NOBL In Ex Meeting 01 10 09

NOBL
Informal Executive Meeting

Saturday,
January 10, 2009

Chair Robert
Roosenberg, Vice-President David Swartwout and Executive Secretary
Walter Taylor met at McDonalds on Michigan Avenue in an effort to
come with ideas concerning NOBL, fundraising, board member
participation and community activities. Treasurer J.D. Formaz was
not present.

Thoughts
and Ideas

• Robert Roosenberg discussed how
  the agenda for our monthly NOBL meetings should be e-mailed to each
  board member two to three days prior to its being mailed out; by
  doing so, it would give those interested in adding to, or revising
  the agenda, the option of doing so before it goes to print.

  
  

• There must be more activity
  concerning the Treasurer’s role and responsibilities.
  

  
  

• Kristi DeKraker: what is her
  job description?

  
  

• TFOB/NOBL joint effort
  regarding a fundraiser during TFOB’s Heritage Days.

  
  

• What grants are being worked
  on?

  
  

• There was a discussion about
  holding a Neighborhood-wide Yard Sale as a fundraiser and having
  food booths available. (Possibly held during TFOB’s Spring
  Fest?)
  

  
  

• NOBL/BBC joint effort to hold a
  Flat & Flower Sale.
  

  
  

• We need active Board Members
  willing to participate and volunteer in the community. If you sit
  on the board, you will be expected to volunteer and participate this
  year.

  
  

• Amendment to bylaws: Is
  it possible to include that a NOBL Board Member’s position is
  dependent upon their participation and volunteerism within the
  community. A board member should participate in a minimum number
  of events in the neighborhood if they are to retain their positions
  of office. Failure to be active is grounds for removal from office.
  (We cannot afford another ineffective, lackluster board.)
  

  
  

• Discussion about reaching out
  to other parts of our community: Creston Plaza, various churches and
  neighbors east of Lafayette; in an effort to be a more inclusive
  neighborhood association.

  
  

• Website for NOBL: What was the
  cost of the blog?

  
  

• Possible TFOB/NOBL joint
  fundraiser on July 4^th: Cookout at Lookout.

  
  

• Talk to those at Creston Plaza
  concerning their Doctor’s Day and BBC’s. Can we perhaps
  combine them to make it easier?

  
  

• Invite pastors from each church
  in the neighborhood to come and speak about their ideas, their
  organization and what they hope to achieve within the Belknap area.
  (Perhaps a different pastor each month?)

  
  

• The meeting ended at 11:14am.

  
  

NOBL Minutes 12 09 08

NOBL
Minutes

Tuesday,
December 09, 2008

Welcome!

The meeting was
called to order at 6:02pm. Present were Jayne Johnson, Phil
McConahy, Marty Morgan, David Swartwout, Robert Roosenberg, Joe
Berens, J.D Formaz, Walter Taylor and Kristi DeKraker. Guests and
neighbors included Carl Danielson, Lynn Lenz, Marilyn Walker, Rod
Horlings, Angel Gonzalez and Sarah Crawford.

• The presentation by Carol
  Townsend (MSU Extensions) regarding the new GR Zoning Code was
  postponed until January 2009.
  

  
  

Old Business

• Need a log of minutes from
  November’s elections: Executive Secretary Walter Taylor was
  not able to attend NOBL’s November’s elections;
  therefore the Minutes were not available. Chair Robert Roosenberg
  requested for a motion for Walter Taylor to type the Meeting Minutes
  for November and present them to the board in January. Phil
  McConahy made a motion and Jane Johnson seconded. All were in favor
  and the motion was carried. The Meeting Minutes for November 2008
  will be typed out and presented for review in January.

  
  

Financial Report

• We have a total balance of
  $8,814.25. With a shortfall in next year’s budget of over
  $3,000, we’ll have to find ways to raise that money. Robert
  Roosenberg called for a motion to accept the financials: Jayne
  Johnson made a motion and Joe Berens seconded. All were in favor
  and the Financial Report was passed.
  

  
  

Committee Reports

• Kristi DeKraker mentioned that
  we really need more contacts up near the Shirley and More Street
  area because of increasing drug activity. If you know of someone
  that might be willing to be a contact in that area of the
  neighborhood, let her know. Jayne Johnson stated that the
  portion of the neighborhood around Spectrum Hospital has been
  quieter than usual (crime wise).
  

  
  

• Angel Gonzalez had some tools
  stolen from one of his properties in the 500 block of Livingston a
  few months back, as well as some items that were taken last month.
  Jeremie Dallas and Gloria Herroon’s home (646 Livingston) was
  broken into again. The thieves entered the house by pushing the air
  conditioner out of the way and crawling inside. Apparently, they
  took a money jar and other items. Both Kristi DeKraker and Safety
  Chair Jayne Johnson expressed the need to keep our eyes open for
  anything out of the ordinary.
  

  
  

Housing

• Andy Johnson was not present,
  so Robert Roosenberg asked if anyone had any issues concerning
  Housing.
  

  
  

• Kristi DeKraker said that 770
  Lafayette (Leo & Ed’s) is up for appeals. The owners want
  additional time to bring the structure up to code.

  
  

• Jayne Johnson mentioned the
  illegal dumping happening on Fairview. She talked to the Becketts’
  and they have not authorized anybody to dump anything. The
  pile is growing. The pile includes trees, trash, couches,
  appliances, etc… The Becketts’ were cited by the city
  and now they must clean up the area. She mentioned that the mess is
  sliding down the hill and ending up near Division Avenue.

  
  

• Robert Roosenberg said that the
  owner of Thireca spent over $1,000 to relocate a tenant that would
  have been otherwise displaced by the company’s expansion
  plans.
  

  
  

• BBC-Nothing to report.

  
  

Staff Report

• Kristi DeKraker stated that the
  stairs on Bradford will be reopened. We need volunteers to help
  shovel the snow on the stairs to make it safe for pedestrians. If
  there is anyone interested in shoveling, please let Kristi know.

  
  

• Permit parking: we need to
  create a solution for a parking problem. Spectrum employees,
  college students and construction workers working on the hospital
  are taking up parking spaces normally reserved for our neighbors.
  

  
  

• Adopt a Belknap Family: Every
  year the GRPD adopts a family to give food. They usually go
  shopping on Friday. If you are interested in donating to this
  program, contact Kristi DeKraker.

  
  

• (Next NOBL meeting:
  Discuss parking task force.)
  

  
  

• Update: There was a
  discussion about replacing or replanting the trees that were cut
  down in order to make way for power lines and poles. Under federal
  law, Consumers Energy cannot plant trees under power lines, so
  Kristi is working with the property owners and the city to come up
  with a solution.
  

  
  

Old Business

• Chair Robert Roosenberg
  wondered if perhaps we could post employment opportunities on our
  NOBL website. For example, those in our neighborhood that have work
  that needs to be done could link up with people seeking work. In
  essence, the NOBL website would become a go-between for such
  resources.
  

  
  

Election of officers

• Chairperson Nominations –J.D
  Formaz made a motion to nominate Robert Roosenberg and Jayne Johnson
  seconded. All were in favor and the motion was carried. Robert
  Roosenberg is now NOBL Chairperson.

  
  

• Vice-Chair Nominations –
  J.D. Formaz made a motion to nominate Phil McConahy and Phil
  McConahy made a motion to nominate David Swartwout. All votes were
  cast. David Swartwout is now NOBL Vice-Chair.

  
  

• Treasurer Nominations –
  Jayne Johnson made a motion to nominate Phil McConahy, David
  Swartwout made a motion to nominate J.D. Formaz. All votes were
  cast. J.D. Formaz is now NOBL Treasurer.

  
  

• Secretary Nominations –
  Jayne Johnson and Phil McConahy both made motions to nominate Walter
  Taylor. All votes were cast. Walter Taylor is now NOBL Executive
  Secretary.

  
  

• Housing was not voted on.

  
  

Additions to the
Agenda

• Steering Committee: Marty
  Morgan spoke about the present Steering Committee: how it has
  informally dissolved and how the City of Grand Rapids wants NOBL to
  create a new Steering Committee in an effort to freshen the
  objective; with the aid of an impartial consultant to collect the
  information. A discussion was held regarding whether the
  developers in the neighborhood (i.e., Artesian Group, Belknap
  Properties, Beckett Rentals, etc…) should be allowed to sit
  on the committee, seeing as how their biases could ultimately hamper
  the true reflections and honest opinions of the neighbors in the
  Belknap Neighborhood.

  
  

• Marty Morgan would like to make
  a motion to allow an independent agent to be appointed to the
  Steering Committee in an effort to clarify the agenda, as well as
  the membership rules and the guidelines. Robert Roosenberg
  requested for a motion to approve. Walter Taylor made a motion and
  Jayne Johnson seconded. All were in favor and the motion was
  carried.
  

  
  

• Robert Roosenberg requested for
  a motion to add the Steering Committee reports to our monthly NOBL
  reports. Jayne Johnson made a motion and Phil McConahy seconded.
  All were in favor and the motion was carried.

  
  

New Business

• Walter Taylor spoke about the
  need to clarify NOBL’s bylaws. He stated that the bylaws as
  they now stand are too general and amorphous. Chair Robert
  Roosenberg requested for a motion for Walter Taylor, Kristi
  DeKraker, Phil McConahy and David Swartwout to form a committee to
  look into refining the bylaws. Jayne Johnson made a motion and
  David Swartwout seconded. All were in favor and the motion was
  carried.
  

  
  

Public Comment

• None

  
  

Adjournment

• Chair Robert Roosenberg
  requested for a motion to adjourn: Phil McConahy made a motion and
  Jayne Johnson seconded. All were in favor and the motion was
  carried. Meeting ended at 7:15pm.

  
  

NOBL Minutes/December 09,
2008 Page 1