McKnight
Neighborhood Council, Inc.
Board of
Directors Meeting
Tuesday, February
14, 2012: 6-8 pm
Rebecca
Johnson School, Music Room
55 Catharine
St., Springfield MA
AGENDA
6:00 – 6:15 pm: OPEN MEETING, WELCOME
o
Introduction, Board of Directors
o
Audience Introductions
6:15—6:45 GUESTS
o
Lori Bellanger
and Gail Coburn from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission presenting the
FOG program—fat,
oil, and grease—how to handle the disposal of these food items and avoid costly
plumbing and sewer repairs.
6:45—7:00 pm:
OFFICERS’ REPORTS
o PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Walter
J. Kroll)
o VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Demetrios
Panteleakis)
o SECRETARY’S REPORT: (Ben
Swan, Jr & Elizabeth Lederman, admin staff)
·
Minutes of January 10, 2012, meeting (see attachment)
o TREASURER’S REPORT: (Liz Stevens)
·
Monthly financial report
7:00—7:15 pm: Old Business
o
Update on 175 Bowdoin Street
7:15—7:30 pm: New Business
o
Love Your Block Grant Program—Home Depot Grant
Opportunity
o
Establish Ad Hoc Block Party Committee—chairman
and volunteers
o
Open to floor
7:30—7:50 pm: COMMITTEE
REPORTS – Any committee updates (5 minutes each)
o
Standing
Committees
·
Rail Trail (Liz Stevens)
·
Public Safety (Walter Kroll)
·
Housing & Code (Demetrios Panteleakis)
·
Good Neighbor (Ceil Lewonchuk)
o
Ad Hoc
Committees
·
Community Center (Demetrios Panteleakis)
7:50--8:00 pm:
Wrap Up—Final Business, Open to Floor
8:00 pm—Close Meeting
Next
McKnight Neighborhood Council Meeting
Tuesday, March
12, 2012 6:00-8:00 pm Rebecca Johnson School
Approved March 13, 2012
Minutes McKnight Neighborhood Council
Board Meeting: February 14, 2012
Meeting
Called to order 6:05 p.m.: (WK verified
quorum present)
Board Members Present (8): Walter
Kroll (Pres), Demetrios Panteleakis
(Vice Pres), Liz Steven, (Treas),
Ceil
Lewonchuk (Asst Secy), Donna Jordan, Jesse Lederman, Corey Singleton, Stephen Thibeau. {Elizabeth Lederman,
Adm. Staff}.
Board Members Not Present
(5) Ben Swan, Jr, (Secy/Clerk), Frank Buntin, Katie
Foster, Arthur Jones, Ed
Kelly
Neighborhood
Members Attending: Merry Boone, Jim Boone, Warren Clark, Ed
Zuckerman
Guests: Lori Bellanger, Gail
Coburn
Welcome
by Walter K; board member introductions; audience introductions.
GUEST PRESENTATION
o Lori Bellanger and Gail Coburn from the Springfield
Water and Sewer Commission presented the FOG program—fat, oil, and grease—how to
handle the disposal of these food items and avoid costly plumbing and sewer
repairs.
·
47% of sewer backups are the result of the accumulation of FOG, 75% of
sewers work at half capacity, and repairs costs are $25 billion annually
·
EPA is requiring a commitment on the part of water & sewer utilities
to reduce the amount of sewer overflows
·
“Cease the Grease” is the local outreach program to help accomplish this
goal stressing basic kitchen and food disposal techniques
·
Homeowners are reminded to scrape grease and food scraps into the garbage
rather than down the drain; also to be mindful of unobvious sources of grease
and fat such as dairy and salad dressings
OFFICER’S
REPORTS
PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Walter Kroll)
o Walter
K observed that the vigorous community action in recent months directed toward
code violations, housing and public safety issues demonstrates the strength of
teamwork and leveraging the relationships that the Council has built
internally, as well as with the larger components of city government. Thanked board and community members for their
continuing commitment.
VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT: (Demetrios Panteleakis)
o Demetrios P—no activity
to report.
SECRETARY’S REPORT: (Ben Swan; Elizabeth
Lederman, staff)
o Minutes of Board Meeting January
10, 2012, submitted for acceptance. Call for corrections or additions.
MOTION: (DP moved) to accept as presented;
(DJ seconded); (WK called;) Unanimous vote to accept.
TREASURER’S REPORT: (Liz Stevens)
o Liz S reporting that the
last quarter FY 2011 not yet reimbursed by the City
o Monthly report submitted
for acceptance.
MOTION: (DP moved) to accept as
presented; (DJ seconded); (WK called the question); Unanimous vote to
accept.
OLD BUSINESS
o Update
on 175 Bowdoin Street—Walter K reporting that the Sherriff’s department
withdrew from the SMOC proposal in December; and that SMOC is now reporting
that they will still go forward, offering programming for 12 female residents in recovery
for chronic substance abuse
·
City Council Public Safety Committee
hearing on the oversaturation of group homes in McKnight took place on February
9. Strong turnout from the neighborhood,
with SMOC representatives in attendance
·
City attorney citing Dover Amendment as preventing
any action being taken by the City to address the oversaturation problem in
McKnight since it voids the zoning ordinances
·
SMOC has agreed to present details of their
proposed programming at the March meeting, and take questions from the Council
and neighborhood residents
·
Survey residents for initial set of
questions to submit to SMOC beforehand
NEW BUSINESS
o Love
Your Block Grant Program—Home Depot Grant Opportunity—program explained—call
for project ideas
o Establish
Ad Hoc Block Party Committee—chairman and volunteers—June date—Corey S and
Donna J agreed to chair; Demetrios P will procure DJ bus from Peter Pan
o Neighborhood
Services Director Ed Whitley organizing monthly collaborative meeting for
Neighborhood Councils and Associations to network—need liaison. Corey S volunteering to serve; Walter K and
Demetrios P will attend first meeting as well
NEW BUSINESS—Open to the floor
o Ceil
L and Steve T discussed concerns about the potential closing of the post office
station on State Street
o Ed
Z asked what can be done to replace the many damaged and lost trees from the
October snow event—agreement to invite Ed Casey, the tree warden from Parks, to
find out more about the City’s long term plans to address loss
COMMITTEE REPORTS
STANDING COMMITTEES
o Rail Trail (Liz Stevens)
·
Liz S reporting that
plan for stone dust trail on the initial
300 foot length beginning at Rebecca Johnson Park is on hold; City department
heads are apprised of the idea; Mayor’s office wants to walk the trail and
think about it in the spring
·
Mass Mutual grant
is for the sole purpose of the engineering survey, which will cost $48,000
·
Possibility
exists of linking in the Rail Trail with casino plans if they materialize in the future
o Public
Safety (Walter Kroll)
·
Walter K reporting
on February Watch meeting, topic on juveniles on probation and at risk; Quebec officer at each school is a reporting
resource for concerns
o Housing
& Code (Demetrios Panteleakis)
·
368 St James
being illegally renovated into a two-family.
Building department issued stop work orders in January. Waiting to hear on remediation re: front door
eliminated, and two electrical meters installed; and penalties for building
owner and contractor.
·
Good Neighbor (Ceil Lewonchuk) No activity.
AD HOC COMMITTEES
·
Community Center (Demetrios Panteleakis) No
activity.
8:00
ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: (JL moved) to adjourn; (DP seconded);
(WK called); motion carried.
Submitted
by Elizabeth Lederman, Administrative Staff, 03/13/2012
