SouthWest Common Council Minutes 10/18/18

Transcription

1 The SWCC represents neighborhood leaders, community residents and stakeholders who meet to contribute to the vision and planning for the SouthWest Quadrant. SW Common Council - the place to come for grassroots community input THE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN! NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, 11/15/18, 6 P.M. In Attendance: Jen Beideman (Healthi Kids). Noah Bogusz (RIT Student), John Boutet (LocationSW, SW Education, SWCC Co-Chair), Eleanor Coleman (YouthBuild), David Culeton (Laundry on Arnett), John Curran (Rapids Cemetery), Mary D Allesandro (So. Plymouth Business Assn), Elizabeth Doucette (Cottage St. Block Club), Joan Lee (SW Libraries), John Lightfoot (COTS, SWCC Co-Chair), Dawn Noto (Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Assn), Donna Sarnacki (19th Ward Community Assn) Note: Shooting took place outside the library just before SWCC meeting; library was on lockdown; no one hit. Action Plan: John Lightfoot made available the current headings for the Action Plan with input from the group to date. We are asking leaders of the organizations to add information to the list. New headings are welcome. Committees can be formed around this document. This will enable us to have a document to which we can refer when speaking to City Hall or other potential interests. John McMahon (NSC) is supportive of this effort and will help as he does have expertise in this area. John Boutet sent the document out to key SWCC representatives; we are looking for input across the board. A new Google Docs version will be sent that allows members to add their input/comments, etc. Website Put Location SW under Communications heading of the Action Plan. Project Reports: Brooks John DeMott could not be at this meeting but is glad this is on the agenda. B@B was very successful. If we want to continue, we need help (lining up the performers, set up, take down). Suggestion: go to high school to let them know this is a community service opportunity; Juniors could get a headstart over the summer. MOTION: John L. made a motion to change the Brooks name to Events Committee, which would fall under the Arts & Culture Action Plan heading. Seconded by Eleanor; all in favor; motion passed. It was agreed that Mary D Allessandro would head up this committee.

2 Society Restaurant Should be listed under the Economic Development heading of the Action Plan; Brian Potter, Staybridge Manager, will attend our next meeting; o 11/9 10 th Anniversary of the Brooks Landing Ribbon Cutting; press conference at Brue Coffee; happy hour at Brue w/ live band from 4-6. o 11/11 November Fest at Staybridge, 12-5, kid friendly activities provided by UR students, hot dogs, apples & ciders; SW Rotary has members who will be attending schools with this information so that parents and families can be encouraged to attend. Art Project - No new information. Education Committee Currently 19thWCA Schools Committee and SWCC Education Committee both working on getting the schools more involved with the community. Establish the connection so that it exists when something happens. Teachers focused on standardized tests (high stakes testing); are they aware of the social issues plaguing inner city neighborhoods. Need to start at Kindergarten raising civic awareness; what is the history they should know about; how did voting come about; how does democracy work; what s the process for getting things done (making changes). Hard for teachers to put the emphasis on these important issues with current testing requirements. Planning on having this year s 19thWCA Annual Dinner Meeting at School #16. See if we can get teacher participation in the Candlelight Dinners. Need to collect data regarding the push for short-distance busing. Looking for old data that was already collected. Looking for school volunteers; volunteers can help in school but also bring issues back to the Education Committee. Suggestion: Connect with So. Plymouth Gardens or Kennedy Towers to engage seniors in this effort.. Organization 19 th Ward Community Assn Donna Sarnacki (585) dsarnacki@hotmail.com Citizen & Merchant of the St. Mary 5:30 (Donna is the Citizen!) 11/16, Annual Convention at School #16, 6pm; new officer elections; basket raffle Changing of the Scenes (COTS) John Lightfoot (585) cotsna@gmail.com No Report

3 Organization Common Ground Health Healthi Kids Jen Beideman SouthWest Common Council Minutes 10/18/18 Reclaim the area in front of Phillis Wheatley Jen very disturbed at the violence that occurred outside of the library, a safe haven for children and families. Urged group to plan ways to show our presence. Play Day in front of Phillis Wheatley Cottage Street Block Club 2 nd year collaboration w/ Dr. Bayer s garden 3 members attending the Blocks in Bloom workshop to promote gardening in the neighborhood by teaching neighbors how to garden Legacy Park Station moving forward; will be Rapids Cemetery John Curran jecurran@rochester.rr.com SW Libraries Joan Lee (585) Joan.lee@libraryweb.org Winding down program for the year as weather changes. Good success reclaiming a wild raspberry colony. Volunteers were available this weekend for mulching. Still working with RIT to develop a self-guiding tour Research is bringing to light many local residents who have ties to the cemetery. Arnett TASC Tutoring, Mon & Wed, 5:30-7:30pm; always looking to expand adult education services. Wheatley After School Tutoring K-6 th Grade, Mon 3:30-5:30 & Tues/Wed Central library has many programs they are working to make available Suggestion: programming on white privilege, racial equality, etc. Susan B. Anthony Dawn Noto East House building housing on Canal Street (80% Average Medium Income) Gunshots during day; have connected to police; walking the streets w/ police 10/23, Coffee with a Cop, 10:30 am at 1872 Café. Call police if you would like to have them join you in walking your neighborhood. Peace Village (homeless housing/tents) on W. Broad St; 12 living on site. Dawn sits on Board along with House of Mercy, St. Joe s House, REACH, and some homeless); Code of Conduct include no fires, no heroine. Open Door

4 Organization SouthWest Common Council Minutes 10/18/18 Mission provides showers from 4-6. Water and portable johns on site. Spectrum provided funding; new tents and jackets provided by Tandoi Asphalt and Seal-Coating on Industrial St. Police & fire dept to check on them every few weeks. Having homeless all in one place is helpful for providing services. RIT Architectural student doing a thesis plan on the Canal to Downtown what are the obstacles? Student has done a Corn Hill walk and will be referred to John Lightfoot for input. CINTAS has moved to Henrietta. Many successful summer activities were held; Pumpkin Fest 11/27, Madison St now being renovated; vacant for years. Outside of home will maintain its historic structure goal no vacant houses. YouthBuild Eleanor Coleman (585) eleanor.coleman@gmail.com New location! 121 Lincoln Ave, between Chili & West Ave Next class starts 11/5; to register contact Reg Walton at Dave Culeton Laundry on Arnett Area Variance requested for 6 parking spaces on corner of Arnett & Rugby; there is parking for 4 but 10 are required. Dave looking to build a walkable neighborhood restaurant. Space was vacant for 15 years and required significant structural work. Proposed restaurant proprietor lives in the building and is very community oriented. Space would be available for community meetings and small gatherings. Space will also Include Sweet Bees visual bee hive with opportunity to get fresh honey. Suggestion: Take pictures of unused parking spaces to underscore parking availability. MOTION: Mary D. made a motion to provide a Letter of Support for a 6-space parking variance; seconded by Dawn N. All in favor; motion passed.

5 DHD Ventures - Mary asked that DHD Ventures Developer Thomas Massachi be invited to speak to the SWCC regarding the property he owns in the PLEX neighborhood. PLEX NA is seeking a Community/Mutual Benefit Agreement and is asking for affordable housing, a community center, money for PLEX park, a say in the design of the building, and targeted hiring. A Community Benefit Agreement should include input from the community but that doesn t appear to have occurred. One proposed need for which funds could be used: a small fund to help out the elderly who own their homes so they can do repairs (roofs, porches, bathrooms on the first floor, etc). It was noted that DHD has not shown publicly what they are planning for the space; UR student housing was proposed initially. At the last SWCC meeting, the President of the Mt. Hope NA expressed great concern over DHD operations in that neighborhood. Tiny Homes (for the homeless) Bull s Head Revitalization Process is underway and Tiny Homes construction is on the table for consideration. Construction of the homes would be done by those who are learning construction as a way to build job skills. CFC YouthBuild would like to be part of this initiative and will be moving into the SW Quadrant this month. John Curran noted that there is a working railroad system that goes from Morse Lumber to Wegman s storage on Brooks; coincidentally, it also travels past the new YouthBuild site. Contact Information Co-Chairs: John Boutet, jboutet@frontiernet.net, (585) John Lightfoot, cotsna@gmail.com, Scribe Services: Eleanor Coleman, eleanor.coleman@gmail.com, (585) Respectfully Submitted, Eleanor Eleanor Coleman CFC YouthBuild