March Meeting Minutes

Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association
MEETING MINUTES
Board Meeting: March 28, 2011 7:08 p.m.
Meeting Location: Rachel Westmeyer’s home at 1935 Summit Avenue
Recorded by: Carolyn Will, Secretary
Present: Bethany Gladhill, K.D. Athow, Mary Lynch, Carolyn Will, Rachel Westmeyer, Harry Walsh, Francis Luikart, Elizabeth Paper
Absent: Jim Groskopf, Alison Enestvedt, Mary Michaels, Kit Natz

1. Called to order at 7:10 p.m. President called the meeting to order.
2. Minutes approved: KD moves and Mary seconds. Passes unanimously.
3. Treasurer’s report.
a. Deposited a few more membership dues.
b. With the news that M&I has been sold, the account will remain at Associated Bank until a new Treasurer assumes the position and does additional research.
c. Bethany showed a device called a “square,” which can be used to swipe credit cards when it’s connected to a iphone or ipad. This could be used for events such as the Garden Stroll.
d. Web hosting costs approx. $35/month and Mary said she would investigate less expensive options.

4. WSNAC:
a. Rachel W. said the community dinners have been well-received.
• WASNAC meeting Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30 p.m. Mpls attorney Louis Smith presented his final thoughts on ways to rebuild community around UST. We are over the tipping point on rental. The records show 51% of the residents are renters in Union Park neighborhood.
• UST Geography Department engaged a student to research the nonhomesteading numbers and mark the change over the past several years. The research showed that in 2002, the surrounding neighborhood had 10.6% non-homesteaded. In 2009 to the number doubled to 21% nonhomesteaders.
• According to Louis, the nonhomesteading tipping point is 31%... that’s when the neighborhood starts to go into decline.
• Findings: UST is committed to addressing student behavior, and working on relationship with the neighborhood.
• Conclusion: UST does not see the nonhomesteading issue as a crisis, but it does a pose a problem for their relationship with the neighborhood.
• UST looking for grants to help bring more UST professors back into the neighborhood. Suggestion: Offer down payment assistance, ie. $7,500 for UST employees, $5,000 for others. Goal: Give 80 grants in 10 years.
• Audacious Goals: Get back below the tipping point in Merriam Park where it is has been 50% rental for the past 7 or 8 years. Mr. Louis suggested that it get below 30%. “re-convert’ 100 parcels to homestead in ten years. Organize landlords and offer training to students on behavior! Promote student rental training.


5. President’s Report: Membership committee.
a. Sunday, April 17 Renewing and New Membership Meeting 4-6 pm social meeting to follow at 6 p.m. Call out for members to bring a new potential new member.
b. Discussion on reasons to join SARPA will be highlighted in the upcoming newsletter.

6. Garden Stroll & Tea: Scheduled for Sunday, June 26 , 1-5 p.m.
a. Vendor options:
Chow Girls from NE Mpls: Menu submitted. $586 per 100.
Would need refrigeration.
B. Location for Tea: Temple of Aaron, Look Out Park, Macalester Alumni House.
A. Governor’s Mansion: Requested a FACT Sheet detailing what it involves for them.
Bethany would like to see gardens that have a unique feature.
Gardens that are on our working list:
573 Summit (neighbor to Kit Natz)
955 Summit (formal garden front and back) Sherry Wilsey
1941 Summit: Rain Garden
1490 Summit: Backyard poultry & front yard landscaped with all native plants,
B. Sonja Mason said Cass Gilbert Society would like to participate this year. Bethany will request that the CG group identify a CG home on Summit which could be featured on the stroll. As well as supply us with a few volunteers.
C. Mary will ask her neighbors who did organic gardening…
D. Check out the house across the Meltzer’s…
E. Tickets $10/ $10
F. Expert: YES Jeff Gillman, U of M Professor of Horticulture could be considered.
G. KD moves that we name Second Harvest as our charity, donating 10% of our proceeds and the motion passed unanimously.
H. Set date for Garden committee meeting: Monday,April 4 , 7 p.m. @ 1583 Summit Ave.

New Business
b. Traffic meeting: Amy Spong, city’s STAR preservation officer, said the city will be replacing the guard rail over Ayd Mill Road, adding wrought iron and lanterns.
c. Vehicular traffic at William Mitchell.
I. The city has proposed bumpouts. SARPA board members sighted the many hazards associated with bumpouts. See white paper attached.
II. Mary Lynch suggests we ask the city to put a police officer at the intersection to monitor and ticket those motorists not yielding to pedestrians.
III. KD raised the issued of the parking along Summit and making it difficult to see around the cars when attempting to pull out from a side street. She suggested more “no parking” signs, reminding motorists of law that no parking allowed within 15 feet of intersection and 30 feet from stop sign.
IV. Elizabeth would like the SARPA position to reflect that we are concerned about many intersections along Summit Ave. Dale & Snelling are both extremely hazardous intersections.
V. Bethany moved that her white paper be submitted to the city on behalf of SARPA’s position on the proposed bumpouts as solution to the William Mitchell student safety issue.


7. Garage Sale: Mary Lynch will explore setting up a Summit Ave. Garage Sale.
8. Donations: Elizabeth would like to see SARPA donate money to help Ramsey Hill organization pay for the lighting of Nathan Hale Park on the holiday/winter lighting.
KD Moves and Mary seconds that SARPA donate $300 to Ramsey Hill Association for holiday lighting for 2011-12. The motion carried unanimously.
9. Annual Meeting: June 20th
10. KD volunteered to be Treasurer following Alison’s term ends.
11. Old Business.
a. New book coming out told from Coco Irvine, sister to Olivia Irvine Dodge, who grew up at 1006 Summit, which is now used as the Governor’s Mansion.
b. 100 birthday cards went out to homeowners.


12. Next board meet will be Sunday, April 17 from 4-6 Social. SARPA will provide beverages/wine and Meeting to follow at 6 p.m. Kit’s home: 591 Summit Avenue

13. Meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m.