Lewton-Rich Neighborhood Association Minutes

February 19th, 2009 

1.      Welcome –– 7:05 p.m.

2.      Pledge

3.      Introductions –– 13 persons

4.      Minutes

a.       Approved

5.      Treasurers Report

a.       Balance $365.60

b.      This organization welcomes donations

6.      Lansing Police Department Report  – (Sgt Koenigsknecht had a family commitment tonight and could not be with us, but sent his apologies to Patty earlier in the day, but asked Offers Jason and Rhonda to be sure to attend and take the pass outs).

a.       Officer Jason Bock and Officer Rhonda Mensch spoke to the group.

b.      The two officers passed out updated phone lists as well and the crime map

1.      We have two new additions to our Team 9; Officer Dustin Belill & Officer Julian Colby currently on duty late at night; email or call them for issues about traffic.  (email address is: first initial, last name and then @lansingmi.gov)

c.       Crime map – very clear and thankfully, not much activity.

d.      Fight broke out last week at Dwight Rich School with parents (of students).

e.       Rhonda is a new officer who, prior to becoming a police officer, worked in Lansing’s 911 system for many years.  She is very knowledgeable about Lansing’s streets, roads and the whole make-up Lansing and a great asset to our police department.

7.      A recent burglary had bad guys stealing residents’ Pit Bull dogs.

a.       Recent increase of traffic accidents on Mount Hope Avenue.

8.      Introduction of Special Guest: Catie Parker speaks on the new Farmers Market to be held at Benjamin Davis Park this summer.

a.       She is an intern at SSCLA to support a grant to place a Farmers Market at Benjamin Davis Park.

b.      Grant also provides a one-mile-long-walk-way to go around the park. Weather prevented it from being completing last year.

c.       10am – 2pm on Saturday’s is the time frame for market.

d.      Dates of market:  June 6th to September 30th, 2009

e.       Garden Project will have a salsa demonstration.

f.        She passed out a survey, which is available on line

g.       Dwight-Rich students will have self grown hydroponics for sale at this market.

h.       There will be no table fee.

i.         EBT/Food Stamps will be available, which should be a very good thing for business and customers a-like.

j.        This is not seen as competition to the City Market or Allen Street Market, as it will be located many miles away from each.

9.      City Council Report – Carol Wood in attendance

a.       She is the Chair of Tri-County Regional Planning Council.

b.      $7.3 million will be available to Tri-County and $34 million available for road projects and for re-surfacing:

1.      Edgewood-Washington-Cedar Streets

2.      Michigan US-127 to Friendship Court

3.      Washington-Miller-Jolly Roads

4.      Holmes-Pleasant Grove-Berwick

c.       MDOT will re-construct 496.

d.      CSO, normal stimulus; Ingham Road Commission and MDOT will make traffic challenging.

e.       Because Tri-County has good scheduling of pending jobs these can be approved quickly as money has to be spent within a YEAR.

f.        This money will offset costs from other funding allowing local budgets to use money elsewhere.

g.       There are many different grants that can be applied for and need to be investigated

h.       Snow Ordinance:

1.      Currently requires cleaning streets where the speed limit is 25MPH at a fine of increasing values for successive failures. ($25/$50/$100).  For streets/roads that are 35MPH the fines are $50/$100/$200.

2.      Lansing has more retiree’s then employees, currently receiving benefits.  Therefore costs are high.

3.      Public Works submitted a change that would allow residence 24-hours to remove their snow, before a crew would be issued to do it for them.  With an administration fee - plus $60 determined on footage. And if not paid within 60 days the cost would be added to their property taxes.

4.      18 tickets were issued last year regarding lack of snow removal. New ordinance would help as the old ordinance requires city to notify the last owners identified.

5.      Ticket versus assessment will affect mortgage.

6.      If it were to pass it would be applicable next year. But this is still a work-in-progress.

i.         Discussion on City Budget

j.        Carol made an announcement earlier this week that she will run for Mayor.

1.      We need to unite community versus down town versus residence….

2.      90% of funding comes from residence and not from down town.

10.  Second Guest Speaker – Chip Kosloski w/ Mid Michigan Biking and Walking Council.

a.       His group is in the process of community engagement. They hope to make a grounds-up effort to determine needs for non-motorized vehicles.

b.      He passed out a pamphlet displaying current and potential ways of non-motorized network planning; the meetings are about creating an awareness for bikes and walk ways for safety. There will be public meetings on:

1.      March 3, at North Precinct Gym

2.      March 4, at Gier Center Gym

3.      March 5, at Hill Center Maples Room

4.      March 7, at Grace United Methodist

5.      Everyone welcome to attend one or more of these meetings.

c.        Go to www.walkbikelansing.com for more information.

11.  Ingham County Commissioner’s Report: Dale Copedge in                          attendance.

a.       Budget is going to be short, from lack of revenue sharing and decrease in tax base.

b.      And also because the recent mileage failed.

c.       $4-5 Million short-fall and expecting that it may fall to personnel reduction and then possibly emergency services.

d.      Dale not working for Department of Energy any longer.  He has a new day job.

e.       Airport Incinerator will have minimal impact on community; and will have negligible carbon foot print as it is not for full-time use. And has afterburning to sterilize all waste.

1.      Its use will not subcontract to other regional trash sources.

12.  Patty read remarks from Ingham County Commissioner                                Victor Cellentino, who was not present, due to illness.  He emailed her and asked her to read the following:

The Waverly resurfacing project is still on the schedule for late June, 2009 and Vic will have more details on this when we next meet.  The 2010 budget is going to be tough but by our next meeting date, he should have some hard numbers.

13.   Election of officers:  By unanimous ballot the existing Officers and Board were re-elected.

14.   Good and Welfare:

a.       Patty reported that the Lewton Rich Neighborhood Association presented two gift certificates ($25 each) to the Neighborhood Council for their annual Bea Christy Dinner to be held later this month.  The certificates were at a new restaurant in town called “The Embassy Grill” located on West Saginaw, between “Go Work-Out and “The Uniform Place” – in the same strip mall as “Great Harvest Bakery”.

15.  Adjourn –– 8:55 pm

 

Michael P. Flaga, Secretary