Sunset Hill Neighborhood Association
2020 Annual Meeting
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Via Zoom

Draft Meeting Minutes
Start Time: 7:06; 14 Households in attendance

Participants: Bill Arick, Jon & Bonnie Dunham, Sheri Ellenbecker, Phyllis Farrar, Mike, Ann, & Lisa Goans, Nancy Hawkins, Marlene Merrill, Betsy Ostrander, Matthew Paul, Justin Runge, Christine Traner, Gary Webber, John White, George Wiley

• Welcome and introductions of the 2019 Executive Committee (Webber)
• Bill Arick, 1^st year member ex officio, Treasurer
  • Jesus Garcia, 1^st year member
  • Faye Hale, 3^rd year member
  • Dillon Heter, 1^st year member (serving 2^nd and 3^rd years of Eliza Darmon’s term)
  • Marlene Merrill, 10^th year member
  • Marianna Nieto, 2^nd year member
  • Betsy/Chris Ostrander, 1^st year member
  • Matthew Paul, 3^rd year member, Vice President
  • Jeanne Pees, 20-year+ member, Past President
  • Gary Webber, 4^th year member, President
  • John White, 1^st year member, Secretary
• Approval of 2019 Minutes (Webber) Webber moved to approve – approved unanimously.
• Treasurer’s Report (Arick) – Arick reviewed the Treasurer’s Report.  Follow link at left.
• New Business
  • Thanks to Faye Hale for her 3-year service on the Executive Committee.
  • Election of Nominees to SHNA 2020 Executive Committee (Paul)
  • The EC nominates Matthew Paul to serve an additional 3-year term
  • The EC nominates Marlene Merrill to serve an additional 3-year term
  • The EC nominates Bill Arick to serve a 3-year term
  • The EC nominates Dillon Heter to serve the third year of Eliza Darmon’s 3-year term.  Eliza moved out of the neighborhood
  • Nominations from the participants  – none received.
  • Discussion regarding the election. Hawkins moved to elect slate, Webber seconded, slate elected unanimously.
• Summary of 2019 SHNA Executive Committee actions (Merrill) Merrill reviewed 2019 activities.
  • Worked with Lawrence Parks & Rec. to install a toddler playground in Ludlam Park
  • Volunteers cleaned Centennial Park 3 times, with Cub Scout Pack 3055 providing volunteer workers
  • Presented 8 Applause Awards and 3 Honorable Mentions for exemplary homes
  • Held Second annual SHNA Picnic at Centennial Park
  • Published a quarterly newsletter
  • Recruited a Treasurer for a three-year term
  • Donated $50 each to Sunset Hill Elementary and West Middle School gardens
  • Worked with Public Works to advocate for street maintenance
  • Worked with Parks and Recreation to trim street trees on the 900 block of Centennial
  • Worked with West Middle school to eliminate traffic stopping on Crestline between Yale and Harvard for after-school pickup (largely unsuccessful)
  • Hand-delivered over 700 invitation flyers for 2019 Annual Meeting
  • Hand-delivered 32 “Welcome Neighbor” packets to new property owners
  • Attended monthly Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods (LAN) meetings
  • George Wiley – (Question what was 2^nd church – Trinity and Christ Covenant)
• Neighborhood Issues & Concerns – Common questions (Webber)
  • Westar power outages and interruptions – report outage by phone or online, report interruptions to Customer Service by phone.  Report every occurrence.
  • Traffic safety concerns (speeding vehicles, vehicles running stops signs, making illegal turns, ailing to yield at crosswalks and other hazardous traffic operations) – Report concerns using the city’s Traffic Safety Reporting Tool.
  • Noise – contact Lawrence Police Dept.
  • Drug or suspicious residences – contact Lawrence Police Dept.
  • City Services concerns (code violations, potholes, downed trees, parks issues, traffic signal, abandoned vehicle, and more) – submit request for service online at https://lawrenceks.org/listens/
  • Pet waste – City Ordinance 7125 requires owners of animals to remove waste and to be in possession of a means to remove waste when outside their property.  Exception for physical disability of visual impairment.  Minimum fine is $10 plus court costs. Please be a good neighbor and pick up after your pets!
• Items from participants
  • Discussion of Crestline and Harvard at request of EC member Merrill. Webber reported that with school not meeting, efforts were on hold.  Webber will continue to push for resolution of this safety issue.
  • Re-zoning of Yale & Crestline corner (rezoning request).  Webber reported that rezoning request had little chance of success. Webber will participate in Planning Commission meeting. The EC will stay on top of this.
  • Questions from the floor:
  • Ellenbecker – Affordable Housing, does the SHNA support affordable housing issues? Webber offers to add the subject to the Executive Committee agenda for discussion. Ellenbecker asks this to be brought to the committee.
  • Additional discussion of housing and zoning within Sunset Hills.
  • Discussion of open meetings and how to attend through communication with EC committee members.
• Adjourn meeting: Motion by Goans, Second Ostrander , passes unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.