Inter-Neighborhood Council
Making Better Neighborhoods
Http://www.rtpnet.org/durhminc
Minutes of Meeting of January 28,2003
REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
(still tracking down the list)
Administration and Announcements
President Melvin Whitley opened the meeting. November minutes were reviewed.
Because of uncertainties about getting the Police Department room and growth in the size of the group, we discussed a new meeting location. Cathy Abernathy moved, Johnea Kelley seconded that we vote between moving to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Hillandale at I-85 and continuing to meet at the Police Department. St. Luke’s won 11-7.
The new logo will be the one with the kids playing in the neighborhood.
In an effort to get neighborhood-oriented people on city and county boards, INC will start a process of announcing openings, keeping a record of who is interested in different boards, and perhaps having programs on what various boards do.
On INC effectiveness, obviously we had better notification of the meeting. Cheryl Sweeney will be the spokesperson for INC.
Given the ice-caused power outages, there is significant interest in how priorities are set for getting power back on and in getting more underground utilities. Anyone interested in this issue should talk to Mike Shiflett.
INC has never had an awards banquet to celebrate people and neighborhoods making a difference. Awards would probably be made by neighborhoods so it wouldn’t be a contest. Pat Carstensen moved, Cheryl Sweeney seconded and the body voted overwhelmingly to start planning an event for the fall.
Melvin Whitley introduced the ideas behind Turn up the Heat on Slumlords since social services pay the extra $1000 / house / winter that bad insulation costs. The five points are rental certification fees, use of certification fees to pay housing code inspectors, a partnership with banks to get low-interest loans for housing rehab, a clearer definition of “weatherproof,” and tenants not paying the cost of bringing a house up to code. Melvin will be asking for INC support in February.
We overwhelming voted to support the idea of a neighborhood college, to teach what the various departments do and how to get things done in Durham.
Melvin Whitley asked for INC and neighborhood help at the Neighborhood Convention for Northeast Central Durham on February 7-8.
There was a question about neighborhood or new-INC-member packages of information, but no-one knows what is in them.
At least on development issues, there is a funded initiative to set up a 1-stop shop so citizens aren’t bouncing from one department to another trying to find out who can help them.
Programs
Michele Dubow presented the concerns of the Lassiter Street neighborhood about the proposed engineering of the widening of Archdale in the completion of the Martin Luther King Parkway which, under the city's current plan, would have a concrete median divider that prohibits left turns at Racine and Mossdale. Without left-turns onto Racine and Mossdale, public safety vehicles will be slower in responding to the area and many area residents will not have convenient access to their homes. As a result, cut-through traffic will increase on Eubanks, Sherbon and Lassiter, all of which are kid-intensive, front-yard friendly, 5-15 mph residential areas. The widening also doesn't try to off-set the dangers to neighborhood children by putting in sidewalks on the affected side streets or crosswalks across MLK. Lassiter Street and other area residents have approached the city about rethinking this plan that the city presented to residents on November 5th, apparently as the "final" plan. The City Engineering Manager is now saying that what was shown(strikethrough: in) is not the final plan. Pat and Gaye will report to the next board meeting what INC action would be appropriate.
Mike Waldroup of the Durham City / County Appearance Commission gave a presentation on appearance in Durham and the commission’s efforts to define their goals. They have no budget, part-time staff, and little desire to be a design review committee. The presentation showed places where neighborhood resistance has meant the development was less orange and ugly. There was vigorous discussion about whether substandard housing should be part of the Appearance Commission’s charter. Attendees were asked to fill out a survey on what the goals of the commission should be, including gateways, corridors, street trees and sidewalks, awards, outreach and other.
The meeting was adjourned.