INC NEWS - DRAFT June minutes

[pat carstensen]

Please let me know of any corrections.  Thanks, pat

-------

Inter-Neighborhood Council
www.DurhamINC.org
Minutes of Meeting of June 26, 2007

REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
David Harris	Old Farm Neighborhood Association
Randy Pickle	Forest Hills
Renee Lord	Forest At Duke
Marguerite Ward	Forest At Duke
Bobbe Deason	Morehead Hills NA
Nancy O. Gallman	Old West Durham
Carnetta Green	Neighborhood Improvement Services
Stuart A. Liner	Country Club Heights
Chuck Clifton	Long Meadow
Mike Simpson	City of Durham – Solid Waste
Ernie Mills	Durham Rescue Mission
Bill Anderson	Duke Park
Jim Ellenson	Old North Durham
Cheryl Shiflett	Northgate Park NA
Michael Shiflett	Northgate Park NA
Rosemarie Kitchin	Falconbridge
Amanda Arrington	N. Garrett Road
Annette Smith	Durham Parks and Recreation
Colin Crossman	Walltown
Ken Gasch	Colonial Village
Melissa Rooney	Fairfield
Pat Carstensen	Cross County
Linda Hobson	Five Oaks
Matt Dees	News & Observer
Craigie Sanders	Grove Park
Emily Weinstein	Solterra
Cathy Abernathy	Hope Valley

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

Revaluation – Ken Joyner, who as the county tax administrator, is 
responsible for both assessment and collection, gave an overview of the 
process.  Overall, the directions on how to assess property take 20 3-ring 
binders.  They look at three things: a database of physical characteristics 
of each property (age, square feet, etc), neighborhood (they have over 3000 
blocks of properties), and comparable sales.  Most property values are 
rising but some are rising faster than others so this will keep the property 
tax burden equitable.  The new tax rates would take effect in January 2008.  
Assuming that total value of property in the county goes up, a lower rate 
(tax per $1000 value) will raise the same amount of money.  There are three 
steps if you want to appeal the assessment: informal (use website to check 
that data on your property is accurate and/or have a talk with them), formal 
(they can’t accept formal appeals until January), and appeal.  For more 
info: www.durhamcountync.gov/departments/txad/Information_For.html

Lakewood YMCA – Chuck Clifton gave an update on what has been happening.  
There are 3 YMCA’s in central Durham, and the Lakewood is significantly 
older.  There is a real community there (children of children are learning 
to swim there) and it anchors the neighborhoods (kids can walk to activities 
there).  Triangle YMCA sent a letter that they were going to close it, but 
they are now at least saying they will try to figure out how to keep it 
operating.  Pat will send out addresses for the “Save the Lakewood Y” 
petition and discussion.  We also passed (with some abstentions but no votes 
against) the following resolution:

INC supports the efforts of the communities around the Lakewood YMCA and of 
the larger community to keep the Lakewood YMCA.

Setting Priorities – The list of INC priorities, with number of votes, is:
(13) more judicial funding
(11) chained dogs
(10) Durham Symphony visibility and higher priority
(10) panhandling
(9) mass land grading during development phase
(7) alternatives to demolition
(7) more attention by Police to petty crime
(6) too much tax dollar waste
(6) local historical museum
(5) represent issues of disadvantaged neighborhoods; outreach to help them
(5) INC outreach/publicity/education
(4) parking in front yards
(4) more "concrete" elements in development plans
(4) poor roads; need paving
(3) City led planning process for neighborhoods in crisis
(3) a "greener" Durham
(3) new neighborhood organizations
(3) increased hazardous waste drop-off times for citizens
(2) lack of upkeep by real estate firms on property for sale
(0) helicopter ordinance not revised since 1974
(0) create downtown neighborhood
(0) illegally posted signs
(0) support the "arts"
(0) noise ordinance violations



Other Items
1. We accepted the May minutes and treasurer’s report.
2. Parks and Rec will have concerts in the parks, 4th of July extravaganzas, 
warehouse blues.  They have 14 after-school programs; registration is now 
open.  Check out www.lightupdurham.org
3. The Animal Control Advisory Committee make a recommendation to do an 
ordinance on chaining dogs.  Fence building is going great, but they could 
use volunteers.
4. Get in your neighborhood hero nominations.
5. We have found a designer to work on an “alternatives to panhandling” 
flyer.
6. Get out to the Festival for the Eno.
7. Thanks to all the folks who helped on the very successful Litter Index.

The meeting was adjourned.

_________________________________________________________________
http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtextlinkjuly07