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These minutes are not yet approved.
General Membership Meeting
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Mater Dei High School
Attending: Abney, Juliana; Berning, Dot; Cleek, Linda; Euler, Skip; Farmer,
Paul; Hemmer, Becky; James, Shirley; Kavanaugh, Christine; Kolb, Bonnie;
Lockard, Michael; Nethery, Troy; Nix, Ava; Nurrenbern, Katie; Nurrenbern, Roger;
Outlaw, DeAnna; Padget, Fred; Sensmeier, Bernice; Stagg, Carolyn; Thompson,
George; Wallenmeyer, George; Wallenmeyer, Loretta; Wegner, Pam; Wentzel, Sam;
Williams, Marie
Excused Absence:
President Fred Padget called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.
Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the February 2004 general meeting were approved
upon a motion by Paul Farmer and a second by Troy Nethery. Minutes of the May
2004 general meeting were approved upon a motion by Michael Lockard and a second
by Sam Wentzel.
Treasurer’s Report: Bernice Sensmeier presented the treasurer's report. She
explained how the report is organized for the benefit of new members.
Associations/Announcements:
New Business: Shirley James read a letter from the Parks
Foundation requesting sponsorship of their glow golf fundraiser on September 17.
Sponsorship of a hole is $50 and includes a sign on the green and inclusion in
printed materials. WIA sponsored two holes at the first glow golf event in 2003.
James moved that we sponsor two holes at a total of $100 in 2004. Linda Cleek
seconded the motion which passed without opposition.
Program: A program on the effort to identify and rehabilitate contaminated
properties in Vanderburgh County was presented by Carolyn Rusk, Brownfields
Coordinator for the Department of Metropolitan Development.
President’s Report:
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Padget thanked Dot Berning and her committee (Wayne Gerteisen,
Joyce Moers, Mel Runge, Shelby Musgrave, Sam Wentzel) for their hard work on
the first WIA membership picnic, held August 14 at Burdette Park.
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Candidates Night is September 14, 6 p.m. at St. Paul’s UCC.
Paul Farmer will moderate the event which is cosponsored by Farm Bureau, Mt.
Auburn and Western Hills neighborhoods, and WIA.
Committee Reports:
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Fall Festival - Bonnie Kolb reported day captains are
recruiting for most shifts. Those interested in working can contact her or
Padget.
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Membership Picnic – Berning reported attendance was 50-60 with
five individuals joining as new members and another as a result of newspaper
coverage. Recommendations for a similar event next year will be made by the
committee.
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National Night Out – Padget reported for Joyce Moers that the
turnout at Garvin Park was believed higher than last year. The other two
Evansville sites also had good attendance, leading to a possible Top Ten Award
for Evansville again this year.
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Transportation – Padget has just received the new
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and will summarize it in the next
newsletter.
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Parks –
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James reported the Evansville Parks maintenance staff has
been cut from 12 to ten workers. Accounting errors in a previous
administration have led to cuts in funds for most projects, which may affect
the planned improvements at Moutoux Park.
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The Highway 62/West Lloyd improvement project will take
Westside Nut Club Park. This required mitigation will take the form of a
$400,000 payment to the Evansville Parks Department for a replacement. James
suggested that, given the poor state of maintenance in Evansville parks, it
might be wiser to use the funds for maintenance or possibly to establish a
maintenance endowment. She asked for opinions from the group. Cleek asked
whether such a usage would be legal. This needs to be researched before
recommendations are made. James polled the group and, provided it is legal
to do so, a plurality favored the endowment. Berning stipulated that the
green space needs to be replace eventually. Padget pointed out the the
amount of green space in a community has a correlation to economic
development and that Evansville is already below national standards.
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Pollution & Conservation – Padget reported on behalf of Trena
Roedel that plans for a green space in land donated by Dennis Owens south of
the Lloyd Expressway near Rosenberger Avenue are going forward. James
expressed the hopes of the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage to claim right-of-way
through the area. She is in contact with the Parks Department in this regard.
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Land Use – Michael Lockard reported:
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Dennis Owen (developer of the Carpentier Creek Pavilion at
Hogue and Rosenberger) has received approval from the Corps of Engineers to
move ahead with plans to restore Carpentier Creek to a more natural state.
Public hearings will be scheduled.
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Approximately two years ago, WIA opposed the draining of
Schmadel Lake (behind University Shopping Center/Wal-Mart) but was unable to
stop the action. It now appears that because the lake was drained but left
dormant for many months, the land has returned to a natural wetland state
which will now require considerably more mitigation than it would have two
years ago.
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The Corps has intervened in the development at Red Bank Road
and the Lloyd, behind Backyard Burgers, because of improper handling of
waterways.
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The Jobes Lane sewer project is underway.
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Web Site - Cleek reported pictures from the membership picnic
and National Night Out are posted on the Web site at
www.westsideimprovement.org. A computer in the room (the Mater Dei library)
was running the site for member viewing after the meeting.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Cleek, Secretary
Next meeting: WIA Board, Wednesday, September 22, 4 p.m. at Red Bank Branch
Library.
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