come in.
-Publicizing availability of grant applications- it was posted on Ward 3 and Owen's websites.
14. Social Committee Report – Owen/Bob NTA
15. Report from Business Representative - Jim NTA
Bill Collins agreed to host event for businesses in the Ward.
16. Ward 3 Storm Water System -Fred
-I
have not heard that the City has received the final report from CDM. I
was previously told that there will be adequate time for review.
17. New Business
Wendy: concern of lack of lighting and need for clean-up of Market/North/King Street intersections…Question for the Mayor?
Adjourn: 9:02
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