• David S. Barrett, 233-6993, president
• Doré Thomas, 231-8259, vice president
• Martha Shaw, 249-1361, secretary
• David Klein, 232-2050, treasurer and Finance Committee chair
• Stephen Cohen, 232-1396, Southwest Sector representative
• Baylah Tessier-Sherman, 547-0123, Southwest Sector representative
• Jeff Jahnke, 748-5924, Southwest Sector alternate
• Marcia Hughes, 231-0136, Southeast Sector representative
• Eve Christian, 523-1939, Southeast Sector representative
• Sagacity Walker, 523-0736, Southeast Sector representative
• Shariq Iqbal, 233-5310, Southeast Sector representative
• Steven Colangelo, 523-0597, West Central Sector representative
• Amy Bergquist, 655-2125, West Central Sector alternate
• Dorothy Lovett Buckley, 523-9291, East Central Sector representative
• Gretchen Unfried, 917-862-9983, East Central Sector representative
• Linda Jorgensen, 236-9554, North Sector representative
• Jan Klein, 232-2050, Architectural History and Resources Committee co-chair
• Sylvia Reid, 233-0436, Education Committee chair
• Rob Miller, 997-5776, Farmers' Market chair
• Sonia Ayala, 233-2980, Housing Committee co-chair
• Anthony Gray, 904-5769, Housing Committee co-chair
• Charlie Ortiz, 841-2345, Membership Committee chair
• John Gale, 232-9019, Planning & Zoning Committee chair
• David Jorgensen, 670-5454, Public Safety Committee chair
• John Barlow, 570-0868, Seniors representative

West End Civic Association Board Meeting
Minutes – May 5, 2009

Meeting called to order at 7:02 p.m.

Present: Sagacity Walker, Baylah Tessier-Sherman, Jan Klein, David Klein, Gretchen Unfried, Laura Berman, Stephen Cohen, Doré Thomas, Charlie Ortiz, Shariq Iqbal, Steve Colangelo, Marcia Hughes, David Barrett, David Jorgensen, Linda Jorgensen, Dorothy Lovett Buckley, John Barlow, Martha Shaw, Anthony Gray

Staff: Brenda McCumber

OLD BUSINESS

Minutes of the April 7, 2009 meeting were approved unanimously. Moved by David Klein; seconded by Baylah Tessier-Sherman.

NEW BUSINESS

Financial Report: David Klein circulated the financial report for April 2009, which was received.

June 9, 2009 Annual Meeting Planning:

State of the West End – by David Barrett
Recognition of outgoing Board Members
Recognition of Youth Initiative
Grants – Announcement of Awards
Farmers’ Market plans
Sector Meetings: Priorities and Sector Representative Elections
Recognition of Carl S. Dudley
Rebuilding Together Hartford
Other Announcements

Grants:
The Grants allocations group met on Friday, May 1 and evaluated 21 requests for funding.  Each was reviewed by the Committee. The Committee recommends that the following organizations be granted funds:

• BeansRBountiful, submitted by Val Bryan. The project would provide 50 West End families with containers and seeds to grow beans. Managed by Val and Charmaine Craig of Knox Parks Foundation. $260. Community Outreach

• Dramatic Arts Program at Noah Webster School, submitted by Hartford Children’s Theater. Two 12-week sessions of drama classes offered to 2nd and 3rd graders, then 4th and 5th graders. Ends with a performance, we would ask for a performance at a general meeting. $1,325. Education

• Summer Youth Media Program, submitted by Chris Vater. Training and production of videos by 25 youth 12 to 17 years old. Culminating in a presentation of the videos, with each participant making his or her own video and then a team production of a West End video. $2,000 contingent on completion of first phase – recruitment, location and timetable. We would provide $250 as seed money to recruit the youth, then we would meet with Chris to consider viability of program. He also would need to identify venue for program and develop timetable while recruiting students. West End Activities

• The Children’s Hour, submitted by Dianne Antos. A weekly front lawn story time at the United Methodist Church. $100 for refreshments. West End Activities

• Portable adjustable soccer goals, submitted by Hartford Soccer Club. Goals would be used in new evening soccer program designed as opportunity for youth to play and learn soccer along with their parents, casually. $1,000, contingent on club raising $500, with total cost of goals at $1,500. West End Activities

• Brightest and Best, submitted by United Methodist Church and Noah Webster School. This would be an evening of music and story celebrating life in the West End, held in early December. $1,000 plus insert in November newsletter and promotion support through email and use of insert as neighborhood flyer. Community Building

• Plays in the Parks, submitted by HartBeat Ensemble. Performance in Elizabeth Park in July. $1,000. Community Building

Beautification:
Val Bryan has asked for beautifications funds.

MOTION #2:  David Klein moved that Val Bryan be awarded $400 for mulch and plantings along West Boulevard and Sisson Avenue.  Gretchen Unfried seconded.  Motion passes unanimously.

Carl S. Dudley Recognition
Carl Dudley, president of WECA for nine years, died April 22.  The family has requested donations in his memory be made to either a Hartford Seminary scholarship fund or Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

MOTION #3: David Klein moved to authorize a $1,000 contribution to the Hartford Seminary’s Carl S. Dudley Scholarship Fund; seconded by Charlie Ortiz.

John Gale via David Barrett suggested that we purchase a Rose Bed memorial in the Elizabeth Park Rose Garden in honor of Carl. Motion tabled. David Klein will speak with Shirley Dudley to determine the family’s wishes.

Board Communication

Discussion to be respectful to fellow Board members.

UPDATES:

Shell Station lot.  There has been some discussion with Al Gamble and Phil Schoenberger, working with Francesco Gomes, to do some landscaping and repair of some of the pavement for temporary use as a parking lot for restaurant patrons. Linda Jorgensen reported that the city may raise some issues. Matter is in the hands of Gamble and Schoenberger.

Flea Market.  Steve and Ruth Fortier, long-term West End residents, have volunteered to organize a Flea Market on the Shell Station lot. 

Youth Initiative presented by Sagacity Walker and Marcia Hughes.  The program is going well.  There has been positive feedback from local businesses.

OFFICER REPORTS:
President:  There are portable trailers on the Hartford College for Women campus.  There has been a request to leave the trailers there, but the City has declined to do so. Rumor has it that CREC wants to see that site for another magnet school.  CREC would have to buy the property.  David B. has asked Linda J. to follow up and find out more.  Jan Klein will be involved because of her efforts to rehabilitate Butterworth Hall.

Dine A Round Jan Klein proposes that the Dine A Round West End Task Force become an official committee of WECA, with membership on the Board and with full Board voting rights.  The Dine A Round raises approximately half of WECA’s operating budget.

MOTION #4:  David Klein moved that the Dine A Round Task Force become an official stand alone WECA Committee and that the Committee Chairs have discretion to select committee members.  Seconded by Gretchen Unfried.

Discussion about making it a “Fund Raising Committee” as opposed to limited to the Dine A Round. Also discussion about opening membership to anyone who wishes to serve.  The request was tabled until the June meeting with a request that a written proposal, including the tasks of the committee, be submitted in advance of the meeting.

Education presented by David Barrett.
The boundaries of Noah Webster have been changed. David Barrett and Gretchen Unfried will seek clarification regarding the effects the redistricting is having on West End residents.

Pot Luck Neighborhood Get Together in Elizabeth Park.  Dore, Linda and John will work on organizing a summer pot luck in the park.

SECTOR REPORTS: 

Central East: Dorothy & Gretchen. The Kenyon St. Progressive Dinner was a success. There have been a number of raccoons sighted on Kenyon Street. There have been a number of accidents at the intersection of Westerly Terrace and Albany in front of a vacant house. Broken glass needs to be picked up. Call 311.

Southwest: Steve Cohen, Baylah Tessier-Sherman. Rafie’s Block Party set for June 27. Baylah has seen a number of raccoons, too. There is a nice Bodega in the neighborhood on South Whitney, “One Stop” replacing the old Vanessa’s. 

Southeast: Shariq. The owner of the Ethiopian Restaurant has made a complaint about one of his patrons being towed.  He mistakenly thought his patrons could park there for a half hour before getting towed.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Planning and Zoning There was no vote at the ZBA meeting regarding 276-278 Oxford Street due to the failure to reach a quorum, so the meeting will be continued.  There is a proposal to put a cell phone tower on the roof of Boulevard West.  Committee meeting set for Monday at the WECC. No further developments on the Pond House.

Public Safety – David J. Ten of 60 antique guns were stolen from a Sisson Avenue resident’s home  The weapons were inherited from her father. There have been a few break-ins recently in the neighborhood.

Seniors - John Barlow.  There are gatherings every other Wednesday at WECC. 

Architecture – Jan Klein and Laura Berman presented. The Committee met on April 22nd. The Committee is working on their web page. Jill Barrett submitted an application for funding for expansion of the Historic District along Oxford, Fern and Whitney streets and the grant has been approved. 

Nominating Committee has identified a nominee for Secretary and two candidates for Vice President.