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DPNA Meeting Minutes
DPNA Board Meeting, August 9, 2007
Board members present: Dan Read (president), Melissa Godwin (vice president), Pam Campa (treasurer), Barry Ragin (president ex oficio) Carol Donin, Bill Anderson (members at large).
Neighborhood hero: INC is looking for nominations for neighborhood heroes. We talked about Melissa Godwin and the great work she has been doing in the 600 block of W. Markham getting the neighborhood watch organized and getting Hispanic families, most all renters, involved. The strength of the local watch is the stay at home moms who are there all day and see what is going on, Melissa's main concern is that they do not call 911 because it takes so long to get a translator to the phone. We will try to keep touch with the folks in the area after Melissa marries and moves out of neighborhood, she will give us list of contacts. On the neighborhood hero thing she will write a short paragraph of herself and Dan will prepare actual nomination which is due by the 15th.
Melissa says Hispanic puppet troupe did perform at Night Out on Tuesday. They are seeking to revitalize their act. Maybe we can do a fiesta at the park in September or October.
Park issues: Beth Timson and Rhonda Parker of Durham P & R want to come to our September meeting. They have already been invited. Discussed park issues and that City has let the ball drop on the "meadow" behind the bath house. Bill Anderson talked about getting closure on park issues, hopefully we can do that. City appears to be interested in that too as they are coming. This is important meeting coming up and want everyone to come who can. BR will prepare a list of concerns to share with the P & R folks.
Which led to discussion of newsletter. This will be Melissa's last newsletter coming up; hopefully Marty Jarrell will continue but she needs someone to co-edit. Originally set to come out September 14 but we will move it up to get word out about big September 13 meeting. We will try to get it out then, Melissa thinks we can. Carol Donin may be out of town but Barry Ragin will lead distribution if that is true. Dan Read will deal with advertisers on this upcoming issue. Then since Rebecca Crocker and Rafe Sagarin will be hosting holiday potluck in early December we will need to get the next one out by about December 1 or so.
Rebecca Crocker and Rafe Sagarin stated that they would host holiday potluck again. Agreed that this is a good idea and we accept. Friday December 7 would probably be good. Luminarias could then be December 9 with bad weather date of 12/16.
We talked about new Board members. Board elections will be in September. Melissa Godwin is leaving. Claire Doyle wants to step down as Secretary. Carol Donin and Bill Anderson will stay on Board but would like to step down if we have enough other people. Dan Read and Bill Anderson and Barry Ragin will stay on. Pam Campa wants to step down os Treasurer. Dan has names of Brian Green (who has expressed interest in treasurer), Cheryl Summers, Barb Smalley, Suzanne Tyler and Jennifer Epperson as people who had positively expressed an interest. Ben Blankenship might also be good. Dan will put together slate to propose to September meeting.
Discussion of dues and money and why people should pay dues. Forest Hills has sustaining members who pay more dues and are given a piece of the park to landscape and maintain. We have enough money now for what we are doing, newsletter generally pays for itself. Bath House will mean a lot more money.
Discussed sidewalks and parks: the grassy area along Rand St between Markham and Green would be a great place for a little park. Not clear who land belongs to. BR is on ped/bike plan committee and they are trying to get sidewalks in on Washington, there has been criticism of idea to build sidewalks on lawns but they could also be built in what is now street. Discussed “neck downs” recently installed on Anderson St. They would help slow traffic here. Problem is that if there a re even a few loud complaints about sidewalks City will probably spend money first elsewhere where no one is complaining.
Barry talked about East End Connector issues. Looks like total price will be around $198 million. Approximately 23 residences will be affected. There is local opposition but the highway will in likely be built without too much delay once the money is allocated.
Minutes taken by Dan Read
The next DPNA event will be the September 13th general meeting. Board elections will take place at this meeting.