WOOTEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Minutes of 12 July 2010
President Adam Turner called the July 2010 meeting, held in the Redeemer Lutheran Church cafeteria, to order at 7:11 PM following some general discussion among the membership about some suspicious neighborhood activities. As the May minutes had been emailed late in the day, copies were distributed among the members present for their review. President Turner gave folks time to review them as the initial discussion continued. He then asked if there were any corrections; Secretary Spock asked for the names of the Capital Metro representatives so that they could be inserted into the minutes. Jim Bedrich moved to approve the minutes; LaVerne Stauffer seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Opie Gonzalez presented the WNA Treasurer’s report. From the May balance of $1,895.41 and a cash balance of $16.27, $105.00 had been deposited: $75.00 in ad revenue and $30.00 in dues had brought the bank balance to $2000.41. Petty cash remained the same.
Community Announcements
- In the absence of its Chairman, Steve Rogers, President Turner announced that there would be a Wooten Neighborhood Plan Contact Team meeting the following Monday, 19 July, at 7:00 PM at a new venue, Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant in Grand Central Station shopping center. He followed the announcement with a short discussion outlining the background and duties of the WNPCT.
- Turner also announced that there would be another newsletter in the future, probably about the end of July. Anyone wishing to submit an article should send it to VP Joy Roberts. Roberts planned to write an article on the Woodcraft business housed in our neighborhood; Betsy Thaggard had attended a class there and would contribute to the content. The call for input would be posted to the WNA Yahoo group. Members were reminded that business-card sized ads were $25; potential advertisers should be told that the WNA newsletter was distributed to ca. 1000 households.
Wooten Park Update
Wooten residents can look forward to more improvements in Wooten Park. The current activity has been led by Michelle Smith of Texas Action for Healthy Kids. Approval has been given to put in water. There are plans to rework the swale, add more dirt with sod to keep the dirt in place. Even with these modifications, a hard rain will cause some runoff. Rocks might also be added. Betsy Thaggard has some potential fill (dirt/rocks/concrete) to donate if desired. The City is looking for the park and its improvements to be a community-based effort, with hopes that the neighborhood would look after the maintenance to some degree. It was noted that the park wasn’t getting mowed as often as in the past, perhaps due in part to having a different contractor responsible for the work. Several neighbors commented that Capital Metro was to have begun mowing along the railroad right-of-way on 12 July. Turner stated that he has signed on personally as an Adopt-a-Park sponsor for Wooten Park. The majority of the work on the raised beds for the Texas Action for Healthy Kids initiative would need to wait until the water was installed. Rocks would likely be used for borders, not landscape timbers. The trail that now exists in the park can be improved by usage keeping down weeds.
Nominating Committee
Turner reminded members that a Nominating Committee needed to be appointed this month, as it was the last meeting before the vote for officers would be held at the September meeting (the new membership year begins in October). Officers and Nominating Committee members need to be WNA members in good standing. Turner noted that he had served two years and would not be eligible to run again. He asked for volunteers; Betsy Thaggard and new member Joshua Merritt were willing to serve and were appointed to the committee. They would be given the list of current members and their contact information so that they could solicit nominations prior to the meeting.
Sign Variance
President Turner discussed the code variance requested for signage at Burnet/US-183. Three free-standing signs are allowed, a fourth was desired. Bright LED lights are proposed. He understood that, if the association wasn’t agreeable with the fourth sign, one of the current signs would be torn down and a much larger and likely more intrusive sign would replace it. Turner and North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association President Chip Rosenthal negotiated with the folks proposing the sign so that it would not be so distracting to drivers. It would not be animated and would switch every 6 seconds, rather than every 4 seconds. The variance request was up for a vote this night. Plans are being considered to converse with other neighborhoods to devise some proposed limitations for LED signs on neighborhood streets. An official City entity would have to approve.
New Business
There was no new business.
Announcements
- Vice President Roberts announced that Steve Zettner’s Sustainable Neighborhoods organization was having its next meeting at 6:30 on July 20 in the Activity Room at the Village Christian Apartments. This meeting would focus on planting trees on Burnet and Lamar. A particular location is Lamar Middle School, located at Burnet Road and RR-2222. It was noted that the City is responsible for Burnet Road (FM-1325) and Lamar Blvd. (Loop 275) south of US-183; TxDOT is responsible north of US-183.
Adjournment
A motion was made by Betsy Thaggard to adjourn the meeting; there were multiple seconds. The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 PM.
The next WNA meeting is scheduled for 13 September 2010 at 7:00 PM.
Carolyn Spock
WNA Secretary