College Hill Neighborhood Association Board Meeting 6-5-03

Attending:  Guy Sims, David Glenn-Burns, Mary Brammer, Jeanette Winegarden, Lynn Nielsen, Kate McElligatt, Rose Lorenz, Tom Reisetter, Sue Doody

Visitor:  Loree Rackstraw

Absent: Jana Nelson

The meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m.  The minutes of the 5-8-03 Board meeting were reviewed and approved as read.  The minutes will be posted on our Yahoo message board and on the CHNA website each month.  Sue Doody will contact Aaron Hawbaker to get Lynn, Jeanette, and Guy access to the message board.

Treasurer’s Report:  Mary reported that our balance is around $4,000.  We have had some new memberships come in.  We will be getting a bill for $400 (approx.) for the postcards.  Membership renewals will be solicited in the fall.  We will also have a business membership level.  The question of whether members needing to renew can be notified via the email newsletter was raised.  An annual versus a revolving membership year was discussed.  Mary moved that we change the membership year from August to August (allowances will be made for people who joined recently).  A motion was made, seconded, and passed.  We have joined the Chamber of Commerce.

The postcards are ready for printing.  There are two options for the back side.  The second option was favored, a motion was made and passed.  The artist has asked for 200 postcards.  We will give five to new members who rejoin at the College Hill Arts Festival.  Postcards will be available for sale to members (five for $5). The Arts Festival table will display the original painting, have handouts available, have membership renewals available, have an announcement on the August picnic, etc.  Rose and Mary will work on the Arts Festival arrangements.  Rose is our contact to the planning committee and has a list of persons who volunteered to help at the table.

Loree reported on the Jazz in the Park (Seerley Park) concert on June 26 at 11:00 a.m.  Mike Micalachek is providing the band.  We have agreed to provide refreshments (lemonade and chex mix).  Loree will coordinate this.  Patrons need to bring their own chairs or blankets.  Loree will put an article in Currents and send a press release to the Courier and the web page.

The Hearst Center will provide music for our August 18 picnic.  The music will go from 6-7:30 p.m.  The Hearst Center also expressed an interest in having a farmer’s market/fall harvest festival in conjunction with the picnic.  In the past, the Association has invited the city council and mayor.  We have also recognized landlords and other “friends” of the CHNA.  David will also give a synopsis of where we have been and where we are going.  Attendees need to bring table service and a dish to share. Sue Doody will coordinate the potluck.  Tom  Reisetter will help with drinks. Rose and David are working on the program.

The picnic will be publicized in the August newsletter, by press release, and through leafleting.  Mary and Kate will work on the leafleting for August (including development of the packet).

Guy suggested a link from our webpage to the Cedar Valley Board of Realtors.  He related that it is possible to search for homes in a particular area on their website.  Lynn and Sue will pursue this.  We would also like a link to the city website and from the city website to ours.

Zoning and parking regulations were discussed.  Rose met with David Sturch and John Page regarding the Overlay zoning regulations. Some residents, builders, and city officials are not well informed on the special procedures  in the Overlay.   The city is going to put together a brochure to educate city employees and neighborhood residents on the zoning and restrictions, and the reasons for the restrictions. The city will make it available to us for distribution.  The information needs to shared with contractors who are licensed to build in Cedar Falls.  Kate reported on a violation in the Overlay that was reported to the police but never followed up on.  She will write a letter to the city  protesting the handling of this incident .

The five  Initiatives were discussed.  David suggested that our highest priority is A (Reverse trend of conversion of homes to rental units) and that everything else falls under this issue.  Loree, Rose, and Sue will continue to work on the Action Plan and will present a draft to the Board at the next meeting.  The Action Plan will then guide our discussion on the Initiatives.

A UNI student who is continuing to work on the Geography Mapping Project presented a report on the relationship between sales and assessed value in the Overlay over time.  She has mapped properties sold between 1992-2002.  A chart with colors representing sales each year was presented.  She also gave us a written report which documents  the number of sales (shows the amount and sales price),  the average price, and the relationship between the sale price and the assessed value.  Many properties were sold for higher than their assessed value for a number of years.  In 2002, more properties sold for lower than their assessed value, which may be a sign that the trend toward conversions is weakening.

The next Board Meeting is on Tuesday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the St. Stephens Center.