DSNA Meeting Minutes: November 2024

Call to order (7:03 PM)

Attendance/Introduction question: Prefer Charlie Brown Thanksgiving or Christmas? Karen Greene, Faffs Reiderer, Violet, Kiersten Hinthorn (TPD) Nicholas McCullough (Pima County), Noemie D-L, Lee Simpson (Missionary Baptist Church), Natasha Winnik, Sky Jacobs, Thomas Stellini, Brendon, Marjorie Donovan.

Changes/approval of previous month’s minutes: approved

Treasurer’s report: $569.28: $144 on google, and $40 donations

Announcements (external and internal)

Library News: Main is not closing for a while, if it closes at all. Pima County is in process of purchasing Wells Fargo building across the street which is a “concept of a plan”. Library advisory board has not come to any decisions, and are trying to address challenges, and are trying to get community input. Nicholas will keep us up to date as more information surfaces.

Neighborhood Survey Results: will dig into results for January in-person meeting; folks really like the newsletter. People want to see more stuff happening in the neighborhood.

We need new officers for the neighborhood next April: It is never too early to think about new board members.

Dunbar Spring Dog Calendar: Noémie has more than sufficient dogs and cats and a roadrunner. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos. Folks said they were willing to pay for nicer calendar and donate extra money to neighborhood.

Meeting Nov 23rd, Noon, 9th St and University Ave to discuss narrowing the street. Faffs is putting up posters inviting participation in working together to narrow streets for traffic calming. It will be a short meeting.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church had a neighborhood cleanup. Thank you! And we would like to be invited to help with future cleanups.

UA Architect students are meeting Dec 11 at Whistle Stop from 5-7 to present their ideas about neighborhood improvements. They would like to talk to community members about their ideas. More information is coming out.

Natasha reached out to the Trashy Divas about neighborhood cleanup, and they said they could come in January to particularly focus on alleyways.

Discussion

Introduction from Tucson PD - CSO K. Hinthorn #101777 Kirsten.Hinthorn@tucsonaz.gov (7:15) nine incidents in our neighborhood this month: an assault, a criminal damage event, traffic accident on Main due to speed, two mental cases. Important to lock property and it is useful to have cameras. An uptick is more common during cold season. If anything happens, call either 911 (for emergency) or Non-emergency line (520) 791-5059 Noemi and Brandon said that alleyways are often scenes of crime: drug use, bb shooting etc. PD said they would increase patrolling. Natasha said two recycling bins were burned to the ground two weeks ago. A car was also burned Sept 7. In October Missionary Baptist and Dunbar had broken windows and other vandalism. Karen: they are putting in another Circle K type business on Main, which often increases crime.

Alley Cleanups? - Andy Chirch (7:38) Natasha suggested requesting dumpsters. The Trashy Divas can help us and we will coordinate with neighbors who might help to clear trees. We will suggest two Saturdays to Trashy Divas - January 11 or 18. Violet or Faffs will request dumpster from City. Brush and Bulky is week of Jan. 21.

POSSIBLE VOTE - To Spend Money on Neighborhood Meeting Yard Signs (7:40) Karen: if we get 10 signs, it costs $160, for 8 signs it costs $170. Folks did not feel comfortable spending our limited budget on this. Karen will put on email list to see if we can come up with donations. We could also put up flyers as an alternative; also in apartment buildings. Christy will do this for January in-person meeting. No motion made.

POSSIBLE VOTE - To Spend Money on speed humps Map (7:45) We would have to raise $500 for each speed bump on already approved locations (Ward Office will pay 9,500 of the 10,000 cost) We cannot spend parking money (from parking permits) until we have $1000 in account, which we don’t have at this point. Natasha said Brad got $100,000 to do for his project; perhaps he can fund this. Karen thought that Brad’s funding wouldn’t be able to go towards speed humps. Sky said that University would be the best place for the speed humps. Faffs, Karen, and Sky suggested that $100 would be what we could afford total. Moved: we spend $100 on one speed hump on University, by Perry. Passed.

Downtown Links - Karen / Sky (7:50)- completion date postponed until summer 2025.

Reports from the field

• DNARC (Downtown Neighborhoods and Residents Committee)
• Downtown Links: It will take until next summer (two years late altogether). This has been SO slow. We have no idea what it is going to look like. How can we find out more about what is happening?!? Faffs will ask Kyle DeWitt to attend our meeting in December to clarify and bring drawings of complete plan.
• Dunbar Coalition
• HFAC (Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition) Natasha: perhaps putting together a BID (Business Improvement District) to get a coalition to get more services for this area.
• Stone/Speedway
• Splinter Collective
• WAMO (Warehouse Arts Management Organization)
• For the good of the cause

Adjourn: 8:10 PM