Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council

Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, November 13, 2019 7:00 P.M. City Hall Annex, 98 Washington Street Called to Order: 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Christy Evans (Mack Park), Pat Liberti (Gallows Hill), Dennis Maroney (Salem Common), Dennis Colbert (Barnes/Clark/Wyman), Anne Sterling and Meg Riccardi (North Street Northfields), Mira Riggin and Wendy Meigs (Historic Derby Street), Barbara Mann (Greater Endicott Street), Flora Tonthat (Bridge Street Neck), Patti Morsillo (Broad Street Park), Mike Robbins (Willows) Staff Present: Dominick Pangallo (Office of Mayor Driscoll) Approval of October 9, 2019 Meeting minutes: Approved Public Comment: None Special Guests: Brittany Dolan and Esmeralda Bisono from the Solarize North Shore program talked about the program details, savings opportunities, and upcoming “meeting the installer” events. They took questions from the members about timelines and deadlines, how the program works with historic homes and condominiums, and how the program’s offerings compared to the 2014 Solarize Salem program. They offered to attend neighborhood association meetings with the selected installers, as well. Neighborhood Association Updates: • Bridge Street Neck: Traffic and Parking Department reviewing Bridge Street pedestrian crossings, particularly at Winter Street. • Barnes/Clark/Wyman: Met with the residential developer working on the former Cinemaworld site. Joint public hearing is tomorrow on the rezoning and the neighborhood association supports the rezoning. INSA opened for business, but it has been generally quiet. Traffic signal at that intersection needs to be extended for left onto Highland Avenue. Coyote activity in area. Mennino construction was working at the Woodlands subdivision on Veterans Day and police were called. • North Street Northfields: Setting up a gift network for those in need during holidays. Roca crew helped clean Furlong Park. Luminaria tentatively scheduled for December 15th, rain date December 22nd. • Historic Derby Street: Councillor McCarthy spoke at the last association meeting and the group is interested in finding out more about the harbor planning process. • Greater Endicott Street: Leaves in the High Street playground and lot, and lot may need to be repaved. Homeless found sleeping under a resident’s deck; CIU and patrol have been responsive. • Salem Common: Holiday concert takes place at the Bridge at 211 on December 15th. Tree lighting ceremony on Salem Common will occur after Santa’s arrival, as usual. The next phase of the fence restoration is moving forward; if anyone has a piece of the fence, the contractor can use it to recast or work from. • Gallows Hill: Police have been conducting traffic speed checks on Valley Street, which has been helpful. Gallows Hill Park is closed for the improvement project, noticing more cars parking on Mansell Parkway, however.  • Mack Park: Rosemary O’Connor is retiring from the MPNA. At last meeting the group heard a presentation about tunnels under Salem. Working with Fire Department on flooding lower part of Mack Park for winter ice skating and with community partners and City on a community agriculture project at the Park. • Broad Street: Group met with David Kucharsky and Lt. David Tucker recently to review speeding issues on Broad Street and Dalton Parkway. Concerns about impact of on-street snow emergency parking on Dalton Parkway. • Willows: David Kucharsky met with group to discuss Fort Avenue bike lanes. Patti Kelleher also presented to the group on Fort Lee. Expecting decision from the state on the City’s grant application for designing repairs and improvements to the Juniper Cove seawall. Mayor Driscoll attended an October meeting on flooding to review seawall plans and the association’s request to DEP for approval to remove sand from the beach at the cove, waiting on DEP for response. Questions around ownership of the cove breakwater, as well. City Updates: • SSU South Campus survey is online at www.salem.com/news through November 20th. • Textile recycling drive takes place in Riley Plaza November 23rd from 8am to 1pm. • The City’s home rehabilitation loan program is available to income-qualified homeowners. See flier for details. Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 11, 7pm, 98 Washington Street Adjourned: 8:08 p.m.