Wooten Neighborhood Association
Minutes of 14 July 2008
President Danny Langfield called the meeting to order a little after 7:00 PM in the Redeemer Lutheran Church cafeteria. He noted that the water for the evenings meeting had been donated by Syed Asif Shamsie of Mi Tiendita. Langfield explained the WNA meeting dates and handed out the minutes prepared by Secretary Marilyn Rogers, a Membership Committee report, and a map of WNA boundaries so (future) volunteers distributing membership drive handouts could better see the territory to cover.
Treasurer Janie Riley reported that the WNA treasury held $1345.92. Debbie Danforth moved to accept the Treasurers report; Sarah Reams seconded; the motion passed.
President Langfield explained the usual order of business.
AD HOC COMMITTEES: The ad hoc committees were asked to report.
<> Victor Engel was not there to report for the Technology Committee, but member Carolyn Spock reported that the committee had not met since the last WNA meeting. Langfield reminded all that we had a website, wootenna.com, and a Yahoo group for e-mail exchanges.
<> Janie Riley had nothing new to report from the Budget and Finance Committee. Langfield noted that a copy of the budget was included in the information for the meeting. He said that the budget had been prepared at the beginning of the year and explained how it was being followed, and went through the spreadsheet item by item. He told the group that the evenings sponsor was Christina Muller of Foundation Fitness.
<> Adam Turner reported that not much was new with the Crime and Code Enforcement Committee. A member announced that a Honda Civic had been stolen from the driveway at 8510 Putman and a Pompton house had been broken into. Adam said there had been some code enforcement activity. Other groups say that CE is not visible, but we know they are working in the Wooten area. Sarah Reams asked if we had comparables between crimes last year and this year. Turner will try to find out. Langfield said to keep reporting things on the Yahoo group. He will see about getting an APD District Representative here for the next meeting.
<> Sarah Reams reported on the activities of the Social and Fundraising Committee. They have planned an Octoberbash for Saturday, October 18, 4:00 to 6:00 PM, in the Redeemer parking lot. They are thinking of having food, face painting, balloon artists, a silent auction, etc. Sponsorship opportunities fall into three areas: 1) entertainment – $750, 2) activity/food and beverage – $250, 3) regular sponsor – $100. They will be need supplies. Information will be posted on the Wooten forum and Yahoo group. They are thinking about a rain date.
<> Betsy Thaggard is no longer chairing the Membership Committee; Langfield is assuming those duties. He explained that the plans for the membership drive were still in place. A flyer would be prepared, along with a business card-size magnet showing our website and every-other-month meeting dates. These would be placed in an envelope, which would be hung on neighbors doors from an attached rubber band. There will be a Thursday stuffing date (August 28) at Redeemer, then folks will be asked to volunteer to walk their neighborhoods and distribute the handouts on the last weekend in the month. The budget has $500 for membership, which should cover the expenses, especially if we have some things donated.
<> Marilyn Rogers had e-mailed a Community Relations report (which none of the officers had on hand): Wednesday, July 30, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, City staff will present an overview of the Draft of North Burnet/Gateway (NBG) zoning district regulations, answer questions and receive stakeholder input. This presentation will be at ACC Northridge Campus, 11928 Stonehollow Dr., Bldg 4000, Lecture Hall Rm 4136.
<> Beverly Kimbrough reported for the Transportation Committee. She reminded everyone that a year previous, she and Marilyn Rogers and Carolyn Spock had met with a traffic engineer working with Wal-Mart about plans for Northcross. She described the truck delivery routes into Northcross as leaving I-35, heading west on US-183, turning south on Burnet Road, going to the south side of the mall and making their delivery, and looping through Northcross and reversing their route in their departure. During the discussion, it was suggested that the truck traffic near our area would be lessened if they came out the west side of Northcross and turned left on Anderson Lane, turned right on MoPac and followed it back to US-183. This year they have fully embraced the second alternative and have taken ownership of it. Adam asked what we had as a carrot/stick for Wal-Mart if they dont adhere to that plan; Kimbrough said nothing but public relations problems. She went on to talk about the traffic impact analysis. When the Wal-Mart was planned to be 200,000 sq. feet, the analysis indicated that the store would generate 25,000 trips per day. There would be other businesses contributing to traffic in that area, too. The intersection of Anderson Lane and Burnet Road was given a D; other intersections in the area were As and Bs. The traffic engineers solution was to add another lane to east-bound Anderson Lane starting at Northcross. The new plan for Wal-Mart is only 99,000 sq. feet, though the plans are still in progress. With a new site plan with different square footage, a new traffic impact analysis is in order. People are concerned that the original TIA was suspect; one for a south Austin Wal-Mart missed its estimate by 100%. We will need to have a new TIA to see if the Burnet/Anderson intersection again fails. Wal-Mart will fund road improvements if needed. The store will still not be open 24-hours. Turner noted that construction on street improvements would impact local businesses. Kimbrough also said that the project to restripe Steck from four to two lanes seems to be a go. This change was supported by the North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association.
MEETING SPONSOR
Christina Muller introduced herself, a personal fitness trainer, who just opened her own business (Foundation Fitness) at 7323 Burnet Road (at intersection with Pasadena), across from Genie Car Wash. There is a one-on-one relationship with clients by appointment. Exercise and being conscious of food choices is stressed.
OLD BUSINESS
<> Langfield again mentioned our website and Yahoo group. If any were in need of tutoring about the latter, Victor could help to explain how to join the group.
<> There has been no additional news about FAMSCO, who is taking over the old Albertsons location at Ohlen and US-183. The company is working on the building reconstruction; there will be other tenants. They have talked about an October opening.
<> Carolyn Spock talked about the Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (it reviews suggested changes to the plan and reports recommendations to the city) and how the Crestview-Wooten team had never been formed. We are now back up on the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department (NPZD) radar. Spock, as well as Jonathan Locklin, new president of Crestview Neighborhood Association, had attended a meeting of contact team representatives from across the city that had been arranged by NPZD. The focus was to see if a workable template for contact team bylaws could be forged. It was hoped that such bylaws could be adopted or adapted by new teams. In addition to a recently received summary of that meeting with what worked or didnt work in the extant teams bylaws, a spreadsheet of neighborhood recommendations derived from the Crestview-Wooten Combined Neighborhood Plan had been sent for perusal. Contact teams (or an official group from the neighborhood) were to prioritize the outlined points for the city’s consideration and update the city on what had been accomplished and what had not. There was further discussion on the relationship between the formal Contact Team and the neighborhood association. The Contact Team is an offshoot of the neighborhood plan and has bylaws and announced meetings; it works to some extent with NPZD. Its members may also be neighborhood association members, but it is not an arm of the neighborhood association by any means.
NEW BUSINESS
It is time to form a nominating committee to poll the membership for officer nominees. Steve Rogers has volunteered, and LaVerne Stauffer said she would also serve on the committee. Stauffer noted that she was the conduit in passing meeting information to those who didnt have e-mail. It would be helpful if an agenda were prepared before she made her reminder calls so she could inform folks about what the topics of discussion would be at the meetings.
CLOSING BUSINESS
Melissa Winans moved to accept the minutes previously distributed; Betsy Thaggard seconded; the minutes were approved.
As the meeting was beginning to break up and members were moving to gather to talk to committee chairs, etc., Christina Muller asked if Spock could use some help with the review of the neighborhood plan and an ordering of priorities. Names were taken.
Carolyn Spock,
Meeting Recorder