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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Feb 7 2011 Council Mtg Minutes

EEAC MINUTES – Monday, FEBRUARY 7, 2011
Call to Order Jackie Weist called the meeting to order at 7:09PM. Sixteen people were in attendance, including 13 residents and 3 guests. Contact: jweist@fuse.net.

Police Report Officer Love presented crime stats in the East End between Jan. 7 and Feb 6. It was a “slow” month: 1 breaking & entering, 1 safecracking, and 1 felonious assault. There were also 5 arrests related to previous East End crime. There were no thefts from autos. Officer Love advised all to cautious when using credit cards at outdoor gas pumps, as illegal internal skimming devises are being installed elsewhere in the country. Laurie Keleher asked about the Building Department telling her the owners at the abandoned school on Riverside are waiting for a police escort to board up the building; Officer Love replied that they just had to call to get an escort that same day. Barb Rider asked about thefts at Four Seasons, and Officer Love said there had been 3 B&Es at marinas, but didn’t know that was the East End. Contact: germain.love@cincinnati-oh.gov

Guest Speakers Jeff Sepate was introduced as the new director of the LeBlond Rec Center. He has worked for CRC for many years, most recently in Evanston. He would like our input on how LeBlond can best serve our changing community. Jeff suggested someone attend the Cincinnati Recreation Commission meeting on Feb. 9 at 6:30 about the closing of 19 city pools, including LeBlond. Ruth Coon will go. Jeff estimated that the cost of running a pool is $58,000-64,000 per summer.
Mary Enzweiler, Volunteer Coordinator for the Flying Pig Marathon, distributed course maps, brochures, spectator guides, and stickers about the event on May 1st. The East End leg is one of the most important parts of the route. She is looking for properties where entertainment could be placed (the goal is to have 3 per mile); contact her at mary@flyingpigmarathon.com if interested. She also talked about a potential party zone for spectators near Stanley & Delta; $800 is donated to groups that manage these areas. Nick Motz will discuss collaborating on this with Matt Ackerman, president of the Columbia Tusculum Neighborhood Association, when they meet on Feb 8

Secretary’s Report. Barb Rider presented December and January minutes. Accepted & filed. She said the EEAC has a new post office box, due to the closing of the Eastern Ave. substation, and moving of our box to the Kemper Ave. post office: PO Box 68104 Cinti OH 45206The old address (PO Box 26182 Cinti 45206) will still work for a while. Contact: barb1rider@aol.com.

Treasurer’s Report Sandy Hoover presented the EEAC balance sheet as of 2.1.2011 ($32,282.59 assets and liabilities), and our ‘Actual vs. Budget Profit & Loss’ report ($-325). There was no activity during the month. Our final 2010 NSP payment was received, putting us back in the black. NSP funds for 2011 are still unknown. Contact: shoover216@aol.com

Veterans’ Memorial Garden Joe Corcoran asked to be added to the agenda. He presented a report on activities over the last 10 years, as well as goals for 2011, including completion of the bread oven and smoker. The 2nd annual BBQ is scheduled for Aug 13, and Joe asked for financial help from the EEAC (to be discussed at next week’s Exec. Bd. mtg). Patrice Allen, Matt and Nick helped Joe with his 501(c)3 application.

City Liaison Report Laurie Keleher will be meeting with every City Council member this month about reconsidering opening the Collins steps (closed 5 years ago as a pilot study). She will also attend relevant subcommittee meetings (e.g. Livable Communities and Quality of Life). Laurie will enmphasize the importance of the steps with the continuation of the bike path, scheduled to reach Collins this spring. Contact: keleher.eastend@gmail.com

Laurie and Ruth attended the Great American Cleanup meeting on Feb 5. The event is on April 26th; LeBlond will be our neighborhood headquarter again. The two biggest needs are gathering names of volunteers and the location of dumped debris, especially tires. Ruth has arranged for partnering clean-up with the East End Heritage School in Bond Hill. Electronics will be collected this year (Ruth asked that cellphones be donated to the zoo). Contact: eastendruru@aol.com

Ruth mentioned that Bill Crist, a lifelong East Ender who was very involved with the community, passed away unexpectedly on Sat, Feb. 5th.

Columbia Tusculum Report Nick has met with Matt (CT president, as well as the owner of Tusculum Pizza in the East End), and will attend the CT meeting Feb 8. CT is taking down their sign on Delta (in the East End). They are collaborating with Linwood on creating an East Side business organization. Contact: nick@nickmotz.com

Economic Development Bob Little had nothing to report on this committee, but asked to speak about honeysuckle removal at LeBlond Park, blocking the riverview. Patrice and Laurie shared experiences removing honeysuckle near the marina on Strader. After much discussion, Bob moved that the EEAC support an effort to trim back honeysuckle at LeBlond and the soccer fields behind Riverview Academy on Kellogg. The motion passed unanimously; Bob will identify who to contact (Keep Cincinnati Beautiful was highly recommended, as they are filling in the gaps created by budget cuts to the Cinti Park Board. The Army Corps of Engineers may need to be involved also). Contact: uep@earthlink.net

Old Business
• The new online newsletter will be out on Feb 15. Contact Betsy Urban to provide articles and information: burban@cinci.rr.com
• We have two cars available for the annual city-wide Soap Box Derby, but need kids to participate. There is information about the Soap Box Derby online. Joe may have youth interested, and Jeff will ask at LeBlond.
• The Adopt-A-Block Riverside Restoration Project letters will go out on Feb. 23, according to organizer Patrice. Matt said that CT will be adopting two blocks on Eastern Ave. Contact: housedressing1@gmail.com
• A fundraiser at Maribelle’s was suggested.
• Patrice announced that SORTA has agreed to a 3’ access on both sides of the entire length of Riverside!
• The Site station owner, Chris Kemp in St. Louis, responded to our letter of Jan. 17th, asking that specific areas needing his attention be called in as they occur to 314-898-9179. There is still dumping on the site, as well as vehicles driving over the ropes that resident Mark Green keeps repairing. Parts of the sign also keep falling – a real danger.

New Business There was no new business, except to announce a Meet & Greet at Maribelles on Tues, Feb 15 at 6:00.

Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:55.