January Meeting Minutes

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN. MEETING MINUTES

JANUARY 18, 2011

In attendance: 22

1. Ken Hottell - University Heights UMC’s Community Garden:

Ken and Georgia Hottell and Mike Hilgert are doing a community garden at the church on the lot west of the church and east of Bowman (on the alley). They want to create 8 garden plots and need help from the community. There will be 6 large raised beds and 2 small in concrete block with compost and topsoil. Rain barrels for watering will be attached to downspouts on the shed located on the lot. You will need labor and some simple tools to garden. Ken and Georgia are master gardeners and will help.

Those interested in having a garden or helping should call Ken at the church at 787-5347 or his home at 787-1286 to sign up. They will ask you to sign a rule sheet that states you will plant by a certain time, weed the garden, keep it attractive, and clean up in the fall. They are charging a small payment -- $15 for big plots and $10 for small. First come, first served. They will issue plots as they are selected. Dates are May 1 to Oct 31. Those who rent plots need to keep them growing, watered, and harvested. A trowel and small rake should be sufficient. Since it is raised, it will be easy to reach and take care of. If you want a flower garden, you can do that, too. They hope it also brings neighbors together to talk. Large lots are 4 x 16 feet and small lots are 4 x 8. They will erect more if they need to next year.

2. Gary Loveless, Mayor's Liaison:

Indy’s Free Tax Preparation, January 27 – Limit is $49,000.

Road work: There is supposed to be retention under Hanna Ave. to reduce flooding. Bicycle lanes are going to be made on Shelby and Madison in the first week of March. It will connect to Pleasant Run Trail and run from Fountain Square to Greenwood. The city is looking to bid $133 million of road construction, so things will remain torn up in the city for awhile.

Question about the recycling program. Gary says the city is working on it.

3. Kory Vitangeli, UIndy Dean of Students:

Kory passed out some information from the student handbook about holding students accountable. About 50% live on campus and about 50% off campus. They are held accountable for university policies regardless of where they live. She deals with students most commonly on apartment complex issues and leases, but also landlords. The handbook has a section on hosting off-campus events. There is a process for dealing with things such as parties. Neighbors need to make her office aware of problems: 788-3495 or kvitangeli@uindy.edu. If there is an immediate problem, we need to call IMPD. There is a three step process from a warning to suspension or expulsion from the university. The university wants to intervene with problem students. It’s probably not a good time to confront students during a party but the next day. Or call Kory. Ruth Soper mentioned that it can help to introduce yourself when students move in prior to problems.

4. Angela Lord and Ruth Soper - Collaboration with UIndy PR Department:

Met with Rebeccas Deemer, who has a student PR team called Top Dog, and Ezell Moore, Assistant Director of Admissions. Talked about getting more involvement from the community and get feedback about what neighbors want. The student PR team is going to develop some materials and ways to reach out, a welcome packet. Will help make flyers, make it more of a newsletter. Ezell was interested in helping with more outreach and getting information about the neighborhood and its demographics. He wants to educate himself since he answers many questions parents and students ask about what the neighborhood is like.

UHNA logo and meeting signs: Rebecca Deemer’s students prepared these things a few years ago. Ruth and Angela are going to work with Rebecca’s students to revisit these things. Ruth had four signs made to advertise the UHNA meetings. If anyone is interested in working on this, let Angela or Ruth know.

5. Jim Pennell - Spring KIB tree planting:

The second tree planting will be either May 14 or 21 and has been confirmed by Jerome Delbridge at KIB. He will let us know which date later. Jim will be meeting with Jerome this Friday morning to look at yards of requested trees. Anyone on Bowman or connecting streets (Windermire, Castle, Edwards, Markwood, Lawrence) over to Otterbein who would like trees and did not fill out a door hanger or contact Jim should do so as soon as possible. Jim will be soliciting volunteers: we could use 40 people or more. The University Heights Methodist Church will be partnering with us this planting, and hopefully some UIndy students will help.

Talked briefly about the old Cummins Apts. Lot – a landscape architect is working on plans with neighborhood and university faculty and staff input.

6. Ruth Soper - Gateway Community Alliance:

Ruth attended the luncheon meeting at the MCL. They meet four times a year, and people from southside businesses and neighborhoods come to hear the speaker and network with their peers. Also present was a representative from Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, Gary Loveless, David Wantz, and Nancy Collins from UIndy. Discussed “wellness” for small businesses. Hopefully, next meeting will feature a representative from the Super Bowl Committee.

Problem that the Subway has been losing money due to road construction. Could use some customers.

7. David Wantz - Skybreaking event:

UIndy will have an event Thursday, January 27, at 4PM, and you can walk around inside. The Mayor will be there and Mark Miles from the Super Bowl committee. There was a question about whether university athletic facilities in Lilly Fitness center will be upgraded. David said it isn’t clear at this point how or when that will happen. Some of the NFL equipment may be donated hopefully.

8. Angela Lord - upcoming election in May:

We will need a co-coordinator to take Ruth Soper’s place. The election is in May. If you are interested in helping coordinate the association, let Angela know.

9. Brainstorming on ideas for 2011, suggestions of speakers or things we could do:

Welcome wagon packet. Maybe coupons from merchants.

Send Wow cards to neighbors who do good things to their homes – fences or something.

Farmers market.

Wellness fair. Maybe connect with UIndy’s School of Nursing.

Projects for groups such as Teachers’ Treasures that need supplies. Canned goods, etc.

Adopt a fire hydrant, mailbox, or bus stop. Dig out when it snows. Storm drains.

Ideas will require people to take ownership and provide some leadership. But you don’t have to do it alone—can have people work with you.

Karen: Would like to see the neighborhood garage sale again. Maybe the week students come back. Maybe Kory would send out to students. There is now a Classifieds section on UIndy’s My UIndy intranet site. Anyone at the university can post on it.

Diana: Have a garden contest.

Halloweenie Roast. Get a lot of people who don’t come to the meetings.

Angela: Permanent neighborhood signs perhaps. There is a cost associated, so we would have to find a way to pay for them.

Great Indy Clean-up. David Wantz said we could do it from April to October. KIB is involved with that. It helped to have students involved. We can request street sweepers go through the neighborhood to clean the gutters.

We will need to revisit and prioritize what we want to do.

10. Website domain name is about to expire. Angela will explore and renew. Becky Barten will help as webmaster, taking over from Greg Filter.

Minutes submitted by Jim Pennell

Meetings for 2011 (third Tuesday of every other month):
March 15
May 17
July 19
September 20
November 15