Board Meeting: July 8, 2008

PRESENT: *Gregory A Hession (President) Chair, *Abdullah Abdul-Rahim, *Jim Llewellyn (Vice Pres.), *Stephen Gray, *Walter Kroll, *Denise Moccia, *Demetrios Panteleakis, *Rodrick Shubrick, *Liz Stevens, *Ben Swan Jr., *Marianne Winters (Treas.), Deborah Albury, Kwesi Albury, Tony Anthony, Jeri Gardiner, Lisa Gaudreau, Sandra Hession, Ariel Perez, Kat Wright (*Members of the Board)

Guests: Susan Bernardy; Tammie Streeter, strategic planner

Meeting called to order 7:15 p.m. 11 Board members present

INTRODUCTIONS

BOARD ELECTION REPORT:

1. YOUTH-AT-LARGE (2 candidates): Kwesi Albury and Ariel Perez announced that Albury will take the Youth-at-Large seat on the Board of Directors; Perez will continue to attend and participate as an advisor on Youth matters.
2. SWEARING-IN OF ELECTEES: All those elected and re-elected in the Board elections held on June 14, 2008, were sworn in by Vice President Jim Llewellyn and immediately assumed their seats on the Board. They are: Greg Hession and Ben Swan Jr. for District #1; Walter Kroll and Liz Stevens for District #2; Tony Anthony and Jeri Gardiner for District #3; Kwesi Albury as Youth-at-Large. (Electee Namer Gorra, Dist. #3, was absent.)
3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS:

1. Pres GAH reported a Nominating committee had not been formed in time to prepare a slate; asked KW to conduct the election of officers.

2. KW reported that in the absence of a Nominating Committee, nominations for officers will be accepted from the floor.

3. TA moved to postpone vote to August 12 meeting; WK seconded. Discussion: Purpose of motion is to give a Nominating Committee time to meet & report back. LS volunteered to serve, asked anyone interested in being an officer contact her to put their name on a list. DP noted the open meeting mode fits this organization and that last year nominations were taken openly from the floor, each candidate having a chance to speak. JL strongly urged the election be held at this meeting, using the same format as last year, giving each candidate one minute to state his or her position. TA withdrew his motion; WK withdrew his second.

4. Nominations were then taken from the floor as follows:

a. President: Greg Hession, Demetrios Panteleakis

b. Vice President: Jim Llewellyn, Walter Kroll

c. Secretary/Clerk: Ben Swan Jr.

d. Treasurer: Marianne Winters

e. Assistant Secretary/Clerk: Denise Moccia

f. Assistant Treasurer: Tony Anthony

5. Voting was by secret ballot; members D. Albury and L. Gaudreau tallied the votes

6. Results announced:

a. President, Greg Hession

b. Vice President, Jim Llewellyn

c. Secretary/Clerk: Ben Swan Jr.

d. Treasurer: Marianne Winters

e. Assistant Secretary/Clerk: Denise Moccia

f. Assistant Treasurer: Tony Anthony

PRESIDENT'S REPORT: President GAH noted two items: (1) Gov. Patrick's important proposal to fix Armory Street from Genesee to Federal streets, including the two bridges (DP reports Development Dept will have a plan to share as soon as it is available); (b) GAH spoke with Davis Foundation representative about their receipt of City funds to study establishing a Local Educational Foundation, reported they say they have already spent $10million in Springfield, they intend to put together a staffed organization to establish educational benchmarks, and are willing to appear before this Council at a future meeting.

SECRETARY'S REPORT: Minutes of June 10, 2008, Annual Meeting: WK moved to accept minutes, LS seconded. Motion passed.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Treas. MWinters: Financial report and proposed FY09 budget attached.

* MW presented year-end report; reported MNC has not yet received final quarter FY08 payment; neither has MNC received contract with City for CDBG funding for FY09.
* MW noted that an audit of FY08 and FY07 is required by our by-laws; an auditor has been recommended, MW will ask that person to make suggestions for systems improvements so that MNC has a solid foundation for growth capacity going forward.
* In addition to the auditor, at least two members are needed to sit in on the audit and present it to the Board; WK, TA & JG volunteered to serve.
* MW proposed a level-funded budget for FY09, with the likelihood of amendments once we know the nature of the City CDBG contract.
* DP moved to accept Treasurer's Report and proposed FY09 budget, with dates in both headings corrected; BS seconded. Motion passed.

FINANCE & FUND RAISING (Marianne Winters, chair):

* Finally, MW announced hiring of a 2-person team to work on the MNC strategic plan, namely Tammie Streeter and Anne Richmond; asked that a small group of members work with the strategic team to fashion the best possible plan; WK suggested the chair of each board committee be part of the team, this was accepted by consensus.
* MW introduced Tammie Streeter who spoke of her background generally and her desire to help MNC create capacity-building programs, and the fact that she and Richmond seem to mesh well together as a working partnership.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

§ COMMUNICATIONS (Jim Llewellyn & Ben Swan Jr., co-chairs): JL reporting. No meeting last month. Next meeting scheduled for 6 pm, Fri., July 11, at 108 Dartmouth St. No written report.

§ DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING (Demetrios Panteleakis, chair) DP reported committee has not met since MNC annual meeting; also reported D. Panagore, Development Dept., has told him it is expected that $30,000 will be allocated for an engineering study of the rail trail FY09; has meeting with same Fri., July 11 re dates of execution; has meeting with DPW director Chwalek re McKnight 2008 Revitalization Plan on signage, flashing lights, crosswalks, etc., and what has been done and what we expect from the City; proposed this committee meet within next 60 days to look again at business organization to keep money in the neighborhood and to use a business overlay (re physical appearance of businesses) similar to that at the X. DP confirmed he has presented the McKnight 2008 Revitalization Plan to Mayor Sarno and 4 City Councilors. No written report.

§ FINANCE & FUND RAISING (Marianne Winters, chair): See above - Treasurer's Report

§ GOOD NEIGHBOR (Greg Hession, acting chair):

o GAH reported this committee is not fully formed yet and has not yet met; intends to meet before next monthly meeting; envisions at least 3 subcommittees (a, contact people in neighborly way to keep their properties up; b, encourage commercial entities to keep a neat appearance; c, welcome new neighbors and help people who need help; hopes this will allow MNC to be more visible and more effective in the neighborhood.

o Humanics Day in Action Project: Springfield College wants project proposals by next Saturday, June 12; KW asked if MNC could choose one or two. Discussion postponed to end of meeting.

§ HOUSING (Denise Moccia, chair): Report attached.

o DM reported on guidelines recently released on IN-FILL HOUSING CONSTRUCTION;

- DM and JL attended meeting of Planning Dept.; both found the document too non-specific, attempting to cover whole city with general guidelines for contractors without taking particular needs of different neighborhoods into account.

- DM noted that single and 2-family homes are not required to do a design review according to this plan; if MNC wants this to change, we would have to get the City Council to pass a design review ordinance, which it has never done before. DP volunteered to draft a design review proposal to the City Council.

- SG suggested MNC get permission to place signs in lots to be auctioned stating buyer would have to come to MNC for design review

- TA noted low housing market and high gas prices are driving City's need to increase its tax base with taxable properties over those in tax title; looking for young families to become property owners.

- DA noted with regard to higher construction costs these days, a number of designs can be chosen as examples for builders, showing what would be acceptable to MNC design review

- DP iterated that MNC is against speculation in housing market (buy low & sell fast for a profit) and for increasing family home ownership in the neighborhood

- BS noted we will need to be diligent and object whenever it is needed; MNC needs to put a STOP in place, e.g. for the historic Primus Mason lot at the corner of Dartmouth and Bay streets - which should be reserved for public use.

o City HOUSING AUCTION is scheduled for July 15 - five buildable lots in McKnight are included, as well as 5 McKnight houses in tax title, 2 or 3 of which were on the MNC list discussed with C. Dietz, Spfd Housing Dept.; DP noted that this is a good example of how MNC's work over the past year has affected the work of the City in our neighborhood.

§ PUBLIC SAFETY (Walter Kroll, chair) Report attached.

o WK reported committee is still seeking community feedback/ information, asked that council members encourage that in our neighbors; visited monthly meetings of a community watch group, sponsored by Hampden Cy. Sheriff's Dept., that meets at Mt. Zion Church & Indian Motocycle Bldg, feels we can work with them as their goals are the same as ours for public safety; Also reported more break-ins of vacant houses, arrests made and need for neighborly vigilance; JL noted usually an increase in crime in the summer; DP reported Spfd Parking Authority has been ticketing illegally parked cars on Bay, Brown & Catherine streets.

§ OFFICE RELOCATION (Liz Stevens, chair) LS moved that MNC relocate monthly meeting place to Rebecca Johnson School beginning August 12, 2008; WK seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Asked that a letter of thanks be written to S.T.C.C. for letting us meet at Scibelli Hall this past several months.

OLD BUSINESS:

§ MASON SQUARE LIBRARY: LS asked that her motion regarding MSL be postponed to Aug. 12 meeting, and be taken up as the first issue. Consensus was to comply because time was short.

§ 380 BAY STREET, CAR REPAIR BUSINESS (Corner of Gifford St.): Update, GAH reported the business is still not in compliance, most but not all the cars have been moved from the rail trail, area has been cleaned up somewhat. Consensus was to allow time for the City to pursue their citations.

§ ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES: GAH asked for volunteers to study the document and report back to the Council.

NEW BUSINESS:

§ REBECCA JOHNSON SCHOOL - Playground Steering Committee: To volunteer to serve on this committee, members are to contact KW.

§ SPRINGFIELD KIDNEY WALK - Oct. 18, 2008: RS asked for MNC support for this fund-raising event. KW moved MNC field a team to walk; MW seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

§ MASON SQ. FARMER'S MARKET - MW encouraged all to use this resource, starts Sat. July 12 in parking lot of Mason Sq Health Center.

§ THOMPSON TRIANGLE FOUNTAIN: DP reported it was damaged by kids playing in it & the affected parts sent out for repair.

§ HUMANICS IN ACTION DAY PROJECTS - Sept. 18, 2008: Suggested projects:

o Girard Ave./ Bergen Circle Clean-Up: LS moved to accept this as our project and have KW submit its proposal to Springfield College; DP seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

o 52 Westminster St., house in tax title, badly neglected, overgrown, damaged roof; and 47 Westminster St., vacant, make it look more livable (both referred to Housing Com for action before Sept.)

o Corner Bowles & Bay; BS is going to follow up

o Primus Mason lot, corner Dartmouth & Bay; historic lot; is on City auction list:

§ PRIMUS MASON HISTORIC LOT: BS moved to write letter to Spfd Housing Dept to remove this lot from the July 15 auction; JL seconded; LS amended motion to ask DP to make this request of C. Dietz at their scheduled meeting, JL seconded, BS accepted amendment. Amended motion passed unanimously.

§ S. JAMES AVE.: SG asked a letter be written regarding distressed properties on this street; GAH referred it to the Good Neighbor Committee; DP asked that standards set out in 2008 McKnight Revitalization Plan be kept in mind.

BS moved to adjourn; SG seconded. Motion passed.

9:30pm - Adjournment