Everett Council of Neighborhoods

Council of Neighborhoods Meeting Minutes April 24, 2017 Meeting was called to order at 4pm. Agenda and minutes of the previous meeting were approved. Attendance: Karen McAllister, Carol Jensen, Roger Hoot, Michael Trujillo, Kari Griffith, Tom Norcott, Colleen Kain, Michael Rinner, GeorgaDee MacLeod, Shelley Weyer, Art Olson, Jim Prissel, Victor Harris, Linden Kimbrough, Rodney Shimogawa, Jim Greico, Ethel McNeal, George Lockeman, Vanessa Randall Excused: Andrea Tucker, Dennis Dudder, Dee Anderson, Don Meyer, Teresa Schultz Staff: Jaimee Hudson, Wendy McClure, Eileen Simmons, Sarah LaVelle Citizen Comments: None Mayor Stephanson: Mayor was unable to attend. City Council Liaison: Council President Judy Tuohy – City Council retreat was held a week ago Saturday. Topics included a focus on south Everett, safe streets and community engagement. She gave a summary. Council dialogue generated a lot of ideas and suggestions - Creating a city club, city money to develop city organization, a civics academy to become leaders in City government. Also discussed how to build stronger neighborhoods. Important to clarify the Council liaisons’ role and what CON reps cover when reporting at neighborhood meetings. Encouraged neighbors to build on school relationships, elementary schools as natural gathering places. Councilmembers suggested that Wednesday night neighborhood meetings to be changed to allow for more council engagement. They also suggested the need to create a draw for public meetings, importance of guest speakers, events, importance of supporting community engagement. Council members could help identify potential leaders. They enjoy being liaisons. City and Community Reports: Library Director - Eileen Simmons – Although not statistically representative, the library received 300 plus responses to survey, on paper, on line, bingo chip voting programs. Eileen reported on results of what people indicated that they are interested in. Favorites – staff! Branch location, smaller facility size, programs at branch, story time, computers, fewer street level issues than at main. What would make it better – coffee and donuts shop at branch (not likely to have a coffee shop at the branch due to space constraints). Residents also want more books, DVDs, more computers with more space, more parking, more space in building, more visibility from street. They also value having space for kids and teens, a meeting space, reading and study areas, a family restroom, longer hours, driver through book drop, a quiet area, group study rooms, more activities Reading and quiet room were key requests, and more computers, space for children. Other things, extra space outdoors, places to play, keep people from loitering. Library expansion is at very preliminary stages of planning, re-assuring that survey priorities reflect the highest priorities the library has already placed into the plan. A quiet room is planned, a bigger area for kids and teens, more computers, more space for staff, more street signage on Evergreen to make it more visible. Next steps – webpage up right now, go to EPLS.org to keep updated on branch project, timeline, 21 pages of comments on line. May 16 library board meeting – review of schematic drawings. More opportunities for public comment at library on branch will be ahead. Eileen indicated plans for collaborations with Cultural Arts for public art installation at site. Public art process includes cultural arts board about what is appropriate. Observation that library is viewed as community space, gathering space. Value safe space, practice English at Talk Time. Outreach to other communities than Latino communities, like Russian Asian language communities. How can reps convey results of survey and limited scope of 5,000 sq ft expansion, more children space, better meeting options, study rooms, more computers. People will say that works better for them if they get those items. Everett Emergency Management - Sarah LaVelle – City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is being updated, it is a key to help build city’s resilience to hazards and how to lessen impacts. Plan helps prevent damage to homes and businesses. A part of plan is an inventory analysis of risks and threats. Risks include severe weather, pandemic, and what to do about it. Mitigations could include seismic retrofits, or for flooding to raise homes. City is learning how to better withstand problems and residents can take action steps. Emergency Management will be holding a series of meetings – an invitation to participate in a Hazard Mitigation workshop on Saturday, May 13, 10AM to 3PM, Horizon Elem School gym with facilitated discussion led by UW faculty. Key stakeholders need to be there. Please attend, share ideas and make plans together. Comment on digital systems and impacts of disasters, how will people function without technology. What are ways we can work around it? Sarah responded - UW Hazard Inventory – there is a threat to technology and list of possible threats will be included in updated report. Additional meetings are planned with specific stakeholder groups such as downtown businesses. Fourth of July planning has started – city departments have met. Rachael Doniger is new public education coordinator. Teamwork: School Linkages – Tom – two or three people help every week with reading, it’s a subcommittee initiative, assisting with reading and math. Volunteers are preparing Madison Elem school lunch snacks during day, and weekend backpacks. Spring break food needs are also addressed. Easter event attendance from Evergreen and View Ridge Madison. Food items that are easy to prepare for kids, holidays, long weekends, hard for kids. Ability of child to prepare is key. Monte Cristo Nominations – forms are trickling in, have received 25 now. Need more nominations, via email, online, handing in. Jaimee is writing a Live in Everett guest blog to help promote. Jaimee will be writing blurbs for Facebook and NextDoor. Talk with neighbors, refer people to website Everettwa.gov/Montecristo or local stores to pick up forms. May 10th meeting of planning committee to discuss more nominations. Insert in newsletters, write up your neighborhood winners, encourage nominations. CON Nominations for officers – statements were distributed for those who have offered to serve, Jim Grieco, Ethel McNeal and Victor Harris. Next month, candidates will share their statements.  Goals for 2017 – Discussion of activities, current items include Monte Cristo, candidate forum in fall, working with neighborhood events, special mini grant projects and school partnerships. Council reps and volunteers have done a lot, people are tapped out doing things in their own areas. Hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness is another area we want to be active on as well. How are we doing on progressing in that area? Also food for kids through schools also affects youth and resilience of community. Conclusion: the current focus on Preparedness, School partnerships, and Monte Cristo tasks are enough activity at this time. Neighborhood Reports: Bayside – 17 attended, police report, new officer reported, topic was speaker Apryl Hynes, Everett Public Works, about rain gardens. Council liaison attended. Discussion wrapped up with Easter Egg event, 2400 eggs, gave away a lot of stuff for kids. Had lots of donations for prizes. Planning a Night at AquaSox game for mid- August 16, will do outreach at Bark in the Park, and sell tickets at NNO. Boulevard Bluffs – no meeting Cascade View/Twin Creeks – 10 people in attendance, Council liaison Scott Bader attended. Presentation on fire safety, smoke alarm education. Also worked on NNO event prep and Neighborhood goodwill project prep. Neighborhood trail pathway is graveled, impressed and packed down. Squeaky wheel did get the grease. Delta – 32 attended, had a police report, Coucnilmember Scott Murphy was in attendance. Guest speakers from WSU and EvCC about growth and expansion into Delta neighborhood and parking impacts. Residential parking zones were mentioned by college. Snap elections of officers may be held soon. Evergreen – met with 16 in attendance, had officer report, and two councilmembers attend. Group discussed neighborhood outreach and inclusion projects. Plan to invite parks staff to come talk about Madison/Morgan park sites. Harborview-Seahurst-Glenhaven – 28 people, no police report, Catherine Soper from Port of Everett gave presentation with an overview of plans, hotels etc, at Port. Fantastic presentation. Also had two people who discussed open house for an adult home in Glenhaven. Roger Hoot and Colleen Norcott discussed MYN. Easter Egg Hunt 75- 100 people attended. Garage sale to be held on May 20, Also tree planting in Howarth Park is coming up. Lowell – 13 present, had police report, Councilmember Murphy attended, Discussed Lowell Days. Northwest – 42 people present, had a police report, Councilmember Paul Roberts attended (not liaison), elections were held with Kari Quaas elected new chair. Roger Hoot spoke Map Your Neighborhood, gathering place lined up. Easter Egg Hunt very quick but well attended. Clean up to be held on May 20. Pinehurst – 16 attended, had police report, Kushmart being watched for drug activity. Eileen Simmons, library director, talked about library expansion, League of Women Voters info. Held a Radio Day, on 14th of month, at 1400 hours. Ham and handheld radio operators connect and practice talking between neighborhoods. Good practice and link with other radio operators. Port Gardner – had a police officer, also had council liaison, Cocoon House director Cassie Franklin spoke and also had report on Everett History museum. Planning egg hunt event for Easter.  Riverside – 11 attendance, had police report, had Mary O’Brian, principal from North Middle at meeting, integrating technology into lessons, volunteers. Projects- senior yard care this year in May, working with Catholic Community Services to find senior who needs assistance. On April 7 – Garfield Park planting trees and bushes on NW corner - held work party. Silver Lake – no report Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge – held an Earth Day celebration in lieu of a meeting, had lots of refreshments, free gardening info, had two big tent canopies set up. No police, but Council president Judy Tuohy, liaison attended. Disappointing turn out of the usual volunteers even after they sent postcards to all households, made phone calls, put up Aboard signs. Weather was not good, 7 attended. High winds tipped over canopy tents. Got work done, not well attended, had left over food. View Ridge Madison – no report Announcements: Several events and flyers from Everett School District were circulated: The public is invited to comment at community conversation meetings in April and May on growth and expansion within the district. An Innovation Expo will be held on June 8, and there will be an early learning symposium event on Friday April 29. Top 5 Items to report: City Council retreat focused on outreach and engagement Eileen Simmons, Evergreen Branch library update with survey results Sarah LaVelle, May 13 Hazard Mitigation workshop at Horizon Elementary Monte Cristo – send in nominations, more are needed June 5 or 6 for next Social Practical focused on new and innovative ideas Meeting adjourned at 6:08pm. Next meeting on May 22, 2017 Minutes prepared by Wendy McClure