Minutes of 13 September 2010
President Adam Turner called the September 2010 meeting, held in the Redeemer Lutheran Church cafeteria, to order at 7:05 PM. He noted that there wasn’t a printed agenda, but quickly went over a general order the meeting would follow. As the first bit of business, he asked for a motion to approve the minutes as distributed. Marilyn Rogers noted that the wrong month had been cited for the last Wooten Neighborhood Plan Contact Team meeting. It was agreed that the date should have been 19 July. The minutes were so corrected. JANIE RILEY MOVED TO APPROVE THE REVISED MINUTES; MARILYN ROGERS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED.
Treasurer’s Report
Opie Gonzalez presented the WNA Treasurer’s report. There was no activity in July, so the bank balance remained $2,000.41. Petty cash remained the same, $16.27. In August there was a deposit of $230.00: $150.00 from newsletter advertising, $55.00 in dues, and $25.00 from a non-resident Wooten property owner, bringing the account to $2,230.41. A check for $120.00 paid for the WNA newsletter, bringing the bank account balance to $2,110.41. Prior to the September meeting, $10 in dues had been collected, bringing the account to $2,120,41 on September 13.
Community Announcements
* Marilyn Rogers announced that there would be a Commanders Forum at McCallum High School during the first week of October. National Night Out is scheduled for October 5. V-P Joy Roberts will assemble and post to the listserv the locations of the neighborhood NNO celebrations. Several individuals mentioned gatherings in various niches of the neighborhood.
* President Turner discussed the improvements to Wooten Park: though there was some erosion from recent heavy rains, berms helped to keep areas around the garden from being overly washed out. An upcoming focus in the park will be putting in the garden beds for Wooten Elementary School.
* V-P Roberts announced that there were plans for a newsletter to be distributed during the first part of October. She would like to focus this issue on the history and distribution of neighborhood organizations within the Wooten boundaries. She asked for other content suggestions. Josh Merritt will provide updates on happenings at Wooten Elementary; Steve Rogers can report on what’s up at Burnet Middle School. The new Burnet Middle School principal is Cesar Martinez.
* Steve Rogers reported that neighbors appreciate delivery of the Wooten newsletter even if they aren’t attending WNA meetings. He received comments to this effect as he distributed newsletters around the neighborhood. President Turner concurred that walking the neighborhood handing out the newsletter gave our distribution team a chance to introduce themselves and our association to folks that were out and about their homes when evening deliveries were made.
* As chair of the Wooten Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, Steve Rogers announced that there would be a meeting the following Monday, 20 September, at 7:00 PM at Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant in Grand Central Station shopping center. There were no changes to the plan to discuss, but the group would meet to talk about what the contact team officers had learned in recent city workshops and whether or not there was a need to hold officer elections. While the third Monday in September was planned to be the regular WNPCT election day, having two officer elections in 2010 was not intended when the WNPCT bylaws were established. The Chair and Secretary were to be elected in even-numbered years, the Vice-Chair and Attendance Keeper in odd-numbered years.
* Josh Merritt noted that the Wooten Elementary School PTA meeting Lydia Ortiz had posted on the WNA Yahoo site was postponed. He reiterated that one didn’t have to have children in the school to belong to the PTA. He thought the meeting would be rescheduled in early October. It was suggested that the PTA dues might be $5.00 per family. He noted that Principal Bolek was looking for donations of items, or money to purchase items, that could be given as incentives to encourage student attendance, etc. There were also concerns that a crosswalk was needed for the busy intersection that linked Wooten Elementary and Redeemer Lutheran schools.
* Secretary Carolyn Spock announced that minutes of the past two+ years of WNA meetings had now been put on the WNA website. The group was pleased to hear this.
Election of Officers
President Turner then noted that it was time to elect officers for 2010-2011; the WNA year runs from October 1 through September 30. The slate of officers proposed by the Nominating Committee (Betsy Thaggard, Josh Merritt, and Marilyn Rogers) were Joy Roberts, President; Christina Muller, Vice-President; Carolyn Spock, Secretary; and Adolfo (Opie) Gonzalez, Treasurer. Turner reminded members that he had served two years as President and was not eligible to serve in that office for a third consecutive term. Nominations from the floor were solicited; there were none. Jean Tallas moved to accept the slate of officers by acclamation; Debbie Danforth seconded the motion. Approval to accept the slate by acclamation was unanimous.
New Business
There was no new business.
Introduction of Visitors and Additional Announcements
* President Turner asked if those in the audience that were new to WNA meetings would mind introducing themselves. Several individuals did so, with some being pretty new to the neighborhood, and others longer-term residents who were now able to attend meetings.
* Josh Merritt invited folks to get involved with Urban Patchwork, a group that encourages growing useful (edible) plants in our yards. Merritt’s front yard (Mullen/Pompton intersection) has received a plethora of mulch which neighbors and representatives from Urban Patchwork have helped to spread out. Plantings of vegetables will be occurring soon.
* Sustainable Neighborhoods was having its next meeting at 7:00 PM on September 14 in the Activity Room at the Village Christian Apartments. This meeting would focus on the transportation bond issue and continue planning for planting trees on Burnet and Lamar.
Adjournment
A motion was made by Christina Muller to adjourn the meeting; there were multiple seconds. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
The next WNA meeting is scheduled for 8 November 2010 at 7:00 PM.
Carolyn Spock
WNA Secretary