Neighborhood Planning Council 2 - North Central

Monday, October 9, 2023 Meeting Minutes NORTHCENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COUNCIL #2 Washington Heights United Methodist Church - Hub of Hope, 153 N. Wood St. 1. Call to Order & Welcome: Monique French, Chair, called The Meeting to order at 6:08 PM. 2. Attendance: NPC 2 Members (E = Excused, ☒ = Present, ☐ = Absent): ☒ Mary Bourgeois ☒ Church of Scientology (Jeff Breedlove – Secretary) ☐ Frank Drury ☒ Faith Temple COGIC (Joe Hooper) ☒ Monique French - Chair ☐ Grace Health (Jessica Gerteisen) ☒ Lynn Ward Gray E Samuel Gray ☒ Larz Martin-Bey - Vice Chair E Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek/NIBC (Whitney Wardell) E Bettie Robertson ☒ Ron Sweet E Prentice Thompson ☐ Karen Todd Guests: ☒ Jim Haadsma, State Rep, MI44 ☒ Springview Tower (Brent Heuss) City Representation: ☒ Cpl. Brad Gentry ☒ Yolanda Johnson ☒ Cpl. Shawn O’Bryant 3. Adoption of the Agenda: Moved by Hooper and supported by Sweet to adopt the September 11, 2023 agenda as presented. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. 4. Approval / Amendment of Minutes: Moved by L. Gray and supported by Sweet to approve today’s agenda as presented. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. 5. Correspondence (sent/received) & Announcements: • Lynn Ward Gray is celebrating her Birthday with a Benefit Fashion Show, on Oct. 29, 5 p.m. at Mildred’s Boutique downtown. All models are cancer survivors, proceeds go to the Pink Ribbon Sisterhood. • NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner fundraiser is Oct. 27, tickets are $65, and taking ads through Oct. 13. 5:30 pm at Kool Family Community Center. • Pastor French’s 4th Pastoral Anniversary and honorary doctorate announced, on Oct. 29 at 3 pm, WHUMC. • BCPS Community Conversation regarding Northwestern transformation project, and neighborhood revitalization on Nov. 2 at 12 noon and 5:30 pm at WHUMC. • Active Shooter Lunch & Learn, Nov. 4, 10 am – 2:30 pm, lite lunch provided. • Faith & Blue, Nov. 11, 5 p.m. at St. Mark CME and Nov. 12 at 12 p.m., Second Missionary Baptist Church. • Oct. 31, several locations for Trunk or Treat, all 5 – 7 pm, BCPD at Bailey Park, RISE at Parkway Manor, and WHUMC at WHUMC. (Please submit all correspondence/announcements in writing whenever possible) 6. Committee & City Staff Reports: a. Police Department/Fire Department: Cpl. Gentry reviewed the written report provided. Activity trending down under most categories from last month, perhaps colder weather is a factor. Overall, NPC2 is #4 for calls for service out of the 9 (which includes Bedford Twp.) NPC’s. Cpl. O’Bryant described crimes around stolen vehicles and advised to always lock your car door, in the garage, or out of the garage, and never keep “spare” keys in your vehicles. Mailing Address: City Hall, 10 N. Division St., Room 104, Battle Creek, MI 49014 Phone: (269) 966-3315 ~ Fax: (269) 441.0380 ~ Web: www.battlecreekmi.gov  Monday, October 9, 2023 Meeting Minutes NORTHCENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COUNCIL #2 Washington Heights United Methodist Church - Hub of Hope, 153 N. Wood St. b. Elected Officials: State Rep Jim Haadsma stated it was a busy time. Mostly due to a compressed schedule. Questions around the battery plant in Marshall, the federal lawsuit filed regarding whether former Pres. Trump can be on the ballot in Michigan, and who is responsible for get-out-the-vote efforts were addressed. County Comm. Monique French received a question about the county transportation efforts, the county commission passed it, Emmett Twp. opted out. c. Neighborhood Services: Y. Johnson reviewed the written report provided. Asked if there were any issues members wanted to move forward. Highlighted, 1) Junk accumulation and high weeds remain high, should tapper off in future reports, 2) Working with management at Arbor Hills, The Annex, and Springview Tower to advise on city ordinances and tenant rights, 3) Helen Guzzo now oversees the department she left when originally at the city. Helen asked her to pass on Vanessa Hernandez the new NPC liaison and she provided the NPC2 roster. Y. Johnson will ask V. Hernandez to email the roster to the NPC2 membership. All member terms currently expire December 4, 2024. d. Beautiful Battle Creek Award (BBCA): City staff, NPC2 members, and guests are welcome to bring residential and commercial properties for discussion and possible nomination for a BBCA. Each NPC can nominate 1 – residential and 1 – commercial each month. It appears the BBCA nominations we have voted for have not made it to the commission for recognition. Thus, members are putting the following nominations forward, in the order listed, one residential and one commercial each time, to get NPC2 nominations caught up. Moved by L. Gray and supported by Sweet to approve the Beautiful Battle Creek Award nominees as presented below. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. First available Commission agenda: Commercial: Washington Heights UMC, 153 N. Wood St., Pastor Monique French Residential: Booker Barbee, Jr., 40 E. Goodale Ave. Second available Commission agenda: Commercial: Sunlight Gardens/Farmacy, 245 N. Kendall St., Devon Wilson Residential: Scott & Kay Barbera, 99 E. Northside Dr. e. Membership: Moved by L. Gray and supported by French to approve NPC2 membership as a business to Springview Tower, represented today by the general manager, Brent Heuss for a term expiring December 4, 2025. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. f. Committees: No report. g. Battle Creek Public Schools: None present, no report. We briefly discussed it the district's plans to send a representative to future meetings. 7. Presentation: None scheduled for today. 8. Old Business: • Chair French thanked NPC2 members who attended last Tuesday’s city commission meeting on October 3rd where she presented on the Recover Our Neighborhood ARPA Community Project to the city commission. 9. New Business: • There was some discussion about the Open Meetings Act and whether the same in-person requirement applies to the NPC meetings. L. Gray will inquire with the city. Mailing Address: City Hall, 10 N. Division St., Room 104, Battle Creek, MI 49014 Phone: (269) 966-3315 ~ Fax: (269) 441.0380 ~ Web: www.battlecreekmi.gov  Monday, October 9, 2023 Meeting Minutes NORTHCENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COUNCIL #2 Washington Heights United Methodist Church - Hub of Hope, 153 N. Wood St. • Discussed whether we would meet in December and if we wanted to make the November meeting our holiday gathering by bringing a dish/dessert to pass. Members agreed to have the holiday gathering at the November meeting by bringing a dish/dessert to pass, L. Gray will bring beverages. Moved by Breedlove and supported by Sweet for NPC2 not to meet in December. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. • Agenda items for the November 2023 meeting include: 1) 2024 Officer Elections, 2) Discuss and confirm NPC2 meeting date and time for 2024. 10. Public Comments/Member Comments: • WKKF hired Ida Byrd-Hill, CEO & Founder of Automation Workz who is working with people from across the region on a Tech Collaborative on Workforce Development. • For the next 6 weeks, New Level Sports is hosting financial literacy & computer skills training on Tuesdays. 5:30 PM food provided, 6 PM financial literacy training begins followed by computer skills training. Training began on October 3, 2023. • VA Stand Down, a resource fair for the homeless, is October 20, 2023, 9 AM – 1 PM at Full Blast. • Springview Tower has vacancies for seniors looking for housing. 11. Next Meeting: Monday, November 13, 2023 at 6:00 PM @ Washington Heights UMC. Members/guests are asked to please bring a dish/dessert to pass in recognition of the upcoming holidays. NOTE: There will not be a December 2023 NPC2 meeting. 12. Adjournment: Moved by L. Gray and supported by Sweet to adjourn. Motion Carried Unanimously. 7 votes for, 0 against. The meeting adjourned at 7:35 PM by Monique French, Chair. Minutes recorded and submitted by: Lynn Ward Gray (for J. Breedlove) NPC2 Member NPC 2 Mission: To improve the quality of life by listening and engaging residents. NPC 2 Vision: A safe, friendly, family-driven neighborhood where everyone wants to live. The City of Battle Creek will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered in the meeting upon reasonable notice to the City of Battle Creek. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the City of Battle Creek by writing or calling the following: City Clerk Office (269) 966-3348/TDD Mailing Address: City Hall, 10 N. Division St., Room 104, Battle Creek, MI 49014 Phone: (269) 966-3315 ~ Fax: (269) 441.0380 ~ Web: www.battlecreekmi.gov