Inter-Neighborhood Council
Making Better Neighborhoods
Http://www.rtpnet.org/durhminc
Minutes of Meeting of November 19, 2002
REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
Cheryl Sweeney Northgate Park NA
Fred Mowry Colony Park NA
Bill Anderson Duke Park NA
Mike Shiflett Northgate Park / WHHNA
Pat Carstensen Cross Country NA
Carrie Mowry Old North Durham NA
Gaye Weaver Old West Durham NA
Lynwood D. Best City of Durham
Cathy Abernathy Hope Valley NA
Dave DeVito SEEDS
Lloyd Schmeidler Old North Durham / Urban Ministries of Durham
Dale Stouch Placid Valley
Barry Kagin Duke Park
Cathy Abernathy Hope Valley
Tom Miller WHHNA
Mike Woodard WHHNA
Administration and Announcements
Vice-president Cheryl Sweeney opened the meeting and members were asked to introduce themselves to the group.
Programs
Lloyd Schmeidler described the role and needs of Urban Ministries of Durham. They are located in 400 block of Liberty. They started in 1983 and were mostly a landlord for social and recreational services. In 2000-01, they merged with the Community Kitchen, Shelter for Hope, and clothing and food pantry. They are less evangelical than the Durham Rescue Mission, using a 12-step model and creating a setting that is welcoming, caring, and updating of dignity. Most of the clients are not chronically homeless – about 600 of 1087 shelter guests are there for the first time and most patrons at the kitchen visit for less than 6 months. The situation is getting worse however; for example, the homeless population up by 50% over last 2 years and they are more often serving over 200 lunches in a day. Urban Ministries of Durham has a budget of $770,000 / year, about 2/3 in payroll (though about 1/3 of the hours of work is done by volunteers); the value of the services provided is about $1,400,0000. Lloyd appealed to neighborhoods to collect food and funds at the Night of Lights to donate to Urban Ministries.
Report on Board meeting: We agreed to support making the act of leaving one’s trash can on the street a civil offense with a fine of $25, with two suggested improvements: (1) The warning should go to the landlord, and the landlord should pay the fines. (2) There should be a trial period of 6 months and a public report at the end.
There will not be a general meeting in December.
INC discussed the very old business of creating a brochure about living in “inner neighborhoods” of Durham. The original grant was not large enough and the city quit making new grants. The brochure would be put on INC website and probably others, as well as printed to send out with Chamber of Commerce materials. Neighborhoods are asked to think about good people to interview for blurbs about living in Durham, people with talents to contribute, and events or streets to showcase or celebrate.
There was also a discussion of history and goals of INC. A number of things could be done to make INC more effective and easier to participate in, such as
§ changing the meeting location,
§ printing “member of INC” as footer on stationary of member neighborhoods,
§ putting the tables in a circle so we are talking to one another, and
§ developing a better e-mail / list-serve community.
This will be discussed further at smaller meeting at 6PM, December 10 at Cheryl’s (206 West Club, park on Arcadia). We may decide we want to have a Saturday or Sunday workshop to involve lots of people in setting INC goals and processes.
Gaye moved and Mike seconded setting up an INC committee / delegation on Durham’s proposals for a new Unified Development Ordinance, to be chaired by Pat Carstensen. This was passed.
The September and October minutes were approved with corrections on the spelling of some names.
The Long Range Transportation plan is available for comment. A preliminary map showing the boundary of downtown has been released.
The meeting was adjourned.