Members Present: Jim Barfoot, Sierra Barter, Grant Dulgarian, Martha Fraenkel, Anneliese Greenier, Kerry Kohring, Daniel MacLellan, Sheila Perlow, Joan Retsinas, Thomas Schmeling, Dean Weinberg
Members Absent: Anthony Arrigo, Chris Bull, Daren Bulley, Harriet Hemphill, Britt Page, Jesse Polhemus, Mary Ann Rossoni, Peter Sandby-Thomas,
Guests: Esther Solondz, Pernilla Frazier (Kreatelier co-owner and new co-president of Hope Street Merchants’ Assn.) May-Ronny Zeidman (Holocaust Museum), David Kolsky.
President’s Report: Dean noted that this is the second-to-last meeting of this Board.
Minutes. Kerry moved and Sheila seconded, approval of the December minutes with 2 corrections. All were in favor.
Treasurer’s Report
Anneliese announced that we have received a check for $200 from a member.
We had a $300 loss overall for the year. Membership income was 47% from previous year, but that was a slow year. Our budget is on calendar year. Joan asked re: the North Main Street restricted fund. Dean explained that we are not required to spend these funds on NMS. Grant asked if we can get a line by line account of the NMS group’s expenses. Dean suggested that such a request would be seen as micro-managing the group.
Grant noted that the Paypal portal does not allow contributors to specify what activities they would volunteer for. It was agreed that should be fixed and we will try to get our webmaster Mike McGlynn to take care of it.
Tom moved to approve the report, Kerry 2nd. Unanimously approved.
Board Nominating Committee (Tom, Anneliese, Kerry).
We had a nice get-together at India and we are in good shape for the meeting with the exception of the Treasurer’s position. Harriet remains willing to handle the bookkeeping but not day to day transactions including writing checks, reimbursing expenses, depositing funds, and picking up mail.
Anneliese, who has already been picking up the mail agrees to take on these responsibilities.
Annual meeting
The traditional format has included speeches by public officials, representatives from the police department, etc.
Last year included a new variation- a panel discussion- but many left before or during this.
Grant suggested that the meeting focus on the zoning ordinance.
Tom suggested that we upgrade the food and drink and make it more of a social event social.
Pernilla suggested Festival Ballet as a location.
The issue was tabled to allow our guests to speak before it got too late.
Guests:
Pernilla Frazier (Hope Street Merchants’ Assn) or a designee will attend SNA board meetings if they can and we will get copies of their minutes.
HSMA is a growing association. They sponsor three festivals:
1) Spring benefit for Festival Ballet, which will be May 31 with a beer garden in FB parking lot. They expect it to be bigger than last year
2) Fall Festival. Previously sponsored by Miriam but last year Miriam did a North Main Street festival. This will probably be on a Sunday in Sept.
3) Holiday stroll in December.
Their plan is to work toward getting more attractive street lights on Hope Street. David Kolsky mentioned this was done by WBNA on Westminster.
Dean expressed appreciation to Pernilla for reaching out to us.
Esther Solondz is an artist who is working with the City to construct a Hummingbird Palace in Lippitt Park. The structure is a hummingbird attractor. It has a steel structure covered with filaments. She is looking for involvement from the community, especially for maintaining and filling the feeders. Students (possibly from arts magnet program at HOPE HS) might help.
The location will be in the southeast corner of the park. It will have a 12-14 ft. radius. It will remain up “indefinitely”. It was mentioned that at least several years are necessary to attract birds. A four-foot fence will surround the structure to deter vandalism. Solar lights will come on dimly at night, with motion detectors. Contact: esther@esthersolandz.com
May-Ronny Zeidman represents the Holocaust Education and Resource center, which was founded 25 years ago and is housed in the Jewish Community Center. It was started at request of holocaust survivors in this community.
They have several major projects:
1) go into schools with a survivor to tell their story.
2) Holocaust through arts programs. Middle and high school education programs.
3) Art and writing contest. They have reached 10,000 students. They would like for their programing to involve the SNA. We offered to help promote their programs.
Other reports:
Holiday caroling was a great success. Over 50 people participated.
Snow shoveling continues with eight volunteers and four recipients.
The newsletter is on schedule for printer this Wednesday. It would be distributed to deliverers on Sat, Feb. 1.
Streets of Summit photo contest. Joan has suggested this project. Photos of neighborhood people & buildings would be displayed and judged at the library, Miriam or an empty storefront. Jim, Grant and Joan agreed to plan.
The Annual Meeting discussion was removed from the table and resumed. Kerry moved the following format: introduction by President Weinberg followed by a vote on the new Board. Thereafter, the rest of the meeting will be a meet and greet with candidates. Tom seconds. Passed with one dissenting vote.
Tom moved to authorize up to $750 on food and drink. Jim seconded. Passed with two ‘no’ votes.
We discussed the location. Tom had reserved Summit Commons for 2/27. Festival Ballet was suggested as an alternative. Tom was tasked with talking to FB. It was suggested that changing locations created a problem for announcing the event. Dean suggested that we postpone the meeting to March 3 and the newsletter by one week. Tom so moved and Joan seconded. The motion passed with one abstention.
Dean moved that he should write one paragraph for the newsletter and seek sponsors for the wine and food. Unanimously approved.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15
Respectfully Submitted, Thomas Schmeling, Secretary
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