MIDTOWN NEWS.
This is your Garden District Newsletter.
February 2001
ELECTION POSTPONED.
At the regularly scheduled Midtown Neighborhood Association meeting on January 16,
2001, a large group of new comers were present to participate in our election procedure.
Because we did not have a copy of the Association bylaws at the meeting, the motion was
Made, seconded and adopted by voice vote that we postpone the election until February
When copies of the bylaws could be available for anyone who wanted a copy.
As a result, the annual election of officers will be held at our regularly scheduled meeting
The third Tuesday in February, which will be January 20.
Our agenda for the February 20th meeting will be as follows at Wright Elementary Cafeteria: 6:30-700 p.m. Potluck (Eat fast) – 7:00-7:15 p.m. Brief Business Meeting to
Approve minutes and receive reports. 7:15-8:00 p.m. Election of officers.
Please bring this copy of the agenda with you to refer to at the meeting.
- You will be asked to sign in as we normally do at our monthly meetings at which time you will receive a ballot for each office.
- In order to assure all interested parties that the election will be held in a fair and equitable manner, Citizen & Neighborhood Services have been asked to assist in the procedure. Your current officers are also asking for a facilitator to handle the actual voting process.
- Nominations will be made from the floor for the offices of President. Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Each nominee will be expected to give a brief biography and to present his/her vision of the future for the Midtown Neighborhood Association (2 minute maximum).
- Votes will be taken for each office separately and will be tallied under the direction of Citizen & Neighborhood Services.
We urge anyone who is interested in the activities and welfare of the Midtown area to come to the February meeting and participate in our election process.
Articles Of Incorporation
As stated in our Articles of Incorporation, the Midtown Neighborhood Association was organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 © 3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Articles further state that the Midtown Neighborhood Association will be involved in
Affairs relating to culture, safety and improved quality of life of the Midtown Neighborhood and that projects will be include submitting proposals for government and
Private grants to enhance the neighborhood.
Bylaws.
According to our bylaws, there are two categories of membership in the Midtown Neighborhood Association, which are resident members and business members.
- A resident member is any person whose principal residence is within the boundaries of the Midtown Neighborhood or whom has a child enrolled at Wright Elementary School.
- The representative of any business or agency located within the boundaries of the Midtown Neighborhood or of any business or agency, which might be interested in the progress of this neighborhood, or association may become a member.
Nature Park Spruce Up.
By the time you receive this newsletter the spruce up of our little Nature Park should be completed. The Nature Park was a part of the establishment of our John B. Wright City Park as developed through cooperation of Tucson City Parks and Tucson Unified School District. Under the guidance of volunteer April Baison, an underground barrier has been
Installed to help prevent Bermuda grass from spreading in and taking over the area. Students at the school have prepared a welcoming sign, and we urge you to also visit the
Nature park to see the wonderful tile identification sign that has been painted by Angela
Carrasco a UA student . Angela first worked in our youth jobs program for several years
And is a talented young artist
Library/Learning Center.
We are once again in a holding pattern as we wait for the City and County to work out their individual responsibilities as our center is developed. This is achieved through an
Intergovernmental Agreement. Your steering committee for this project has met for many
Months with City staff and consultants to lay the groundwork for development, based on the results of questionnaires completed by neighborhood residents at monthly meetings and at polling places during the election of November 1997. Because we now have more than 600 students at Wright School, we are aiming to have the BEST children’s library at any branch. This is our future.
Bike Club.
David Kha, who has turned over his back yard to the Midtown Bike Club, can’t wait for the new Library/Learning Center to open. Little did he know back in 1997 when he welcomed the Bike Club to his home that it would still be there in 2001. Our youth supervisor, Roman from the refugee community has recently moved to Boston, so David is looking for someone to assist in supervising the students who come to the club on Saturday mornings to work on bicycles. David has given hundreds of hours to the Bike Club and Computer Club- isn’t there someone out there who can give him a hand? Call David at 323-8278.
Computer Club.
David also continues to supervise the Computer Club at TIARC (Tucson International Alliance for Refugee Communities) on East Grand Road that is available to all neighbors
Of Midtown. The computers are available at various times so you can call David at 323-8278 or Amra Sabanic, Executive Director of TIARC at 881-4404 for this information.
Trees.
It is not too soon to begin thinking about whether you want to participate in this Spring’s
Tree planting in Midtown. Midtown does the legwork on arranging for trees from Trees
For Tucson and for the blue staking necessary to plant in the easement areas. Check with
Anna Marie Patti at 881-0244 for more details.
Green Retrofit.
This program began in July 1998, as a test program to address the problem of deterioration in the older neighborhoods with an emphasis on incorporating green strategies into home/neighborhoods/street improvements. The program, completed June
30, 2000, leveraged $90,000 in city-financed neighborhood/street improvements and $75,000 in city financed home improvements into over$250,000 resident-financed home
improvements. A true sense of community developed among the 300 volunteers along the
three-midtown blocks. We are currently applying for other grants to continue this program in Midtown.
Need A Ride?
We invite any elderly members of the neighborhood who would like to attend the meetings but who need transportation to call our Project Coordinator, Anna Marie Patti at
881-0244. Anna Marie will arrange for someone to pick you up and take you home.
Wright School.
Our GALA will be held on February 9, 6-8 p.m. Classrooms will be performing, classroom art will be displayed and a testing activity will take place. Next up will be the
Cinco de Mayo celebration-more on that later