LPENA General Meeting Minutes, 1-27-05

Meeting minutes, 1-27-05

Officers in attendance:

Aren Cambre

Will White

Todd Howard

Bridget Williams

Andrea Hosterman

Josh Theodore

Meeting opened at 7:08 PM by Will White.

A few residents complained of late delivery of newsletter. They did not receive it until today. Some others received it a few days ago.

Overview of old business from summer general meeting (fall general meeting was the fall picnic):

• Funds allocation for monument.
• Dues—kept them the same.
• Planning of summer block party.
• Etc.

Discussion of crime watch:

• New signs posted.
• Rash of property crime, especially on Galway properties that back up to Garland Rd.
• Will talked with police captain at DPD NW station. They were supposed to increase patrols. One neighbor noticed more cops in neighborhood.
• Complaints of people “selling stuff” door to door, and these people may be staking out the neighborhood.
• Supposedly door to door salesmen should have a City of Dallas permits.
• If you have any crime tips to share, send them to neighbors@lakeparkestates.org.
• Discussion of Crime Watch.
• LPENA representatives should attend quarterly meeting at NW Substation. Usually 30-40 people there.
• Discussion of general crime info.
• Todd will contact DPD and see what LPENA needs to do to get involved.

Volunteering

• Need volunteers.

Discussion of block captains: need new block captains for Donegal and Waterford. John Merrill will take over Killarney (9600-9738).

Treasurer Report

• Current account balance: $7542
• $760 received in dues and donation.
• Membership is down, but we are doing a membership drive.
• $250 received from advertising for Chevrolet commercial at Welchs’ house.
• Both LPENA parties total cost is about $1000
• Setting up monthly payments directly through bank. Working on setting up account online to make this happen.
• Expense reimbursement forms are now to be used. Adds accountability, eases auditing.
• Discussion of 501(c)(3). Need an attorney to set up the documents. Neighborhood has several attorneys.
• George Burke: $25 for filing as a nonprofit company vs. $200 as an LLC.

OFFICIAL ACTION: George Burke is approved to head up incorporation process.

OFFICIAL ACTION: All members present unanimously approve pursuing a 501(c)(3).

Signs:

• Add or revamp?
• Far more entrances than signs.
• Propose: do away with specific signs, instead do “general” signs with a hanging bottom part. Technical term: “sign rider.”
• May require a little more upfront money, but long-term it’s cheaper to add riders than to purchase entire new signs.
• Also considering nicer additional signs for Holiday Lights contest.
• Suggestion: take signs to FastSigns. They can strip and renew it.

Beautification Committee

• First year for Holiday Lights contest.
• 7 judges drove around on Monday, Dec. 20.
• Hayride planned for 2005.
• Lowe’s donated $100 and $50 gift cards (1^st and 2^nd prizes)
• Winners are Morrisons on Galway (1^st) and Hoyles on Athlone (2^nd).

Galway Circle

• Been discussed for over a year.
• Only two common areas: Waterford Circle and Galway Circle.
• Molly Walters is a neighbor who is also a Landscape Designer who put together some plans.
• Dallas’s MOWMentum plan may pay for up to ½ of expenses for Galway Circle improvements.
• Plants purchased under this program must be xeriscape per city regulation.
• Plan presented.
• Includes ADA-compliant ramps and sidewalks.
• Discussion about a light around Galway Circle.
• Enthusiasm expressed for organizing this as a neighborhood event.

Complaint about zero tolerance enforcement of code. Clarification was made that Beautification Committee is not enforcing code, but instead is promoting a clean overall neighborhood. Dallas is going to zero tolerance code enforcement, and code enforcers are often going through neighborhoods and issuing tickets by seeking out problems in neighborhoods.

Todd Howard left at 8:18 PM.

Garland & Buckner intersection

• They have outlined a really nice proposal.
• CMAC-funded for emissions reduction.
• G&B Committee
• Just recently found out that many of the improvements that were apparently promised have been redacted due to budgetary constraints.
• 3 meetings with Dallas Councilman Gary Griffith. Lots of obstacles encountered.
• Advocate article scheduled for March.

Code Enforcement: LPENA stickers were passed out a long time ago about code enforcement problems to warn violators. (Courtesy Notice, not orange like City of Dallas stickers) Interest in doing it again.

Meeting adjourned at 8:42 PM by Will White.