DSNA Meeting Minutes: May 2025

Call to Order: 7:05

Attendance/Introduction Question: Are you going outside of city limits this summer? Christy Stewart, Karen Greene, Dustin Daley, Thomas Stellini, Natasha Winnik, Kiana Necoechea, Jacob Hardy, Noémie Despland-Lichtert, Brendan Shea

Changes/Approval to Previous Month’s Minutes: Approved

Treasurer’s report: $520.77 Change: +$100 (Increase in funds came from Noémie - the dog calendar, thank you!)

Announcements (External and Internal)

Main Library summer reading programs for kids and teens are starting. A new Tween crafternoon program is available and potentially an adult crafternoon in the future. Public Hearing - Tuesday June 3rd 5:30 regarding TEP wanting to install large towers along Grant Road and Broadway/Euclid. TEP was denied in February, they are filing an appeal.

Discussion

SunTran route 5 possible discontinuation (Public Input Meetings and more information) - There are a series of public meetings around route changes. Meetings all through the month of May on potential route changes. Link for details on each meeting included below. There are also conversations about reinstating fares for Suntran and concerns about this being a precursor to Suntran cutting service but also reinstating fares. Kiana and Brendan will potentially attend the meeting on May 22nd and will bring information back to the neighborhood next month to decide if we need to take formal action.

Public Input Meetings for Route 5 & 22 - Sun Tran Dunbar garden space update - No update from Dunbar on the garden space. Thomas tried to reach out to Dunbar representatives for an update and to invite them to our meeting but didn’t receive a response. Natasha was able to provide an update that Dunbar Coalition was updating the space to be a heritage garden and we have no indication if it will be available for community use. There were questions raised more around holding community events - mesquite milling - pot lucks - pancake breakfast and interest in starting those again. Natasha to reach out to Lisa with Dunbar to see about any further updates.

Neighborhood clean-up event - Thomas reached out to the city about getting roll-off dumpsters. Thomas has been communicating with Team Up to Clean Up about arranging a clean-up event but was encouraged to wait until after Summer to hopefully increase the number of volunteers. Neighborhood cleanup/social event will be postponed until September however we’ll look to do smaller cleanups with people that are available.. Thomas is still going to move forward with the rollaway dumpster for now and we’ll need to decide dates and locations for those. Kiana is taking the action to create a more strategic year long plan of best timing to utilize the resources available to the neighborhood (Brush and Bulky, two roll-off dumpsters from the city, Team Up to Clean Up, Trashy Divas).

Resources + ways to support our immigrant community - Christy offered resources and information regarding support for the immigrant community, prompted by a previous discussion about potential targeting in the neighborhood. Christy provided the link below outlining available resources including rapid response training, no entry w/o warrant posters, know your rights cards and safety response plans.

How to be an Immigrant Ally

Contact Christy to get signs, cards and more information about accompanying court processes, immigration meetings, check-ins, etc. The Library also has know your rights cards available. Christy to send more information to the broader Dunbar group via the listserv.

Reports From The Field

A. DNARC (Downtown Neighborhoods and Residents Committee) - No update

B. Downtown Links - Sam Credio with Downtown Links agreed to give the neighborhood a quarterly update. Kiana mentioned that the deck plaza area is not going to be considered a park so this could have implications on dealing with the houseless and upkeep. How can we work together with the city to help those individuals and keep that area maintained properly? We will raise that with Sam Credio in his next update. It was also noted that we need to follow-up about the Citizen’s art building and begin raising questions about if that will be used as an art space again,if the city will buy that land/building or consider a trade with ADOT; this was discussed prior to downtown links.

C. Dunbar Coalition - Natasha to talk to Lisa regarding how to contact the board.

D. HFAC (Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition) - Looking for new board members. Reminder about the events space in the old Ordinary Bicycle space, community events held here. Organization is in place to support North 4th Ave.

E. Stone/Speedway - No updates

F. 11th Ave/1st st housing project - No updates

G. WAMO (Warehouse Arts Management Organization) - No updates

For The Good Of The Cause - Future Topics Plan Tucson - The city offered to attend a future meeting to talk about plans for that if we’re interested.

Arizona ROC - Licenses contractors in Arizona, offered to come talk to the neighborhood about avoiding scams

TEP - Offered to talk to the neighborhood about energy usage and rebates available Tucson Mesh - A community run internet initiative to provide free wifi

Adjourn: 7:54pm