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LICTON
SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of Board
Meeting Directors Present: Board Representatives
Present: Ken Thompson (North Precinct Representative); and Kay Mesirow (Emergency Preparedness Committee Co-Head). Visitors: Jean Wirch and Stu Ling. President Liz Kearns called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Introductions were made around the tables. Minutes: The February 15, 2006 and March 15, 2006 minutes were approved as presented. Everyone agreed that the March minutes were a great recap of the preparedness meeting. There was consensus that these minutes should remain on the website. Speaking of the March 15, 2006 disaster preparedness meeting, a big thank you was expressed to Kay Mesirow and Debra Willendorf (also Melissa Coiley who was not present) for all their hard work on the disaster preparedness meeting, which was a big success. Kudos, great job! Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Debra provided a Treasurer’s Report covering January 1, 2006 through April 18, 2006. A general discussion followed. Debra asked us to address the budgeted items. She said last year we just stayed with the same budget as the year before, without formally approving a 2005 budget. The only item Debra proposed changing for 2006 was the $24.00 designated for publicity with the Seattle Sun. It was agreed that we did not use this budgeted amount and that it should be returned to the general fund. With this change, the budget for 2006 was adopted, and the Treasurer’s Report approved. A discussion followed on two events in our budget that the Licton Springs Community Council sponsors, Halloween in the Park, and the Picnic in the Park. Halloween in the Park Liz explained that we owe a huge debt to Betsy Weill for her work on the Halloween event. Betsy really makes it happen. LSCC sends out letters requesting candy donations, but Betsy and her teacher friends become the “Friends of the Forest,” who the kids trick-or-treat from as they go around the Park. Liz told of dressing up in her clown outfit - all the outfits are priceless! Besides the candy, we provide hot apple cider and Phil provides musical entertainment – mostly polkas, and it becomes a very festive evening, very well attended. There are “Friends of the Forest” who light the pathway also, which is essential on a dark Halloween night. There is a donation basket and we receive donations that mostly cover the out-of-pocket expenses of the event. Last year we received $108.70 in donations. It was agreed that we should do a very special thank you to Betsy. Thanks also go to Pilling’s Pond Preservation Society for allowing us to use its 501(c)(3). In years past it was enough to be a community council and write a letter requesting donations, but now we need to have 501(c)(3) status to obtain donations. Picnic in the Park We have been able to put on our community picnic because of Larry’s Market’s generous donation of hotdogs and the cooking of same, plus hotdog buns and soft drinks. LSCC provides paper products, catsup, mustard, relish, and entertainment. Community members traditionally bring cookies, brownies, raw vegetables, etc. (The community donations vary from year to year.) We had feared that Larry’s was being sold and so, without their assistance the picnic would be impossible to keep going with its traditional grilled hotdogs. Liz explained that the original “Larry” had retired and turned the stores over to his son. Under the son’s management, the stores didn’t do so well. Now, a corporation runs the stores and the Oak Tree Village Larry’s is now making money. The manager of Larry’s wants to do our picnic (if he is still there). The grills that have been used in the past have been sold, but Larry’s manager said he could get a hold of grills to do the hotdogs. Based on optimism that Larry’s will continue their traditional role, and that we could hold a different type of community event without Larry’s, Liz asked for the agreement of all that the Bubbleman and marimba band contracts should be finalized. This was agreed. Grant Applications . Liz announced that she had put together two Department of Neighborhood’s Small & Simple grant applications:
Neither of the grant applications is approved at this time. If the applications are successful, and the grants a reality, copies will be provided to the Board. Question Debra raised a question from the new owner of the Pilling’s Pond property. There seems to be less water and the water has a milky color. Why is this? Liz said she couldn’t be entirely sure, but knew that the path that water takes changes because of changes in the neighborhood. Water takes the path of least resistance. Right now there is a lot of construction in the neighborhood. Compared to earlier years at the Park, the same amount of water is coming from the spring, but there is a lot more runoff. Disaster List Serve Liz gave Debra information on the disaster list serve. Discussion followed. Once the list serve is set up, we have to have information to send the members. They would get an initial “welcome to” message, but then there had to be a plan for future mailings that would interest these people. It was decided that information about the “Night Out” project would be good to send. Night Out This annual event is going to be August 1 st. Discussion followed. We need to encourage more people to have “nights out” on their block. We could perhaps do flyers, and we could have Shannon send an announcement to the LSCC list serve. NORC Through the Police Precinct we received a copy of a letter sent to Chief Gil Kerlikowske from NORC, A National Organization for Research at the University of Chicago. The letter states that NORC is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, and wants to do a national social survey in Seattle. They want to obtain “an objective and representative reflection of the changing ideas, beliefs, and opinions of American residents.” After discussion, it was decided that we didn’t feel any action was warranted on our part. We hoped that the people answer the telephones at 911 would be knowledgeable about this survey because they are sure to get calls when people are contacted to participate in an in-house survey (out of the blue). Northgate Festival We have received information on the 2006 Northgate Festival from the Northgate Chamber of Commerce. The Festival this year is August 12 th and 13 th. A booth will be available for each neighborhood that wishes to have one. Discussion followed regarding information we could provide if we had a Licton Springs booth. Liz suggested taking apart two of the history brochures and mounting the pages on a display. We could not give away brochures at our booth because we do not have enough of these brochures left. OLD BUSINESS: History Brochure The desire to welcome new residents to our community was discussed. It would be great to give them a “Welcome Package” with news of the LSCC and information, as well as a History Brochure. At present, we do not have enough History Brochures to do this, and also not the funds to pay for more Brochures. Liz said that in the future we could make an application for a Small & Simple grant to get more History Brochures printed. Liz reported getting a phone call from Scott Souchock of G. Scott ! Design, asking whether or not to save our Brochure for future use. The answer was YES. Wetlands Brochure Liz said that the wetlands brochure needs to be updated and reprinted. Houses on College Way Liz had received information from Dave Barber on the three houses on College Way just north of the house next to the series of Victorian skinny houses. Parking violations had been reported and as a result, the vehicles are no longer parked on the grass, but are shuffled among the three houses, one of which appears to be vacant. One woman owns all three houses (an absentee owner). The consensus opinion was that the owner must be waiting for a future offer for the houses since she could not possibly be earning much rent from them. A new owner would remove the existing houses and build something new. Nothing can really be done, other than to monitor what is happening with the houses and report any code violations. It was noted that we need to monitor zoning in our neighborhood. The neighborhood has become incredibly dense in proportion to the open space we have. Wilson-Pacific School Liz reported that Wilson-Pacific could be on the list of schools to be possibly closed. This is a great cause for concern for us. It seems that the Seattle School District is following the same path with Wilson-Pacific as they did with the Bitter Lake School. The trucks and landscaping crews that previously were at Bitter Lake, are now at Wilson. Wilson had the added problem of asbestos. The School District has announced meetings on the proposed school closures. Go to http://www.seattleschools.org/area/cac/index.dxml for more information. The upcoming meeting that is closest to us is:
The School District has announced a meeting on May 11 th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., where the public can give input on the recommendations that have been announced. Liz reported that Kathy Johnson, SPS Facilities Manger had told her that LSCC should attend at least one of these information meetings. RPZ on Wallingford Ed Hammer, a resident at 100 th and Wallingford had complained about the cost of the RPZ. He said the cost had gone up and what was to keep it from getting more and more expensive? Discussion followed. Kay remembered that it had cost $15.00 the last time she had renewed her guest parking permit, and that the permit was good for two years. The consensus was that the College would continue to pay for homeowners’ costs in connection with the RPZ. Andrew Morrison Andrew Morrison has completed his studies at the Museum School of Fine Art in Boston, and is going to be doing another panel of art on the east wall of Wilson-Pacific. He has received a Potlatch Fund grant to do this project. Liz said she was suggesting to Andrew that he use the far north panel, so that there would be Chief Joseph’s spray paint painting, then two empty panels, and then the new art. Liz said Andrew had very definite ideas, so she wasn’t sure what he would do. Andrew Morrison’s website is http://www.onestaa.com. The “Chief Joseph” mural project at Wilson-Pacific School in May 2006 was sponsored by the Potlatch Fund. Dog Poop at the Park Liz reported that Nancy Sharp had requested a mention in our newsletter concerning asking Park visitors to pick up their dog’s poop when walking in the Park. Liz said she would request plastic bags of the Parks Department. She said she is aware of the Parks Department providing these at other parks. 501(c)(3) Ellen announced that Mike Bonn has agreed to assist in the beginning steps of obtaining a 501(c)(3) for Licton Springs Community Council. She thanked Debra for speaking with Mike about this for LSCC. Everyone agreed to assist Ellen in providing the documentation required by the 501(c)(3) application. Thank you Mike Bonn and Pilling’s Pond Preservation Society! New Board Member Debra asked Kay Mesirow if she was interesting in becoming a Board member. Kay said she was and a joyful vote was taken. Kay was unanimously elected to the Licton Springs Community Council Board of Directors, with her initial term expiring in 2007. Terms run for two years with two groups of Directors (who terms expire on alternate years). Kay joins Jerry Owens and Debra Willendorf, whose terms begin and end with odd years. This group ultimately requires one additional director (it is a group of four). The group of directors with terms beginning and ending in even years consists of Liz Kearns and Ellen Beck. This group ultimately requires three additional directors (it is a group of five). If all positions are filled, LSCC has nine directors. Our next meeting is Wednesday, May 17, 2006. The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ellen M. Beck, Secretary
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