INC NEWS - INC delegate meeting -- June 26
pat carstensen
pats1717 at hotmail.com
Mon Jun 18 11:51:32 EDT 2007
We will send out a detailed agenda later, but wanted to remind you that we
will be voting on INC priorities.
Also, the (I hope, last) corrected version of May minutes is below.
Thanks, 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
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 Kitchin Falconbridge
Pauli Hensen Preservation Durham
Annette Snith Parks and Recreation
Carrie Mowry Old North Durham
Ken Gasch Colonial Village
Melissa Rooney Fairfield
Pat Carstensen Cross County
Joe Chambliss Forest Hills Neighborhood Assoc.
Khalid Hawthorne City of Durham, NIS and River Forest
Craigie Sanders Grove 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 dont 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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