WENA Meeting Minutes,
Wednesday, 2-13-19,
Reiche Community Room
Board members present: Leana Good-Simpson, Ian Jacob, Steve Mortimer, Liz Parsons, Pamela Shaw, Bryan Van Dussen, Kim Sutton, Gwynne Williams
Board members absent: Barb DeSerres, Christian Bisimwa
Others present: Elissa Armstrong, Espahbad Dodd, Landis Gabel, Peter Hall, Suzanne Hunt, Jacob Matto, Christine McHale, Janet Mishoe, Lin Parsons, Penny Rich, Curt Sachs, Barb Wood.
Welcome and introductions. President Pamela Shaw called the meeting to order at 6:30.
Secretary’s Report. The December minutes circulated. Request to add: that we decided to ask Doug Hitchcox from Audubon to return to finish his talk. Minutes accepted.
Treasurer’s Report
| Norway Savings1 | $7,001 |
| Petty Cash | $30 |
| Total Available Funds | $5,017 |
| Earmarks; | |
| WECANAIP | $104 |
| Swim for Life | $3,177 |
| Harbor view | $244 |
| General fund | $3,476 |
| Subtotal | $7,001 |
| Petty Cash | $30 |
| Total Funds | $7,031 |
Police report. None. Police representatives did not attend.
Community Announcements:
- Suzanne Hunt: people are driving too fast; idea: put up “Please Slow Down” yard signs. Sign up if willing to have one in your yard. Write an article for the WEN.
- Curt Sachs: firemen were digging out the fire hydrant at Emory & Cushman today. We are free to adopt a local hydrant and shovel it out per the Fire Dept.
- Curt Sachs: bothered that we don’t have more members. If WENA prints flyers telling about us, what we do, etc., Curt will stuff in mail boxes. Could do through Reiche if PTO OK’s the idea. Decision: form a committee to work on it (Bryan, Kim, Alice).
Open Forum
-
What do
we value/appreciate about WENA?
- Very consistent, lots of info shared in a friendly, collaborative way, great way to meet neighbors, all the various projects (Book Nook, Window Dressers, gardens, Harbor View Park), having a place to meet, informative e-bulletins (e.g. parking ban info very comprehensive), city staff, councilors, and other presenters, WENA’s website (done for free by Clifford Tremblay), candidate debates and forums (would like state reps to attend more frequently)
- Hold a forum of Presidents of other NAs to share ideas; feedback: if you’re interested in other NAs, go attend one of their meetings. if you want to know what they’re doing, see their websites.
- Create more outdoor exercise areas in Portland to promote being outdoors, healthy activities. HVP will eventually have stations. Eastern Prom has tai chi, etc. in good weather. Reiche has one but it’s in disrepair.
- We need greater awareness about things like the cemetery, Ronald McDonald House, Strive U, LearningWorks, Amistad, etc.
- Emily Figdor will be speaking at the next WENA meeting., also Lori Moses (Nursery School on Danforth with Opportunity Alliance
- Big festival at Harbor View Park. Who will take lead or be part of the committee (Bryan).
- More/better lighting in West End. Being worked on.
- Brick sidewalks are very dangerous in the winter. City can’t afford to do much more re maintaining brick sidewalks. Could city plow the sidewalks in more areas? City needs to enforce existing laws about homeowners clearing their own sidewalks. Spencer needs to walk his campaign talk about toughening enforcement. We need to start attending City Council meetings and speaking out. Petition or email flood would work better.
- Concerns about issues at Longfellow Square.
- Police need to attend our meetings and hear these complaints. They offered to meet with us during the day and we should do this.
- Parking Bans. The city is calling them too late. Cars were buried by the plows.
- One Climate Future for Portland/South Portland meeting 2/28 @ 6pm in City Hall. Pamela will put it on the WENA website/distributed to all members.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05.
Steve Mortimer, WENA Secretary
1 Received a $2,000 unrestricted gift in January
