Meeting Minutes, January 6, 2010

Preservation Station, 6:40 PM January 6, 2010, Joaquin Garofalo, Presiding

Attendance:

2 years remaining		1 year remaining
Adams, Kay		Austin, Lauren
Anderson, Bonnie	X	Bromberg, Ryan	X
Doty, Karen	X	Carson, Ann	X
Garofalo, Joaquin	X	Grassel, Kathy
Grant, Steve		Hoch, Liam	X
Pyles, Amberley	X	Thornton, Karla	X
Spittler, Lee	X

Agenda item:Minutes from November 4, 2009

Discussion: Karen read her notes from the meeting of some of the Board members in December when details for Dickens were finalized.  She pointed out that typically the Board does not meet in December.  It was agreed that the scheduling of a December 2010 meeting should be considered at the October or November meeting.

Action: Minutes were approved by a unanimous vote.

Agenda item: Newsletter

Discussion:Continue to publish on a quarterly basis.  Send articles by email to Greg Neutra at neutra@mac.com.

Action: Next deadline will be March 26 for April publication.

Agenda item:Next meeting

Discussion: February 3, 2010, at 6:30 at Preservation Station

Action: None

Agenda item: Dickens

Discussion: Ann reported that there were 62 paid attendees, including 30 for the Ball.  Overall, the profit was between $600 and $700.  (Only an estimate was available since not all bills had been submitted and paid.)  Ann noted that in previous years, the event had netted about $1200.  Ann and Cindy Carson summarized comments from attendees indicating that they preferred the previous event, held in historic homes in the neighborhood, to the current year’s event held at the Greek church.  Attendees also noted that they preferred the menu in previous years to this year’s menu.  There was a brief discussion of the extent of decorations this year compared to previous years, and whether it might be possible to resurrect some sort of carriage ride in future years, even if the horses we used in the past were not available.

Action:No decision about next year’s Dickens will be made until we have given all of these ideas further thought.

Agenda item:Community Garden

Discussion: Bonnie reported that the first step of removing the top six inches of soil from the garden area would be done on Saturday morning, with the help of Lee and a borrowed tractor.  She anticipates that the garden should be ready to plant by the end of February.

Action:There will be a committee meeting for the Garden on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 10:00 AM at the site.

Agenda item: Parking

Discussion:No progress to report.

Action: Joaquin and Ryan will take the lead on meeting with Steve to resolve outstanding issues.

Agenda item:Web Site (hhhda.org)

Discussion: Salley Trefethen reported that Kris Shepard had taken pictures of every house in the neighborhood for the web site.  Ann is working with this team to provide histories for the houses, starting with “significant” structures and proceeding to “contributing” structures next.  Backdrops for different pages are being taken from local structures so that the web site is highly individualized for our neighborhood.  Salley urged the neighborhood to use the web site to update issues and event information in between newsletters.  Advertising is currently free on the web site to those who have paid for an ad in the newsletter.  Annual dues ($10) can now be paid through the web site. 

Action: Joaquin and the Board thanked Salley for her work on this project.

Agenda item: Yard Sale

Discussion:No progress to report.

Action: Amberley will work with Joni Neutra on this project when Joni gets back in town.

Agenda item: Adopt a Park

Discussion:Amberley reported that she had completed all of the necessary paperwork and had submitted it to the City.  She reviewed her vision for this project: a monthly clean-up schedule that neighbors commit to; completion of the park upgrades within 10 years;  new playground equipment and surface treatment with the help of City and State funds; nice fencing around the children’s area; a gazebo or outside meeting space; new trees to replace those that are dying; a xeric landscaped area; an interactive attraction near the children’s area. 

Action:The City has to process our paperwork before the next steps can be taken.

Agenda item: Property Concerns – 402 Broadway SE

Discussion: While the Board wants to see progress on this vacant property, we do not want to see it demolished.  Cindy wondered if we could strengthen our bylaws to protect properties from being demolished.  Karen pointed out that that was not the purpose of bylaws.  Others noted that the Association did not have legal authority over private property in the neighborhood.

Action: Karen volunteered to call Bill Hoch, former Board member and current member of the Safe City Task Force, to see what he recommended.

Agenda item:Lease with TACA

Discussion: No progress to report.

Action: Ann agreed to give the proposed lease to Steve Charnas for review.

Agenda item: Administrative Organization

Discussion: Joaquin wants to collect all of the necessary documents related to the Association in an orderly file at the Preservation Station.  Ann noted that there were several boxes of such documents already stored here.  Members who have other documents related to Association business were asked to bring them.

Action: None

Agenda item: Preservation Station Repair Priorities

Discussion: Some progress has been made in renovating Preservation Station.

Action: Ann and Joaquin will bring a priority list of repairs needed and a budget to the next meeting.

Agenda item: First Baptist Church – Art School

Discussion: Amberley is trying to arrange a meeting with the architect of the proposed art school that would be under the Albuquerque Public Schools at the site of the First Baptist Church.  The EDo Board has written a letter in opposition to the proposed art school.  Although no vote was taken, the Board expressed interest in learning more about the project before taking an official stand.

Action: None

Agenda item: Neighborhood Point System

Discussion: Amberley described her vision of a neighborhood incentive system that would award points for a wide variety of community enhancing activities.  These points would be periodically tallied and “winners” could use the Board-sponsored awards for materials and services to upgrade neighborhood properties.

Action: Amberley will bring her proposal to the next meeting.

Agenda item: Neighborhood Signs

Discussion: Karla reported that the City was ready to create and install a sign announcing our neighborhood in the median on Central, near I-25.   She shared a map showing choices for location of the sign in that median.  The sign will say “Huning Highland Historic Neighborhood.”  Cindy raised the issue of the original name of the neighborhood and whether we wanted to preserve that original name.  After some discussion, we agreed to stick with the current usage of “Huning Highland” or “Huning Highland Historic District.” 

Action: The Board agreed to have the sign positioned as far back on the median as possible, to avoid car crashes that may occur at that intersection.  In addition, the Board liked the idea of posting our web address on the smaller sign that would be suspended by small chains underneath the main sign.

Adjourned: 8:00 PM