Agenda for March

Vernon Neighborhood Association
March 13, 2007
Agenda


7:00 Introduction by chair; Lindy
sign in and introductions
Sabin Comm. Development
Muralist

7:10 Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .
Edit

We are a Village Building Convergence site!!!


7:15 Report from John Fall, Chair of Land Use on how to advocate for the Killingsworth Street Transportation Safety Cooridor study.
This is the study of traffic along Killingsworth that Land Use and the NECN Livability Committee would like the Department of Transportation to fund in the upcoming budget (grew out of the neighborhood tours conducted with Debbie Bischoff).

7:20 Brain Simms neighborhood response, NE precinct

7:30 Introduce Vernon Elementary Judith Scott
We want to extend an invitation for all of
the VNA board members to join us at the Garden Community meeting on
March 21st (details in attachment). In the meantime, you can help us by
referring folks to the Hand On Network link for online registration for
the April 21st big event. Vernon School will be 100 years old this fall
and this gift from the Hands On Network will support us tremendously in
beautification of the school grounds, painting the interior of the
building and designing and building two beautiful gardens as learning
centers for our students and the Vernon community.

7:40 Introduce Pastor Moe re: sale of parking lot

7:50 Introduce Bishop Harry Daniels parking expansion


8:00 Lindy –
Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting?


Next board meeting is April 4th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, April 10th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Feb. minutes

Vernon Neighborhood Association
Feb 13th, 2007
Minutes


7:00 Introduction by chair; Lindy
sign in and introductions
Reminder that suggestions from community members regarding what we need to focus on this coming year is:
Crime Prevention
Alberta Park
Clean up
19th & Alberta *VBC site
Business involvement
(additions?) Remembering that each of these concerns needs to be adopted by someone who would like to take that step towards shaping the sustainable urban community we want to live and work in.

-Monday Feb. 19th 6:45 PM ---- Place Making Meeting #1 ---- after this date every Monday all sites are encouraged to attend the place making meetings


7:15 Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .
Edit

We are a Village Building Convergence site!!!
Community-Created Sustainability: A gathering in the Commons
Oregon Convention Center, Urban Renewal Placemaking
Budget time again at the City of Portland!
Organizing to Win: Building an Issue Campaign
Citywide Parks Team’s Feb meeting
Liquor License Application
Vernon Neighborhood Association Minutes

Report on City Repair meeting
We have been chosen as one of 30 City Repair sites for the Village Building Convergence (May 18th through 27th)


7:30 Lindy; announces Office of Transportation is putting in Crosswalks on Alberta 15th to 31st.

Application for a Liquor License @ Allison speaks on behalf of the Zilla Sake House, (Japanese sytle working class pub) 1806 NE Alberta
They want to represent Japanese artists on Last Thursdays Art Walk. Will serve Home made Miso. Looking for other Japanese food. Hopes to open last of March, early April. Hopes to be open later, midnight or so and Friday or Sat to 1:00 a.m.


7:35 Introduce Jean Morton “Cease Fire Oregon”
Safe deposal of guns and education on safe gun storage and how to keep kids safe. Announcement of dates and locations for safe gun turn in.
$50.00 gift certificate is given for each gun. Asks for volunteers.

7:40 Christian Volunteer Resource for Neighborhood Associations

This is a work opportunity for people with developmental disabilities. Needs to happen on week days from 8 to 4. Trainer is always with them. Lots of clean up.


8:00 Lindy –
Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting?

Member who has been living here for 8 years on Killingworth and is wondering about if anything can be done about the crime issues in his neighborhood.
Larry explained about the zoning keeping the businesses from making improvements. Killingsworth from MLK to the Hwy and to get the city to look at making that area available for redevelopment.



Next board meeting is March 7th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, March 13th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Rally and March on the 4th Anniversary of the Iraq War

!!NEW LOCATION!!
Join the Rally,
Sunday, March 18, 2007
South Park Blocks, Portland
(SW Madison St. & Park Av.)
Noon-5 PM Action Camp
1:30 Rally and March

AFSC is working with dozens of organizations to build a mass mobilization against the war in Iraq.
After meeting with the city and police, we have decided to move the event from Pioneer Courthouse Square to the South Park Blocks.

Mark your calendar now and ask your friends and family to come with you to act to end the war!

Action Camp Includes Activities to End the War for All Ages:
DRAW: children’s art for peace (sponsored by School and Community Reuse Action Project--SCRAP)
WRITE: letters to congress to defund the war (sponsored by Oregonains Against the War, Oregon Peaceworks, American Friends Service Committee and others)
SPEAK: youth speak-out against war (sponsored by United Voices Youth Program of AFSC)
ACT: learn about nonviolent direct action (sponsored by Code Pink and Students for a Democratic Society)

Read more and get involved!
Check out the new website http://www.pdxpeace.org to volunteer, donate or find out more. We'll see you on March 18!





Kelly Campbell
Portland Area Peace Director
American Friends Service Committee
2249 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-230-9427
kcampbell@afsc.org
http://www.afsc.org/portland



Stop the War! Bring the Troops Home Now!
**NEW LOCATION**
March 18, 2007 - SOUTH PARK BLOCKS - Action Camp 12pm - Rally 1:30pm
(SW Park & SW Madison)
www.pdxpeace.org

Art On Alberta Street Safety Project

Hello Everyone,

Today I had a chance to speak to Seanna Kerrigan and Dr. Kerth Oâ??Brian of PSU regarding the Alberta Street Safety Project, and I wanted to forward to you the gist of our discussions and the status of this project.

In the process of our discussions amongst the AonA Board and with our friends at PSU this project will have 3 distinct stages following a specific timeline.

First Stage.

In the 2^nd Wednesday of May of 2007 AonA Board Of Directors, and all other interested parties in this discussion, will meet with members of PSU, most likely with individuals from Dr. Oâ??Brians Psychology Dept, and possibly from an individual from the PSU Urban Planning Dept. a well to go over the planning of this project, and to hammer out an details that need to be considered. Then in June 2007 PSU will begin the development of the basic format of the Street Safety Questionnaire, in conjunction with AonA Street Safety Committee, with the possibility of even a Pilot Questionnaire sent out to a small group within the community as a test vehicle, but this will be determined as the process develops.

After the finalization of the Alberta Street Safety Questionnaire, and only after it meets with approval of Art On Alberta and the other interested parties, will be the Second Stage.

Second Stage.

Art On Alberta in conjunction with all interested parties and with Brian Monberg of the Post Grads of the PSU Urban Planning Department and, will be the distribution and collection phase. This will be the dissemination of the Alberta Street Safety Questionnaire, then the collection of the Questionnaire data, and then the review of the data, and then any subsequent Questionnaire (if necessary). This phase will require mailers, and feet-on-the-ground to distribute and to collect the questionnaire from the community. Ideas have been suggested that we can leave copies at major points of community interest i.e., Stores, Salons, Churches, etc. Any volunteers that AonA can acquire would be useful in this stage.

Third Stage.

If the community accepts the idea behind this project, then this will be the implantation phase, most likely either late 2007 or early 2008 with the PDX City, Trimet, and PDX Police, etc.

Because of the PSUs class scheduling the bulk of the project will take place over the summer months.

Please contact us if you have questions for comments regarding this issue and thank you everyone for your efforts in this matter.

Sincerely,

Joseph Blanchette
President
Art on Alberta
2215 NE Alberta Street
Portland, Oregon 97211
info@artonalberta.org
www.artonalberta.org

Portland Parks and Recreation

Hello!

As you probably well know, upgrades to several playgrounds were included in the 2003 Portland Parks Levy. The projects have been put out to bid three times and I am happy to say that three times does indeed appear to be a charm! The Bureau of Purchasing has confirmed that we have an acceptable bid so now we can finally move forward with these improvements.

The contractor should be onboard by mid-March and the construction schedule will be developed shortly thereafter. We expect that construction will be scheduled at several locations simultaneously. As soon as we know about the schedule, we will let you know.

For now, we wanted to let you know that we're back on track and to remind you of what work will be going on at each site:


Whirl safety surfacing at:
∑ Albert Kelly Park (Bridlemile Neighborhood)
∑ Alberta Park (Vernon Neighborhood)
∑ Bloomington Park (Lents Neighborhood)
∑ Fernhill Park (Concordia Neighborhood)
∑ Gammans Park (Arbor Lodge Neighborhood)
∑ Mt. Scott Park (Mt. Scott Arleta Neighborhood)
∑ Mt. Tabor Park - Harrison Playground (Mt. Tabor Neighborhood)
∑ Powell Park (Brooklyn Action Corps)
∑ Westmoreland Park (SMILE)
∑ Wilshire Park (Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood)


Additional work is scheduled at the following parks:

∑ Columbia Park (Portsmouth Neighborhood) - Whirl safety surfacing and lead abatement-related replacement of two swingsets, slide, teeter-totter, chin bars