April 2014

1. Call to Order – 7:05pm

2. Sign in and Introductions

3. Treasurer Report – $765.73

4. Announcements

(a) Library has several programs coming up. 1) “Play the Qigong Way” a lunch time wellness series on Thursdays starting May 1. 2) “Food for thought” lunch time lecture series – the last lecture is on June 12.

(b) Karen Greene is hoping to start an event that she learned about from another city called “Silent Reading Party” that allows people to mix being social with a solitary activity like reading. People get together and read in the same space. This has been successful in other cities and she wants to bring it here.

(c) Alexander has 2 water meters that could be used/installed in the community garden if the decision is to have vegetable gardens again. He is willing to help install.

(d) There is a “Buffalo Soldiers Jazz and History Bus Tour of Southern Arizona” on April 26, 2014 from 8am to 6pm. The tour starts in Dunbar, goes to Tubac for lunch, tours the Nogales Heritage Museum, and more. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased from Herman Warrior 520-760-0946.

(e) County Supervisor Richard Elias is supporting max funding for the Neighborhood Reinvestment program. Keith Bagwell urged the neighborhood to join the effort and voice support for this program at the next meeting on May 16th at 8 am at the Riverpark Inn (350 S Freeway).

(f) Ben Schneider from Night of the Living Fest hosted a music festival last year at Old Tucson studios as a benefit to sponsor the All Souls Procession. They are planning a similar event this year to be hosted in the Dunbar/Spring neighborhood. The proceeds would benefit the All Souls Procession, but a portion of the proceeds would also be given to the neighborhood. They are interested in partnering with other groups, as well as having other activities/events happening all day to make it a full day neighborhood festival. The music portion of the festival would occur on the southern end of the neighborhood, feature three stages with music, and run from 1pm to midnight. Only the music festival would be a fenced off and fee area, other activities in the neighborhood would be free. People will be encouraged to park outside of the neighborhood, ideally in the City parking lots near downtown. (g) Mary Ellen Wooten from TPAC is looking for panelists to decide on art for Downtown Links. A lot of the art still to be decided is in the Dunbar/Spring neighborhood. Karen Greene said she would be interested in being a panelist.

(h) Some of the artwork installed with the neighborhood reinvestment grant could use some attention. For example, some have chipping paint. Unfortunately there is no money for maintenance. Gail suggested perhaps we could fix up our artwork as part of the fundraiser/event for All Souls Procession.

(i) Can we discuss the neighborhood substation at the next meeting and possibly vote on writing a letter requesting that a wall be built around the substation? New substation infrastructure and hightened noise levels increase the need for building of screen/wall.

5. Discussion

(a) Bus Rider’s Union Presentation – the union is working to get five demands: 1) keep fares affordable, 2) maintain and increase routes, 3) maintain local control, 4) keep bus dollars for the bus (ie. Don’t siphon bus fares for maintenance of the street car), 5) improve the Rondstat Center. The union has events they are hosting year round. More information can be found at www.tucsonbusridersunion.org They have been reaching out to neighborhoods to gain support. The neighborhood will vote at the next meeting whether to write a letter in support of the Bus Rider’s Union. To become a member you just have to sign up, give your email address and you will receive a t-shirt. You can even become an official card carrying member of the union. Members do not have to be bus riders, but can be friends of the bus riders. Recently the city manager has removed the fare increase from the proposed budget. However, there are proposed schedule changes, some good and some bad. Mayor and Council will have the final deciding vote.

(b) Living Street Alliance update – the neighborhood has been working with the Living Street Alliance to conduct a walkability study of the neighborhood. This originally was proposed to happen in the fall, but there was a cancelation and now we can do the study next month. There study has two parts 1) an informational meeting to take place on Monday April 28th at 7pm at the Dunbar School, and 2) an actual walk/study of the neighborhood to take place on Saturday morning May 3rd at 8 am. The neighborhood is concerned that the decision to have the study take place in the next week leaves little time to get the neighborhood engaged. Several neighbors agreed to draft a flyer with these two dates and place is on all the doorsteps.

(c) Downtown links Crossing at Main – though we have written several letters to request a pedestrian crossing at Old Main, there is still no crosswalk striping. Supposedly there is a pedestrian refuge to protect a pedestrian who needs to stop in the middle of the road while crossing 6th Street, but no striping to indicate to passing cars that people may try to cross here. Karen Greene made a motion that the neighborhood write a letter requesting that the crosswalk be striped and signage installed. Natasha Winnik seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

d) Elections – the following slate of candidates was nominated for the board. Vince Pawlowski made a motion to close the nominations and proceed to voting. Aloma Barnes seconded.The full slate was voted in unanimously with 13 votes in favor of all 5 candidates. President – Sky Jacobs; Vice President – Harrison Smith; Treasurer – Gail Toomey; Secretary – Karen Greene; and Parliamentarian – Vince Pawlowski.

6. Committee Reports

(a) DNARC – no report this month

(b) Downtown Links – trying to reach 90% of design plan by end of summer 2014; ADOT has several warehouses that will likely be demolished in 2014; WAMO wants to save part of building; Next meeting is June 9th, 2014; they are submitting plans to Union Pacific regarding the whistle free zone.

(c) Neighborhood Garden – no update. Perhaps this needs to be addressed more formally again during neighborhood meetings as it’s not clear what the plans are for this space.

(d) Dunbar Coalition – The Coalition is deciding on a company to repair the kitchen sink; the Jazz Festival Tour was already mentioned in the announcements; there will be a future black film festival, date to be determined; May 10th the Coalition will be retreating in order to determine where they are going now that the school is not happening.

7. Approval of Minutes from March – Claire Zugmeyer moves to approve the minutes from March. Vince Pawlowski seconded. Unanimously approved.

8. Adjourn –Adjourned at 8:50 pm