SHNA Executive Committee Meeting
Monday, August 19, 2024, 6:30 pm
Christ Covenant Church
2312 Harvard Road
Draft Meeting Minutes
I. Attending members were Gary Webber, James, Jordon, Joan Stone, Mariana Nieto, Jon Dunham, David Mucci. The guests present were Stephen Mason and Kady Carson. The May 13, 2024 Spring meeting minutes were approved.
II. Presentation:
Stephen Mason, City Transportation Planner, presented The Lantern Walk activity scheduled for October 9th, 2024, 6:30 PM. October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. Sunset Hill / 9th Street is a good mixed-use neighborhood for this event. Mr. Mason has been in touch with the Principals from Sunset Hill and West Middle School to coordinate this event. Mason will write up a message describing the event, requesting volunteers and also encourage people to walk. Webber will email the Lantern Walk Information to the neighborhood. There will be a rain date option. Mason is planning to coordinate this activity with the schools.
Kady Carson, West Middle School Principal, introduced herself. West Middle School has new school hours this year. The traffic during school drop off and pick up has always been a problem. They have communicated with parents and do try their best to help with the flow of traffic. Carson will share the Lantern Walk Information with the West families when received.
III. Treasurer’s Report was presented by James Jordan and approved.
IV. Old Business
1. LAN update: Gary Webber presented LAN update. No changes have been made regarding the proposed parking change (no minimum parking requirements). This is a concern in the neighborhood. LAN has recommended a minimum be retained. Code enforcement is understaffed and has minimal supervision (Code Enforcement is complaint based). The brick sidewalk replacement policy was discussed. In the “Area of Permission”, brick sidewalks can be voluntarily replaced.
2. The fall potluck tentatively is scheduled for September 21, 2024. Webber suggested that given the recent surge in COVID and moving from outside to inside warrants discussion of this event. The Lantern Walk is a great community event that will include all ages. A motion by Nieto to cancel this event and 2nd by Mucci was approved by all members.
3. In 2025 the Park Cleanup Manager, Phyllis Farrar, will need to be replaced. A new coordinator is needed if we continue to adopt cleaning Centennial and Ludlam Parks.
4. In 2025 Gary Webber, current SHNA President, is planning to retire from this position. Gary would like to remain active on the board and has offered to continue managing the website.
V. New Business
1. Update on Centennial Park Cleanup. A general discussion on the park concluded that the park is fairly clean but does have a few campsites concentrated in one area of the park. A significant amount of trash is located by the drainage ditch and this information has been reported to the city. This park is on the city’s list to review campsites and clean up. A picture was shared of needles and syringes found under some bushes. A few local people will be invited to help us with park clean up, Amy Brockman, Live, Love Lawrence Facebook Site Manager, Adam Aldritt and Autumn Jones Bishop.
2. SHNA has submitted the completed application to the Neighborhood Traffic Management Project Division regarding the danger on Crestline/Orchard/Oxford and the blind spot and traffic speed. The dangerous blind spot needs to be addressed. Mike Malone gathered over 65 signatures. We are waiting for their consideration of the application.
3. The topic of striping and new left turn signal on Crestline was reviewed by Webber. The “Light Cabinet” at the intersection of Bob Billings and Crestline has been updated to include a designated turn signal. Crestline has been striped from Bob Billings to 9th.
4. An SHNA member who lives adjacent to Centennial Park wished for the association to report to all members about homeless crime in the park. We will review this topic next meeting.
VI. New agenda items for our November 18th ZOOM meeting
1. Gutter deterioration.
2. Centennial Park Crime Committee. Mariana Nieto will contact Amy Brockman, Live, Love Lawrence Facebook Site Manager, Adam Aldritt and Autumn Jones Bishop and invite them to our next meeting.
VII. Mariana Nieto asked if Officers of the SHNA Board had to be residing or owning property. Gary Webber reviewed the bylaws, and it was determined that:
“Any person residing or owning property within that area of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, defined above, 18 years of age or older, and whose dues are paid, shall be a member.” So SHNA regular members must live or own property in SH. We have 83 regular members.
“The Executive Committee shall consist of nine regular members elected by the general membership, plus any ex officio officers”. EC members must be regular SHNA members.
“Regular members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for all open positions at the annual membership meeting each year. A slate of nominees from the Executive Committee shall be included in the written notice for the meeting, but nominees can also be proposed from the floor.” The members elect 3 new EC members plus any additional open EC positions at the Annual Meeting.
“Officers shall be elected by the Executive Committee at a special meeting to be held immediately after the annual membership meeting. In the event of a vacancy in any office, a replacement officer shall be elected by the Executive Committee and shall serve out the remaining term of office. Officers shall serve for three years, or until the election of their successors. Upon election, any officers who are not already members of the Executive
Committee shall become ex officio voting members of the Executive Committee for the durations of their terms of office.” The EC elects the officers to 3-year terms. Nowhere in the bylaws does it state that officers must be SHNA members. Therefore, as I read the bylaws, the answer to Mariana’s question is no, officers are not required to be members of
SHNA or members of the EC. If they are not members of the EC when elected, they become voting, ex officio members of the EC.
VIII. The date of November 18th fall “ZOOM” meeting is set.
IX. Adjourn meeting
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