Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates

Minutes from RNA Meeting on July 11, 2012 Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building North Conference Room 308 at 5:30 p.m. Committee Members in Attendance Braxton Naff, Chair Johnny Williams, Vice-Chair Tony Adams Valeria Alphin Jim Crawford Rena Cromer Bob Caudle Brian Harris Dallas Powell Asia Smith Committee Members Absent Scott Tate, Secretary Guests Office Travis Akins, Roanoke Police Department Welcome to Members and Guests Chair Naff called the meeting to order at 5:36 PM. He recognized members and guests including Office Travis Akins with the Roanoke Police Department. Reading and Approval of Minutes Copies of the June 13, 2012 meeting minutes were distributed for review. Ms. Alphin moved to approve the Minutes and the motion was seconded by Mr. Powell. Hearing no further discussion, the minutes were unanimously approved by consensus. Guest Presentations Chair Braxton introduced Officer Travis Akins who presented a program on the city’s Trespass Bar Program. Officer Akins distributed several handouts noting that currently 1,890 city businesses are currently participating in the city’s Trespass Bar Program which was established several year’s ago. Akins noted those interested in participating can register online at the Police Department’s website, www.roanokeva.gov/police. The free program provides the police the authority to arrest someone trespassing on one’s property without directly involving the property owner. Akins noted that participants included many businesses along Williamson Road, Grandin Road, Townside, landlords, and others. He also noted that once a property owner signs up for the program that anyone caught on the property can be arrested for trespassing unless their name is on a list provided by the property owner noting that the owner is no longer inconvenienced when this occurs. Akins noted the program also applies to people setting up encampments on private property. Officer Akins also discussed the issues being created by those taking synthetic drugs, known as bath salts, and distributed a flyer promoting a seminar scheduled on July 19, 2012 in both the city and county. Akins noted the law had changed in Virginia on July 2012 that prevents retailers from selling the RNA July 2012 Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 3 drug noting it would continue to be an on going problem as the manufacturer only needed to change one ingredient in the drug to overcome the state regulations prohibiting its distribution. Neighborhood Reports Mr. Harris stated he was advised that both Eureka Park and Kennedy Park were infested will drug and other illicit activity preventing families and youth from using the parks. Officer Akins noted he would advise Lt. Lovern, Zone Lieutenant for the area where the parks are located, to increase patrols in both areas. Mr. Harris also advised that the Melrose-Rugby Neighborhood Forum had recently held elections when new officers were elected. He reported that Stephen Niamke was elected as the new president and Estelle McCadden would be assuming the vice-president role. Ms. Alphin noted she had recently participated on a Police Community Walk held in the Raleigh Court neighborhood. She noted the main area of concern was youth skateboarding on the Grandin Village sidewalks. She noted the increase of youth skateboarding in this area was due to the closing of the Wasena Skate Park and asked that a report be provided by Roanoke Parks & Recreation updating the RNA of their plans for the skate park as its closure was adversely impacting the Wasena, Raleigh Court and Mt. View neighborhoods. Ms. Smith reported that the Hurt Park neighborhood had really pulled together as a result of the June 29 ‘derecho’ wind storm. She also noted that residents are hoping the Hurt Park Elementary School will be selected as a new polling location when the number of polling locations across the city is reduced. Mr. Powell reported that Ms. Julie Buchikos, a highly involved member of the Belmont Neighborhood Watch Association, was planning on putting together a SE neighborhood run as a fund raising activity for the organization. Powell also noted the most recent conflict resolution meeting did not go well as many in attendance did not feel progress was being made. He noted that several homeless individuals were invited to attend but that they were not representative of those creating the problems in the neighborhood. Unfinished Business A. Neighborhood Assignments • Mr. Clement distributed an updated listing of the neighborhood assignments for the RNA members to review and choose those neighborhood groups that were not being represented by the RNA. Following a brief discussion, Mr. Clement advised he would revise the list and distribute at next month’s RNA meeting. B. Discussion Regarding RNA Business Plan Update • Mr. Clement distributed a copy of the current RNA Business Plan along with a copy of another provided by previous RNA Chair Ron McCorkle for the review and comments of the RNA. Clement noted the current plan had not been revised since 2004 and reminded the RNA of the effort to do so under the previous Chair’s leadership. Mr. Powell noted communication and involvement of the RNA in helping to share city information with the neighborhoods be included in the plan. RNA July 2012 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3  • Following a brief discussion, Ms. Alphin and Ms. Cromer volunteered to take the two documents and prepare a draft revision of the current RNA Business Plan to be submitted for discussion at the next RNA meeting. C. Review of RNA Applications and Discussion • Mr. Clement distributed copies of the current applications for appointment to the RNA received both by the City Clerk and through the Office of Neighborhood Services. Clement noted that three vacancies currently existed, two (2) to be appointed by City Council and one (1) to be appointed by the RNA. Clement also advised that the City Clerk was requesting feedback from the RNA on the applications submitted through her office. Following a brief discussion, the RNA requested Mr. Clement forward their comments and recommendations to the City Clerk. New Business A. Annual ‘Harvesting of the Fruits’ Potluck Dinner Ms. Cromer asked RNA members to begin considering where to host this year’s ‘harvesting of the Fruits’ neighborhoods’ potluck dinner noting that last year’s attendance had grown above the previous year. She noted that the location was rotated in differing areas around the city and that she hoped this year it could be held either in the SE or NE area of the city. Cromer also noted the event is normally held during the first or second week of November. B. City Council Dialogue Mr. Clement advised the RNA to begin thinking about having a City Council dialogue in the near future as it had been roughly a years since the last dialogue was held. He distributed a draft created by the previous RNA Chair and suggested they use it as a template for putting something together to share with Council at a future meeting. C. ‘Grill the Landlord’ Workshop Ms. Cromer noted she would like to see the RNA offer a ‘Grill the Landlord’ session following on the suggestion Mr. Powell brought up at last month’s RNA meeting. Mr. Powell had suggested by the prior RNA meeting that the RNA consider having a ‘Grill the Landlord’ workshop in the fall to bring landlords and neighborhood residents together for a dialogue to learn about each other’s issues and responsibilities concerning the legalities of dealing with unruly tenants. Ms. Alphin noted she had held a similar session at a recent Mt. View Neighborhood Association meeting and that it was well received by all involved. Suggestions regarding who should participate, the time, date, and place where the event could be held were discussed. The auditoriums in city high schools, the Jefferson Center and Dumas Center were suggested as possible locations for the event to be held on a weekday evening sometime in the fall after Labor Day. Chair Naff suggested Mr. Powell created a marketing plan for the event to which he suggested Ms. Cromer would be a better choice based upon her prior success of marketing the RNA Code Enforcement workshop held during the fall of 2011. Mr. Adams and Ms. Cromer agreed to contact Cyrus Pace, Director of the Jefferson Center, to verify the availability of possible space. Chair Naff asked Ms. Cromer, Mr. Adams and Mr. Powell to create a marketing plan to include the workshop’s purpose, format, outline, audio needs, participants, location, date, and time and submit to the RNA at next month’s meeting. Open Forum/Announcement Adjournment Chair Naff adjourned the meeting at 7:25 p.m. RNA July 2012 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 3