McKnight
Neighborhood Council, Inc.
Board of Directors Meeting
Tuesday, December
13, 2011: 6-8 pm
Rebecca
Johnson School, Music Room
55 Catharine
St., Springfield MA
AGENDA
6:00 pm – Open Meeting
Welcome from
McKnight Council President Walter J Kroll
Community Pot Luck &
Social
Dinner is Served
6:45 pm - Community Service
Award Ceremony
The
McKnight Neighborhood Council is pleased to honor the following individuals for
their consistent and generous service to the neighborhood and greater
community.
·
Jim Boone, long time McKnight realtor whose work with
historic preservation is known throughout the city
·
Ronald Harrell, owner of Harrell’s
funeral home in the McKnight neighborhood, known for his dedication and untiring
work with the Boy Scouts of America
·
Lt Colonel Stephen White,
another long time McKnight resident, recently retired from the service is being honored for his extensive service to
country
Two sets of individuals are being
recognized for their work and dedication on the completion of projects this
year that truly enrich McKnight and the broader community.
- Sonja Wall & Darlene Arthur—for their contributions to realizing the dream of the Rebecca Johnson Park which was dedicated on October 21
- Elizabeth Stevens & Kathryn Wright—who fought and won an eight year battle to win back the Mason Square Library which re-opened to the community on April 13
7:00—7:15 pm: Introduction
of the Board of Directors
Audience Recognition
7:15—8:00 pm: Year End Reports
OFFICER’S REPORTS
o
PRESIDENT’S
REPORT: (Walter J. Kroll)
o
VICE-PRESIDENTS
REPORT: (Demetrios
Panteleakis)
o SECRETARY’S REPORT: (Ben
Swan, Jr & Elizabeth Lederman, admin
staff);
§ Approval
of Minutes from November 08, 2011 meeting
§ Approval
of Minutes from November 29, 2011 meeting
o TREASURER’S REPORT: (Liz
Stevens)
COMMITTEE
REPORTS
- Standing Committees
·
Rail Trail (Liz Stevens)
·
Public Safety (Walter Kroll)
·
Housing & Code (Demetrios Panteleakis)
·
Good Neighbor (Ceil Lewonchuk)
- Ad Hoc Committees
·
Community Center (Demetrios Panteleakis)
·
Debate (Jesse Lederman)
7:50--8:00
pm: Wrap Up—Final Business, Open to
Floor
8:00 pm –
Close Meeting
Next
McKnight Neighborhood Council meeting:
Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 6:00-8:00 pm
Rebecca Johnson School, Music room
Approved January 10, 2012
McKnight
Neighborhood Council Minutes
Board Meeting: December 13,
2011
(Annual Community
Holiday Pot Luck Dinner took place from 6-7 p.)
(Annual Community Service Awards Ceremony
included presentations to Jim Boone, long time McKnight realtor whose work with
historic preservation is known throughout the city; Ronald Harrell, owner of
Harrell’s funeral home in the McKnight neighborhood, known for his dedication
and untiring work with the Boy Scouts of America; Lt Colonel Stephen White,
another long time McKnight resident, recently retired from the service was
honored for his extensive service to country.
Two sets of individuals were recognized for their work and dedication on
the completion of projects this year that truly enrich McKnight and the broader
community—Sonja Wall & Darlene Arthur—for their contributions to realizing
the dream of the Rebecca Johnson Park which was dedicated on October 21; and Elizabeth
Stevens & Kathryn Wright—who fought and won an eight year battle to win
back the Mason Square Library which re-opened to the community on April 13.)
(Approximately 60 people
in attendance—including Ward 4 Councilor Henry Twiggs; Denise Jordan and Daryl Moss from the Mayor’s office;
television news coverage present, and a reporter from the Springfield
Republican.)
Business
meeting called to order 7:00 p.m.: (WK
verified quorum present)
Board Members Present (7): Walter
Kroll (Pres.), Ben Swan, Jr , (Clerk/Secy.), Elizabeth Stevens (Treas.), Ceil
Lewonchuk (Asst Clerk/Secy); Frank Bunton,
Donna Jordan, Jesse Lederman, {Elizabeth Lederman, Adm. Staff}.
Board Members Not Present
(7): Demetrios
Panteleakis (Vice Pres), Katie Foster, Gregory
Hession, Arthur Jones, Ed Kelly, Stephen Thibeau, Corey Singleton
Neighborhood
Members Attending: (Too
numerous to list, see sign in sheet.)
OFFICER REPORTS
{Note: Officer reports for this
meeting offered to update the community on accomplishments and activities that
have taken place throughout the year.}
PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Walter Kroll)
o Offered
brief comments on the list of Council activities that have served the McKnight
community at large this year; and pointed to examples offered by this year’s
award recipients of what can be accomplished when people are willing to really
get involved and make their voices heard.
VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Demetrios Panteleakis)
o Absent, no report.
SECRETARY’S REPORT: (Ben Swan, Jr; Elizabeth
Lederman, staff)
o Minutes of Board Meeting,
November 08, 2011 submitted for acceptance.
MOTION: (BS moved) to accept as presented; (CL seconded ); (WK call for
discussion) ;( WK called the question); Motion carried with 6 yea and 1
abstention.
o Minutes of Special Board Meeting, November 29,
2011 submitted for acceptance.
MOTION: (JL moved) to accept as
presented; (LS seconded ); (WK call for discussion) ;( WK called the question);
Motion carried unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT: (Liz Stevens)
o LS reporting the MNC has
received partial reimbursement from the City for last year’s CDBG funds; and
that she has resubmitted required paperwork for the remainder of the funds.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
RAIL
TRAIL : (Liz Stevens, Chair)
o
LS described the progress of the grant
applications MNC has submitted for trail funds and answered questions from the
audience about the trail.
o
Storm damage from the October snow remains
and efforts are being made to engage with the Sheriff’s department for workers
to help clean it up.
o
Patricia M asked about whether an
archeological survey had been done on the rail track and volunteered to organize
some students from UMass to work on this
project
PUBLIC
SAFETY: (Walter Kroll, Chair)
o
WK emphasized that the heart of public
safety on a community level is knowing your neighbor and what is happening on
one’s street. He explained how the
Police Beat meeting and Neighborhood Watch operate and encouraged
participation—and talked about the Watch activities that had occurred during
the year such as the Bowdoin Street safety walks after the arson incidents.
HOUSING/
CODE:
(Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair) WK reporting:
o
Committee has been working on a master list
of housing stock for research and follow up with the City on problem
properties.
o
Collaboration with Councilor Twiggs
underway to develop protocols for abutters to be given priority in purchasing
city owned lots; as well as an RFP process when historical housing is being
sold.
o
Brief update on 175 Bowdoin Street and
proposed partnership between Southern Middlesex Opportunity Council and
Sheriff’s department to house ex-offenders.
Since Council and resident intervention and dialogues with City
officials—Sheriff has withdrawn from partnership. Will continue to monitor situation and future
development of the property by SMOC.
o
Denise Jordan, speaking on behalf of the
Mayor’s office, explained that their office was unaware of the project on
Bowdoin Street, had intervened and would be meeting with SMOC to discuss future
development at the property; after which the Council would be able to meet with
SMOC.
o
Councilor Twiggs further advised that the
City Council had approved a resolution to look into the situation at Bowdoin
Street, and the overall status of group home and half way houses in the
neighborhood and the City—and committee hearings will be held to follow this
issue of over-saturation and appropriateness.
GOOD
NEIGHBOR COMMITTEE: (Ceil Lewonchuk,
Chair)
o
CL reporting that she is sending out
welcome letters to new residents this week—and has been keeping a list of
properties that have new owners during the last year.
AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS
McKnight
Community Center (Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair) WK reporting:
o
Council is interested in the church
property for sale on the corner of Clarendon and St James Avenue as a possible
site.
Debate
Committee (Jesse
Lederman, Chair)
o JL
recounted debate activity for prior election season and observed that MNC has
successfully established a respected position in the community over the last
several years as a political event sponsor.
WRAP-UP
o JL
gave update on his work on the biomass incinerator opposition with other
organizations in the city and the current status of the project—the most recent
being the State EPA decision to delay the air permit and hear the appeal
challenging it; and the City Council’s appeal to the Zoning Board of the
recently issued building permit by the City.
o WK
presented staff assistant EL with an incredibly large and lovely poinsettia on
behalf of the Council.
o WK
thanked the board for their hard work through the year, and encouraged everyone
gathered to stay involved, to attend Council meetings; and to work on the
issues that they are passionate about.
o Stephen
G lamented the loss of a house on Bowdoin Street that the city had begun
demolishing.
o Another
resident asked about how to handle a problem with rats at the abandoned church
on St James and Clarendon which were beginning to infest her property. She was advised to call 311; and that the
Council will follow up on it.
8:00 pm ADJOURNMENT: MOTION:
(BS moved) to adjourn; (JL seconded); motion
carried.
Submitted
by Elizabeth Lederman, Administrative Staff, 01/10/2012.
