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Board Meeting
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Red Bank Branch Library
President Fred Padget called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
Attending: Baumgartner, Betty; Berning, Dot; Craig, Steven; Euler, Skip; Farmer,
Paul; Gerteisen, Wayne; James, Shirley; Jeffers, Brenda; Outlaw, DeAnna; Padget,
Fred; Roedel, Trena; Rolley, Randy; Sensmeier, Bernice; Wentzel, Sam
Excused Absences: Cleek, Linda; Runge, Mel
Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the April 27, 2005, meeting were approved after
corrections on a motion and a second from Baumgartner and Wentzel.
Treasurer’s Report: Bernice Sensmeier presented the treasurer’s reports for May
of 2005.
Associations – Announcements and Comments
- Baumgartner (Chain Neighborhood Organization) said that
her neighborhood is going to get an industrial park. Persons are concerned
about how their homes will be affected. Baumgartner got a letter about
selling her house. James responded that some industrial parks can be
beautiful and noninvasive.
- Wentzel reported that in the area of West Terrace two
houses are being built on a street that does not exist. Craig Street ends at
West Maryland. The builders are coming in off of Oregon Street to reach the
property. Wentzel said that Craig could easily be extended one block in
order to gain access.
- Berning said that most of the people who attended the
unification meeting at the 4-H Center were against the proposal. She noted
that this was a public hearing not a question/answer session. Padget said
that most Unification Committee members are use to directing employees and
are having a hard time directing a meeting involving the general public.
Law Enforcement – Officer Rolley reported
- Rolley reminded everyone about last month’s conversation
concerning finding names in dumped trash in order to determine who is
responsible for dumping. During the week of June 12, illegal dumping was
found off of Harmony Way on Golfmoor. A name was found in the trash, and the
person was ticketed for $500. The person had hired someone to handle the
disposal.
- Rolley reported that traffic between Fulton and Red Bank
on the Lloyd Expressway is getting ridiculous. The plan is to use motor
cycle police to issue tickets for speeding. Most speeding is taking place on
the overpass to Wabash.
- Padget asked Rolley if the county ordinance concerning
solicitation has helped reduce it. Rolley said he did not think the people
who were previously soliciting at the corner of Red Bank and Lloyd knew
about the ordinance, but they are no longer soliciting.
President’s Report
- Padget asked for members for the Nominating Committee.
Craig volunteered Joyce Moers, and Baumgartner agreed to serve on the
committee. Padget said that we now have three members (Baumgartner, Moers,
and Musgrave) and that is fine.
- Padget said that he and Farmer are the only
representatives to United Neighborhoods of Evansville (UNOE). WIA needs more
representatives to both UNOE and the West Sector.
- Padget is concerned about the attendance at the last
general meeting, Thursday, May 19. Berning commented that possibly the title
of the program was not inviting or enticing enough. James said people are
only interested if the topic is of interest to them. Berning suggested using
a subtitle that affects individuals—something that infers self-interest.
James commented that maybe meeting dates should be changed, and Padget said
the bylaws would have to be changed in order to change meeting dates. Then
James suggested advertising the meetings by distributing press releases to
all media. Berning explained that when a notice is sent, for example, to
WIKY, actually five radio stations get the notice.
- Padget said that possibly WIA should have a publicity
committee. The bylaws say that WIA can have one.
- On Thursday, June 23, 7 p.m., the next unification public
hearing meeting will be held at the Center.
- Padget reported that the Unification Committee will
disband and form a 501C in order to educate the public about the
unification.
- Craig asked Padget what the Unification Committee decided
about Burdette Park. Fred said nothing was decided and that is an issue that
the committee needs to bring back and address. Padget did say that if the
issue is not addressed in the future, Burdette Park would fall under the
Parks Department. Craig said he heard it would be like the zoo—a separate
entity. Craig also heard Burdette, if it falls under the Parks Department,
will be just another city park. Padget said these kinds of messages need to
get to the Unification Committee and be addressed.
- James responded that the Parks Department currently does
not have enough maintenance employees to take care of the parks and the
Greenway. She said that if Burdette fell under the Parks Department, it
would not get the attention it needs.
- Craig also stated that a lot of people who hunt in
Vanderburgh County are against the unification proposal. They feel they
would not be able to hunt on their own property because there would be no
city or county line.
- Padget exclaimed that these are good questions—the kinds
of questions that should come out in the unification meetings.
- James asked if the committee dropped the idea of a city
manager. Padget said that Phil Fisher said they dropped the idea of the city
manager because Evansville is not ready for that. James thinks that
Evansville could use a city manager’s urban planning expertise. She feels
that when a new administration comes into office, it drops what the previous
administration did. James feels this kind of city management leads to taxes
being used inefficiently.
- As Padget stated previously, a major educational effort
will take place during the next several month or, probably, the next year.
Therefore, Padget feels that maybe WIA needs to have a special meeting and
address the unification proposal.
Action Items – none
Committee Reports
- Call – Berning reported
- Was unable to get in touch with Bill Harty
- Web Site – no report
- Transportation – no report
- Scholarship – no report
- Membership – Outlaw reported
- WIA was present at “Weekend at the Zoo.”
- Berning suggested that WIA bring the trifold display
to National Night Out on Tuesday, August 2.
- WIA will spend a couple of weekends at Schnucks and
Buehlers Buy-Low displaying the trifold. Also, the T-shirts will be for
sale. This is part of membership recruitment.
- Berning announced that Westside Liquor and Sheriff
Brad Elsworth and Family are new WIA members.
- National Night Out (NNO) – Jeffers and Wentzel reported
- The West Sector received WIA’s $200 donation.
- Jeffers said that the amphibian squirt guns were
received.
- Pollution and Environment – Roedel reported
- Roedel said she has not been able to reach Dave Elgin
about Four Rivers RC&D sponsoring the proposed nature park. Jeffers
suggested to keep trying because RC&D has an intern this summer to help
with office communication.
- UNOE – Farmer and Padget reported
- Farmer announced that UNOE will host a program, “How
Do Developers Get to Do What They Want to Do?” Several governmental
agencies and private organization representatives will participate.
- Blaine Oliver, Area Planning Commission
- Pete McCullough, Developer
- Mike Wathen and Pat Seib, County Engineer
- Cheryl Musgrave, County Commissioner
- Fred Padget, Neighborhood Association
- Mike Lockard, Neighborhood Association and APC
- Padget announced that UNOE is producing a “how to”
guide on how to develop a neighborhood association and how to keep it
going and refreshed. UNOE is putting together a smaller packet for those
people wanting to put together a new association. The entire notebook
(guide) is online.
- WAVE – Jeffers reported
- Today, June 22, Jeffers and Pam Pelaski along with
Blair Borries, Canoe Evansville, did a Qualitative Habitat Analysis on
Carpentier Creek at the Bait Shop on Broadway. Once the testing is
complete and specimens have been collected, WAVE will sponsor two
aquariums at Wesselman Nature Center. One will display specimens that
live in healthy water, and one will display specimens that live in
unhealthy water.
- Parks – Craig and James reported
- Craig reported that Burdette will host a national BMX
race this weekend. The park expects 800-900 riders and families. The
track is one of the fastest in the world. Five world records have been
set at the Burdette track. The track is 28 years old and is one of the
oldest in the U.S. Participants come from all over the world.
- One new chalet is planned at Burdette. The old
manager’s home will be turned into a larger chalet. Wireless Internet is
planned for the Discovery Lodge and chalets. By offering Internet
services, the lodge can be rented for business seminars. The goal is to
have the lodge rented seven days a week. Currently, the lodge is rented
4-5 days a week.
- James reported that the Greenway is getting ready for
the permit for the new section. Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
has agreed to let the bids. In addition, the Greenway is trying to get
early mitigation for the Orr Building. James was told that this early
mitigation is a pretty definite thing. Not only the Orr Building, but
James hopes to have the Brake Supply, Pawn Shop, and Westside Nut Club
Park as part of this early process in order not to disrupt the
businesses in this area two times.
- “Evening on the River,” June 10, made $41,000. The
Parks Department and the Greenway will each receive $20,500.
- Greenway is launching a $1 million corporate donor
program. The basis of this program is the $250,000 Mead Johnson grant.
- Fall Festival – Padget reported
- The booth has to have an electrical inspection before
it is taken to the festival.
- Land Use Planning – Padget reported
- Board of Zoning Appeals
- 5909 Felstead Road, cellular tower in residential
area – Board denied the request. The requester sued the board.
- Rezoning
- 4600 Middle Mt. Vernon, R1 to R3 – Area Plan
Commission (APC) voted in favor of this zoning request. The City
Council approved the request. The project will include 28
condominium units in 14 buildings. The builder has agreed to leave
some trees for the benefit of adjoining neighbors. The developer
suggested that he sign a covenant regarding the agreement.
- 7920 Hogue Road, R1 to R3 – Hass Development
requested rezoning of .18 acres—nothing too significant.
- Hathaway Avenue, commercial to residential –
Probably sometime in the past this property was zoned commercial,
now requesting residential, which is what the property should be.
- Covenant Discussion
- Padget said that it would be beneficial to try
and get the city and county to require legal covenants when things
are promised. He said that when people go before the APC, they take
an oath. People who appear before city/county meetings do not take
an oath. Padget said that some people feel taking an oath might help
in guarding against broken promises, but Padget feels that the
covenant is the way to go.
- Padget said that Use and Development is a
stronger tool only for certain things. He feels that is the reason
to push for covenants.
- Roedel asked if a covenant is made with a
developer and that developer sells the property, is the covenant no
longer in effect. Padget responded that the covenant could be
written to run with the property.
Other Business
- James explained again the Greenway co-partnering program
including such organizations as Keep Evansville Beautiful and Alcoa. She
wanted to know if WIA would be interested in joining this partnership.
Padget asked her to come to the next Board meeting with a proposal. James
agreed. Padget said he would put her request as an agenda item for the next
meeting.
- Farmer suggested asking Brad Ellsworth and Eric Williams
if they would talk about the new jail at the August general meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Jeffers
Secretary
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