Minutes of Board Meeting
September 19, 2007
NSCC Northstar Dining Room

Directors Present:
Liz Kearns, Debra Willendorf, Tom Meyer, and Ellen Beck.

Board Representatives Present:
Ken Thompson (North Precinct Representative).

Visitors: 
Jean Wirch, Kathleen Braden, Kelly Lichtenwaldt, Kathleen Albiani, and Cheryl Parker.

Board member Tom Meyer called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

Introductions were made around the tables.

Comments were made about Seattle Night Out experiences.  Kathleen Braden and Kelly Lichtenwaldt’s block partied and visited until 10:00 p.m.  Tom said he and Melissa had done an expanded Night Out, inviting neighbors on neighboring streets.  They had a large turnout, great food, and considered it a huge success.  Debra Willendorf reported a pretty good turnout on her block.  She estimated that 40% of the neighbors joined in.

A great benefit of the Night Out’s was that new names were obtained for our List Serve!

Minutes:
The July 18, 2007 minutes were approved as presented.

Treasurer’s Report:
Debra had no report this month.

NEW BUSINESS:

Halloween in the Park 2007
Liz Kearns gave a history of Halloween in the Park, which happens on the day from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  It is geared for young trick-or-treaters with “Friends of the Park” stationed around the Licton Springs Park to give treats to the youngsters.  Betsy Weill organizes her friends and arranges for music.  Betsy runs a daycare and spends a lot of time with the children in the Park.  We obtain donations in order to buy candy and obtain organic apple juice, and pay for the music.

Ellen Beck reported that she had spoken with Betsy, and PDF’ed the request for donation letters (sent to the Northgate QFC, Greenwood Fred Meyer, Puget Consumer Co-Op PCC, SAM’s Club, Roosevelt Safeway) to Betsy.   She suggested we should also ask the HT Oaktree Market for a donation.  A letter was prepared to the Market, mailed today, and also PDF’ed to Betsy, who said she would go around seeking the donations, and also contact her “Friends of the Forest.”

Ellen said that Costco, who has donated to us in the past, said this year that our request had not been timely.  So, we will not be receiving a donation from them.

Liz reported that PCC has said they will again donate the organic apple juice!

Debra reported that we annually received about $100.00 in donations on Halloween night.  The music for the evening costs $50.00.  The candy cost is estimated by Betsy to be $1.00 per child, or $300.00.  Debra said Halloween in the Park was budgeted for $223.00.  We also have budgeted $500.00 for the picnic, which we no longer have.  Everyone agreed that we would be able to fund Halloween in the Park, no matter what donations we received or failed to receive.

Liz commented that last year Shannon Snider’s father sent us a box of candy.  She said she would talk to Shannon and see if we could receive something this year, too.

Tom questioned whether our event could be sponsored by, i.e., Barnes & Noble.  Liz said the Parks Department could have a problem with that.

Tom suggested that we should/could approach the Northgate commercial interests about general grants (annual may be possible) to the community for use on all program areas (mailers, public meetings, newsletter costs, translations services, events, etc.).

Ellen said that it was a great idea, though, to contact the new stores at Northgate (Barnes & Noble, Ram Restaurant, Stanford Restaurant, the new bakery, etc.) regarding donations for next year’s event.

Viewlands Task Force
  Liz said that there was not enough information at this time to report.  The group was formed because of the Viewlands School being closed and concern that the building would be sold.  Debra told of attending their initial meeting, which she said was mainly brainstorming.  Liz said she would give a report at the October meeting.

Diversity
There was a discussion about diversity.  Because of the increase in residents in our community and a percentage of the new residents having English as a second language, it was wondered if we could have our Newsletter and other announcements translated.  Liz volunteered to contact Beth Pflug, who is the Northwest District Coordinator.

OLD BUSINESS:

List Serve
Kathleen Braden reported that she has gone through the e-mail addresses in the List Serve and eliminated duplications.

Discussion was then had regarding advantages of using an e-mail address that links back to our website, i.e., info@lictonsprings.org.  If our server afforded us a number of e-mail addresses, we could have them bounce from the server to the lictonsprings@hotmail.com account.  Suggestions were going back and forth between Tom, Kathleen, and Kelly.  Debra suggested that the rest of us would defer to whatever they decided, since we didn’t understand the issues to the degree that Tom, Kathleen, and Kelly do.

There was a question of who at the College to ask questions about the server that could not be answered.  It was decided that Amy Markishtum, who takes care of our website, would have that information.  Debra informed us that the committee meeting to discuss updating the website (Janice Lichtenwaldt, Debra, Kathleen Braden, and Kay Mesirow) would meet on Monday, September 24th, and Amy would also be participating.  Debra agreed to get the name of the person at NSCC from Amy at the meeting.

We again discussed frequency of e-mails to the List Serve and Kelly again mentioned that his wife Janice works for Expedia and their marketing person would be happy to come to one of our meetings and give us information and tips.  It was acknowledged that we do not send too many messages to our List Serve members.  It was decided that this could be on our agenda for October’s meeting.  Kelly agreed to let Janice know so that it can be set up.

Licton Springs P-Patch.  Kathleen Albiani gave an update of her efforts to get a P‑Patch started in Licton Springs.  She said that she had made many contacts, but had not had responses back.  She has talked with Rich McDonald and to Wilson Pacific representatives and folks at Licton Springs Park.

Kathleen had learned of concerns of the Friends of the Park for locating the P-Patch at Licton Springs Park.  The Friends were concerned about the fertilizers that would be used and how having the P-Patch located there would affect their efforts to keep only native species in the Park.

Kathleen said the head gardener at NSCC was interested and also a teacher (who gardens at Interbay).  The college location discussed is at the south end, between the tennis courts and parking lot.  It is a high location, so it would drain well, and it would receive a lot of sun.

Liz volunteered to contact Dave Barber regarding finding any City-owned land in our neighborhood that might be a possible P-Patch location.

Kelly suggested also considering non-traditional locations, i.e., using the rooftop of a parking facility for a garden location.  It’s good to think outside the box!

Kelly also has a friend in TILT and would see what information he had, or get Kathleen and his friend connected.  

Our next meeting is Wednesday, October 17, 2007.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Ellen M. Beck, Secretary