DRAFT

UPNA June Meetings             Board Meeting            General Meeting


Monday June 13th
UPNA Board Meeting

Attendees: Ana Tomblin, Paul Maresh, Brian Oylear, Shelley Oylear, Karen Lindquist, Scott Mizee

Called to order: 7:11pm

Chair:

• Changing the format of the Chair’s meetings to be less formal. Focus on getting to know the other Chairs shared the issues they are interested in so you know who to go to. Can bring another member of the board with them to get to know the people. To help build up communication because we don’t have a coalition it helps to know who has experience or interest in certain areas or issues.
• Q – any thoughts on creating a coalition? Some of the other ones are to political or have issues (the chair can vote separately from the neighborhood association) so they are not really focusing on this now. Chairs feel it is important to be representative of the neighborhoods and a coalition does not necessarily lend itself to that. This way members can collaborate on issues.
• Q – past concern that non neighborhood associations could be a part of the coalition. Have not heard that this is possible. The current goal is to do this informally. So that the neighborhood groups can band together on issues.

Communications:

• Ice Cream social on August 2nd. We need to get together to start planning this. Tried to reserve the park but was unable to answer a question – would we need to have cars or vehicles in the park? If we did there would be a fee for this. Discussion – don’t feel this is necessary, we should be able to carry items.
• Shelley – the church would like to help out with the event. Perhaps we could ask to borrow tables and chairs.
• Plan on a day to meet? 3rd Monday is good (next Monday). Shelley and Ana can meet then. We’ll call Fletcher to let him know.
• Times for the park? 4-10 for setup and clean up times.
• Think of people to invite to the event?
• RFP – (Brian) highlight: submit proposals to ONI office, set deadline for Friday July 29th, will be there that day to collect submissions, will bring them to the ice cream social and ask for votes. The top 3 selections are brought to the next board meeting for a final vote. The award is set currently for $200 winner, $100 runner up and 3rd has gift certificates. Can adjust the amounts depending on our incoming money. ONI said that they could donate 6hours of the Kenton Firehouse for an artists show. The expectations are clear up front so that we do not have to create contracts with the winner(s). Also let Artists on the Peninsula know.
• Time for the Ice Cream social – 5-9pm.
• Also possible to have “fund raising” at the event as long as it’s not so large that it would attract people from outside the neighborhood. A raffle is a good example.

Environmental:

• Need someone to help coordinate Friends of Trees planting in the Fall (only for University Park neighborhood). Would get phone calls, organize who gets what tree (and call it in) and ask neighborhoods for volunteers. The previous person is not able to do it. Will announce it at the next meeting but if we know anyone. Suggestion for next PIR money (grants) to be able to pay someone to be the coordinator.

Land Use:  Nothing much in our neighborhood.

Service / Transportation / Livability:

• Jeffery Rook (a safety officer at UP). Said that the University is still going forward with FlexCar. Was asking UPNA to write a letter of support for FlexCar. Were the neighbors going to be able to use it? Would make that clear in the letter that we would like to use it also. Scott will write the letter.
• Brian – had a message for you – concern from a neighbor that the alleys need to be cleaned up (instead of spending money on the ice cream social). Had given the email to Fletcher to send to you (Scott).
• Shelley – ran into Lenny and got a copy of the Trail plan for the bluff. Paul – suggest Shelley bring this up at the next Chair’s meeting (that he thinks their should be a light on Willamette Blvd.). Shelley – some of the chairs are very concerned about his plans. But we don’t know what has been going on to make sure that the neighborhood be involved. We need to find out who the contact is at the City. Lenny comes across as the plan has already been accepted but it has not and we need to make sure we’re involved and that there is a real process. We need to be clear on the 2 different plans – the Swan Island pedestrian / trail plan and the North Portland Greenway Plan. We are more concerned with the plan to add trails and traffic issues on Willamette. Scott – money was allocated for the trail from Willamette down to Swan Island with the train crossing bridge. Get in touch with Pam to get specifics on who is working on it (at the city) and where the funding is coming from. Shelley will track down who at the city will be reviewing the bluff trail and any changes to Willamette so we can still be in the loop.

Public Safety:

• Don’t have a person for this. Shelley – trying to change the time Com. Madison meets with everyone (not be at 9-10am). Someone has volunteered for a position but we recommended they attend meetings first.   

Schools:

• Have continued to be in touch with Phil Engle but have not gotten a response from John Walden. Continuing to work with the parks dept. There was past concern from John about liability if the assessment determines the play structure is not safe but they are unable to upgrade it. But we have not heard anything from here for sure.
• Shelley – North Portland has a lot of bike accidents that involve kids. Try to get Phil involved in this? Perhaps have bike safety workshops or give away helmets. The city is working on the survey / maps of problem areas / intersections. Eventually we could have them come to talk to us in the future (this fall). Brian will contact Phil about this.

Old Business: none

New Business:

• Ideas for speakers for meetings:
• June: Columbia Slough Watershed Council presentation (Nick Cantor)
• PDC wants to make presentations on a variety of topics (we can choose the topic). Paul is concerned that they are a little 1-sided, perhaps have another group come as well.
• Urban Forestry, perhaps in the fall before tree trimming times. Decided on Sept.
• Port of Portland / EPA– Portland Harbor update this summer. Decided on Aug 22nd General Meeting.
• Tour of McCormick and Baxter (DEQ)– plan for Aug. 8th instead of Board meeting, could have people sign up at the Ice Cream event. Ask them to have a table at the event.
• There has been an interest in someone from Roosevelt to come and give us an update. Perhaps in July.
• In the fall – will have requests from candidates. Shelley – tell them the Board has to decide who will come to meetings. Also would prefer it was more of a forum with multiple candidates so that it is not one-sided.
• The Mayor has planned to come to each neighborhood and walk the neighborhood with us to get to know the neighborhood and some of the local issues. Perhaps we can have him come in July.
• The Oregonian now has a staff person assigned for North and Northeast Portland to focus on neighborhood issues. Got ideas from the Chairs meeting about people living here for many generations. If we have ideas we have someone to contact.
• Added a Nature section to the Community section of the website with a page of heritage trees, birds and other animals.

Brian motions to adjourn. Shelley seconds. All in favor.
Adjourned 8:30pm
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General Meeting