Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association

General Meeting 4/9/12

St. Cecelia Parish Center

Called to order at 7:08 p.m.  Board members in attendance:  Rob Corsaro, Marnie Corsaro, Linda Hughes, Jim Wnston, Julie Mierau, Margie Magnuson, Jama Samiev

CONSENT AGENDA:  The March minutes were accepted on a voice vote.  The Treasurers Report was not on the consent agenta; Linda moved to accept the March Treasurers’ Report; Julie seconded.  Passed on a voice vote.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

- Membership:  Linda distributed copies of a sample membership brochure, to be further refined.  Gary Beck indicated he would help with membership.

- Communication:  Magan and Vernon were not present to report.  It was noted that some articles had not been included in the last newsletter that would have been appropriate.  There have been comments that the newsletter mailing date is an issue.  This is an area that may be changing..

- JCCP:  The interim OPD chief spoke at the Omaha Coalition of Citizen Patrols meeting.

- Fundraising:  no update.

- Social engagement:  no update.

- Business outreach:  Tobacco & phones 4 Less will help with a membership drive through their stores, possible match the membership fee with a coupon.  We need to work out a mechanism to receive funds.  This could be a model for other neighborhood businesses.

NEW BUSINESS:

- Jim circulated a letter from a neighbor on the 800 block of north 44^th; an apartment building there has garbage and refuse issues, and the property is deteriorating.  There is also concern with the number of police calls, and the presence of many unsupervised children.

- The Mutual of Omaha Month of Caring is an opportunity to have Mutual volunteers do some work in the neighborhood.  Magan is not present to discuss.

- There will be a meeting at Mutual of Omaha this week to discuss plans for redesign of the Turner Park S Curve.

- The Joslyn Castle is having a garage sale at the Midtown Crossing garage by Wohlner’s.  St. Cecelia also has a garage sale scheduled.

- Representatives of the Joslyn Castle Citizens Patrol will speak at the Gifford Park Neighborhood Assn. meeting.

- Clarkson Park cleanup is needed but we need to schedule a day for it.  Margie will get the water turned on at the park before cleanup day.

- Ad rates for the newsletter need to be reviewed.  The Business Outreach Committee will look at this.  We need to charge enough for the ads to cover the cost of including them.  We really need to find someone to coordinate ad sales and followup.

- Rob talked about the Next Door website.  It is like Facebook for neighborhoods, a place to discuss, post news, share skillsets, etc.  It is unique because only people in our neighborhood can join the JCNA site.

- The Joslyn Castle Classic Car Show is scheduled for the weekend of July 27.  There were issues last year with the Castle closing part of Davenport and restricting access for several residents; hopefully this will not be repeated.

OLD BUSINESS:

- Spring Cleanup:  Scheduled for 9 – 2 p.m. April 14 in the St. Cecelia’s parking lot on 40th.  Jim has volunteers, water, snacks, a metal recycler, a bike recycler.  He will have membership forms, information on recycling, etc.

- ReTree project; Brian and Heather will coordinate in our neighborhood.  They anticipate planting 20-30 trees in our  neighborhood.

- The Mayor’s Grant: Jim submitted this grant for equipping the OCCP – a radio, vests, lights, etc.

- We are moving our web hosting to Dream Host; it will be free for life.  Rob and Vernon will convert our site to the new host.

- We have received 43 responses to date.

- Community Garden:  Magan is not present to discuss.  There is a lot of interest in having one.  The lot east of St. Cecelia’s grade school was mentioned as a possible site.

- Adopt-a-Park:  We need an email blast after the Spring Cleanup to get volunteers.

Open Forum:

- Joslyn Castle events have been running late and have been very noisy.  They are also not using security lights.

- Buses for Joslyn Castle visits have been parked on Davenport, blocking traffic.

- Trash and litter from Joslyn Castle events have not been picked up.

Rob will contact the Castle about the problems.

- There has been a prostitute working 40^th St. in the early morning.

Jama moved to adjourn; Margie seconded; approved on a voice vote.  Adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Linda Hughes, Secretary

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Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association
General Meeting 3/12/12
St. Cecelia Parish Center

Called to order at 7:07 p.m.  Board members in attendance:  Rob Corsaro, Marnie Corsaro, Margie Magnuson, Vernon J, Linda Hughes, Jama Samiev, Magan Smith

GUEST SPEAKER:
Kayleen Young from the Omaha Public Works Graffiti Abatement Team (GAT) spoke about the city’s Graffiti program.  Councilman Gary Gernandt introduced a Graffiti Abatement ordinance to reflect the current status of the program.  They are shifting the policy to encourage neighborhood involvement, including homeowners and businesses.  The penalties are also being changed.  The GAT is starting to work with juvenile courts; they have not been doing intervention/prevention but are starting to work with other agencies in this area.  They plan to start recruiting volunteers and get kits to distribute.  Citizens can report graffiti through the Mayor’s Hotline online or by phone.
Senator Gwen Howard said that the Legislature’s sine Die is scheduled for April 4, as it is a short session.  The biggest topic is the Child Welfare System.  “Alco-pops” are also scheduled for discussion, and Project Extra Mile has been involved on this topic.

CONSENT AGENDA:  Vernon moved to accept the February Treasurers’ Report and Minutes; Magan seconded.  Passed on a voice vote.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Membership:  JCNA needs to emphasize memberships in all its activities.  Proposals to increase membership include a new membership brochure and a membership drive.
- Communication:  the survey is nearly done; it will help determine the future of the newsletter.
- JCCP:  They will be helping at the 4/28 Safety Expo at Westroads.  June 3 is “Sign Sunday,” when patrol members take down illegal signs.
- Fundraising:  proposals include a poster of neighborhood doorways, architectural details, etc. and a book(let) of neighborhood ghost stories.  An ice cream social this summer could combine a social event, a fundraising event, and a membership event.
- Social engagement:  schedule more neighborhood events, such as a picnic, a garage sale, and the ice cream social.  These should be inclusive and celebratory, like the park clean-up last year.
- Business outreach:  Rob has a list of businesses and is developing a marketing slick with price options, ad spots in print or online, etc.  Leavenworth has a good model for this.  Jama mentioned the food court at 42nd  & Gover as a model, with ads, location coupons from businesses. A fundraising/business outreach project might be a family pizza night at Mama’s Pizza to benefit the JCNA.

NEW BUSINESS:
- Dan Fox wants to use TIP to renovate the Nottingham Apts. At 33rd & Burt; Planning Board would need to approve.
- MNA update:  They will have a fireworks stand again this year.  Vince Furlong suggested a “library box” at 33rd & California for neighbors to share books.  Trugs (portable gardens) are a new project along 5 blocks of Leavenworth.
- Public Safety Forum at Tech High – lots of time was spent on citizen complaints.
- Kim attend the Community Garden meeting last week, and wants to form a committee to establish community interest and explore other issues such as:  finding a plot, dealing with legal issues, soil testing and preparation, funding for a lease if needed, obtaining seeds.  One possibility is finding corporate or business sponsors.  It isn’t clear what role JCNA would play.  There will be a Community Garden meeting soon.  The logistics are complex; Gifford Park may be a good model for this project.  We should get the groundwork done and consider this as a project for a Mayor’s Grant next year.  One possible location would be a plot between Cuming & California on 44th St.

OLD BUSINESS:
- Spring Cleanup:  Scheduled for April 14 in the St. Cecelia’s parking lot on 40th.  Jim has lined up some donations and a scrap metal dealer.  He needs volunteers, snacks, etc.  Jama will bring water.
- Restore conference: there was quite a bit of interest in the JCNA.  The speakers were good.
- The Mayor’s Grant: possibilities include JCCP needs (crime prevention), hiring someone to empty the recycle bins (green grant).  Magan moved to approved, Vernon seconded.  It was noted that last year we got funds for the recycle bins based on our intention to have volunteers empty the bins.  The green grant approval was tabled.  We will go with the JCCP/crime prevention grant.
- Travel Inn lot:  Linda was contacted again by a representative of Raining Cane’s, and informed her that the board was not in favor of this use of the land.  She encourage the rep to contact Rob for further discussion, but that hasn’t happened yet.
- We received a Suite One bill for hosting the website.  It’s not much, but there are free options out there for nonprofit organizations, including Dream Host; Vernon and Rob will work on this.

Adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Linda Hughes, Secretary

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Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association
General Meeting 1/9/12
St. Cecelia Parish Center

Board members in attendance:  Magan Smith, Margie Magnuson, Jim Winston, Linda Hughes, Rob Corsaro, Marnie Corsaro

OLD BUSINESS:
- November/December 2011 Treasurers report:  We received $51 in donations for the Food Bank; the board had voted by email to round that up to $100.  The balance in the Walking Tour Brochure fund was $75.43; the board had voted in November ot use these funds for a new trash can.  Linda moved to approve the report, Rob seconded; approved on a voice vote

- November 2011 meeting minutes:  Rob moved to approve, and Marnie seconded; approved on a voice vote.

- The Tree Lighting went well.  We collected food and $51 for the Food Bank.  Kudoes to all who helped.

- Mayor’s Grant:  We have $204.94 left; this will go toward a new trash can for 40th & Dodge.  Trash cans the JCNA has located around the neighborhood are being emptied by the businesses.  We will write thank-you letters to them for their support and assistance.

NEW BUSINESS:

- Board Elections – All current board members, except for Joel Davies, are interested in serving for 2012.  Those members are:  Jim Winston, Rob Corsaro, Marnie Corsaro, Margie Magnuson, Linda Hughes, Magan Smith, Vernon Jordan, Jama Samied, and Julie Mierau.
There were no additional nominations from the floor.
Margie moved to accept the slate as it stands; Linda seconded.  The motion was approved on a voice vote by members present.

Newsletter:  The board discussed making changes to the newsletter, possibly changing it to email only.  The discussion included the pros and cons of doing so, including consideration of printing and mailing costs and methods of providing the newsletter to those who don’t use email.  Jim moved that the board make their decision prior to the April newsletter, which will be distributed to all neighborhood households, so that it can be announced in that newsletter.  Margie amended the motion to include a subcommittee which would make their recommendations to the board by the March meeting and that the board make their decision at that meeting.  Margie seconded the amended motion and it was approved by a voice vote.

- The trash can ordinance:  Margie reported that there has been media coverage of her effort to work with the city to develop an ordinance that will require trash containers moved away from the public right of way.  The reading of the ordinance will be January 10, and comments will be made January 24.  Margie asked that the board send a letter to the City Council supporting the ordinance; Jim seconded, and it was approved on a voice vote.

- The Midtown Neighborhood Association’s Re-Tree program is hoping to place about 20 trees in the Joslyn Castle Neighborhood in 2012.  Brian and Heather are interested in coordinating the project.  Linda moved and Margie seconded a motion to accept the trees.  It was approved on a voice vote.

- Midtown Neighborhood Association:  Jim moved and Rob seconded paying MNA dues for 2012.    It was approved on a voice vote.

- Restore Omaha:  Tables for the conference will be $75.00.  Margie will email the board if the deadline to decide on the tables is prior to the next JCNA meeting.

- The next JCNA meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the St. Cecelia Parish Center on Monday, February 13.

The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Board officers:
Following the membership meeting, the board elected officers.  After a brief discussion, Linda moved and Rob seconded that the following slate of officers be elected:
Rob Corsaro, President; Magan Smith, Vice President; Margie Magnuson, Treasurer; Linda Hughes, Secretary.
The slate was approved on a voice vote of board members present.

Linda Hughes, Secretary

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