Approved April 14, 2009

1. Informational presentation by ARISE for Social Justice; organizing around economic issues affecting low-income and homeless people; offered to partner with MNC on issues of common concern.
2. Summary of Child Poverty in Massachusetts report: MWinters referred to state-wide and local statistics showing high levels of children living in poverty in Springfield; impacts MNC consideration of advocacy for health & quality of life policies.

• Funding to design and implement the McKnight Rail Trail project in collaboration with the departments of Planning & Development and Parks & Recreation.
• Funding to design and implement the playground/park project at Rebecca Johnson School in collaboration with the school and departments of Planning & Development and Parks & Recreation.
• Funding to build level of staffing in order to build the capacity of the McKnight Neighborhood Council to affect quality of life in the neighborhood.
• Funding to install attractive, decorative trash-&-recycle bins for public use.
• Funding to utilize vacant lots for community gardens and farmers' markets.
• Implementation of the Bay Street corridor improvement project. Plans are on file with the Planning Department.
• Implementation of the St. James Avenue corridor improvement project, as outlined in the 2008 McKnight Revitalization Plan filed with the City.
• Eighth place was a 3-way tie, as follows:

• Limit heavy commercial traffic to State Street, Armory Street, Albany Street, Magazine Street and Tapley Street and to prohibit such traffic from all residential streets in the neighborhood.
• Funding for façade improvements for storefronts along McKnight's commercial streets (State, Bay, Worthington, Armory, Albany & St. James)
• Funding to install consistent period street lighting throughout the neighborhood.

• Funding to develop a grant / loan program to rehabilitate owner-occupied homes, particularly in underserved areas of the neighborhood (i.e. those areas not included in the City Historical District and therefore not eligible for historic district preservation funding if any).
• Funding to utilize at least one vacant lot for a dog park.
• Funding to develop a McKnight Business Overlay Plan in collaboration with the Department of Planning & Community Development (similar to the plan for the "X" district).
• Funding to market the neighborhood to potential home-buyers and business-owners.

• YOUTH (Jeri Gardiner, Kwesi Albury): No report. JG recommended a male board member work with the boys on this committee; WK volunteered to act as co-chair. No written report.
• PUBLIC SAFETY (Walter Kroll, Chair): WK reported Mr. Kenney was again harassed by a group of middle school kids in the mid-afternoon; this was noted by Officer Miller, who was present. Also reported on truck parked illegally behind River Inn; two shootings last Sunday on Clarendon St and ways to get more pro-active to prevent. MWinters proposed MNC participate in National Night Out (tentatively first weekend in August), consensus was to participate; WK has proposed a neighborhood public safety walk with the Sheriff's Dept sooner than August as well. BS noted next Sector F beat team meeting is at Indian Motocycle Building. Report attached.
• HOUSING (Denise Moccia, Chair): Reported on meeting with Carl Dietz, Office of Housing, in which a few important items were brought up, Mr. Dietz was responsive. Including 74 Yale St., now owned by the city, which Housing office wants to know what MNC recommends be done with it; DM's recommendation, after touring the property with MWiersma, is to save it rather than demolish it and have inadequate in-fill housing erected on the lot. Also reported the city is in the process of taking the lot behind the River Inn now owned by "Monmouth Street Defense Assoc." Also inquired as to status of 127 Marion St. and asked city to assign one owner only to the carriage house between Florida & Bowdoin streets so that decisions can be made regarding that structure. No written report.
• COMMUNICATIONS (James Llewellyn & Ben Swan Jr., Co-chairs): KW reported the new website is very close to launch, requiring only some content to be written and put in; and that the next newsletter will be in April, looking for articles from the board now. No written report.
• DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING (Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair): No report.
• MASON SQUARE LIBRARY ADVISORY (Liz Stevens, Chair): LS updated on progress, Library Foundation has voted to fund eminent domain taking of 765 State St., Library Commission has voted to ask Mayor and City Council to approve same; next steps are to make assessment, title search & structural analysis, send to City Council for their vote, then to Mayor. City solicitor, Library Department and Library Commission are working to produce a potential time-line for each of these steps. No written report.
• P.E.S.T. (Tony Anthony, Chair): Next meeting 7 pm, Mon., March 16, at 62 Westminster St. No written report.
• FINANCE & FUND RAISING (Marianne Winters, Chair): No report.
• GOOD NEIGHBOR (Gregory Hession, Chair): No report.

• NEXT MNC MEETING: April 14, 2009, 7 pm.
  REBECCA JOHNSON SCHOOL, 55 Catherine St.