West End Civic Association
Board Minutes
October 4, 2011

Present: David Klein, Stephen Cohen, Hannah Gant, Stephanie Woodlock, Faith Palmer, Steve Colangelo, Fi Bookwalter, Jan Klein, David Barrett, Val Bryan, Rand Cooper, David Jorgensen, Linda Jorgensen, Gretchen Unfried, Martha Shaw, Marcia Hughes, Lakisher Hurst (staff)

Meeting called to order at: 7:07 p.m.

MOTION:  I move to approve the minutes of the 9/6/11 Board Meeting.
David Klein; second: Stephen Colangelo.
No discussion; motion passes unanimously.

Sector Reports

Southwest: Stephanie:  The sector had a meeting 9/21.  971 Boulevard was not discussed because no interested party present. The sector would like a neutral person to mediate between the landlord who blacktopped the back yard and the side yard and the residents.  The next meeting is planned for December and the sector is also planning a Pub Crawl.  Val mentioned that 57 Oxford is causing major noise problems, waking people up and rude language.  David Jorgensen will follow up with the CSO.

Southeast:  Hannah & Marcia:  The sector would like to create more recreational space and are working on this issue.  The Evergreen block party is on Saturday 11-4.  David Klein mentioned that this is Yom Kippur and all WECA activities should take into consideration religious dates.

Central West: Steve C.  All well.

Central East:  Gretchen.  The owner of the lot at the top of Kenyon Street has agreed to move the recently placed dumpsters.  Gretchen will follow up for more details.  A block party has been set for 10/15 by Joe Fisher.  The neighbor organizing the event wanted help from his church members in volunteer support.  WECA decided not to co-sponsor the event due to the religious affiliation.  David B. mentioned that the Officers met and are planning to develop a set of guidelines to bring to the Board as our bylaws are clear that we are a non-sectarian organization. 

North: Linda is getting complaints about the CREC Museum school bus traffic.  Track meets are being held in the lower portion of Elizabeth Park.  Linda will work with Rand (Educational Committee) on this issue to see if the proper permitting has been obtained, etc.

Financial Report: David Klein.  Membership continues to trickle in.  Matt Ritter sent a check for $150 from his PAC toward the Dudley Scholarship fund.  We received a $5,000 check from the State for the West End Southeast Historic District project.   Linda raises the issue of whether it is appropriate for WECA to accept PAC funds.  We have accepted PAC funds in the past and it is legal to do so.  By and large we have accepted funds from PACS that are dissolving.  We have taken positions on legislative issues in the past.  Will it taint us?  Should we accept paid advertisements from politicians?  We have accepted checks in the past for the Dine-Around from PACs.  Is it an implied endorsement or can it be misconstrued as such?  The officers will add the issue of advertisements from politicians to the recommendation concerning affiliation with religious organizations and report back.  The Board is in consensus that David K. will return the funds to Matt Ritter with an explanation.

Retreat on October 30th:
Is anyone interested in providing food?  Sylvia Reid is interested in providing the food for a fee but if anyone else is interested let David know.  Sylvia is opening a catering business.  Forward agenda items to David B. asap.

Update on proposal to restore 217 Beacon Street
Two developers (Christian Winkley and Sean Lilly) are interested in developing and will be forwarding proposals by Oct. 15.  They have been asked to answer some specific questions. 

Planning for October General Meeting/Candidates Forums:
There are four candidates for Mayor and 16 for City Council.  The Council Meeting is on Tuesday.  Should we have written questions on note cards?  An audience member at the August meeting felt that some of the questions were lacking merit.  People should be able to ask spontaneous questions.  Note cards can make the questions more concise.  Some people may be intimidated by having to write questions.  What about a hybrid approach?  Ask questions from note cards, then open to audience questions and then go back to note cards.  Emphasize that the questions should be brief.

Volunteers for set up:
11th: Martha and David.
18th: Rand & Faith.

Update: Hartford College for Women: Linda & Rand

The Capitol Region Economic Council (“CREC”) agreed that most likely they will not close on the property by the end of December because P&Z approval will take time.  They need to provide a traffic study and then there will be public hearings.  An attempt was made to get CREC to commit to giving priority to West End students to the Hartford seats.  CREC stepped back from their August agreement to give all of the Hartford seats (50%) to the West End students.  CREC is now saying they will commit to 25% of the seats to West End students.  There are currently three West End kids in the school after preference for siblings (87) and teachers so it is not clear where the numbers will fall. 

Another issue is the boundary line.  Usually it is a half mile radius but no one from South of Farmington would be within this geographic limit.  The traffic study is an issue – 15-18 busses (not including parents doing pick-ups) avoiding the residential area may create large back-ups.  WECA Advisory Committee is meeting on 10/25 and next meeting with CREC is 11/15.

How many spaces are available per grade?  Will the spaces be available for the grades that West End kids are already in (older kids or new residents)?  Will it be a number of seats in every grade?  Or do you have to apply in the beginning (i.e. for kindergarten to get a seat)?

There are currently 240 kids at Webster and we can’t get a breakdown on how many are from the West End to get a sense of proportion.

The WECA Advisory Committee is continuing to seek answers to questions, conditions (seats) and the preservations of the buildings.  WECA needs to seek a commitment to provide seats to West End resident students.

Reports:

Officers: David:  Housing Committee co-chair, Ted Cannon, resigned.  There is an opening for both co-chairs of this committee.

General Meetings – last year we decided to have 4 (Oct, Dec, March, June) General Meetings instead of 5.  Matt Ritter has asked that there be a General Meeting on Education because the legislative session is going to address Education.  Do we want to have a portion of the December General meeting on Education in Hartford and the Legislative Education Agenda?  The consensus is yes.

Please note that the next Board Meeting is 11/1 because Election Day is 11/8.

Committees:

Architectural History & Resources:  Jan:  West End South East Historic District is the major project.  This is the last area of the neighborhood with the exception of Farmington Ave., and then the West End will be fully incorporated into the National Historic District.  The Committee is using the same consultant that was used on the Oxford Whitney Historic District donut hole.  The Committee is considering how to encourage residents to display Historic District plaques which must be purchased. 

Bluestone sidewalks are now an approved material by the City; approved last month.  This will tie into the MDC streetscape project. 

Beautification & Planting:  Faith:  32 trees were planted at Sisson and West Boulevard with the help of Knox Parks Foundation.

Community Building: Val:  A meeting is planned for November.  Hooker Day Parade is on 10/22.  The Committee is not envisioned as a social activity committee but rather community building.

Education: Rand & Faith:  Rand attended the Mark Twain Library Branch ribbon cutting ceremony which has moved to the Hartford Public High School Building.  It was well-attended.  Should we recommend a sign for the outside of the building and parking for patrons?  The Committee is meeting next week and will be discussing the Honor Roll party and where to hold it.  Applications have not been received for the Carl Dudley Scholarship yet.

Farmers Market: Hannah.  Last day is 10/28.  Lindsay is interested in continuing her role next year as Market Administrator.  She will stay on in a part-time yearly position.

Finance:  Will be meeting later this month.

Public Safety: There was a burglary on Girard Avenue, south of Asylum, in a house where the residents appeared to be out of town (newspapers piling up).  A CL&P imposter was also seen canvassing the neighborhood.  Don’t open your door to unknown people.

Adjourned: 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Martha A. Shaw