The West Pine Laclede Neighborhood Association will meet on Tuesday, February 8th at 7 pm at Northwest Coffee, 4251 Laclede (at Boyle). All are welcome!
The minutes from our last meeting (December) are copied below – please take a moment to review these in advance as they will be presented for approval at the upcoming meeting.
Our agenda items include:
- Mark Schwarz’ presentation detailing his exciting plans for the coffeehouse / OMEGA Yeast Company in the space formerly known as The Ladle / The Southern Belle / Terrene / The Block (as I recall from my nearly 40 years of dining at 33 N. Sarah!).
- Updates to the WPLNA website include
- new real estate listings, both pending and sold (courtesy of Scott Gilbert)
- links to each of our elected officials
- Volunteers are sought for the position of Secretary and for Security Liaison. Please see Harold Karabell to volunteer or to nominate a neighbor.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.
Harold Karabell, President
WEST PINE LACLEDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Minutes: 12.14.21
President Harold Karabell called the meeting to order at 7:08.
MINUTES (Diana Gualdoni) : November minutes were deemed accurate as written by consent of the non-voting attendees (as we lacked a quorum to vote officially).
TREASURER’S REPORT (Terry Werner)
Checking: $ 24.58
Savings: $1,068.83
Time deposit: $7,442.59
There is an outstanding bill for just over $1,000 for three years of website hosting and security which, together with other anticipated expenses will necessitate use of almost all of available funds in checking and savings. Funds will be transferred into checking and savings from the time deposit CD account as soon as the annual window opens up around the end of December.
This unanticipated expense and the lack of income have resulted in a strain on the association finances. Our only source of income is from dues and, no doubt due to fallout from a year of Covid and lack of in-person meetings, only about ½ of our membership renewed their dues this year.
It was suggested that the Secretary and Treasurer work together on a two-pronged appeal for funds:
- a general year-end appeal
- a targeted appeal to members who have not renewed
BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE REPORT (Lorraine Simpson and Sue Nauert):
Sue Nauert coordinates a volunteer landscaping committee maintaining the west end of Laclede near Newstead Avenue. She recently used her own funds to hire a local woman to clean up the leaves in that area. We are grateful to her for her efforts and for this contribution.
Sue and Lorraine inquired about funding from the Association for mulching and leaf removal both on Laclede and on West Pine. While there is enthusiastic support for the ongoing landscaping efforts, there was much discussion on alternative sources of funding for such efforts. What research has been done on options such as: Seeds (previously known as Gateway Greening), Brightside STL, the 17th Ward, the Manhattan Townhouse Association, and the Special Business District?
Additionally, it was felt the Association should consider some guidelines for use of reserve funds.
Bradley Jones is a new Commissioner on the SBD, representing renters. He was asked to explore the question of potential funding for neighborhood landscaping efforts (and how to apply for it) at an upcoming SBD meeting. Additionally would he request details on the biweekly trash pickup efforts recently funded by the SBD. Neighbors are not seeing evidence that this is being done.
Update on the Forest Park median planter project: Funding for 3 years has been approved, irrigation to planters has been restored, RFP for landscaping was published, a contract was signed with Pretty City Landscapers, clearing and mulching has been completed and planting will begin as seasonally appropriate.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Diana Gualdoni, Secretary