University Parkway Development - Smart Growth?

Westside Improvement Association

Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Red Bank Branch Library

President Fred Padget called the meeting to order at 11:33 a.m.

Attending: Bernhardt, Wayne; Berning, Dot; Cleek, Linda; Farmer, Paul; Harty, Bill; James, Shirley; Kolb, Bonnie; Lockard, Michael; Musgrave, Shelby; Nethery, Troy; Padget, Fred; Peak, Martha Jo; Roedel, Trena; Sensmeier, Bernice; Wallenmeyer, Loretta; Wentzel, Sam

Guests: Gies, Greg; Hahn, John

Introduction: Padget introduced Troy Nethery as the new representative from the USI Student Government Association. Nethery replaces Kurt Jourdan.

Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the July meeting were approved on a motion by Bonnie Kolb and a second by Michael Lockard.

Treasurer’s Report: Bernice Sensmeier presented the August report which was accepted as submitted.

President’s Report:

· UNOE has received notice of forthcoming funding from the city and is seeking a facilitator and several VISTAs.

· The Evansville Urban Transportation Study has produced handbooks on Metropolitan Planning Organizations, or MPOs (EUTS is the MPO for the Evansville region), and the next transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Padget has copies which may also be obtained from EUTS.

· Padget attended the September West Sector Police meeting and reported that work continues to find a location for the proposed halfway house for federal prisoners. He noted that the Claremont Avenue site is only one of several mentioned in a preliminary investigation.

· Candidates Night, cosponsored with the Vanderburgh County Farm Bureau, will be on October 16, 7 p.m., at the Resurrection School cafeteria.

· WIA continues to monitor developments proposed or underway at 111 N. Red Bank Road and 25 Dorothy Drive. The Dorothy Drive petition, now with some Use and Development agreements, goes back to APC on October 2.

· Padget reminded members of the survey included in the latest newsletter and asked that they be completed and returned.

Announcements:

· Newsletter articles are due Friday, October 4.

· Dues for 2003 will be discussed and set at the October board meeting.

· Awards to be presented at the annual meeting in November will be discussed at the October board meeting.

· A public meeting on the routing of I-69 around Evansville will be held tonight at Reitz High School at 5 p.m.

New Business:

· The Pigeon Creek Watershed Committee is submitting a grant proposal and has requested a letter of support from WIA. Bill Harty moved that we send such a letter. The motion passed without opposition after a second from Paul Farmer.

· CHAIN Neighborhood has requested financial support for their entry in the Fall Festival parade and that WIA add a rider to its insurance policy to cover their parade participation. After some discussion Farmer moved and Shelby Musgrave seconded that WIA not participate in this activity. The motion passed without opposition.

Committee Reports:

· Scholarship—Loretta Wallenmeyer reported that applications will be mailed this week and the screening process will be completed by mid November.

· Fall Festival—Bonnie Kolb reported that all is in readiness except hiring someone to clean the trailer. Prices will be the same as last year except for $0.50 increases in the stuffed potatoes and lemon shake-ups. Two more workers are needed for 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, one for 6-10 on Wednesday, and several for all shifts on Friday.

· Land Use and Planning—Michael Lockard reported

o     4800 Middle Mount Vernon—public notice of plans to fill in an area in a flood plain has been filed pursuant to the Flood Control Act. A petition with a minimum of 25 residents within a mile radius is required to get a public hearing on the matter.

o     Meetings and various correspondence with officials continue on the 111 N. Red Bank property where the lake is being drained during this meeting. While some progress has been made on requiring the developer to comply with applicable regulations the Army Corps of Engineers has not brought their power to bear on the issue. Questions of whether or not the property is or was a wetland are yet to be determined.

o     Jonathan Weinzapfel and his staff have been helpful in getting our issues heard in the right places in Indianapolis.

· Pollution and Conservation—Trenda Roedel reported

o     Roedel and Martha Jo Peak attended the Indiana Wetlands Conference and brought back copies of a short video about Indiana’s wetlands. The video was shown at the end of the report.

o     Roedel and Peak also attended the recent meeting concerning the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. They presented a statement from WIA encouraging including conservation of Carpentier Creek as part of the master plan.

o     WIA may want to consider joining the Wabash Heritage Trust.

· Parks—Shirley James reported

o The Wabash Heritage Trust will be taking over property owned by Valley Watch which was intended to be part of the David Dale Owen Trust. The DDO Trust may be subsumed in the Wabash Trust. James reviewed the membership structure of the Wabash Trust and moved that WIA join the Wabash Heritage Trust at the $100/year level. Sam Wentzel seconded the motion, which passed without opposition.

o Bunny the elephant is having a fine time at the elephant sanctuary. James passed around a promotional piece from the sanctuary that included pictures of Bunny.

Guest Speaker

John Hahn, a resident of western Vanderburgh County, spoke on the proposed routes around Evansville for I-69. He presented his views that the western route is a bad choice due to cost, disruption of farms and communities, impact on the area, etc.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Cleek
Secretary

Next meeting: Wednesday, October 23, 11:30 a.m., Red Bank Branch Library