[Durham INC] Draft September minutes

Wed Oct 19 07:50:24 EDT 2011

In preparation for the delegate meeting next week, here are the minutes from last month, as well as the outstanding resolutions.  Regards, pat

--

InterNeighborhood
Council September 27 2011

Draft minutes

In attendance

Colony Park-Don Lebkes

Downing Creek-Dick Ford

Duke Park-Bill Anderson, Ian Kipp

Falconbridge-Rosemarie Kitchin (RK)

Golden Belt-John Martin

Long Meadow – Pakis Bessias

Northgate Park-Mike Shiflett  (MS)

Old Farm-Fred Foster

Old North Durham- Pete Katz (PK)

Old West Durham-Eric Heidt (EH)

Trinity Park-Philip Azar

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood-Susan Sewell  (SS)

Watts Hospital Hillandale-Mike Woodard (MW)

Woodcroft-Scott Carter 
(SC)

Visitors

Jim Wise-N&O

Linwood Best-NIS

Rick Hester 
(RH)

Will Wilson

Wib Gulley

Need to located attendance sheet that was passed around,
there were some folks who showed up but I didn’t get their names or
neighborhoods (organization?) represented

Welcome and Introductions:  SC called to order at 1902 by SC and had those in attendance
announce their names and association.

Speaker: 
SC moved the speaker up on the agenda in respect of RH time.  RH gave update on Proactive Residential
Inspection Program and provided a handout comparing old program (legislation)
versus the enacted authority with changes citing General Statutes that
pertaining to each (see separate handout).   Focus is on rental properties not necessarily owner
occupied (except when complaint driven). 
RH mentioned the difficulty in dealing with rentals in HOA’s, especially
those still under construction with a valid (3 year) construction permit.  RH stated that NIS has already taken 3
cases to the Community Life Court. 
The handout is self-explaining and RH promised to provide it in
electronic format for distribution to those not in attendance and be available
on-line for those requesting more information.   A Landlord training class is coming up on Oct 22nd
($5 fee, no meal) at the Golden Belt NIS location.  RH is working to create a program for neighborhoods and
HOA’s to send out a courtesy letter to violators.   

Minutes: 
MW 1st/RK 2nd to approve minutes as
submitted.   Approved

Financial Report:   MW 1st/RK 2nd to accept report
given by PK.   See Appendix.  Approved.

Transit Tax Referendum Resolution:  MS 1st/Mw 2nd to
support resolution as submitted.  
Discussion followed.  
Vote failed for lack of 2/3 majority with 7 for/7 abstentions.   Some delegates stated that they
still needed more information; others were not given authorization to vote for
or against it (mostly HOA delegates). 
MW 1st/RK 2nd to bring vote back to INC at October
meeting.  MS questioned the
procedure and application of INC’s By-Laws in relationship to abstentions and
asked the President and President Elect to research the issue taking in
consideration not only the By-Laws but also Roberts Rule of Order concerning
abstentions.  MW also interjected
the importance and critical role INC plays (and will play) regarding taking
overarching policy decisions along with the role delegates play in forming
public policy and how that is affected when their voice (votes) are absented.

Education Tax Referendum Resolution:  This was prepared by Pat Carstensen.
Delegates are to take the resolution to their respective associations for
consideration

Elections:   Nomination Committee submitted its report

President John Martin                        Vice
President  Scott Carter   Secretary Pat Carstensen

Peter Katz 
Treasurer   Mike Brooks
at large  Ian Kipp at large   Brett Walters  at large

MS 1st/MW 2nd to accept Nomination
report,  Passed.   Eric Heidt  from OWD stated that Brett Walters told
him that he wanted to have his name taken off.   MW 1st/PA 2nd requesting that
President Tom Miller move the Annual Meeting to Oct. Passed

Report on Defense of Marriage Act:  AZ reported that Trinity Park voted
unanimously support for the INC resolution?.   NC Legislature already approved constitutional
amendment to May ballot.

Neighborhood Reports

Fairfield-MW reported that injunction was filed but thrown
out by judge.   Judge ruled
that decision did not give vested rights.   Commissioners voted on Monday to provide development sewer.

Golden Belt-JM reported that Rescue Mission project back to
square one, no action taken on plan.   Still is need to have active and constructive
discussions between both with Planning to come to resolution especially dealing
with street closings and development plan.

Old West Durham-EH reported that there has been some
progress with working with developers and planning given the recent changes.

WHHN- MW reported that SunTrust negotiations regarding
Hillandale Golf course still in development.  City will require that property be unencumbered.

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood-SS reported that talking about? fraternity
housing with Duke students has been productive and the action plan that’d been
put in place works especially in regards to clean ups after parties, police
presence and violation follow up by student residents in their neighborhood.

Announcements: 
FF presented opportunity to join him in Capital punishment event at Duke
with NAACP

Adjournment 1st MW/2nd RK   Approved  2105

Respectfully submitted

Substituted Secretary, MS

Appendix A: Treasurer’s Report

INC’s current balance is: $3061.48

Dues have been paid by:

Morehead Hill

Cross-Countries

Old West

Parkwood

Burch Ave

Colony Park

Duke Park

WHHNA

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood

Long Meadow

Woodcroft

Trinity Park

Magnolia Place

Old North Durham

Northgate Park

Downing Creek

Falcon Bridge

Old Farm

Please note: If you’re association
mailed a check this month it may not be reflected in the list until next
month.  If your neighborhood hasn’t paid yet, you can bring payment to the
monthly meeting for $25 (or more) or mail it to:

1110 Virginia Ave, Durham NC 27705,
care of Tom Miller.

Appendix B:  Text of Open Resolutions

Resolution
on Education Tax Referendum

Whereas,
state funding for education has declined in recent years
and money from the federal EdJobs programs has now run out; and

Whereas,
the estimated $9,000,000 raised by a ¼ ¢ sales tax will
cover approximately 150 in-classroom jobs, as well as some debt service for
previously passed school bonds, a much-needed expansion of pre-K services for
at-risk kids, and work-study and grant funds to students at Durham Technical
College; and

Whereas,
approximately 50% of the tax will be paid by people who
shop in Durham County but do not live here; and

Whereas,
many necessities, such as food, rent, gas, and
prescriptions, will not be taxed; and

Whereas, although the text of the ballot referendum does not mention
education, the Board of County Commissioners has promised to dedicate the funds
to education.

Whereas,
our neighborhoods benefit from a strong school system;

Therefore,
be it resolved that the InterNeighborhood Council of
Durham supports the passage of the Education Tax Referendum.

Potential
amendment: [The INC further urges some sort
of mechanism be created to ensure that this education tax be used as
advertised.]

------

Resolution on Transit Referendum

WHEREAS, a transit system that will maintain our quality
of life with the projected growth in Durham County’s population, direct that
growth in smarter ways, give people more choices, provide good jobs and
economic opportunities, and realize social justice,  and

WHEREAS, this election season, Durham County is the
first jurisdiction in the state to hold a referendum to adopt a ½ cent sales
tax to be used exclusively to transit, since such referenda were authorized by
the NC legislature in 2009, and

WHEREAS, the referendum was preceded by development of a
detailed “financial plan” for how revenues will be spent to encourage mobility;
this plan calls for 3 phases – bus expansion, then commuter rail to Wake
County, and finally light rail to Orange County, and

WHEREAS, Durham County is especially critical for the
regional transit plan related to the financial plan: it sits midway between
Orange and Wake Counties, and commuters come and go from many directions into
and through the county.  

Therefore, be it resolved that the InterNeighborhood Council of Durham
supports the passage of the Transportation Tax Referendum.

[Furthermore, INC and its member neighborhoods looks
forward to being part of the process of planning the evolution of the areas
around the transit stops.] 

(Note: The last sentence was proposed as an amendment
over the list-serve after the meeting, following up on discussion about the
resolution.)

-----

Resolution
on Urban Open Space Plan Objectives

Whereas, the Durham City and County Planning Department is undertaking
the development of an Urban Open Space Plan, which should provide the City with
proper guidance for further decision-making processes, including possible
acquisition/preservation or development of those areas deemed important to
Durham’s quality of life and our environment; and

Whereas, general open space planning has concentrated on aesthetic,
recreational and wildlife benefits, and (as shown in the background below),
with urban open space we need to add health, social and environmental benefits;
and

Whereas, Durham has a certain amount of ad hoc data laying out issues
and opportunities for open space in downtown Durham, but nothing like the
scientifically designed collection that other cities are doing.

Whereas, many neighborhoods have a stake in downtown Durham, and the
recent history of Old North Durham Park has shown that these interests can
conflict;

Therefore, be it resolved that the InterNeighborhood Council encourages
the Durham City/County Planning Department development of Durham’s Urban Open
Space Plan should:

1.     Carefully consider the environmental health and justice aspects,
in addition to the more traditional aesthetic and recreational aspects.

2.     Create an environmental health survey detailing the above issues

3.     Pay close attention to process and governance issues to manage /
minimize conflicts over the resource.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20111019/b06bedef/attachment.html>