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Recap of the November 2015 E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

Recap of the November 2015 E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

This is a brief recap of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council meeting that took place on November 11, 2015.

Officer Tracy Douglas reported on the monthly statistics for area “P2,” which includes Emerson-Garfield as well as West Central and parts of the North Hill Neighborhood. There were no sexual assaults in our area last month, nor any commercial robberies. There were two robberies of a person, one domestic violence incident, and 14 violent crimes in the last month. For residential burglary, there were nine this month, and the same number of garage burglaries. Commercial burglaries are at seven, less than 13 in the previous month. Vehicle theft is at 20, slightly more than last month, but less over the yearly average. There was a decrease in overall property crime compared to the previous year.

Miscellaneous notes: Neighborhood officers are being pulled out of COPS shops to put the officers in precincts instead. A property near 1800 W Montgomery is a drug house that is being shut down on November 12 due to the involvement of the neighbors. If you leave your vehicle running and unattended, parked on a street rather than in your own driveway, you could be fined $124. Officers like to have address numbers shown on alley garages to use as a point of reference. Officer Douglas also warned against having a glass window built into your back door, which is very tempting for thieves to break when entering.

Councilmember Candace Mumm reported on Drumheller Springs Park by Ash and Euclid. A neighboring piece of property, 3121 Ash, came up for approval for sale as a CDBG property and might be used to enhance the park.

North Monroe is going to be completely renovated during its repair, not least because of its 110-year-old sewage infrastructure. The long-dormant North Monroe Business Association really needs to be reenergized and involved.

Councilmember Mumm said in closing that there is an active effort to put Knox Presbyterian Church, where the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market is currently held, on the register of historical buildings.

Gayle Haeger and Rachel Sumagpang spoke about a house at 820 W Spofford that the nearby Spokane Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church bought for an after-school program for kids from third to fifth grade (tentatively) that will be held between 3:30 and 5:30pm four days per week. They are looking for volunteers and encourage interested adults to get in touch.

The meeting shifted to the allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. After the CDBG allocations determined in previous months, the neighborhood was left with $24,145 to allocate. It was proposed that $2,135 be allocated to the West Central Community Center for an even $10,000 along with the already reallocated 2015 funds; $11,010 toward the $78,198 sidewalk project on Cedar from Alice to Euclid; and $11,000 toward a $24,793 dog-walking path in Emerson Park that might also discourage transient camping in that area.

The proposed allocation was approved by a unanimous vote with no abstentions. Jackie Caro, even while absent (which is rare), was applauded for her involvement with our neighborhood’s CDBG projects and her guidance.

Amy Dutton reported on the Northwest Boulevard Greening Grant planting that took place on October 31 and involved 15 volunteers. While the area looks beautiful, the southern triangle was not completed in time, as the other two traffic triangles took much more effort than anticipated.

Karl Boldt reported on the neighborhood cleanup program. Faith Bible Church has stepped up in wanting to be involved with the neighborhood. The church brought two dumpsters for “clean green” on November 7, and their volunteers spent three hours driving around the neighborhood to help people rake and dump leaves. Saturday, May 21 is the proposed date for the 2016 Spring Cleanup.

Transitions had a community meeting on November 10 regarding the development of a 24-unit cottage-style development for low- or moderate-income housing. Transitions was very eager to solicit the feedback of both neighborhoods that adjoin the property. If you have strong feelings about that area or the proposed development, it is recommended that you follow up with Transitions directly.

Laura Schlangen reported on the Corbin Senior Activity Center. There was a full house of 120 people at a recent performance by the Corbin Players, which included eight short plays. On Saturday, December 5 at 5:30pm there will be a performance by the Spokane Magic Club, with a requested donation of $3.50 per person and $7.50 for an entire family. The elevator was estimated to cost around $400,000, and $291,000 of that will be covered by the Department of Commerce.

Jay Cousins reported on the Community Assembly. The Neighborhood Notification process is now in effect. There are going to be two people per neighborhood who are listed with neighborhood services who are going to be notified of any projects happening in the neighborhoods, and then those two people are responsible for disseminating the information to the neighbors.

Beginning in 2016, there will be a pool of $15,000 among the 28 neighborhoods to draw from for neighborhood projects, such as concerts in the park. It is generally agreed that the funding is not quite enough, so there is an effort to increase the pool. Neighborhoods can apply to the Office of Neighborhood Services for the funding of a project.

The Community Assembly’s Community Development Committee is proposing changes to how sidewalk funding is distributed. They suggest a total pot of $150,000 (half of the $300,000 allocated in 2014) for sidewalk improvements anywhere in the city, as long as the area is in a zone that qualifies based on CDBG criteria. There is a concern that the City has not taken responsibility for maintaining the sidewalks or street trees that are considered to be on City property, a model that was reported to be more common in cities west of the Mississippi. The committee felt that it should be up to the landowners, rather than the neighborhoods, to apply for sidewalk repair projects.

Megan Kennedy reported on the West Quadrant Tax Increment Financing (WQTIF) committee, which currently operates with five voting members. The committee and their advisor, Andrew Worlock, are evaluating whether the committee is to be an ear for revitalization projects initiated by others, or if they are to take their own initiative for projects (or a balance of both). Most of the projects are capital-oriented and favor improvements that would increase the economic viability of an area for businesses. Emerson-Garfield is looking for an alternate representative on the WQTIF to assist Megan. Meetings currently take place quarterly but potentially could happen more frequently.

The meeting closed with a reminder to bring a dish to the Winter Potluck on Wednesday, December 9. Everyone in Emerson-Garfield is invited!

Craftwalk at the E-G Farmers’ Market (Sep 18)

Craftwalk at the E-G Farmers’ Market (Sep 18)

The second annual Craftwalk at the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market is scheduled for Friday, September 18. It will run concurrent with the market (i.e., 3-7pm).

Not familiar with Craftwalk? This is a special event where the market welcomes specialty non-food vendors of all kinds. Local artists and crafters with unique handmade items such as quilts, knitwear, upcycled goods, jewelry, clothing, hats, sculpture, soaps and pottery will line the sidewalk around the perimeter of the lot.

Craftwalk 2015

Because Craftwalk complements the usual market, that means there will be music, a full range of produce and baked goods, and authentic Korean food to eat there or take home.

Craftwalk is a great opportunity to pick up some cool items for the back-to-school season — or even get a head start on some of your Christmas shopping!

All artists and crafters are invited to take part. Booth spaces are only $10. To register, fill out the market’s online vendor application and note “Craftwalk” in any fields that aren’t applicable.

It was great to see so many crafters from right here in Emerson-Garfield taking part in Craftwalk last year.

Recap of the August 2015 E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

Recap of the August 2015 E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

Typically the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council holds a very casual meeting with a light agenda after the neighborhood’s Summer Potluck, and this year was no different. However, owing to shifts in the annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) deadlines, the agenda included preliminary decisions on how the neighborhood intended to allocate its $56,299 for 2016.

Here’s a brief recap of some of the discussion and decisions from the August 12, 2015 neighborhood council meeting. (Click here for a photo gallery from the potluck.)

Potluck_201510-crop

Because the proposal due August 31 only needed to be an indication of the neighborhood’s interest in particular projects, the allocations were discussed in broad terms. The CHHS “ground rules” this year are that the minimum amount to be allocated to each project, aside from sidewalk funding, is $10,000. That total can be a combination of multiple neighborhoods. Two of the four projects that appealed to voting members involved such cooperation with another area.

The project with the most interest was a collaboration with the North Hill Neighborhood for the vacant property on North Monroe near Cora Street. Trees and shrubs could be planted in order to beautify the unused land. Funding from other sources could cover irrigation, neighborhood gateway signs, and other planting or beautification initiatives.

The second proposal of interest involved the Fulcrum Institute‘s Ash Street Workforce Training Station. The neighborhood council allocated money to the Lands Council for the training station last year, which would serve to train former inmates for work, potentially reducing recurring crime in our neighborhood. This particular project would be partnering with Chief Garry Park Neighborhood for the third training bay.

The third project voted on was the garage or ADA ramp for the West Central Community Center. As a substantial portion of the center’s clients are residents of Emerson-Garfield, this project was of particular interest to the voting members.

The fourth project voted on was for public safety improvements for Emerson Park. Improvements could involve lighting and a perimeter sidewalk. Transients seem to be a strong problem along the perimeter of the park. Increased traffic, such as walking dogs in a loop, might be a deterrent to those who occasionally sleep in the park.

There were other projects that were discussed, but which received no official votes. One such project was the addition of new sidewalks within the neighborhood. This was not chosen as an official project, because Emerson-Garfield is always in need of new sidewalks. We can use the remainder of the CDBG funding for sidewalk projects, and we may also use traffic calming funds for sidewalks.

Another topic of interest was North Monroe revitalization. This road project has been delayed until 2018, so it would not be ideal to allocate funding that would need to be used within the 2016 calendar year. The neighborhood council still has interest in channeling significant funding this project, but it would be best to use this funding closer to the time of the revitalization.

One last topic was SNAP home repair. Because there is no longer a 2-to-1 matching of funds, members did not rank it as highly.

This was followed by reports from various committees. The first report was regarding Corbin Senior Activity Center. Laura Schlangen reported that the Department of Commerce informed the center that the State Capital Budget includes an appropriation of $300,000 for their elevator project. It will cost more than that, but these funds will need to be used soon.

On Saturday, September 19 the center will be having its annual auction dinner. The cost is $30 in advance. She encouraged donations and attendance.

Barb Biles reported on the Land Use Committee. The cell-tower moratorium was extended to October. Notification must be given in advance to occupants within a wider radius of 600 feet. There is also an effort to make the cell-phone towers aesthetically pleasing.

Carlie Hoffman, the neighborhood’s representative on the Pedestrian Traffic and Transportation (PeTT) Committee, talked about how it is difficult to identify sidewalks needing repairs. They desire more participation from residents in identifying those projects.

Carlie also encouraged everyone to view and make use of the new interactive Spokane transportation maps that have a great deal of visual info on transportation conditions.

Megan Kennedy reported on the West Quadrant Tax Increment Financing (WQTIF) Committee, which she is hopeful to become an official member of in the coming months. The last meeting the committee did not have a quorum, so it involved more casual conversation, but Megan learned that the development of North Monroe was delayed until 2018 primarily because the City wanted to take the time to weigh options as to how best implement the improvements based in part on continued feedback from stakeholders and in part on what they learn from other corridor improvement processes in the meantime.

The last report prior to the conclusion of the meeting concerned the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers came through on July 31 to see how the market is accepting Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers  to encourage a healthier diet for low- and moderate-income families.

Compost Tea Demo (July 17)

Compost Tea Demo (July 17)

This week’s Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market on Friday, July 17 has a follow-up to the popular composting demo that launched the season back in June.

Master Composter and Master Gardener Ryan Herring will be demonstrating the process for making both compost extract and compost tea, and he’ll explain uses of each in your home garden.

This fun, educational demonstration will run for the duration of the market — that is, from 3 to 7pm in the parking lot of Knox Presbyterian (806 W Knox) right in the heart of Emerson-Garfield. Stop by anytime during the market to learn how easy it is to make nutritious rocket fuel for your plants!

Compost Tea Class Flyer

The market is also into the second week of its brand new KERNEL pilot program for kids. This week’s activity deals with companion planting. Kids will get to take part in hands-on learning about how to pair certain plants (like tomatoes and basil) to deter garden pests or avoid competition for soil nutrients. Last week’s transplanting activity was so successful that the organizer ran out of zucchini starts!

See here for more market activities scheduled throughout July.

Since this is a grassroots market run by volunteers from the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council and an intern from Project Hope Spokane, there isn’t the budget to take out big newspaper ads or stage huge concerts. The market relies primarily on social media and word of mouth to let everyone know about its more than 20 vendors plus all the great musicians and activities it hosts. Please make a point to stop by and invite your friends, co-workers, family and neighbors!

Recap of the June E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

Recap of the June E-G Neighborhood Council Meeting

The meeting started with a brief announcement from Julie Banks, Community Development Director at the YMCA of the Inland Northwest, who said that the Y is hosting a Summer Meals Program in Corbin Park. The meal program will serve breakfast and lunch to any child 18 years old or younger from Monday, June 22 to Friday, August 14. Julie asked that the neighborhood help raise awareness about the program so that no child goes hungry.

Councilwoman Candace Mumm reported on issues under discussion by the City Council. A new parking ordinance is being proposed that will require fewer parking spaces for small businesses; a public hearing on the matter will be held at the City Council meeting on Monday, June 22.

Councilwoman Mumm also noted that a decency clause regarding adult entertainment might also spill over into the area of adult coffee shops. North Hill Neighborhood Council is almost finished with their neighborhood plan, and they intend to revitalize Garland Street as well as preserve the bluff. A southern portion of Northwest Neighborhood will become the Audubon/Downriver Neighborhood. Letters to the editor regarding Monroe Street revitalization are still encouraged.

Shanna Cejka, the neighborhood parent liaison to Spokane Public Montessori at Havermale, and Olga Lucia Herrera, a grant applicant and Montessori parent, announced that they were successful in soliciting Spokefest funding for a Bicycle Laboratory. The lab would be housed at the school; older students would learn to repair bikes and teach bike safety. The school would like to hold bike-related events in conjunction with Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council.

Amy Dutton reported on proposed Greening Grant locations for autumn plantings in the neighborhood. The traffic triangles at Northwest Boulevard and Monroe Street are potential locations. For residential areas, planting strips must be at least four feet wide. All locations must either have direct access to water and/or a volunteer neighbor or business to commit to watering duties.

The majority of neighborhood council members voted to forego the July neighborhood council meeting. The next EGNC meeting will therefore be on Wednesday, August 12 as part of the Summer Potluck in Corbin Park. The entire neighborhood is welcome to attend the potluck for food and socializing.

Bri Musser has plants for the traffic circle at the intersection of Montgomery and Madison. Others volunteered to help. Jackie Caro from the Office of Neighborhood Services reported on the other traffic circle, which was recently planted by Trinity Catholic School. The traffic island at N Maple is scheduled to have sidewalks installed this year, and another Ponderosa Pine will be planted there as well.

The Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market opened last week, and sales showed a 50% improvement over last year’s opening event. It is encouraging to see EBT clients making use of the incentive programs like Fresh Bucks. Broken Whistle, the band that will be performing at this year’s Concert in the Park, played the opening market. Future market activities and events include a water conservation demo on June 12, a garden pest information session on June 19, and a hydroponic gardening demo on June 26. Starting Friday, July 10, the Kids Eating Right Nutrition and Education for Life (KERNEL) program will have a different kid-friendly activity each week and will reward participants with tokens to use at the market. Several sponsors have stepped forward, but some are still needed!

Friends of Emerson Park will meet at the park on Saturday, June 13, at 6:30pm.

Laura Schlangen reported on the Corbin Senior Activity Center. Their Madhatter’s Tea Party had 100 attendees. The 6th Annual Golf Scramble had more sponsors and players than ever. Corbin’s Boutique, a secondhand store, is requesting donations, which can be dropped off at the time of the Emerson-Garfield meeting. The Munch and Mingle Auction will take place on Saturday, September 19, and tickets will be sold at the end of June. An upcoming bus trip to Las Vegas, Zion and the Grand Canyon will cost only $838.

A large portion of the meeting involved discussing how Photo Red revenue is allocated. Up to now, Photo Red funding — which comes entirely from fines paid by drivers who run red lights — has been available exclusively for traffic-calming projects such at the traffic circles on W Montgomery. Recently, however, changes have been proposed that would increase the available annual funds for each district to $150,000 (up from $100,000) and use surplus revenue (including anticipated future revenue) as seed money to attract matching grants for more ambitious projects.

The EGNC conducted a vote on the issue; the consensus was to uphold Councilman Jon Snyder’s proposal, summarized as follows by Paul Kropp in a recent PeTT Committee e-mail:

… leveraging unallocated photo-red revenue to make local matching funds available in a significant amount to use for grant applications to secure engineering and construction funding of larger scale community street or trail projects.

Additional details on this issue as well as the vote tally of the neighborhood council will be available in the meeting minutes (once approved) and a forthcoming blog post from Emerson-Garfield’s PeTT representative.

As a final order of business, Barb Biles reported on Land Use Committee topics, including the six-month moratorium on the building of cell-phone towers in residential zones while the zoning issue is analyzed.