WOOTEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Minutes of 8 March 2010
President Adam Turner called the March 2010 meeting, held in the Redeemer Lutheran Church cafeteria, to order at 7:05 PM. The first order of business was approving the minutes from the January meeting. Marilyn Rogers moved to approve, and Opie Gonzalez seconded the motion that the minutes be approved as distributed. They were approved.
Census bureau representative
Karl Loftis spoke to WNA about the 2010 census operation that was underway. He noted that 1600 people would be employed to help with the effort in the Austin area. Addresses had been field checked, and forms were expected to be completed in the next few weeks. He stressed that a lot was riding on an accurate count. Helpers were still being hired.
Treasurer’s Report
Opie Gonzalez presented the WNA Treasurer’s report. At the beginning of January, the bank balance was $1,844.53, with petty cash of $17.83. During January, $50 in dues and $25 in ad revenue was collected; $219.25 was expended (a check for $120 – the January newsletter cost – had not cleared). In February, $5.00 in dues and $200.00 in ad revenue was collected; $120.00 was expended, with a $29.12 check for DreamHost still outstanding. At the time of the March meeting, the bank balance was $1,973.78 and petty cash $17.83, as no additional activity had occurred since the end of February.
Community Announcements
Marilyn Rogers, WNA Community Relations Chair, announced several upcoming events:
- Wednesday, March 10 – WalMart update at Ben Hur facility across from Sun Harvest
- Sunday, March 14 – Zilker Kite Festival
- Monday, March 15 – Wooten Neighborhood Plan Contact Team meets at GirlStart
- Monday, March 22 – Capital Metro begins its commuter rail service
- Tuesday, April 20 – Sustainable Neighborhoods meets at the Village Christian Apartments
Mobile Food Vendor Ordinance
President Turner noted that WNA paperwork regarding our vote opting in to the City’s Mobile Food Vendor ordinance had been passed on, though it might be late April or May before it gets to the City Council and is in force in our neighborhood. We should receive notice of the hearing.
Wooten Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (WNPCT)
Steve Rogers noted that there was a meeting on February 22 to approve the bylaws and elect officers for the WNPCT. He explained that the WNPCT would review proposed changes to zoning that affected Wooten land use and would make recommendations to the city. The “contact team” membership consists of Wooten residents and renters, business owners, and neighborhood association members. The officers elected were Steve Rogers, Chair; Adam Turner, Vice-Chair; Joy Roberts, Secretary, and Carolyn Spock, Attendance Keeper. Meetings would be announced at WNA meetings and on the WNA Yahoo group. Rogers described the neighborhood plan priority list that Turner and Spock had checked for progress and previously asked the membership to rate the items listed, updating the priorities since the plan was adopted in 2004. Though the Wooten neighborhood shares the plan with Crestview, with the Contact Team in place it will be possible to submit the re-prioritized Wooten part of the list to the city independent of Crestview. Turner noted that the Crestview contact team planners had met with our Wooten contact team planners to review each other’s bylaws. Rogers explained that each vote taken by the Contact Team would consist of a vote by each of the four officers and one vote representing the majority of the contact team present at the meeting. Joy Roberts mentioned that we are a step ahead of neighborhoods that do not yet have a plan or contact team in place, which might make a difference in Austin’s work on a comprehensive plan. There will be a WNPCT meeting at GirlStart at 7:00 PM on March 18. The non-profit group is in the process of buying the building.
WNA Newsletter
Joy Roberts and Betsy Thaggard were thanked for their work on the WNA newsletter (WootenNews), which needed to be completed and delivered in time to alert the entire neighborhood to the meeting at which the WNPCT bylaws and officers were to be voted on. The newsletter has been self-sustaining due to the ads purchased by neighborhood businesses. About 8 to 10 individuals delivered the last newsletter, covering 100 to 200 households each. The UPS Store has provided a discount on the copies. The newsletter is also available on the WNA website, posted by Thaggard. Roberts is seeking input from long-time residents. Steve Rogers mentioned that having the newsletter and other information online is helpful to neighbors who don’t come to meetings. Additional help is wanted for delivering the newsletter and providing content – maybe restaurant reviews. It was suggested that it would be useful if a membership form was available online.
Discussion about Neighborhood Crime
Concern was expressed about crime in the neighborhood. The North Village library has been the site for a meeting of multiple neighborhood groups to discuss crime. Marilyn Rogers said that one neighborhood group had purchased magnetic signs for registered neighbor’s cars which were enrolled in a drive-around-the-neighborhood-keeping-an-eye-on-things project.
Announcements
- President Turner said that Saturday, March 27 was a tentative date for putting in some equipment at Wooten Park.
- A bylaw amendment was being considered which would require proof of residence and a 30-day delay before a new paying member could participate in a WNA vote.
- Beverly Kimbrough’s husband is in hospice.
- An inquiry was made about how Don Glenn was doing (cancer).
- There was a question about a proposed bar in the Hobby Lobby shopping center. It was said that the contract that businesses in the center signed under Hobby Lobby’s management disallowed such establishments.
Adjournment
A motion was made by LaVerne Stauffer to adjourn the meeting; there was a second. The meeting was adjourned.
The next WNA meeting is scheduled for 10 May 2010 at 7:00 PM.
Carolyn Spock
WNA Secretary