INC NEWS - DRAFT May Minutes

[pat carstensen]

The DRAFT May minutes are below.  Please send me any corrections.

THe June meeting will be June 26 and will discuss solid waste and do 
priorities.

Regards, pat
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Inter-Neighborhood Council
www.DurhamINC.org
Minutes of Meeting of May 22, 2007

REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
David Harris	Old Farm Neighborhood Association
Baldwin Gammage	Old Farm Neighborhood Association
Marguerite Ward	Forest At Duke
Paul Cornsweet	Morehead Hills NA
Renee Lord	Fairfield
Constance Stancil	Neighborhood Improvement Services
Lorisa Seibel	Durham Affordable Housing Coalition
Risa Foster	Trinity Heights
Janet Hitti	Parkwood
Fred Foster, Jr.	Old Farm Neighborhood Association
Bill Anderson	Duke Park
Susan Sewell	Tuscaloosa Lakewood NA
Cheryl Shiflett	Northgate Park NA
Michael Shiflett	Northgate Park NA
Rosemarie Kitchen	Falconbridge
Pauli Hensen	Preservation Durham
Carrie Mowry	Old North Durham
Ken Gasch	Colonial Village
Melissa Rooney
Pat Carstensen	Cross County
Joe Chambliss	Forest Hills Neighborhood Assoc.
Khalid Hawthorne	City of Durham, NIS and River Forest
Craigie Sanders	Grave Park
Jack Preiss	Durham Affordable Housing Coalition
Cathy Abernathy	Hope Valley
Tom Niemann	DHA, DSS

Introductions – President David Harris opened the meeting.  Members 
introduced themselves.

Demolition of Substandard Housing – We want to be able to distinguish what 
can be saved and be able to intervene before things get to crisis.  The law 
limits what can be done.  The Housing Appeals Board tries to work 
intensively with owners to avoid tear-downs.  There is a task-force starting 
June 5.  We decided to put the question to the list-serve and ask delegates 
to come back with their neighborhoods’ positions on positions or strategies 
[Note: this may not happen until July].

Transfer Tax and other Revenue Sources – Rep. Larry Hall and representatives 
from the realtors association led a discussion.  It will be very taxing to 
support the 41% growth expected in the next 20 years.  The proposed state 
budget will have substantial relief on Medicaid and there are several bills 
in legislature to help.  There was some support for impact fees so that 
growth will pay for growth and concern about both property taxes and 
transfer fees in terms of affordability.

Parks and Rec – See www.durhamnc.gov/departments/parks/ for information on 
Warehouse Blues, summer music in the parks, opening of Herndon Park and 
other events.

Tutorial Information on Planning and Development – There was an agreement 
that we should figure out how to put something on a website, and Pat 
Carstensen, Cathy Abernathy, and Melissa Rooney will work on it.

Affordable Housing – Federal support is going down and we all can see the 
need.  Jack Preiss gave a summary of the proposal to raise more money 
locally and asked delegates to take the information back to neighborhoods.  
Write Lorisa Seibel at lorisa at dahc.org for details of the proposal.  There 
was concern that more of the money should go to help minor repairs for 
elderly / disabled homeowners.  In general, the city (June 4) and county 
(June 11) budget hearings are a great opportunity to voice your opinion on 
governmental priorities.  Finally, Lorisa will send information on the 
Homestead Exemption, which reduces property taxes for low-income elderly / 
disabled homeowners.

Other Items
1. We accepted the April minutes.
2. Nominating Committee – The chair will be Ken Gasch.  Mike Shiflett and 
David volunteered to help.  If you want to join the committee or suggest 
someone whose arm could be twisted to be an officer next year, please talk 
to Ken.
3. Hero Award – There will be information soon on the list-serve about how 
to nominate heroes.  Usually the deadline is in August.
4. Neighborhood Summit – There will be workshops on building neighborhood 
associations and issues they face.  We expect to have it in September or 
October.
5. Greenhouse Gas Report – It is available at www.dchcmpo.org.  In 2005, 
Durham emitted 6.8 megatons of greenhouse gases.  About half is from 
electricity usage (and half of that is from commercial buildings); about 40% 
is from transportation.  If we don’t change, things will get worse.  The 
good news is that Durham City, County and Public Schools have already 
committed to or done things that keep their emissions flat, and there are 
things we could do to put Durham governmental operations on the track of 80% 
reductions by 2050.
6. The INC and the DHA are working to become even more engaged in a mutually 
supportive relationship.  Christelle McKinney, Resident Services Initiatives 
Manager for the DHA, Mike Shiflett, Cheryl Shiflett and Ken Gasch had 
breakfast last week to discuss ways in which INC could serve as a resource 
for any residents who wish to form or strengthen a Neighborhood Association. 
Oxford Manor surfaced during the discussion as a logical starting point. 
Mike and Cheryl volunteered to assist by facilitating in a first “problem 
identification” session.  Mike and Cheryl believe that griping is good as 
long as it is followed up by suggesting positive ways to turn frustration 
into positive change.
7. Concerns that yard waste is getting mixed with regular waste were brought 
up.  David will talk to Patrick Baker about it.
8. Mike Shiflett was at a meeting on the 7-year Transportation Improvement 
Plan.
9. We need an INC rep from the Rental Inspections Committee.
10. Cathy Abernathy has been following the Regency Plaza (old Kroger next to 
South Square) re-development.  It will be our third new-urban neighborhood.
11. We will have a booth at Centerfest.  Cathy will help organize 
volunteers.
12. How to help with the Third Litter Index (June 20) will be on list-serve.
13. Tuscaloosa-Lakewood had 80 people on their garden tour.
14. Get your National Night Our organized.
15. NAACP Scholarship Fundraiser will be July 28.
16. June delegate meeting will be used to set priorities so please bring 
your concerns.

The meeting was adjourned.

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