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Westside Improvement Association
Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Red Bank Branch Library
President Linda Cleek called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Attending: Berning, Dot; Cleek, Linda; Euler, Skip; Farmer, Paul; Harty,
Bill; James, Shirley; Jeffers, Brenda; Kolb, Bonnie; Lockard, Michael; Moers,
Joyce; Outlaw, DeAnna; Padget, Fred; Runge, Mel; Sensmeier, Bernice; Stagg,
Carolyn; Thompson, George; Wentzel, Sam
Excused: Gerteisen, Wayne
Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the July 26, 2006, meeting were approved
after corrections.
Treasurer’s Report: Fred Padget presented the treasurer’s report for the
months of July and August 2006.
Padget presented the Schedule of Investments. In addition, the third paragraph
of the Financial Practices Statements read that WIA will “invest 10 percent of
the profits from the Fall Festival Food Booth operation each year upon
determination of that year’s profits. This investment is to be designated as
“restricted” and released for expenditure only upon approval of the Westside
Improvement Board of Directors…” This financial practice statement should meet
the requirements for the “Restricted Funds” after the 2006 Fall Festival.
Lockard moved to accept the practice and Euler seconded. Runge asked, “What is
the purpose of the ‘Restricted Fund’?” Cleek explained that restricted funds are
basically an emergency fund. Padget explained that the purpose of the new
practice is to allow a procedure to release restricted funds. Motion carried.
Action Item
James requested approval for a $100 donation to the Howell
Globe Golf Team. Sponsoring a couple of holes will help both the booster club
and Howell Park. Kolb made a motion that WIA donate $100 to the Howell Globe
Golf Team. Berning seconded the motion. Motion carried.
President’s Report
Padget reported to Cleek that the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) jurisdiction goes four miles into the county. EPA
proposes the following changes to its current ordinance:
- Increase a lot of the rates for businesses and companies
that need permits and inspections
- Changes in outside burning and other things that will
affect air quality
- The proposed ordinance may be viewed at
www.evansvillegov.org/EPA/proposed ordinance. Padget sees the proposed
changes doing several things to improve air quality. He said that WIA may
want Donna Bergman, Director of EPA, to speak with the WIA Board. Cleek said
she will contact Donna and see if she will come to the next meeting. Cleek
asked Board members to study the proposal before the next meeting.
- Thompson welcomes volunteers on the Scholarship
Committee.
- Cleek announced that at the membership picnic, Robert
Goedde, Sheriff Candidate, made a contribution toWIA; and George
Postleweight, State Representative candidate, became a member.
- James invited Vivian Ruff and Mary Lou Russler to be on
the Board.
- Cleek received a flood concern from a resident between
Tekoppel and Forest.
Announcements and Comments
- Stagg, Hilltop Association, said that at its meeting
Michele Anderson, a corporate secretary, spoke to the group about fraud and
scams in the Evansville area.
- Stagg rescheduled the rummage sale because of rain. The
sale will take place at Pine Haven this weekend, September 30, from 8 a.m.
to 1 p.m. Pine Haven will sell food and drink.
- Cleek announced the Hometown Matters Program, sponsored
by the Association of Cities and Towns. Its goal is to create a more
efficient government. The program will take place Thursday, October 19,
5:30-7:30 p.m.. at Central Library.
- Lockard wants to thank Cleek and Padget for pursuing the
issue of parking at student housing. Brad Mills, Area Plan Commission (APC),
is coming up with a proposal. If one is renting the facility by the bedroom,
then the person will be under the new ordinance. This proposal will be taken
to the next APC meeting for a resolution to the problem.
- Lockard announced that APC Web site received pictures
from a citizen concerned about Eagle Village displaying a huge sign on its
roof. This type of advertising violates zoning codes. Mike will send the
pictures to Brad Mills, APC Executive Director.
- Lockard brought up the WIA resolution concerning “alcohol
sales at convenience stores.” He feels there are already a lot of permits in
the area. One is being requested at Red Bank and Lloyd area. Lockard would
like WIA to consider expanding its resolution so that no more
over-the-counter businesses, primarily convenience stores, receive Alcohol
Beverage Commission licenses. Padget responded that the original resolution
was a definition of “What is a convenience store?” Outlaw asked if WIA
should get involved in this type of issue.
- Lockard talked about a petition that will come before APC
on October 12. The property is just east of Pearl Drive. The petition is for
a C-4 zoning with no use and development. Lockard invited Board members to
come to the APC meeting to hear the petition. Cleek will try to find traffic
statistics at this intersection. Padget said that C-4 allows 174 kinds of
businesses. The next-door neighbor has hired an attorney. Only one home sits
next to the petitioner’s property.
- Moers asked about the Backyard Burger building. Cleek
answered that Kinko’s/FedEx is proposed. Roger Lehman said that the two
businesses are still in negotiations about what has to be done with the
building.
Old Business
- Anyone not wanting to serve on the Board should tell
Moers. She also reported that election of Board members will take place at
the annual meeting.
New Business
- Jeffers said she would contact the Old Mill Restaurant to
schedule and plan the meeting.
- Padget reminded the Board to think about the Awards for
Excellence and bring those suggestions to the October meeting.
- Harty feels that Kohl’s should receive the Community
Award for development of site and attention to the environment.
Committee Reports
- Nominating – Moers reported (See Old Business.)
- Fall Festival – Outlaw reported
- Outlaw said that more volunteers are needed to man
the booth.
- She also announced that new signs had to be made
because someone wrote on the last year’s signs.
- Land Use – Locker and Padget reported
- Rezoning – There will be a rezoning request at the
APC October 12 meeting. The request is for 2323 and 2325 West Franklin
Street (Franklin Pasty building and the building next door) to be
rezoned from C-4 to C-2. The proposed use is for a restaurant, office,
and apartment upstairs.
- Variances
- Establishment at 612-614 Wabash Avenue (across
form Lefler Garage) is asking for another one-year variance for a
gravel lot.
- Glenview Drive across from Moutoux Park is asking
for a gravel parking lot.
- Padget reported that a group consisting of Bill
Jeffers, Blaine Oliver, Darryl Rice, Donna Bergman, and James
Daniels is starting a new group called “Smart Growth.” The group is
in the developmental stages. At present, the mission statement is
being drafted. In addition, the team hopes to draft a group of
ordinances that have to do with riparian ways.
- Padget also exclaimed that Smart Growth wants to
change rezoning ordinance handout. Padget was asked to be part of
the group. He has chosen not to participate. He feels that when one
tries to make changes to zoning, then large organizations likely
will resist. It is improbable making changes to rezoning ordinances.
Runge responded that Vectren's light poles are ugly. He wonders if
it can be made aware of how ugly they are. Padget said that all of
this does tie together. Padget does believe WIA as an organization
needs to get involved in these issues.
- Padget also talked about the animal control
ordinance and feels that none of it is going to get enforced.
- UNOE – No report due to time constraint
- Parks – James reported a need to investigate the
following items:
- Conservation park
- Howell Park swimming pool and the other pools
- The swim meet T-shirt situation
- Outlaw said she was invited to sit on the Swimming
Pool Committee but has not heard anything since. It seems that now the
committee is forming a focus group made up of area children who are
expressing their concern.
- Padget said that if WIA is supposed to be involved
with the pool issue, then he wants to know statistics about future costs
of maintaining the pool. Dan Hayden, mayoral appoint to the committee,
wants someone from WIA to be on the committee. Cleek will call him to
see why Outlaw has not been contacted.
- James believes that doing away with park rangers has
caused a lot of damage to parks and Greenway. James said that the Parks
Department did not do a Memorandum of Understanding where maintenance
responsibilities could have been defined. She reported that the
department only has seven employees to maintain 67 parks (including
Greenway), 265 public spaces, and 17 major facilities. James senses that
this understaffing could be one of the reasons why the pools are in
substandard condition.
- The Greenway Passage Endowment Fund can pay for
anything extra that the Parks Department cannot pay.
- Clean up the trails three time a year
- Weeding three times a year
- The Parks Department should do tree limb removal
and sign repair.
- Cleek asked James if she would have some
recommendations for the WIA Board after the next Greenway Committee
meeting.
- Padget asked what part of the Greenway will be
finished that is in the west side. James answered that the section is
West Franklin to Ulhorn. Padget said that maybe this WIA group may want
to take that section of the Greenway and take care of it. In addition,
he wondered if some other groups may want to partner with WIA.
- James wanted to know if WIA was still going to
partner with the Nut Club to do a cleanup in certain Westside areas.
Cleek said she believed the club is now busy with the Fall Festival.
- Transportation – no report
- Law Enforcement – no report
- Web site – no report
- Solid Waste – no report
Next Meeting
The next Board meeting on October 24 at 4 p.m. will be held at
Red Bank Library.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Jeffers
Acting Secretary
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