McKnight
Neighborhood Council, Inc.
Board of Directors Meeting
Special
Annual Meeting FY 2011-2012
Tuesday, May
08, 2012: 6-8 pm
Rebecca
Johnson School, Cafeteria
55 Catharine
St., Springfield MA
AGENDA
6:00—6:30 pm: Pot Luck and Social
Welcome
from McKnight Council President Walter Kroll
Community Pot Luck & Social
6:30 pm: Walter
Kroll, Introducing Guest Speaker, LeeAnn Pasquini.
6:30—7:00 pm: LeeAnn Pasquini is the Budget Director for the City
of Springfield and she is here to
discuss
the challenges of the upcoming year and the proposed budget being
developed
by the Mayor’s office.
7:00 pm: Call Meeting to Order
o Audience Recognition
o Introduction of the Board of Directors
o Election Update—An Invitation to Serve on
the Board of Directors
7:05—7:15 pm: OFFICER’S REPORTS
·
PRESIDENT’S
YEAR-END REPORT: (Walter J. Kroll)
·
SECRETARY’S
REPORT: (Ben Swan, Jr, & Elizabeth Lederman, admin staff);
§ Approval
of Minutes from April 10, 2012 meeting
·
TREASURER’S
REPORT: (Elizabeth Stevens)
§ Approval
of Treasurer’s Report
7:15—7:30 pm: Community Speak
Out—Open to the Floor
7:30—7:50 pm: COMMITTEE YEAR END REPORTS
o Standing
Committees:
·
Housing/Code
(Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair)
·
Public
Safety (Walter Kroll, Chair)
·
Good
Neighbor (Ceil Lewonchuk, Chair)
·
Rail
Trail (Elizabeth Stevens, Chair)
o Ad Hoc Committees:
·
Community
Center (Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair)
·
Debate (Jesse Lederman, Chair)
·
Block
Party (Donna Jordan & Corey Singleton, Co-Chairs)
7:50—8:00 pm: Final Business, Wrap Up—Close Meeting
Approved June 12, 2012
McKnight
Neighborhood Council Minutes
Board Meeting: May 08,
2012—Annual Meeting
(Community Pot Luck
Dinner took place from 6-630 pm—approximately 30 people in attendance.)
Business
meeting called to order 6:30 p.m.: (WK
verified quorum present)
Board Members Present (7): Walter
Kroll (Pres.), Ben Swan, Jr , (Clerk/Secy.), Ed Kelly, Jesse Lederman, Corey Singleton, Stephen Thibeau, {Elizabeth
Lederman, Adm. Staff}
Board Members Not Present
(7): Demetrios
Panteleakis (Vice Pres), Elizabeth Stevens (Treas.), Ceil Lewonchuk (Asst
Clerk/Secy); Frank Bunton, Katie Foster, Arthur Jones, Donna Jordan
GUESTS
Representatives
from the Springfield Finance Department, LeeAnn Pasquini, Jennifer Winkler, and
Tracye Whitfield, presented Budget 101—an overview of how the budget for the
City of Springfield is developed. The
budget document itself which consists of nine sections was explained, along
with the budget calendar, the time line the finance department uses to develop
the budget throughout the year.
The
various roles of the mayor’s office, the finance department, city department
heads, and the City Council were described.
Information was presented about
where the money comes from and where it goes—and the yearly figures for revenue
and expenses were presented. Information
was given on how to stay informed through budget hearings, finance committee
meeting, and access through the City website at www.springfieldcityhall.com.
City
Counselor Tom Ashe joined the discussion and helped to answer questions about
the budget process from the audience, which included questions about the school
budget and how the City’s cash reserves are used and replenished.
OFFICER REPORTS
SECRETARY’S REPORT: (Ben Swan, Jr; Elizabeth
Lederman, staff)
o Minutes of Board Meeting,
Apri 10, 2012 submitted for acceptance.
MOTION: (BS moved) to accept as presented; (JL seconded); (WK call for
discussion) ;( WK called the question); Motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT: (Liz Stevens, absent)
o Treasurer’s report
tabled.
NEW BUSINESS—OPEN TO THE FLOOR
o Ben S raised concerns
about property located at Clarendon and Worthington Street falling into greater
disrepair and should be followed.
o Corey S voiced similar
concerns about a property on Hunter Place.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
{Note: Committee reports for
this meeting offered to update the community on accomplishments and activities
that have taken place throughout the year.}
HOUSING/
CODE:
(Demetrios Panteleakis, Chair) Walter K reporting:
o
Most of the committee’s activity this year
focused on Bowdoin Street—first with the arson concerns, and later with the
proposed SMOC program at 175 Bowdoin.
Other work included successfully identifying the city owned houses and
vacant lots in the neighborhood, and developing protocols for interacting
effectively with homeowners whose property is in violation of code and need
attention.
o
The coming year will continue with these
issues, and focus on the new RFP’s that the City has put out for three
city-owned McKnight properties.
PUBLIC
SAFETY: (Walter Kroll, Chair)
o
Walter K reported on the combined
activities of the Neighborhood Watch and the public safety committee. A lot of work went into averting the proposed
program for newly released offenders at 175 Bowdoin Street, which ended
successfully with the Sheriff’s department agreeing to withdraw the project,
and with SMOC proposing a different tenant population.
o
The Watch offered different trainings
throughout the year at the monthly Watch meetings which are now combined with
the Police Beat meetings at the Mason Square Library.
o
The Watch continues to emphasize that the real
heart of public safety on a community level is knowing your neighbor and what
is happening on your street—and reporting and following up until problems are
resolved.
RAIL
TRAIL : (Liz Stevens, Chair) Walter K reporting:
o
The Rail Trail continues to be a major
project for the Council. Disappointing
rejection by Mass Mutual of our grant application to fund the engineering
assessment. The City has stepped up to
the plate and is now showing a lot of interest in the project and making some of its own resources available such as
an environmental consultant. Walter K,
Liz S, and Ed K involved now in regular meetings with Pat Sullivan from the
Parks department
Debate
Committee (Jesse
Lederman, Chair)
o Jesse
L reported that the Council has established a respected position city-wide in
conducting local political debates and that the goal of the committee remains
focused on bringing local officials into
the neighborhood to familiarize them with our issues, and to assist residents
in connecting with candidates and making informed decisions as voters.
o MNC
partnered with AIC again this year to sponsor both a mayoral candidates’ forum
and a primary debate for the three candidates, both of which were well attended
and highly successful.
o Plans
are in place for the coming year to sponsor a primary debate for state senatorial
hopefuls and possibly a forum or debate for the candidates for Hampden County
Clerk of Courts.
WRAP-UP
o Everyone
was encouraged to participate in the annual Block Party scheduled for June 09.
o Board
members are currently soliciting newsletter donations with complimentary ads
for contributors for the upcoming newsletter to be mailed prior to the Block
Party.
o Nomination
papers for annual Board of Directors election to be held at the Block Party are
due by June 02.
8:00 pm ADJOURNMENT: MOTION:
(JL moved) to adjourn; (EK seconded); motion
carried.
Submitted
by Elizabeth Lederman, Administrative Staff, 06/12/2012
Next
McKnight Neighborhood Council meeting:
Tuesday, June 12, 2012, 6:00-8:00 pm
Rebecca Johnson School, Music room
