Board Meeting: August 14, 2007

PRESENT: *Ben Swan Jr., Chair, *Abdullah Abdul-Rahim, *Stephen Gray, *Luzed Guzman, *Gregory Hession, *Walter Kroll, *Jim Llewellyn, *Denise Moccia, *Demetrios Panteleakis, *Rodrick Shubrick, *Liz Stevens, *Cindy Williams, *Marianne Winters, Lisa Gaudreau, Jamie Gray, Sandra Hession, Shelly Ann Hill, James E. Holmes, Alonzo Kenney, Ceil Lewonchuk, Yasir Osman, Ray Talbot, Stephen Thibeau, Michael Wiersma, Kat Wright, (*Members of the Board)

Guests: Carl Dietz, Acting Director of Springfield Department of Housing; David Gaby

Meeting called to order 7:15 p.m. 13 Board members present

SECRETARY'S REPORT, LS moved to approve minutes of June 12, 2007 Annual Meeting and July 10, 2007 board meeting; LG seconded. New board member DP abstained since he was not present at those meetings. Motion passed.

TREASURER'S REPORT: LS reported that MNC savings account is at $1013.91 and checking account at $760.16. There are no outstanding debts. A total of $1,181.38 is due on current bills, plus $400 for staff stipend. She will transfer $950 to checking to cover the bills. Appointment with Ivette Cruz scheduled for 8/16 to close out grant for 2006/07. (Report attached).

ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS: Floor was opened to nominations for officers. The following were nominated:

§ For President: SG nominated Gregory Hession, who accepted the nomination; WK nominated Demetrios Panteleakis, who accepted the nomination; AA-R nominated Denise Moccia, who declined.

§ For Vice President: DP nominated Walter Kroll, who accepted the nomination; Luzed Guzman nominated James Llewellyn, who accepted the nomination.

§ For Treasurer: DM nominated Liz Stevens, who accepted with reservations; JL nominated Marianne Winters, who accepted the nomination.

§ For Assistant Treasurer: MW nominated Luzed Guzman, who accepted the nomination; LS nominated Cindy Williams, who accepted the nomination.

§ For Clerk/Secretary: DP nominated Ben Swan Jr., who accepted the nomination

§ For Assistant Secretary: DM nominated Marianne Winters, who accepted the nomination

LS moved that each candidate speak to their candidacy; AA-R seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

After each candidate spoke, the floor was opened to questions & answers from the candidates, a secret ballot was taken of the Board. CL and SH tallied the votes.

Old Business:

DM moved that while ballots were being tallied, the Board move to deal with issue of 79-81 Princeton St.; LS seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Status of 79-81 Princeton Street: Carl Dietz, Acting Dir., Springfield Housing Office, representing the City, said he does not have intimate knowledge of the property or its history, but said last prospective developer, Jim Morrissey, estimated clean-up would cost at least $55,000.

DM said it has been out to RFP six times so far; DEP report states the house should be lifted and soil treated or the house demolished and soil treated; in DM's opinion the house even if it were in prime condition is not worth much; asked CD How many more times will the City put out RFPs on this property and then have them dropped by the developer when the clean-up is made known?

SG stated that the City as owner has an obligation to make it clean; his question is How do we persuade the City to step up to clean the soil before the property can be sold, with a goal to keep restorable housing? Also, when will the City clean the property?

CD promised to bring it up with Sal Calvanese, tax title custodian, and David Panagore, development chief.

GH asked if potential developers were told about the environmental problems before the bid process.

Michael Wiersma said he looked at the property as a possible bidder and was not informed.

GH asked if the $55,000 clean-up figure was based on traditional methods.

CD said it was.

LS stated that the Council had reasonable expectations that someone from the City would come with full understanding of the problems and offer some solutions, or proposals for solutions; she expressed disappointment in the City and disappointment that Mr. Dietz is instead learning about it from us. She asked CD to return to another McKnight meeting with answers

SAH stated her property abuts from the Amherst Street side; her opinion is that the house cannot be saved, it must come down and the soil cleaned; she has applied to the City to buy the lot to incorporate into her yard, or it could be used for a neighborhood park or garden.

DM said Princeton Street is outside the historic district, so we cannot look to the Historic Commission to save the house; even tho she does not advocate tearing down structures, this is not a special house anyway; showed photos of neglect & debris inside the house.

SG said someone has to spend the money to clean the site, whether the house is demolished or raised; suggested the City give someone a grant to fix it.

BS asked that the City get a cost to demolish and CD to come back with answers or a direction for this property.

LS again asked Mr. Dietz to return in September with answers.

AK, who lives next to this property, said he hopes it doesn't catch fire and threaten his house, that kids have several times tried to set the house on fire; his choice is to tear it down.

CD agreed to return to next meeting with answers from the City.

50 Princeton Street: LS moved to address this property; CW seconded.

Michael Wiersma got the RFP for this property, is moving forward to purchasing it, is now waiting for signatures from the City to go forward (which was supposed to happen in May), has heard nothing at all since June; asked What is the hold-up? Asked Mr. Dietz for follow up on this property.

347 St. James Ave.: SG noted that this house has been hit twice by cars, once from St. James Ave. and once from Princeton Street; also noted that the handrails are gone or have been changed from traditional style.

It was noted that CD is also currently handling City Code Enforcement; questions were raised about porch railing code and whether the Sanitary code regulations trump the historic district regulations or visa versa. LG said she was coded on railings, went to Historic Commission for a variance, but most people don't know they can do that. DP suggested the Historic Commission be asked to amend their website to address these issues. DM stated plain porch railings are less expensive than restoration railings. LG said she found the cost to replace similar railings at $800 per post, too expensive to do.

42 Bay Street: BS asked if MNC should write a letter of support as requested by developer Jim Morrissey for his plan to purchase and combine front and back lots, and build a 2-family house. SG said the house design is more fitting to the neighborhood than what HAP has proposed (on other lots in McKnight).

DM said she looked at this proposal and other Morrissey proposals carefully, noted he has a lot of rental properties; her opinion is that MNC ought to push more for home ownership than rentals. She said Forest Park gets what they want and McKnight gets what the City thinks we deserve.

DM said if we don't ask for more we'll never get more.

DG said combining the 2 lots is a good idea regardless; but he sees 76 Bay Street (also developed by Morrissey) as poorly executed, and suggests MNC may want to reserve endorsement.

GH noted that Morrissey's covenant in deed at 42 Bay Street is for owner occupancy for 3 years.

LG thought the house plan looked nice, that Morrissey was passionate about his plans and has already completed a project of similar quality; said this is an upgrade from what we have had up to now; asked Is a higher standard achievable? Said she does not see why MNC should deny a letter of support.

DP said the City is on a big upswing, that plans for downtown and neighborhoods are huge, and he believes now is the right time to demand the standard we want to see - for the next 20-25 years; said it is time to set expectations with developers, the City, etc.; State Street and Bay is the gateway from State into McKnight.

LS moved McKnight Neighborhood Council be willing to support combining the 2 lots, as proposed by Jim Morrissey, and that, although we think the design presented looked good, we would prefer a one-family home be built on the site; DM seconded. Motion passed.

Election results:

Results of the election of officers was read out:

Thirteen ballots were cast.

Elected to office were:

§ President, Gregory Hession

§ Vice President, James D. Llewellyn

§ Treasurer, Marianne Winters

§ Clerk/Secretary, Ben Swan Jr.

§ Assistant Treasurer, Luzed Guzman

§ Assistant Secretary - Because all three nominees declined the office, there will be a vote taken at the next board meeting.

New business:

1. DM asked that David Panagore be invited to the next board meeting to address the Bay Street Corridor proposals, which he promised to do at his last appearance here.

2. BS asked that Edgar Alejandro of WMECo be invited to next meeting with their proposal for ISO grid improvements to be installed down Bay Street to State, or down St. James Ave. to Carew (both underground); also asked that he address the substation at Bowles and Bay streets.

3. BS asked that the next meeting also address board committee assignments and designated MNC attendees at meetings of City boards, councils and commissions.

4. CL asked about the block party on Dartmouth Street; WK said it was held at their house under threat of rain, called it a success; 35-40 people attended.

5. CL asked about tree removal at Bowdoin and Worthington; BS said this was Rocco Terriaca's plan for handicap-van access to his property at 103 Bowdoin, as MNC approved last.

9:35 pm - Adjournment:

MW moved to adjourn; LG seconded. Motion passed.