February 2025 Meeting Minutes
6:30pm | Preservation Station | Bonnie Anderson presiding | Prepared by Secretary Howard Dobin
APD Report
Lt. Higdon and Sgt. Davis, who is training to be a lieutenant, gave the crime statistics for the neighborhood. Most of the crime, except for a couple of car thefts, was limited to the Central Ave corridor. Lt. Higdon shared that our neighborhood is quieter crime-wise than most other neighborhoods in Albuquerque. Crime nearby has decreased since a house on John & Catherine was closed and condemned. Of the 50 recent graduates from the academy, 13 have been assigned to the Valley Area Command which covers our neighborhood.
APD is working on the nuisances of loud mufflers, blasting music and racing on Broadway. Sgt. Davis explained some of the features of the gunshot detection system the city has installed. It can “ping” with 18 feet of a shot by triangulation and can even indicate the speed and direction of the car from which a weapon was fired. Fiona Cooke related that Nob Hill businesses have burglarized, some multiple times.
Lt. Higdon is leaving the Valley Area Command for the International District. Lt. Matt Chavez will be replacing him. Brittany Martinez will remain our chief interface with APD.
Holiday Hijinks 2025
Fiona Cooke and Bruce Redford need committed support from all board members and others in our association to ensure that this event is going to continue. They need us to recruit more sponsors, more donations, more items and more bidders. Nick Fanion pledged to help with the design of a flyer and a possible sign outside the event space.
Rethinki25.org
Strong Towns has started a website which takes a very powerful stand against the Study Group’s I-25 project goals and proposals. Salley Trefethen projected the webpage for Rethinki25.org onto a screen for the gathered to review.
Rethinki25 is a community-driven campaign to stop the expansion of I-25 through Albuquerque's core. Instead, we want sustainable, equitable, and modern 21st-century solutions that address our transportation needs while protecting communities. Expanding I-25 is a bad deal for Burqueños.
Here’s why it is not beneficial: highway safety and pedestrian safety are both decreased; it hurts local businesses; it undermines downtown redevelopment; it adds additional traffic and produces additional emissions which hurts the health of our communities; among other concerns.
There is a better way forward: Stop the expansion; Improve pedestrian safety; Develop a long-term plan; and Invest in public transit.
Possible Community Events
Bonnie continued the discussion from last month on new community events. Ideas included: A “Tasty Tuesday Lite” with food trucks and yoga classes; a neighborhood potluck where people would be encouraged, but not required, to bring a dish; a “pack your own basket” where each set of people would bring their own food but share in yard games such as cornhole; a Thanksgiving Walk/Run with prizes (perhaps evolving into a fundraiser as it got popular).
Those with knowledge of food trucks said they likely would have to be paid if we could not guarantee a sizable crowd of participants. Ann Carson said it was her opinion and experience that since we would not require the use of restrooms or power, the association did not need to ask for permission to use the park.
The consensus revolved around the idea of meeting new neighbors, and the majority opinion was that the potluck idea with games made the most sense. A target date of Saturday April 5th was chosen. Krista Smith will mockup an invite. Janet Sykes and Fiona will work with Krista on the event.
Possible Replacement for 2 G’s
Friends of Fiona and David Cooke from New Orleans are looking to remodel the entire complex of structures (restaurants and housing) from the owner of the closed 2 G’s restaurant on Central Avenue. The current plan is to open a wine bar with a charcuterie/comfort food restaurant called the Wolf & Swallow. They have a Facebook page under construction: “Wolf 'n' Swallow is an exclusive culinary experience presented to you by Chef Houla and hostess Jenn.”