Drake Neighborhood
Association
Board meeting minutes
June 14, 2000
Attending: Rachel Ahlmie, Mark Bequeaith, Nathan Brooks, Bernie
Burke, Patty Daniels, Catherine Dietz-Kilen, Nancy Geiger, Jennifer
Hoover, Eldon McAfee, Carl McPherson, Tony Schmitt,
Absent: Forrest Meyer
Excused: Larry James, Ron Langston, Dawn Price
April and May minutes and treasurers report were approved.
Committee reports:
Neighborhood Based Service Delivery Jeff Aldrich was introduced.
He will serve as the police representative. He gave a brief
overview of his background, which includes having taught Community
Policing. Locally, he noted that graffiti has increased in the
past weeks. He will daily address any cars without licenses
parked on the street. Mr. Aldrich was asked about several locations
and their status.
Eldon gave a report for Ed from the Housing division. The recent meeting with the landlord of 3024 and 3022 Kingman was held as planned. Some improvements have been noticed and clarifications with the landlord noted. The situation will continue to be watched carefully.
Hy-Vee/Drugtown/Regal Liquor
The meeting in May with the new tenants of Taits was reported.
There will be some produce and prepackaged meats and 60% of
the floor space will be devoted to food items. There was specific
mention made of the liquor store section's operation as to whether
or not this would be a separate store or merely a section of
one store.
An Assn. member brought the outdoor signage to the attention of the Board. She has written a letter to HyVee personnel opposing the use of the outside signage in a different color for the Regal Liquor Store. She acknowledges that liquor and beer will be sold at the location but having such overt signage is not necessary. After discussion, the Board approved to send a letter of support for her position.
The motion passed: The Drake Neighborhood Assn does not support separate signage in a different color for "Regal Liquor" on the outside of the 42nd street location. The Board supports pursuing the zoning appeal process if available.
There was a discussion of mounting a media blitz on the issue. Eldon will keep the Board updated via email. He is planning on sending a letter of Thanks to the Hy-Vee personnel for attending the informational meeting.
Farmer's Market
Even with the rain tonight, the vendor signup has been good.
First Christian Church has purchased a sound system, which is
working well. The church will be buying a storage shed for some
of the Market items. Volunteers are needed to staff the street
crossings.
The issue of allowing political candidates or parties to purchase vendor slots was discussed. The Farmer's Market Steering Committee will be addressing the issue soon and the Board's feelings on the matter were solicited. There was sentiment in favor of the having voter registration materials available but that the Market was for consumable goods as much as possible. The motion passed: The DNA Board's position was that neither political candidates nor parties should be allowed to have a booth. (Note: Both Nathan and Jennifer abstained.)
Even though Forrest was not available, he has been addressing the acquisition of a banner sign for the Market, which would hang across University at 25th Street. The banner would hang continuously from June through September. The motion passed: to cover one-third the cost of the banner, up to $400, for the banner. The Board also passed a procedural vote to waive the two meetings rule for the expenditure.
Walgreen's Site Plan
Eldon recapped the status of his meetings since the last Board
meeting. He met this past Monday with City of Des Moines Staff
and Walgreen's personnel. He has expressed approval of the site
plan, which has more windows than previously shown and a 19 feet
setback with 2nd sidewalk along University. Eldon explained
how the setback distance effects the slope and drainage towards
Brattleboro Street. The street signage will be two monument
site pillars.
House Tour Recap
The 2001 Tour Committee Chairs were announced as Denise McAfee
and Rachel Almlie. The area will be on the eastern portion of
the Assn in conjunction with the Carpenter Square Centennial.
During the 2000 tour, one injury occurred with required professional attention. The accident happened along Kingman Ave.
Communications
Newsletter The June issue will go out in early July.
Beautification The Community Garden is full and looks good.
Jazz in July July 12th at 5:30pm along 25th Street next to the Harmon Fine Arts Center no word yet if the Friends of Drake Arts will be having refreshments and there was sentiment that if they did not the DNA should.
Due to this scheduling, the July Board meeting will be held on July 19th.
Organization reports:
Drake University
no report
Des Moines Neighbors no report
Neighborhood Housing Services no report
Neighborhood Development Corporation
Catherine reported that the Corporation is proceeding with the
purchase of the Habitat for Humanity building along Forest Ave.
The lot between Boswell's and Forest is already purchased and
the Boswell's property is also being considered. Catherine has
additional information concerning other activities of the Corporation
around Des Moines, if anyone is interested.
New business:
MLKing Expansion to I80/35 A group of diverse persons representing
the Neighborhood & Nature River Preservation Project presented
their position on the proposed MLKing Parkway extension north
of Euclid Ave. They were asking for the DNA's support for the
extension project stopped. They had some documentation to share
and maps. They wish to have the land preserved rather than developed
as a highway. They invited comments and interested parties to
attend their next meeting on June 21st. The Board held little
discussion but stated this topic should be of general interest
to members and might be appropriate for a general meeting presentation.
Pam Tedesco/former Mustard's site Pam presented the Board with her plan to open a convenience store/mini-mart gas station on the SE corner of MLKing and Forest Ave. She requested a letter of support from the Board as she continues through the county purchase process. The Board passed a motion to send a letter of support for Tedesco's project with language, which acknowledges her record as a good business neighbor. The letter would have a copy sent to appropriate City staff also.
OSACS will have a Juneteenth Parade on June 17th. Eldon is not available for the event and neither were others with the appropriate parade pulling vehicles. This event will not have DNA representation this year.
Waveland Park Neighborhood Assn Recreation Trails Robert Gernes presented a request for a letter of support for a set of bike trails that would be located in the public right-of-way west of Waveland Golf Course and Glendale Cemetery and along the southside of the golf course to 42nd Street. The presentation was well received and the discussion included what could be done to have the trails extend further east, perhaps to Cottage Grove or beyond. The motion passed to send a letter of support for the Waveland Park Recreation Trail creation.
Mark Bequeaith brought a request
for funds to the Board for a storage shed at the Community Gardens.
He had done some pricing research and presented figures for
a wooden, locally built shed. The discussion centered on the
appropriate size. An 8' by 10' shed with a floor sitting on
a gravel bed was described. The recently purchased House Tour
signs will need to be stored and require a minimum size. There
was discussion if some of the price should be raised from those
persons who have a garden. Mark presented this purchase as an
example of Assn funds being spent back in the neighborhood, especially
towards an ongoing project. The motion passed to approve the
purchase of a shed up to $1,000 plus tax for the Community Gardens
site.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Geiger, Secretary
The meeting notes are copied and pasted from a variety of sources, and so the font sizes may be inconsistent. If you have trouble reading any of the notes, please let us know.