February 2013

1. Call to Order – Meeting called to order 7:06 pm.

2. Sign In and Introductions

3. Treasurer Report – No report.

4. Announcements

Elizabeth Upham announces that she is planning an open studio tour in the neighborhood. If interested, please contact her.

Turtle proposes having a newsletter before April. Robert Villa offers a section on amphibians of Dunbar Spring. Elizabeth would like to include the open studio. Supposedly Brad Lancaster has a history of the neighborhood to include too. We agree to send it out the first week of April.

Sky Jacobs mentions that we still need to regain access to the listserve. The old moderator cannot be reached and we can’t fix incorrect notifications. Sky will look into this.

5. Discussion

(a) Finalize reinvestment project dedication – The dedication is scheduled for Saturday, March 9 at 9 am. Sky will contact Cam Juarez to get more specifics. We would prefer to get all food from the Green Gourmet to keeps things simple and in the neighborhood. We need to get the fliers soon if they are to be hand delivered. Turtle would like a sign for the Gila monster, possibly with the common and Latin and artist’s name. Robert suggests contacting Dennis Caldwell for signs. We really should have signs for all the art before the dedication and walking tour, so the artists can be properly recognized. Sky will check up on this. There was some mention that money may be available to spruce up the mural, again Sky will check this. Turtle volunteers to bottom line the distribution of fliers.

(b) Vote: Ironwood Tree Experience Community Action Toolkit – Anthony Johnson, local chef and founder of the Green Gourmet, is here to share some ideas he has for the Dunbar School and possible uses for this grant. His ideas include making the Dunbar School into a garden to teach, specifically thinking about working with Sky Islands High School, but also other groups. He would like to get seeds from Magic Garden Nursery to plant trees, install rainwater harvesting, and integrate it with a program to teach meals in high school. The project would give youth a hands on experience and offer them important skills. He is also interested in reorganizing the community garden in a more productive way, because it is not currently utilized to its fullest potential. He proposes having a work day where he will provide free food and train people to use the space more efficiently and assign people weekly chores. Eventually, he hopes to have classes to teach simple projects, similar to the Master Gardening Program.

Our proposal is to use the Community Action Toolkit to begin Tony’s garden project. Robert Villa moves to apply for the grant to use for a gardening and rainwater harvesting project at the Dunbar School and community garden. Elizabeth Upham seconds. Motion carries unanimously. Harrison Smith is interested in joining this team, and Vince Pawlowski has previously indicated he is too.

Tony announces that the Green Gourmet will reopen soon from 8 am to 2 pm.

6. Committee Reports

(a) Downtown Links – No report. Natasha was unable to make the most recent meeting.

(b) Neighborhood Garden – No report.

(c) Dunbar Coalition – No report from latest meeting.

7. Approval of Minutes from January – Minutes approved unanimously.

8. Adjourn – Meeting adjourned 8:20 pm.