Midtown Neighborhood Association

Minutes of General Meeting held September 21, 1999

Wright Elementary School

GREETINGS

Brad Holland, MNA President called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.

 

MINUTES

No minutes were prepared for the prior meeting. Howard missed the previous three meetings and no minutes have been taken.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT (David Kha)

1. MNA: There were deposits of $640.00, expenditures of $523.48, balance of $1,326.08.
2. Tamale Club: deposits of $2,064, expenditures of $1,846.01, balance of $217.99
3. Bike Club: deposits of $3,351, expenditures of $2,784.31, balance of $566.69
4. On a motion by Martha Cooper and a second by Audrey Marr, the Treasurer’s Report was adopted.

 

UPDATES

• John B. Wright Report (Lisa Langford):

1. Thanks to MNA for being part of curriculum night
2. Fry’s grocery receipt program starting again. Bring receipts to the JBW school office.
3. Book Exchange program with Bookman’s is underway. Bring your used books to the JBW school office. Lisa can exchange them at Bookman’s for credit in purchasing other, more needed, books.
4. Ronald McDonald House support is underway. Bring any pull-tab to JBW school office. Last year, the JBW effort collected 60 lbs. of tabs!
5. Art Lessons for adults will be held this Thursday, September 23, 1999. This educational program for adults is offered once per month at JBW.
6. Halloween Fest will be held Friday, October 29^th, 5:00-8:00 p.m., at JBW. This is a free event for kids, and provides a safe Halloween event. JBW needs volunteers to solicit business sponsors, set up, staff booths, etc. Call Martha Cooper (327-4733) if you want to volunteer.

• Y2K and Chili Booth (Brad Holland) – MNA volunteers have made 3,000 tamales, now in various freezers, awaiting the 10/23-10/24 event. Tucson Appliance Warehouse donated use of 3 freezers to MNA. We need electric roasters and a canopy for the table. Volunteers are needed to staff the booth. A sign up sheet was distributed at the meeting

• Computer/Bike Club Report (David Kha): The club had a very successful summer thanks to Katie Brown, President of neighboring Vista del Monte neighborhood. She helped build and distribute 35 bikes. David is selling Entertainment Books to raise money to hire one of the very dedicated and hard-working volunteers. The books are $35.00. Call David at 323-8278. The Bike/Computer Club is every Saturday 8am-12 Noon.

 

• Graffiti Abatement (Anna Marie Patti): Anna Marie has been looking for a volunteer to take over the program. It is a relatively simple tasks, involving mostly phone coordination. Leo Hartke, a resident, has been monitoring and cleaning up graffiti this summer and is ¾ completed in Midtown.

 

• JBW Family Liaison Program (Norma Zuiniga):

1. Norma has left the Wellness Center and is working full time as JBW Family Liaison. Her job is to ensure that all JBW families have the opportunity to apply for the free or reduced price lunch program.
2. Thanks to all from Norma for her Get Well card!

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Child and Family, Inc. (David Kha)

Harvey Encinas of Child and Family Inc, has a group of ten 8-12 year old, 1^st offenders who do community service in neighborhoods on Saturdays and Sundays. David would like to see them involved in graffiti cleanup

• The MNA Library/Learning Center (Martha Cooper): It is still in the works. The City and County attorneys are almost done with their review of the IGA. When this is done $2.2 million dollars should be available for design and construction. MNA has already been given $160,000 to acquire land at Catalina and Fairmount for the Center.

 

• Tree Planting Program (Anna Marie Patti): What is the status of tree planting? Margaret Leonard was not in attendance. Anna Marie will speak with her directly.

• Grant-Alvernon Area Plan (Brad Holland)

MNA representatives are helping develop this land use plan. The City Council will be reviewing the plan on 9/27/99, Mayor and Council Chamber, 255 W. Alameda.

• Boycott Home Depot (Carrie Rondeau): Carrie suggests we all boycott Home Depot until they abandon plans for the El Con site.

 

• Neighborhood Meeting Attendance (Linda Dorling): Linda had heard that participation in MNA meetings was dwindling. She offered to call a list of past attendees to find out why they no longer participate. If you would like to help call Linda at 795-0702. Norma Zuiniga suggested that each person in attendance tonight try to bring one neighbor with him or her.

 

 

GUEST SPEAKER

• John Henning (Arizona Youth Handball Association)

John shared his vision of handball as an activity to build morals and character in youths. He is offering to work with MNA to get a single-wall handball court built at JBW. Brad Holland suggested that MNA would be more than willing to help and John should define the next steps. John handed out several pages of notes explaining the Mission of the program.

• Trailer Park Crime Update (Sal Guerreo and Officer Frank Damonico)

Sal and Frank reviewed the criminal activities and police responses related to the trailer park a couple of blocks south of JBW. Sal is worried that the drug activities there may influence kids playing and walking by. He asked that all MNA residents make a point of supporting police efforts. Brad suggested we could all keep and eye on the place and report any suspicious activity. Frank and TPD have been working for a couple of months to clear up the problem.

• Pima Community College, "Neighborhood College" (Barbara Ganz, PCC)

Barbara is the Director and Dean of Public Safety Institute at PCC. She has implemented a neighborhood college to teach neighborhood association skills. Such skill includes organizing, newsletter writing, and planning. They are holding their first workshop on 10/30/99, 9am-12pm, at the El Rio Neighborhood Center. Terry Goddard, former mayor of Phoenix and current Director of the Federal Housing and Urban Development Department, will speak on "Livable Cities." All are welcome to attend. Barbara would like to use MNA as a model for other neighborhoods and hopes MNA will help her teach what we have learned.

 

ADJOURNMENT

On a motion by Howard Ward and a second by Martha Cooper, Brad Holland adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:20 pm.

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