Midvale Heights Community Association Board Meeting
Tuesday, February 23rd 2016 – 6:45 p.m. – Sequoya Branch Library
Area Directors present: Denise Lamb, Tim Trapp, Wendy Weber, Ed Rogers, Jenny Chipault, Steve Fitzsimmons, Jonn Lager, Kay Reuter-Krohn, Chuck Kreimendahl, Peter Schell, Greg Fischer, Jim Thoreson, Tom Jarvis
Other neighbors present: Nan Lager, Marcel Wuethrich, Dave Blouin
- Call to Order & Introductions - E Rogers
- Prior Minutes Review/Approval - Board
- Move to approve the minutes. Seconded. Minutes approved.
- Treasurer’s Report - J Lager (R Rotter absent but he passed report to J Lager last night)
- Passed out hard copy, balance of ~$45,000
- E Rogers notes that there's an ongoing issue that our neighborhood association needs an insurance policy and it looked according to email that insurance lapsed, but good until June 1 2016, right?
- J Lager says the company will find someone else to cover us. R Rotter has filled out the forms and sent them to C Kreimendahl.
- This came about with regard to supporting West side police station. He had been in touch with them and had a few questions regarding liability and errors and emissions insurance and turns out we had a liability policy
- N Lager says we got it after t-ball started
- C Kreimendahl relays that company that was covering us year-to-year is no longer in the business but the agent will reassign us based on paperwork R Rotter is completing
- E Rogers was looking into how a neighborhood association can receive a grant from the city and one of the preconditions is that association has policy with total value of $1 million
- J Lager says ours is $2 million. Agent will come back to us with a proposal from the company that R Rotter will relay. Currently pay $621/year
- Legislative Reports - Maurice Cheeks/Carousel Bayrd
- Not present
- Midvale Elementary Playground
- P Schell was approached by members that are part of Midvale Elementary PTO and they are trying to raise money for the playground there so the question was what, if anything, could the neighborhood association do and P Schell looked into it a bit and has a summary. Midvale Elementary playground is kind of old and it's got a weird cement thing that is crumbling and it has playground equipment with paint peeling off. There's photos on the Midvale-Lincoln PTO website. Goal of raising $70,000 or $75,000 and so far they've raised about half of that. Think the fundraisers have been going for about a year now. Don't know whether that means they can replace half or less, not sure of their goal.
- D Lamb says they've been running ads in the newsletter for the past couple of years (Bucky Books, rummage sale, etc.). Anything they've sent to D Lamb she has put in the paper. Happy to print anything they send us that makes sense based on timeline.
- J Thoreson asks if they want a financial contribution
- P Schell says they didn't ask outright
- D Lamb says we have given money for the garden at Midvale. Warning, Van Hise is redoing their playground soon, too
- W Weber asks about demographics of the schools
- D Lamb thinks half of Midvale kids go to each school
- J Thoreson thinks Van Hise is bigger
- Hamilton is Middle School, Van Hise is pretty small
- Probably more of a need at Midvale than Van Hise.
- E Rogers and J Chipault and D Lamb think should give to both
- W Weber asks about demographics of the schools
- C Kreimendahl suggests they advertise at our picnic, etc.
- P Schell says they suggested that they could be a cause that members could donate to on our membership form, not sure it's correct use of form or not.
- S Fitzsimmons says for Target credit cards you can put in code for Target purchases to give to a specific cause then 5% goes to school. Maybe put a how-to into the newsletter.
- P Schell didn't know if MHCA is in the habit of giving funds. This is something that would affect our neighborhood. Seems appropriate
- D Lamb brings up garden - how much did we donate?
- P Schell can contact R Rotter about how much has been donated in the past.
- D Lamb brings up garden - how much did we donate?
- P Schell suggests putting something on Facebook.
- E Rogers says Pete or his wife can go ahead and do that. E Rogers says Facebook obscures the author and posts it as from "Midvale Heights". E Rogers can send anyone who wants log in to our Facebook page that log in information. Or just email E Rogers and he'll post whatever we want on the Facebook page
- C Kreimendahl says his suggestion was that we can give them access to an audience but it's their fund-raising project.
- K Reuter-Krohn says there is money in the budget for school projects for $500 but still makes sense for R Rotter to research what we've given in the past
- P Schell will research and bring it back to the board for approval if we decide to give money
- P Schell was approached by members that are part of Midvale Elementary PTO and they are trying to raise money for the playground there so the question was what, if anything, could the neighborhood association do and P Schell looked into it a bit and has a summary. Midvale Elementary playground is kind of old and it's got a weird cement thing that is crumbling and it has playground equipment with paint peeling off. There's photos on the Midvale-Lincoln PTO website. Goal of raising $70,000 or $75,000 and so far they've raised about half of that. Think the fundraisers have been going for about a year now. Don't know whether that means they can replace half or less, not sure of their goal.
- Odana Prairie Restoration (Marcel Wuethrich)
- Marcel lives on Agnes Dr and he would like to initiate a prairie restoration project this spring at Odana golf course. There is a little non-mowed area near the parking lot and Odana woods that is just grass and mostly weeds and he's hoping that he can get funds to restore it. Background: as some of us might be aware, the US and other industrial countries have lost pollinators and some countries now hand-pollinate their crops. In the period between spring 2014 and 2015, Wisconsin has witnessed a 60% decline in honeybees so we're not an exception to the global phenomenon. Other insects affected as well, e.g., monarch butterflies. Something that we can all do in order to halt that decline. Obama and Mayor Soglin have initiated pollinator protection task force. PPTF in Madison has gathered data about what the city is doing and they came up with recommendations. Report they produced was approved by city of Madison. There are recommendations for homeowners and the public for what they can do to support pollinators. Homeowners encouraged to plant natives to provide habitat for natives and pollinators, also birds. Works really fast. In the report, they also described so-called demonstration areas and these demonstration areas they are thought to restore native habitat for pollinators and also educate the public. Have to educate the public in order for the public to recognize that these habitats have value. He's seen pictures of grocery stores with and without pollinators and it's amazing what will go away. He passes this area on his bike every day along the Southwest bike path. It's sunny. Will be easy to establish flowers. And it's facing parking lot of golf course and connected to bike trail so people can see it. There's even a mowed path going through that area so people can explore it by foot. He's been in contact with City Parks manager and he's responsible for that area that is part of golf course and Parks manages this area and he supports restoring native prairie there and he agrees that we can annually burn the prairie. Lot of Kentucky blue grass and queen Anne's lace (invasives) so trying to destroy much of that by burning it. He has a lot of seeds gathered from his own garden and would like to buy some seeds. He needs to get a burn permit from Madison fire department, which is $50. City parks agreed that they would mow it the first 2-3 years monthly because if you burn it then weeds germinate so by mowing it monthly can knock down the weeds and allow seedlings to germinate. Prairie flowers invest most of their energy in first couple years into roots so they can withstand drought. So after 2-3 years we can cutback and mow once or twice during the growing season.
- C Kreimendahl says there's a plan for Wisconsin that's been in the news lately that's been criticized a bit for not doing much - how does what you're proposing tie in to that?
- Not direct connection. He will be lead on this and this was initiated by him. This is a larger area so it can't be maintained by hand-weeding so City Parks will offer support. He is a member of The Prairie Enthusiasts and has knowledge of how to restore prairies. Doesn't happen overnight, but he knows it can be done.
- C Kreimendahl brings up bison prairie gateway. We had a neighbor and member of our board that helped maintain that and we invested a lot of money over the years and that's been hard to maintain lately
- M Wuethrich brings up Dudgeon Monroe area along bike path that also looks nice. Can be done.
- E Rogers doesn't know what city agency he worked with but bike path is streets and Odana golf course is parks.
- M Wuethrich says he has the written commitment from the Parks that he can do the restoration
- E Rogers says we did a survey in the neighborhood a couple of years ago asking what we should be doing with our parks and we left some blank space and we hadn't listed anything about pollinators on our checkboxes but we had people chime in about pollinators and butterflies so if he's looking for hands, E Rogers can direct him to a few names.
- M Wuethrich planning to burn in April and plans to take photos and will write up something for the neighborhood newsletter so people know more about it so can indicate there that there is opportunity for people to participate. Hopefully over the course of years there would be a group of volunteers
- D Lamb says we can't get anyone to take care of bison prairie so not sure we can commit
- J Chipault expands and says it was largely one person for a while and we have been looking for someone to take over for a long time
- M Wuethrich asks what's the alternative, do nothing?
- J Chipault expands and says it was largely one person for a while and we have been looking for someone to take over for a long time
- D Lamb says we can't get anyone to take care of bison prairie so not sure we can commit
- W Weber thinks we're now more aware of the importance of it. And M Wuethrich would also educate people and bring people in and people would use that information in their own gardens
- C Kreimendahl asks if he knows what the value of plants put in when they did the bike path (e.g., phlox); not sure they are of value to pollinators.
- M Wuethrich doesn't know value of those and who put them in. He seems a lot of dame's rocket, not native. Looks like phlox
- D Lamb says there were people from the board and neighborhood that were involved in picking out plants and doing plantings along bike trail. Laura Brown maintains retainment pond.
- M Wuethrich mostly wants to inform us, and if there's any financial support that would be great. $100 would buy seed. There are also plugs and there's Dane County cost share program that you can order plants by mid-March that are subsidized and one plant is only $1.90 and they have a good assortment of plants. That's also a possibility that he could buy some plugs for this program, which goes faster than if start with seed. Pick up May or June in Fenn Oak area on east side. Plants produced by agricultural facilities in Janesville and Evansville
- E Rogers says we generally have a system where we reimburse and we have a tax ID number since we're a nonprofit
- M Wuethrich provides contact information: 608.772.9427, marcelwuthrich at gmail.com. He also consults with people and helps them make choices and helps them do things for a small fee. This is a hobby, he has a different full-time job, but people can contact him for advice.
- P Schell thinks it's really great that he's enthusiastic. One question - fast-forward 5-10 years, does it require constant maintenance then?
- M Wuethrich says do have to do something because if let nature take care of it then eventually will get shrubs and trees and will turn to woods so have to mow or burn. Native plants are deep rooted whereas introduced plants have shallow roots. So every time you burn you put the native plants into favor. His plan is to burn it once a year (spring or fall). Window in fall is shorter for burning but allows you to seed in the fall and most of the seeds need cold-moist cycle before they germinate. Most flowers come up right when snow is melting so if burn in spring might fry them.
- Is there a cost to burning other than permit?
- No, have volunteers. Have someone from green space crew from Westmorland and they bring burn equipment and things. Eventually he might get trained.
- P Schell says there aren't many homes right by bison prairie so perhaps people didn't take ownership and he would kind of worry about the location along the golf course but there are at least some houses that look directly on it.
- M Wuethrich asks what can we lose? Even if someone abandons it 5-10 years down the road then there would be more natives there which would be a step up from where it is currently.
- P Schell asks if it is mowed
- Sometimes
- J Lager asks how big of an area it is
- M Wuethrich thinks 1/2 acre to acre. To south bordered by parking lot, to east bordered by paved connector, to north bordered by woods, and to west bordered by irrigated turf grass.
- S Fitzsimmons asks how much money he would need
- M says maybe $250 would pay for burn and buy seeds and plugs.
- P Schell makes a motion to fund $250. Seconded.
- C Kreimendahl says his individual opinion is if we put $250 in this year and $250 next year, over time that becomes a lot, so wondering what total budget is over lengthy period of time. No doubts about sincerity and commitment. Isn't there a seed company or plant company where $500 to them is meaningless and they get PR from sponsoring space.
- M Wuethrich just met a week ago with city and so this is the start and haven't looked for funds yet. Have about 10 grocery bags full of seeds from his own yard. So his plan is continuously put in seeds from his own seed bank. Knows other people who collect seed in prairies so can get from them as well. Will take a continuous supply of seeds over years. There's going to be a pool of seeds from volunteers. Knows people who are retired and all they do is collect seeds and donate seeds.
- S Fitzsimmons asks if city offers any money for beautifying neighborhoods.
- E Rogers says there are neighborhood grants that are offered every year and the deadline has passed this year (or coming up soon) and they have workshops to explain grant process
- D Lamb says they have less money and they have narrow facet and lots of hoops to jump through. D Lamb and J Chipault went a couple of years ago and decided it wasn't worth the fuss. Plus our neighborhood is not very needy compared to others so we don't compete well.
- J Chipault agrees but says if they focus on pollinators in future years, then this would be a great fit
- D Lamb says they have less money and they have narrow facet and lots of hoops to jump through. D Lamb and J Chipault went a couple of years ago and decided it wasn't worth the fuss. Plus our neighborhood is not very needy compared to others so we don't compete well.
- E Rogers says there are neighborhood grants that are offered every year and the deadline has passed this year (or coming up soon) and they have workshops to explain grant process
- N Lager suggests checking with gardening clubs for volunteers
- J Chipault clarifies that this $250 is for this year only, right?
- Yes, and the work is free.
- Motion on the table is to fund $250 toward burning permit and seeds or plugs.
- Motion passes.
- Could someone email M Wuethrich
- N Lager can be contact between the board and M Wuethrich.
- D Lamb says May/June would be the next newsletter.
- M says maybe $250 would pay for burn and buy seeds and plugs.
- C Kreimendahl says there's a plan for Wisconsin that's been in the news lately that's been criticized a bit for not doing much - how does what you're proposing tie in to that?
- Marcel lives on Agnes Dr and he would like to initiate a prairie restoration project this spring at Odana golf course. There is a little non-mowed area near the parking lot and Odana woods that is just grass and mostly weeds and he's hoping that he can get funds to restore it. Background: as some of us might be aware, the US and other industrial countries have lost pollinators and some countries now hand-pollinate their crops. In the period between spring 2014 and 2015, Wisconsin has witnessed a 60% decline in honeybees so we're not an exception to the global phenomenon. Other insects affected as well, e.g., monarch butterflies. Something that we can all do in order to halt that decline. Obama and Mayor Soglin have initiated pollinator protection task force. PPTF in Madison has gathered data about what the city is doing and they came up with recommendations. Report they produced was approved by city of Madison. There are recommendations for homeowners and the public for what they can do to support pollinators. Homeowners encouraged to plant natives to provide habitat for natives and pollinators, also birds. Works really fast. In the report, they also described so-called demonstration areas and these demonstration areas they are thought to restore native habitat for pollinators and also educate the public. Have to educate the public in order for the public to recognize that these habitats have value. He's seen pictures of grocery stores with and without pollinators and it's amazing what will go away. He passes this area on his bike every day along the Southwest bike path. It's sunny. Will be easy to establish flowers. And it's facing parking lot of golf course and connected to bike trail so people can see it. There's even a mowed path going through that area so people can explore it by foot. He's been in contact with City Parks manager and he's responsible for that area that is part of golf course and Parks manages this area and he supports restoring native prairie there and he agrees that we can annually burn the prairie. Lot of Kentucky blue grass and queen Anne's lace (invasives) so trying to destroy much of that by burning it. He has a lot of seeds gathered from his own garden and would like to buy some seeds. He needs to get a burn permit from Madison fire department, which is $50. City parks agreed that they would mow it the first 2-3 years monthly because if you burn it then weeds germinate so by mowing it monthly can knock down the weeds and allow seedlings to germinate. Prairie flowers invest most of their energy in first couple years into roots so they can withstand drought. So after 2-3 years we can cutback and mow once or twice during the growing season.
- 4th of July Celebration - Dave Blouin
- D Blouin was formerly president of neighborhood board at Westmorland. He coordinates the adopt-ice program and is now running the July 4th program. Passed around flyer from last year and flyer from 1943. 4th of July event started in 1941, which coincides with Westmorland neighborhood association so this year is their 75 year anniversary. Sunset Village and Midvale Heights were co-sponsors of 4th of July celebration as early as 1953 and as late as 2001 and other neighborhoods kind of come and go with their contributions of cost. Often, MHCA took 2/5, Westmoreland took 2/5, and Sunset Village took 1/5. It used to make money but it hasn't made money in years. It's a big part of what we give back to the neighborhood. It comes from dues paid by members. Have Halloween party, Valentines' day, films in the park, etc. 4th of July is the big one. It also was a huge City of Madison July 4th party because it included fireworks until 1987 and then not long after that Elver Park Farms got organized. 1987 was first year didn't have fireworks, which was a function of the costs and the liabilities. Event had gotten quite large at that point and now it's smaller and more of a family event. Starts with kids parade now and over by mid-afternoon, with a band, kids games, food, and in most recent few years he reintroduced beer. No beer tent, neighborhood buys beer and gives it away - 2 16 oz glasses per adult. Got rid of beer tent around 2000 because it ended up being a pen of beer-drinkers and smokers and they were an aside from the rest of the event. This year, because it's the 75th, proposing to make it a bigger event with more going on and increase activities, also increase costs. Going to do, for sure, ceremony on the night of July 3rd (Sunday). Bucky's sets up tents tables and chairs and on night of 3rd so will do potluck picnic and big band concert and during intermission they'll do a little ceremony recognizing July 4th event coordinators and past neighborhood presidents. Sarah White is author that history committee worked with to write and edit history book and she'll do short history presentation of their neighborhood. Big band will do a set of music from around the 1940s for first set (era of beginning of neighborhood) and second set would be more modern. Open to all neighborhoods. On the 4th there is a bare bones version and a big wish list. Don't have side-by-side comparison for these options yet but not too far along because meeting with both us and with Sunset Village so can figure out what on their wish list could go into an expanded event. Right now, instead of one band, two bands and instead of stopping at 2pm, going as late as 4pm in the afternoon, and brining back vintage games tied to July 4th celebrations of the past (bingo, egg in spoon, gunny sack races, raffle, volleyball tournament, perhaps softball but now put tents on baseball field). Wish list: pony rides, Ferris wheel, vintage car show in hockey rink area, beer tent (can bring in funds but needs security and a license). What Parks has done is offered every neighborhood a free event and they'll waive most fees or cut in half fees but the main criteria is it has to be 250 people or less. This doesn't qualify as a special event. Their kids' Earth Day event they're taking advantage of that and getting fees waived. Dunk tank, kids bounce houses. But insurance got crazy; cheapest rider for a bounce house is $1000. But perhaps rider would cover other liability for other events. Current budget for overall event has been around $5,000 annually (security, tents, helium, bands, chairs, licenses and fees, beer [[essentially paid for via tip jar]]). Take in ticket fees from kids games, donations around $3,000. They budgeted another $1,000 loss so they were ok with losing more than $3000. But costs up much more than 3,000 because two bands, etc. But more people attending if other neighborhoods advertise. Always held on July 4th, rain or shine, so people kind of already know about it but might get up to 50% more attendance if we advertise more. Build in enough contingency plans.
- D Lamb asks about selling food
- D Blouin says they don't, but volunteers grilled and made food and Boy scouts sold popcorn and beverages and then some point 20 or so years ago they brought in catering companies (Big 10, Pizza Pit, and been doing Pizza Extreme). Owner of Pizza Extreme grew up in Westmorland, they give a bit to feed volunteers but they keep most of the profit. His committee looked into bringing food carts and right away food carts didn't want to be there if Pizza Extreme would be there and vice versa. So sticking with Pizza Extreme. They have one food cart with two windows and the lines are long so asked him to bring in second cart so they'll bring in second cart for gyros, subs, and more vegetarian options. Waiting for final menu list from him. If that still doesn't look good, then bring in food carts but the permit for more than one food cart is >$800. Pizza Extreme covers permit costs so working with Pizza Extreme to iron out those wrinkles. Not doing fireworks again. Almost $600 just in permits and you need to hire someone that knows what they are doing and is licensed. And E Rogers relayed that part of reason stopped was because of scaring zoo animals. Also park is more wooded now. Need another tent for bingo. Pony rentals are $1000 for 4 hours. Bounce house is $200-300 rental. Ferris wheel is $2500 and volunteers have to help build it and take it apart. Takes a minimum of 6 sturdy guys. Insurance rider is an extra $1000, which they'll need almost no matter what. Key things are help with volunteers and fund raising. If have more games and more events, need more helpers and also need fundraising help (via cash or via finding sponsors etc.), talked about having t-shirts made listing sponsors. Another thing he used to do is manage advertising in newsletter so with those relationships in place could reach out to advertiser for various fundraising needs (did so with two books published) and they got recognized in books and got good will from neighborhood. Also asked for ads purchased in directory that comes out every two years. They try not to ask for help too often, usually just for special projects. Anticipating reaching out in next 6 weeks or so asking for sponsorship help from these advertisers. Would at least generate banner with their names and think it makes it sense to put their names on a t-shirt. Also don't want to poach advertisers outside the neighborhood (Commons, Village Bar corners, few on Monroe St), deliberately did not reach out to Westgate or University Drive or beltline. That's where we could help - could you ask your business base for simple donation of say $100 or donations of prizes. Raffle, bingo, t-shirt sales, direct sponsorships, could make quite a bit of money. Deficit looks like $3500 for bare bones expansion and more like $,8700 for wish list. No one is saying this is the new norm. Would like to see all three neighborhoods involved but don't need to continue to make it this big.
- C Kreimendahl suggests that we co-sponsor and not sure what that involves, membership participate and volunteer, some amount of money, trying to think of how many of our residents would attend (~100). C Kreimendahl thinks it's been a while since we've been involved with this as a neighborhood. So thinking about gauging our financial contribution based on the number of participants.
- D Blouin kind of looking to see if there were objections to going all-in. Did say up-front that he wasn't going to ask for specific cash contributions. Or are there any ideas we have for this event that aren't already on the list. Wanted to meet with us, get a sense of our support and come back with more concrete proposal as soon as possible. Can we commit to promotion, advertising, help with fundraising contacts, and volunteers support.
- Only limit C Kreimendahl can see on that is that a week or two before that we have our picnic which will suck up some of our volunteers.
- D Blouin says even with the full expansion, don't think we'd need 50 volunteers, just another couple dozen. Knows he'll get more volunteers from within Westmorland because it's an anniversary event. Usually can get 80-100 volunteers easily from within neighborhood and in neighboring neighborhoods.
- Only limit C Kreimendahl can see on that is that a week or two before that we have our picnic which will suck up some of our volunteers.
- D Blouin asked about size of our picnic
- About 200
- This event goes on rain or shine.
- C Kreimendahl offers motion that we co-sponsor the event and provide volunteer, advertising support, and some unspecified financial contribution.
- Seconded
- Motion passes
- D Blouin will distribute list of activities and budget to E Rogers before our next meeting. Ideas are welcome.
- Dunk tank: there's a photo from Paul Soglin's first term as mayor when he agreed to sit in the dunk tank at Westmorland Park smoking a cigarette. This was when he was running for reelection and asked if he would sit in the dunk tank and he said yes. Maybe he'll do it again.
- J Chipault suggests, at the least, blowing that picture up big. People would love that.
- C Kreimendahl asks if there's a set meeting schedule
- Meeting this Saturday and again the weekend after March 7. Been meeting in this room Saturday morning at 10. Will forward the meeting schedule because he'd love it if reps from other neighborhoods came to those meetings.
- J Chipault asks if he's looking for a sense from us as to whether or not we want to go whole hog. Have we answered that for him?
- D Blouin will price it all out anyway. Sometimes hard to find people to do things on the 4th of July. Bands are easy to get though because they can play during the day and then still do a gig at night. If you think about anything else, pass it through E Rogers. We wouldn't' do anything this big very often but would love it if this is a re-start of having neighborhoods co-sponsor the event. The party used to go to midnight and not trying for that, want a family event, have a nice event going.
- D Lamb asks about selling food
- D Blouin was formerly president of neighborhood board at Westmorland. He coordinates the adopt-ice program and is now running the July 4th program. Passed around flyer from last year and flyer from 1943. 4th of July event started in 1941, which coincides with Westmorland neighborhood association so this year is their 75 year anniversary. Sunset Village and Midvale Heights were co-sponsors of 4th of July celebration as early as 1953 and as late as 2001 and other neighborhoods kind of come and go with their contributions of cost. Often, MHCA took 2/5, Westmoreland took 2/5, and Sunset Village took 1/5. It used to make money but it hasn't made money in years. It's a big part of what we give back to the neighborhood. It comes from dues paid by members. Have Halloween party, Valentines' day, films in the park, etc. 4th of July is the big one. It also was a huge City of Madison July 4th party because it included fireworks until 1987 and then not long after that Elver Park Farms got organized. 1987 was first year didn't have fireworks, which was a function of the costs and the liabilities. Event had gotten quite large at that point and now it's smaller and more of a family event. Starts with kids parade now and over by mid-afternoon, with a band, kids games, food, and in most recent few years he reintroduced beer. No beer tent, neighborhood buys beer and gives it away - 2 16 oz glasses per adult. Got rid of beer tent around 2000 because it ended up being a pen of beer-drinkers and smokers and they were an aside from the rest of the event. This year, because it's the 75th, proposing to make it a bigger event with more going on and increase activities, also increase costs. Going to do, for sure, ceremony on the night of July 3rd (Sunday). Bucky's sets up tents tables and chairs and on night of 3rd so will do potluck picnic and big band concert and during intermission they'll do a little ceremony recognizing July 4th event coordinators and past neighborhood presidents. Sarah White is author that history committee worked with to write and edit history book and she'll do short history presentation of their neighborhood. Big band will do a set of music from around the 1940s for first set (era of beginning of neighborhood) and second set would be more modern. Open to all neighborhoods. On the 4th there is a bare bones version and a big wish list. Don't have side-by-side comparison for these options yet but not too far along because meeting with both us and with Sunset Village so can figure out what on their wish list could go into an expanded event. Right now, instead of one band, two bands and instead of stopping at 2pm, going as late as 4pm in the afternoon, and brining back vintage games tied to July 4th celebrations of the past (bingo, egg in spoon, gunny sack races, raffle, volleyball tournament, perhaps softball but now put tents on baseball field). Wish list: pony rides, Ferris wheel, vintage car show in hockey rink area, beer tent (can bring in funds but needs security and a license). What Parks has done is offered every neighborhood a free event and they'll waive most fees or cut in half fees but the main criteria is it has to be 250 people or less. This doesn't qualify as a special event. Their kids' Earth Day event they're taking advantage of that and getting fees waived. Dunk tank, kids bounce houses. But insurance got crazy; cheapest rider for a bounce house is $1000. But perhaps rider would cover other liability for other events. Current budget for overall event has been around $5,000 annually (security, tents, helium, bands, chairs, licenses and fees, beer [[essentially paid for via tip jar]]). Take in ticket fees from kids games, donations around $3,000. They budgeted another $1,000 loss so they were ok with losing more than $3000. But costs up much more than 3,000 because two bands, etc. But more people attending if other neighborhoods advertise. Always held on July 4th, rain or shine, so people kind of already know about it but might get up to 50% more attendance if we advertise more. Build in enough contingency plans.
- Neighborhood Social Networking - E Rogers
- E Rogers says we have a fantastic mechanism for communication to our members: messenger, email blast, Facebook page... so in terms of one-way messaging, we are ok. Perhaps one way we haven't had as much success is fostering inter-neighbor communication. Our Facebook page can accommodate this but it's not typically done. We don't have a list-serv right now, which is an email mechanism where people sign up and every email gets bounced to everybody. Some neighborhoods do this. We also now have a website called NextDoor.com. It also offers to do this where they set up some system of verification so that if you live in a neighborhood you can communicate with their neighbors on this site. For things like finding a babysitter and finding someone to shovel. Our neighborhood watch has been one of our strongest ways to allow people to communicate. A couple years ago we talked about whether we wanted to promote Nextdoor.com. We decided not to because we don't understand how they make money; advertizing or selling information? That was in 2013. Lately though, of their own volition, neighbors have been signing up and S Fitzsimmons has been talking about it in his neighborhood watch emails. Does anyone have ideas of what, if anything, we should be doing to foster inter-neighbor communication. Nextdoor exists but it's not influenced by us.
- J Chipault uses Nextdoor and likes it. Only posted once, to indicate that had garden rocks on the curb
- S Fitzsimmons brings up crime is posted on Nextdoor. Sometimes two-way list servs have negative comments and that destroys community feel
- J Chipault hasn't noticed much negativity on Nextdoor. Even if about sensitive topics like policing, people remain pretty civil
- T Trapp says they know you are who you say you are because it needs to verify you live where you live.
- J Chipault hasn't noticed much negativity on Nextdoor. Even if about sensitive topics like policing, people remain pretty civil
- T Jarvis says his concern is we end up with three different ways to get communication out. They don't have to be a member to get Facebook information and Nextdoor. T Jarvis does the website but not Facebook or Nextdoor.
- E Rogers thinks that he likes the balance we struck for outgoing messages. We would not have the ability or inclination to take over Nextdoor, but as far as do we want to promote it, that's why he's bringing it up. There's 240 Midvale Heights households on Nextdoor, including 3 in this room, and we were previously saying there's a prohibition of mentioning it or cheerleading it. What is our stance now? Do we promote it as a way for neighbors to communicate with each other.
- T Trapp thinks it's an opportunity for us to have a presence. Not sure how we could promote or leverage.
- S Fitzsimmons says it's a way to share information with our community. We don't have to do anything but we could be in support of it.
- E Rogers says stick with status quo for now which is we can promote it in crime digest emails and T Jarvis shouldn't feel in any way obligated to monitor it.
- E Rogers thinks that he likes the balance we struck for outgoing messages. We would not have the ability or inclination to take over Nextdoor, but as far as do we want to promote it, that's why he's bringing it up. There's 240 Midvale Heights households on Nextdoor, including 3 in this room, and we were previously saying there's a prohibition of mentioning it or cheerleading it. What is our stance now? Do we promote it as a way for neighbors to communicate with each other.
- E Rogers says we have a fantastic mechanism for communication to our members: messenger, email blast, Facebook page... so in terms of one-way messaging, we are ok. Perhaps one way we haven't had as much success is fostering inter-neighbor communication. Our Facebook page can accommodate this but it's not typically done. We don't have a list-serv right now, which is an email mechanism where people sign up and every email gets bounced to everybody. Some neighborhoods do this. We also now have a website called NextDoor.com. It also offers to do this where they set up some system of verification so that if you live in a neighborhood you can communicate with their neighbors on this site. For things like finding a babysitter and finding someone to shovel. Our neighborhood watch has been one of our strongest ways to allow people to communicate. A couple years ago we talked about whether we wanted to promote Nextdoor.com. We decided not to because we don't understand how they make money; advertizing or selling information? That was in 2013. Lately though, of their own volition, neighbors have been signing up and S Fitzsimmons has been talking about it in his neighborhood watch emails. Does anyone have ideas of what, if anything, we should be doing to foster inter-neighbor communication. Nextdoor exists but it's not influenced by us.
- Announcements - Board
- We still need an annual picnic coordinator and garage sale coordinator. So if know of anyone or if you yourself could do some leg work to maintain a tradition that's over 10 years old now.
- C Kreimendahl shares that Kids Club House is over, they aren't doing that anymore.
- If find someone has moved in to your neck of the woods, the modus operandi is to pick up new neighbor packet from C Kreimendahl
- E Rogers just heard from Fred Riser who is state senator and he should be able to come to our October meeting. Got back to E Rogers right away.
- D Lamb mentions concert series. Parks dept is making it easy. All four concerts are one event and it's free and amplification fee will be half price ($50 for all the concerts). 15 bands on a list. Approach is to send out blind cc to everyone who has been interested. Don't want four bands that all play the same music and also looking for people who are willing to keep Saturday night open for rain date. What happens if we get rained out both nights? D lamb will talk to people to figure out a payment schedule that makes sense for that scenario.
- T Jarvis says new member in Area 15 joined yesterday. T Jarvis has membership cards and directory for them.
- S Fitzsimmons asks if can do one fundraising thing would go to Shopko and ask for donation to police department of stuffed animals.
- Good idea.
- Meeting adjourned 8:49
Notes recorded by J Chipault, secretary
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