Neighborhood Planning Council 4 - Northeast

Fremont/Verona/McKinley Neighborhood Planning Council #4 Meeting Minutes July 18, 2012 Call to Order at 7:05 pm Attendance and Introduction of Guests: Members in Attendance (7): Marcia Austin, Mary Conklin, Mark Jones, Szenoria Smith, Sherry Sofia, John Walton, Laura Adams Members Absent (7): John Anderson, Katy Faris, Glenn Holmwall, Marcia, Holmwall, Dave Salerno, Helen Van Valkenburg, David Nielsen, John Hennink Guests in Attendance: Daniel Jones and Elaine Hunsicker from the Haven of Rest, Max Crandall and two other members of the Emily Andrus Home board of directors, Teresa Poole and Tony Goodman Elected and City Officials: Battle Creek Police Department • Lt. Todd Madsen-present • Ofc. Ryan Thayer-present • Ofc. Nick Wollman-present City of Battle Creek: • Dennis McKinley (Code Compliance)-absent • Todd Nowicki (Code Compliance)-present City Commissioners: • Lynn Ward Gray (Ward 2)-present • Sherry Sofia (Ward 3)-present • Andy Helmboldt (At-Large)-present County Commissioners: • Jim Haadsma (District 3)-absent Changes to Agenda: Two items added to Old Business: Request for Registered Rental Property and Community Forum. Approval of minutes: Minutes from the March 21, 2012, and June 20, 2012, were approved as presented Election of Secretary: Motion made by John Walton to elect Laura Adams as Secretary, seconded by Szenoria Smith, passed 7-0 Governmental Reports: Police Department Report: Lt. Todd Madsen reported that as part of the Capital and Wabash Initative, residents will see more movement and directed patrols in the area. He also reported that they are waiting for word on the demolition of the derelict building next door to Mix Hardware on Capital NE. In response to a query regarding receiving crime reports in a different format he stated that the BCPD is installing a new records management system over the ensuing year. Upon request he agreed to provide crime reports in the same format provided to Bedford. He informed members the Neighborhood CrimeWatch Diaries are to be sent to him, and that if any residents experienced issues in getting 911 dispatch to dispatch officers in response to their call, to call him on his cell phone at (269) 420-0410. Code Compliance Report: Todd Nowicki provided the monthly Code report, but did not provide the report of registered rental properties in NPC4 that the chair had been directed to request from the city at the March meeting. A guest reported issues with a vacant home on Guest Street with numerous skunks-looking for a solution from Code or Animal Control. Guest Tom Jacob reported an abandoned house on Merritt Street occupied by raccoons, skunks and human. Information added to property list and provided to Nowicki. City Commissioner (Ward 2) Report: Lynn Ward Gray noted that residents are being asked to work out Halloween time limits between themselves. She reported that the Ethics Policy Review Committee met 7/6/12 and will next meet 8/17/12 @ 3:00 p.m. at City Hall. The next episode of Keeping You Informed will focus on voting and elections and will air on Accessvision Wednesdays, at 6:00 p.m. City Commissioner (Ward 3) Report: Sherry Sofia Reported that a Bicycle Advisory Committee has been created to help make the city more attractive to young professionals, that there will be changes made to the animal control ordinance removing the requirement to spay/neuter pets before they can be reclaimed. She also noted that American Water Resources Group, which will be soliciting residents, is not a city service. City Commissioner (At Large) Report: Andy Helmboldt reported that the city commission is working on an ordinance to ban the use of fireworks outside of July 3, 4 and 5. County Commissioner (District 3) Report: None NPC Reports: Chairman’s Report: • Zoning Board of Appeals: No meeting this month • Planning Commission: No meeting this month • Historic District Commission: They met to discuss one property and approved demolition. Upcoming properties for review are 262 Garfield and 17 Groveland Committee Reports: • Membership Committee: Welcomed Laura Adams as a member. Sherry Sofia made a motion to recommend Teresa Poole as a member, seconded by Marcia Austin, passed 7-0. Teresa Poole, 139 Orchard Avenue, (269) 209-0709, teresa628@yahoo.com. Neighborhood Associations: • Freedom Acres: Their meetings have been changed to the 4th Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at the Charitable Union on Calhoun Street. • Neighborhood Crime Watch: Laura Adams invited members to the baseball game sponsored by the coalition on 8/11/12, and reported that additional Neighborhood Crime Watch diaries were distributed in NPC5 • Calhoun Street Community House: Laura Adams reported that the Tuesday food distribution was suspended by Neighborhoods Inc., until fall and that the generic “Community Leader” access code for the alarm system had been deleted, requesting that anyone requiring access to the building contact NIBC for a personal access code. Old Business: 1. Membership Campaign Planning: Chair decided to divide NPC map into 12 sections with the goal of recruiting 12 members, one resident in each section to serve as recruiter. Door knocking by recruiter to take place in September. Members instructed to be prepared to vote on this at August meeting. 2. Request for Rental Property list: Todd Nowicki informed the chair that the proper procedure for making the request is to write a letter to the City Manager requesting it 3. Community Forum: Chair decided to organize a NPC 4 Town Hall similar to the Ward 2 Town Hall held recently, to take place in late September. No vote on this taken 4. North Avenue drug rehab home: Discussion of residential drug rehabilitation facilities on North Avenue (Park Building and Octagon house) as well as corner of Fremont and Capital (former Floral FX building and adjacent apartment house. Owned by Narcanon/Church of Scientology. Chair decided to investigate this as an NPC and determine whether violations exist. No vote on this taken.  5. Special Use Permit for the Emily Andrus Home by the Haven: Chair read aloud emailed response from the Haven to questions raised by the NPC at a prior meeting. Max Crandall of the Emily Andrus Home informed the members that if the SUP is not approved and the sale to the Haven does not take place, the building will be boarded up, will be lost to back taxes and become derelict. Member and Guest Comments: Members Marcia Austin and Szenoria Smith both said that we should give the Haven the Special Use Permit. Guest Patti Staib recommended reversing the NPC’s recommendation regarding the Haven’s SUP request. Guest who didn’t identify himself stated, “We don’t need more trouble” in regards to the Haven’s SUP request. Member Mary Conklin stated, “I think it should be allowed” in regards to the Haven’s SUP request. Guest Teresa Poole noted, “I was against it, now I am for it,” in regards to the Haven’s SUP request. Action Items: • Ask Neighborhoods Inc. will print a brochure like the “Raise your Hands” brochure (made for the NPC2 membership drive) for NPC4 • Chair to forward email received from the Haven to members • Chair to send a letter to City Manager’s office requesting list of registered rental properties in NPC4 • Organize Town Hall meeting in late September • Identify 12 recruiters, one per section of the NPC, to knock on doors in September. • Investigate drug rehab facilities and determine what, if any, violations are taking place Meeting Adjourned at 9:20 p.m.