Contact Team planning meeting for July 10th at 7.pm at St. James Episcopal Church at Webberville Road

·                     What is a contact team?

·                     Contact/Distribution Lists:

• Build Contact Lists for specific items and/or general
• Best method?  I.e. Google contacts?
• Communication channel with NAs
• Input from NAs for CIPs
• Communication to broader community - Syndication of information
• Specific items
• EMLK Connectivity Project
• Red Bluff
• Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt
• Morris Williams Trail
• Springdale Park
• General

·                     Soliciting support from the attached neighborhoods associations and other active organizations - a plan of action

• identification of the neighborhoods and reachout
• get CIP and other inputs

·                     Review East MLK NPCT Bylaws w/Comments and Membership list

·                     Shared cloud based drive for collaborating on the EMLK Contact Teams various projects

Minutes of Meeting

Minutes

Combined Meeting on July 10, 2017 at the St. James Episcopal Church:  MLK Neighborhood Association with the MLK Contact Team

Attendees: Andrew Bucknall, Dianna Dean, John Nyfeler, Pete Riviera, Ursula A. Carter, Dorothy Alexander, Brenda Alexander, Tyson Brown, Julie Haush, Joel Bell, J.M. Meador, Melonie Dixon, Freddie Dixon, Annette, Seoanes, Pinaki Ghosh,

 

Discussion Items

1.     Role of the Contact Team

a.     Capitol Improvement Projects

b.     Can help to advocate on behalf of neighborhood associations for various causes/concerns

c.      Would like to enter into a collaborative effort with MLK Neighborhood Association and other neighborhood associations

2.     Future land use map

3.     Capitol Improvement Project (bond funded and budget allocation)

4.     Planning process

a.     Flood prone

b.     Zoning issues

5.     City comes up w/ CIPs

6.     Will Code Next do away with contact teams?  Is this what the City wants to do?

7.     Code Next

a.      lack of outreach to the affected communities

b.     failure to use language that is understandable by the average person

c.      increased density concerns, such as, the allowance of cottage lot designation (*See below letter sent by Mr. Pinaki Gnosh).

d.     flooding concerns

e.     need to push the finalization of Code Next past its current deadline  of April 2018, to allow for input by most affected communities

8.     90% impervious cover issue

9.     CIP needs to be changed

10. Developers heavy with campaign money that influences city council persons

11. Copy of neighborhood plans is online

12. Items that the contact team asked the MLK Neighborhood Association for its support on

a.     Walnut Creek Park closed----àWant to open up as parkland designation----àTHOSE IN ATTENDANCE WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS

b.     South – Red Bluff/Go Valle area---àOpen up as parkland designation---à THOSE IN ATTENDANCE WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS

c.      Springdale Park….near Sims…….---àMaintain as parkland designation --àTHOSE IN ATTENDANCE WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS

d.     Run a hike/bike trail through the Morris Williams Golf Course-à THOSE IN ATTENDANCE WERE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS

13. Those in attendance were for working with the MLK Contact Team on items a, b, and c BUT NOT ON RUNNING A HIKE/BIKE TRAIL THROUGH THE MORRIS WILLIAMS GOLF COURSE.

14. Discussion about the problems with running a hike/bike trail through the golf course ensued and whether or not a study had been done on how heavily trafficked such a trail through the golf course might be.  No study has been done.

15. Lengthy discussion about the history of East Austin, including past forced racial segregation East of IH35, plus the lack of majority political power will or caring to do anything about substandard quality of life (neglected peoples, properties, and living conditions) until present day gentrification and displacement of historical racial groups.  Also mentioned was the Mueller Division, its living properties, its overcrowded HEB, its swimming pools and other facilities, and their extremely limited access (socioeconomically and otherwise) to and relevance for the traditionally historical surrounding community and its members.

16. Next MLK/McKinley Heights Neighborhood Association meeting scheduled for August 7, 2017 at 7 pm.  Place to be announced. 

17. All invited to American Red Cross Bldg (2216 Pershing Dr.) on August 8^th at 7 pm arranged by the JJ Seabrook NA where there will be a short presentation on loans available to those who qualify for home repair. This can also include renters who may want to pass on this information to Landlords