BUENA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Minutes of the Meeting Tuesday, October 28, 2008 At the Home of Robin Rogers, 540 Page Street
Meeting called to order at 7:10 PM PRESENT: [16 people present]
Brian Ward (President) Robert Solis (Vice President) Loui Tucker (Secretary) Sally Henning Ken Henning Dave Kissner Shelby Palms Robin Rogers
Steve Rogers Linda Solis Jerry W hite Michael W hite Ruth White Sabine Zappe
Lara Tran (representing City Councilmember Pierreluigi Oliverio’s office) Hong Cao (representing County Supervisor Ken Yeager’s office)
MINUTES - Approved as presented. TREASURER’S REPORT Sabine Zappe, acting as interim treasurer following the resignation of Mikala
Caune, reported:
Bank Balance: Outstanding invoices: Available Balances:
$1842.96 - 243.56 (Printing October newsletter)
$1599.40
Approximately $1350 of this is grant money that must be used for specific budget items. The remaining $249.40 can be used at BVNA discretion. Sabine Zappe was officially made secretary of the BVNA by acclamation.
STATUS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD - Lan Tran, from Councilmember Oliverio’s office and Jim Weston and Hong Cao (new liaison from Ken Yeager’s office to the BVNA) representing Supervisor Yeager’s office being present, members offered their input and observations regarding activities and circumstances in the Neighborhood.
Annexation of the various County pockets in the Buena Vista Neighborhood was official as of October 27. The City passed its resolution accepting the areas into the City. According to Brian Ward, the "official switch will be flipped" some time in the next three weeks following the filing of miscellaneous paperwork.
Steve Rogers reported there is a giant pothole forming at the north end of Page Street near San Carlos. Dirt is visible at the bottom. It is going to be a lake and get even bigger once the rains come. Can the City/County send someone to patch it or fill it?
Loui Tucker reported there is a couch on the sidewalk in front of the Water Company property on S. W illard (across from 365 S. W illard).
Loui Tucker reported that someone spray-painted graffiti on the *ivy* covering the chain link fence at the Water Company property. This graffiti cannot be easily washed off or painted over. The ivy itself will need to be trimmed. Can the City contact the San Jose Water Company to let them know? Hopefully this is won't become the latest rage among graffiti vandals - spray-painting vegetation!
Ruth White gave a sketchy report of an incident on Mayellen on Friday that involved law enforcement officers and helicopters.
Linda Solis requested information about when the slurry seal that was supposed to be applied to Mayellen and Menker will be rescheduled. Scott Street got a slurry seal, but equipment problems prevented Mayellen and Menker from getting one.
Ruth White reported that the brick house at 437 Menker, next to the White's house, was bought and the owners are doing a great job of fixing up the house. They have plans for gardens in front. Sally Henning expressed the hope that perhaps they will be interested in being on the Home Tour. Loui Tucker said the owners have contacted her because they have an interest in having the history of their house researched.
Marcos Ramirez' sister is renting the house at 315 Menker that was an eyesore for so long. The owners fixed up the property, painted, put in a lawn, etc. and it is looking much better.
Minutes of BVNA General Meeting Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Page 2
Sally Henning reported that the garbage dumpster at the corner of Menker and San Carlos that is used by the palm reader and/or the hair salon had been hit by graffiti. One of the local girls looking for community service credits spent about an hour cleaning it and it looks like new!
Lara Tran was reminded of the problem with the two old green mail boxes on Race Street, one at the corner of Race and Eugene, and one at the corner of Race and Park. These boxes are no longer being used by the post office for storage, but remain on the streets and are becoming graffiti magnets. Can they be removed by the City or the U.S. Postal Service?
The apartments at Scott and S. Willard were gutted, remodeled with new appliances, painted, have new windows and doors and new garage doors. The owners have really turned this property around!
There is nothing to report on the building permit posted on the two houses at the corner of North W illard and W est San Carlos.
There is nothing to report on the project proposed for 1460 Douglas. The owners and developer for that project made a presentation to the BVNA in March.
MISC. OLD BUSINESS
Spirit Night. The annual Halloween House ("Spirit Night") will be at the home of Robert and Linda Solis at 359 Mayellen on Friday, October 31. Volunteers are needed to help take photos, hand out glow necklaces and candy, etc. It starts at 6:30 PM and goes about two hours. It is a great way to connect with the neighbors, do something positive, show that the BVNA takes the lead in creating positive events in the neighborhood. Loui Tucker will send an email Tuesday night asking for people to volunteer to help and/or to purchase and drop off a bag of candy.
ION Project (Improve Our Neighborhood). Loui Tucker again reminded members that they can nominate homes for an ION project. Volunteers are available to provide free labor for yard and garden cleanup, landscaping, trimming, painting, etc. There will also be an announcement in the newsletter that is going out this week. A few potential properties were discussed. It was suggested that perhaps properties that are on the list for inspection by City Code Enforcement personnel could be offered ION services. Lara Tran will investigate to see if she can help facilitate this.
Parks. Robert Solis gave a report on the status of parks, specifically focusing on the money available and how it is being shifted and re-allocated locally. The Del Monte Park will be the largest new park that will include, among many other things, large dog and small dog parks, and public restrooms. The Buena Vista Park extension is going forward and will take at least a year to complete.
Sally Henning reported on her attendance at the "Neighborhoods of Distinction" Meeting. If a neighborhood can get this designation it helps maintain the look and feel of the architecture and culture of older neighborhoods. She plans to continue attending these meetings.
The "Scott Street Lighting Celebration" party is tentatively set for Saturday, November 15 from noon to 4:00 PM at the Hennings residence on Menker. Grant funds will be used to purchase hot dogs and hamburgers and buns, juice, chips, etc. A flyer in Spanish and English will be distributed in the neighborhood to announce the event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thursday, November 20, 7:00-8:00 PM there will be a meeting at the Sherman Oak Community Center to provide input to the artist who will be providing the artwork for the Bascom Library and Community Center.
Loui announced that if anyone brings a copy of these minutes to the next BVNA general membership meeting, with this paragraph circled or highlighted, that person will get a small prize!
The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 25 at the home of Loui Tucker and Sabine Zappe at 153 Race Street.
Adjourned at 8:12 PM
Don't just skip to the end and expect to see a prize offered for getting this far! It is hidden somewhere else.