WPLNA Meeting – Zoom Invite – Tues. 2/9/21 at 7:00

The WEST PINE LACLEDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION will meet via ZOOM on Tuesday, February 2nd at 7:00 pm.  All are welcome.

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Meeting ID: 864 1249 2660

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Our February meeting this coming Tuesday the 9th will be an opportunity to thank 17th Ward Alderman Joe Roddy for his many years of excellent service and to wish him well in retirement. As you know, Alderman Roddy lives in the 4300 block of Laclede and has been a long-time member of the West Pine-Laclede Neighborhood Association as well as the 17th Ward’s long-tenured representative in City Hall.

Three outstanding individuals have filed to succeed  Alderman Roddy. They are Don DeVivo (Forest Park Southeast); Tina “Sweet-T” Pihl (Forest Park Southeast); and Michelle Sherrod (Botanical Heights). All three have expressed interest in joining us at Tuesday’s virtual meeting to educate and enlighten us with brief statements about their candidacies.

We are also thrilled that St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green plans to join us on Tuesday evening to speak about her good work maintaining our City’s creditworthiness and fiscal solvency.

And our long-time member and supporter Mr. Jim Whyte of the Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative will be with us in two dimensions to discuss recent criminal activity  in the neighborhood, including the highly-publicized double homicide on Laclede and a number of carjackings in and around West Pine-Laclede.  

Minutes from our January meeting are appended below and will be presented for approval.  In the interests of saving time, please take a minute to review them before joining in the meeting.

WEST PINE LACLEDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Minutes:  01.12.21

President Harold Karabell called the meeting to order at 7:25 pm. via Zoom.   

Attending were:  Harold Karabell, Terry Werner, Leah Koesterer, Diana Gualdoni, Barbara Brown, Lorraine Simpson, Marshall Michener, Sue and Paul Nauert, Terry Van Schaik, Ron Coleman, and Sharon Olwig.  

MINUTES (Diana Gualdoni) :  December minutes were approved unanimously as written. 

TREASURER’S REPORT (Terry Werner)   

Checking: $2,108.89 (after expenses for web site)

Savings: $1,062.57

Time deposit: $7,420.36

BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE REPORT (Lorraine Simpson and Sue Nauert):

  • Many thanks to Sharon and Bob Olwig for their input and proposed support for the cul-de-sac on West Pine at Sarah.  The improvements they have suggested include adding stepping stones, plantings and (possibly) an irrigation system.  Their input and support, conceptual, labor and financial, are much appreciated.  
  • How can we encourage businesses to be more diligent in picking up trash and maintaining their properties?  Of particular concern are 1)  the old police Station on Newstead, 2) the John McElwain property on Sarah, home to the old Block restaurant and 3) dumping in the alley behind 4308 Laclede (which appears to have recently been taken off the market).  Ron Coleman will contact owners of these properties.
  • How can we expand membership (and dues) and fund more beautification projects?  

DEVELOPMENT (Ron Coleman) : 

  • Contracts for plumbing repairs to the median planters on Forest Park Avenue between Newstead and the east side of Sarah AND two median planters on Laclede Avenue between Sarah and Boyle have been issued and should be done in the next few weeks. 
  • New street cleaning signs are up on the 4300 block of Laclede. 
  • Request:  there is a sinking area in the street at the median at the west end of the 4200 block of Laclede by Scarlett’s Wine Bar.  This may be associated with a leak in the system bringing water to the planter and should be investigated as part of the plumbing project.  
  • Request to Ron:  trash pickup for Places for People has been happening well before the 6 am start time.  Please investigate.

Other:  (Harold) 

The developer for the proposed development in the 4100 block of Lindell still has not responded to the association, to the neighborhood improvement specialist or to Park Central Development.  They are expected to request a zoning variance and tax abatement.

The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Diana Gualdoni

Secretary