The GPNA Meeting Minutes

Grant Park Neighborhood Association
Board Meeting
Grant Park Church
Tuesday, March 27, 2006 7:00pm

The Meeting was chaired by Michael Kinney

In attendance:

Board Members in attendance:: Michael Kinney; Ron Laster; Elizabeth Beeghly; KC Davenport; Mary Cal Hanson; Kathy Bang; Mike Heymann; Andy Mones; Merryl Mix
Board Members absent:: Karen Lewis; Geoff Hyde; Sara Wild

The current agenda for the meeting was reviewed and approved by all board members

The minutes from the January meeting were unavailable and therefore board was unable to approve/modify. These minutes approval was deferred and will be available at the next meeting for all board members.

Seve Ghose and Peggy Glascock from Portland Parks & Recreation (PPR) were in attendance and introduced.

They cover North and Northeast Portland area parks. Peggy mentioned that there are several projects currently in the works at Grant Park. New planting is being done on 33rd. Asphalt is being pulled from the area around the pool and reviewed w/ the city engineer to help decide how best to proceed. The PPR is also looking to how to control puddling on the track. Several sidewalk spots have been replaced. These are replaced via priority with trip/fall risk spots being replaced first followed by other areas. Other projects include the Bev Cleary wading pool. This will be getting a makeover in the next budget session and be modified to become a "fountain/spray" area. Other issues include:

slippery tiles at the wading pool
curb cuts @ street level leave puddles.
maintenance trucks cutting up turf along walking paths.
how to get more community involvement during planning stages
Trash cans need to be placed in the off leash area
PPR & GHS coordinate efforts r: trash pickup in the general park/school area
PPR wants neighbors to report leaks w/ irrigation/fountains
PPR has 1 maintenance man (Earl) who is new to PPR.

There are 30 parks in the N & NE area and only 4 technicians.

GPBC CU permit update: There will be a special GPNA Board meeting on April 10th at 7pm w/ the GPBC CU Task force. It will focus solely on the GPBC CU permiting process and task force involvement.

neighbor presented a few issues: access to the GHS library.
Is the Health Clinic available to students?
eve classes at GHS. Are these available to GPBC school students?

Andy Mones will check with GHS about these issues.

Treasury report: $3191.17 in the bank.

Grant Park Bowl Project: no news. Lloyd Lindley has been unavailable.

Land Use: There is a business on 34th & Broadway who is brought a case re: Measure 37. Said business wanted to have signage facing Hwy 84 & city denied request. Info will be on our website. Concerned neighbor brought to Kathy Bangs attention the possible need to inoculate trees (Elms) that are in and around the GP neighborhoods. This will be followed up at a future meeting.

GPNA Clean Up: Scheduled for April 21st, 2007 from 9am to 12 pm. Paper shredding was too expensive. Kathy will look into plastics.

GHS/neighborhood litter concerns: Andy Mones was contacted by a frustrated neighbor re: excessive trash in the area. Andy reported that this is a multifaceted issue. GHS did have a paid student who went around the streets in close proximity to GHS and picked up litter on a regular basis. There currently is not a student available to do this job although Andy was told that there would be a replacement soon. The janitors on staff are not responsible for litter outside of the school. There are negotiations with a new company to provide assistance in this area. Andy also recommended that we add a note in the newsletter & website re: community involvement to pick up litter when possible.

Michael brought up the issue of possibly adding a currently non-involved area of NE PDX (37th-43 & Wisteria and Knott), which is not connected to another NA group at this time. Several questions and concerns were raised and will be tabled until the next meeting.

Elections:

Kathy Bang stated that she is no longer interested in being Land Use contact
Michael Kinney wanted to notify board that he might be moving out of the neighborhood in the near future as a means of disclosure. Would like to continue as President.
Ron Laster also would like to continue as VP
Elizabeth Beeghly would also like to be VP, with the potential of an out of country move in the near future. She will keep us informed to that development.
Merryl Mix has stated that she'd be up for the Treasurer position
Katie Davenport would like to continue as Communication Liaison
Mary Cal Hanson would like to continue as Secretary

Ron will produce ballots for voting.

Agenda for May meeting:

Election of officers
GP Bowl project; Lisa Turpel will be contact to have rep at next meeting.
GPNA Clean Up review
GPBC CU permit review

Katie D. would also like to have Newsletter placement earlier in the meeting so that questions can be asked for newsletter.

Other business; Hal wanted to have GPNA board members come up w/ new/creative ideas fro GH students & trash issues.

Meeting adjourned at 21:00. Minutes taken & submitted by Mary Cal Hanson

Next Meeting:

General Meeting
Tuesday, May 8, 2006 at 7pm
Grant Park Church

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