Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council

Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday. December 13, 2017 7:00 P.M. City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street, 3rd Floor Members Present: Anne Sterling, Pat Liberti, Flora Tonthat, Rosemary O’Connor, Wendy Meigs, Margaret Crosby, Jerry Smith Staff Present: Dominick Pangallo (Mayor’s Chief of Staff) Guests Present: Jenna Ide Approval of November 8, 2017 Meeting Minutes: Approved Public Comment: None Guest Speaker: Jenna Ide, Director of Capital Projects for the City, introduced herself and talked about her professional background and what her role is with the City. She talked about her work helping to coordinate the many capital projects underway by the City, as well as the projects she is directly managing. Capital projects mentioned included Bertram Field phase 2 study, Forest River Park pool study, Brennan Skate Park, Palmer Cove upgrades study, park and playground water fountains, solar arrays at Witchcraft Heights Elementary School and Bentley School, roof and envelope work at Bowditch school, Common bandstand study, and Community Life Center. Council Updates: Mack Park-holding the group’s 10th anniversary celebration in January. Ward 4-concerns about Cinemaworld project potentially returning. Hopes the developer will meet with the neighbors soon to update everyone on their intentions. Northfields-annual holiday luminaria and caroling take place on Sunday night, 5-9pm, around the neighborhood and at Dickson Chapel in Greenlawn. Common-holiday concert also takes place Sunday at 211 Bridge Street at 2pm; the association strongly supports the new configuration of the traffic pattern at Brown Street and Washington Square; concerns about construction vehicles’ access routes to the potential Phillips Library project at PEM. Bridge Street-jail parking lot trash/recycling barrels (coming in the spring); concerns about Northey Street sidewalk conditions; shared update about the LORAX task force and proposed tree ordinance. Derby Street-progressive holiday dinner went great; sidewalk work is largely done and people in the neighborhood are generally happy with the result; what is status of the Swiniuch Park bricks, still not done? City Updates: Peas for Fee: up to $30 in late fees waived if you bring in at least two canned items to donate when paying your parking tickets, through Dec. 21. Transfer station closing for the season on Sunday. It’s open Saturday 7am-3pm and then Sunday 9am-5pm. Mayor’s Shoebox Drive is happening again, the Salem Youth Commission is collecting donations of new personal care products and toiletries, which are packaged in gift wrapped shoeboxes and given to Salem kids and families in need. You can drop items off at the Mayor’s office or the Salem Academy Charter School through end of the day Friday this week. CPA FY18 Plan is finished and now available on the CPC’s website. Eligibility applications for the next round of grants should be submitted by January 4. McGlew Park is closed for the winter; the contractor will be back in the spring to finish the upgrades and improvements that are underway there. Organizing meeting of the 2018 City Council and inauguration of officials will take place on January 1, 10am, in the Atrium at PEM. There will be a post-ceremony Open House at the new Hotel Salem on the Essex Street pedestrian mall. Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 10, 2018, 7:00 p.m. Adjournment: 8:14 p.m.