March 2019 Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes 

Summit Neighborhood Association 

Board of Directors Meeting

March 18, 2019

Attendance: Read Porter, Erik Christiansen, Anneliese Greenier, Ethan Gyles, Tom Schmeling, Laura Ramsey, Kathleen O’Rourke, Anna Highsmith, Sharon Lee Waldman

Guests: Grant Dulgarian, Olinda Urizar, EJ McQuade, Paul Gallogly

Additions to agenda: None

February minutes: Approved with minor correction.

President’s Report: Ethan reports the officers will meet this Wednesday to finalize the agenda for the annual meeting.

Program and Committee Reports:

Treasurer’s Report: Britt is not present.

Membership Committee: Tom says there’s nothing to report.

Newsletter Committee: Erik reports that the copy was sent to Art for layout earlier today, and he will have a draft layout sometime this week. Discussion about the e-newsletter and how it will complement the print newsletter.

Events Committee: No one/nothing to report.

North Main Street Committee: Laura reports that she contacted Mt. Hope Neighborhood Assoc., N. Main St. Merchants and Nirva LaFortune, to propose a joint letter re Trader Joe’s franchise but so far there has been no response.

North Burial Ground: Erik reports that the Friends of the North Burial Ground has scheduled an Earth Day event on the city-wide Earth Day, and a Jane’s Walk on May 4th.

Community Garden: Annual meeting last week. Garden is full. Earth Day work day scheduled for the city-wide Earth Day on the 27th.

New Business:

Miriam Hospital: Grant reports about the PVD Great Streets meetings and how these present opportunities for discussion about surface parking lots, including Miriam Hospital’s, bicycle lanes, etc. There are more meetings scheduled throughout March but it is not entirely clear what these meetings are meant to achieve or what the objectives of the overall project is. Olinda offers to take questions back to city hall and provide the board with some answers. She also expressed that when 311 doesn’t work, she is available for follow up.

Discussion continued about Miriam’s parking needs, and the consensus was that we should ask them to at least study the feasibility of building a deck over one or more of their lots, rather than buying up more property for surface lots. Ethan will follow up with Monica at Miriam and invite her to an upcoming meeting.

Ongoing Business:

  1. Nominating Committee: Three prospective board members will gather with existing board members at India restaurant on April 14th.
  2. Annual Meeting Prep: Sheila Perlow Award – discussion of nominations. Consensus that Greg Gerritt would be a worthy nominee. Anna volunteers to write the nomination. Anneliese moves, Sherry seconds, all approve. Tom moves to authorize $100 expenditure, Read seconds, all approve.
  3. “Keep Summit Beautiful” signs: Ethan says Dean will deal with these after April 15th.
  4. Lippitt Park “Little Free Library”: Sherry announced the art contest to decorate the new Little Library. An announcement will be in the upcoming newsletter and the deadline for submissions will be mid-May.
  5. Drinking water fountain project: Ethan reports that Parks Dept is working on detailed design and bids now, and the hope is to get the project going this spring. The budget has been met through the various grants and fundraising.
  6. 2018+ Priorities Project: Ethan reminds everyone that the spreadsheet needs to be updated by everyone who has their name associated with a particular project.

Adjournment

Next meeting April 15th.