SUMMIT MEETING NOTES
September 11, 2008
Location:  1^st United Church of Christ

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 ACTION ITEMS

The key action items as agreed to in this meeting are as follows:

ATTENDEES: (See Abbreviation Key)

ABSENT:

AGENDA

• Welcome and Introductions
• Host Greetings
• Agenda Review & Modification

• Review of Minutes from Last Month’s Meeting

• Opening Prayer

• Special Announcements

• Review of Action Items from Last Month’s Meeting

• CHBA Update

• CPOP/COP/CPD

• CHCURC Update

• Schools, Incl Adopt A Class

• Ministerium

• Housing

• Planning for Oct Mtg with Rep Mallory & Sen. Kearney

• Community Activities & Announcements

DISCUSSION: 

1.   Special Announcements

None

2.   Review of Aug 2008 Minutes
The minutes for the Aug meeting will be approved at a later meeting, in order to give Summit members more time to review.

3.   Review of Action Items from Previous Meetings

The primary follow up from the previous meeting was to begin planning for the Oct 9 meeting with Rep Mallory and Senator Kearney.  This discussion led by Sheena.

Sheena reviewed what these elected officials do for us:

Ø      Education -  determine funding, policy, and direction

Ø      Criminal Justice -  laws regarding sentence, what is a crime

Ø      Social Services -  set payment rate, policy, and direction

Ø      Public Works -  infrastructure type projects   roadways, curbs, sewer line,  bridges

Our discussion with them should be focused on these areas, and include a short list of specific requests in these areas where they can help us.   One area we will discuss is Landbanking.

Sheena has drafted a list of community organizations involved in Summit, along with a couple of sentences describing each one’s purpose/mission.  At the Oct 9 meeting, we will go around the room and have each organizational leader introduce themselves and very briefly describe the purpose of their organization.   The list will be provided so that our elected officials will not have to take notes on this.   

We also want to encourage each organization to send additional leaders/officers to this meeting.

Any topics that organizations want to cover should be coordinated with Sheena, who is coordinating among the community organizations, and Ron Cowgill, who will facilitate the meeting.

4.   CHBA Update  - by Sheena Parton

Call It In – In conjunction with The Forum, CHBA is rolling out an initiative for local residents to “Call It In”, encouraging everyone to specific telephone numbers to report everything from criminal activity to loitering to litter.  A refrigerator magnet will be made and distributed to local residents.  A photo copy was handed out.   Numbers are:

Emergencies (Criminal Activity, Serious Disorders)………………………………………..911

Non-emergencies (Loitering, fights, Disruptive Crowds, Suspicious Activity)……….765-1212

City Services (Litter, Leaves, Garbage, Weeds)……………………………………….591-6000

Cameras – CHBA received a phone call from the City to inform them that the $30,000 previously applied for to reactivate the cameras was awarded.  CHBA expects official written notification soon.  The money will be available around February.

Saba Building – CHBA also applied for money to purchase the Saba building behind the College Hill Coffee Co., but this money was not allocated to College Hill.   The primary deterrent was that the community did not have an agreed purchase price with the current owners.

5.   CPD/CPOP – by Jim Bodmer, Capt Bailey, Off. Pechiney 

Several topics were covered by CPD.

o       A copy  of August crime stats was handed out.   Year-To-Date significant crime is down.  Robberies continue to be an issue in the community.   Most recently, thieves have become aware that residents of a group home on Marlow received their allowances on Wednesdays, and walk to the bank to make deposits.   These residents are getting robbed on the way to the bank.   The police are moving to provide additional protection.

o       The City is doing a city-wide camera initiative, and these will be additional cameras to the ones that College Hill already owns. 

o       There is funding for walking patrols in the business district until November.   An additional funding source has been identified which will enable walking patrols for the holiday season.

o       A flyer on “How To Catch A Criminal” was handed out, which will help witnesses to crimes be more effective in describing the criminal.

o       A survey was handed out on how CPD is doing in its interactions with the community.  Attendees were requested to fill it out before leaving the meeting, or to give it to Jim Bodmer within a few days.

o       There is a fund raiser spaghetti dinner next week for Jamie Spurling, an officer with liver cancer who lives in College Hill.  

o       Procedures have been changed for citizen consent to searches.  If an arrest is being made, then the officer has the right to do a search.   However, if an arrest is not being made, then an officer needs the person’s consent to a search.  Up to now, verbal consent has been deemed sufficient, but a recent change now requires the officer to get written consent.

6.   CHCURC – by Marty Weldishofer

Linden Park –The original development agreement between the City and Al Neyer ends on Sept 14, and the Al Neyer Co. has indicated that it does not wish to continue.   The current economy was a key issue, since presales on the condos were not meeting the required levels.   Marty has already met with Brumfield Shaun developers, who are very interested.   However, Brumfield Shaun have stipulated that they will not get involved if the community continues to want market-rate condos as part of the plan, as the condo market is very weak.

Gateway Project – The North Gateway element cannot be done on the A&S wholesaler property, so they are looking at the northeast corner of Hamilton & North Bend.

Signs – The final design has gone out to bid. 

Façade – The program ends Sept 19.   Marty is seeking a few weeks extension for the last 5 projects.  19 storefronts are completed.

7.   School Updates

Aiken – by Karen Barrett and Steve Rossi

§         Eric Thomas is now principal of both high schools (Aiken College & Career and Aiken University).  Even though he did not have much time to prepare for this change, Karen reported that he is doing a good job.

§         Karen also reported that Aiken C&C achieved an “Effective” rating in the state testing, another significant step in their academic improvement program.

§         C&C will have about 500 students this year, and will maintain their focus on 9^th grade males.

§         There will be an Open House next Thursday, Sept 18, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the large Aiken Cafeteria, and all are invited.  Karen handed out a flyer with details.

§         Oct 19 is the Shanty Town event, in which students spend the night in cardboard boxes on the Aiken grounds.   They are in need of large boxes to support this event.  They will be collecting pairs of new socks to be given to Project Connect to aid the homeless.

§         The football bleachers are being demolished, as part of CPS’s Risk Management program.

§         The Aiken Design Team is now active again.  All Aiken buildings will be demolished and a new high school built.  At the current stage, they are focusing on the external appearance of the structure.  Community residents are invited to a review on Sept 17 at 3:30 pm at Aiken of how the structure will look from Belmont.

§         Steve handed out a schedule of athletic games for Aiken, and indicated that the sports program is going well.   The community is of course invited to all games.

Pleasant Hill Academy – by Treena Goodwin

Pleasant Hill was built for 650 students but currently has 730 students.  They have about 100 students from Schwab.   They are still in need of more parent volunteers.

Adopt-A-Class – by Bill Burwinkle

Bill is the overall coordinator of Adopt-A-Class in Cincinnati.  He shared some of the history of the program, as well as his positive experiences as a business manager getting involved with a class.  He indicated that each class only requires about 7-10 hours per year.    As of today, the program is in 13 Cincinnati area schools and has 109 business/community groups involved.  7 classes have been adopted at Pleasant Hill Academy.   In the 5 years since the program started, no adopters have withdrawn.  Bill strongly encouraged local businesses and community groups to get involved and adopt a class.

8.   Ministerium – by Fr. George Jacquemin

-         The Ministerium has resumed monthly meetings, and is currently planning the next Bridges Dinner as well as the Ecumenical Services on Good Friday and Martin Luther King Day.

-         They are looking for 3 community people to be on the CCCH Board.

-         The Ministerium is sponsoring a community blood drive on Nov 3, which is being coordinated by the Franciscan Sisters.   It will from 2 to 8 pm at the St. Clare Parish Center.  Some flyers were handed out.

9.   Housing – by Hope Wilson

The house on Saranac is nearly done, with about 6 weeks of finish up work to do.  Hope handed out flyers for both this house and the one at 1304 Cedar.   The house on Cedar is framed and moving along well.   Fr. George shared that the house at 1429 Saranac will be demolished by St Clare.

10. Rec Center Update – by Cyd Schuler

Cyd shared that the Mavin Lewis Foundation chooses one neighborhood every year to do their Home Town Huddle, which is usually a one-day work project.   This year, the Foundation would like to do a project in College Hill, specifically, to spruce up the park where the Town Hall is located.   As part of this, they would construct a basketball court just for children/preteens, would install playground equipment, and do landscaping.  They want to do this on Oct 7, but just contacted the Rec Center this week, so there isn’t time for a thorough community review of the plans.   Concerns were raised in the meeting about this, and a question was asked about keeping the batting cage.  The batting cage will be kept, although it will have to be moved.   The Rec Center will keep the key to the new basketball court so that they can ensure it is not taken over by teens and young adults.  The plans may be great, but it would have been much more helpful to give the community more time to understand the plans and either input to them or enthusiastically support them as they are.

11. Community Events & Announcements

Ø      Rhythm Race – The 5K Rhythm Race will be on Sept 20, starting at Pleasant Hill Academy.   Registration is 5 pm, the race is at 6 pm, and the after-party is at 7:30 pm.  CHCURC is looking for volunteers to help set up for the party and to tear down afterwards.

Ø      Churchapalooza – 1^st UCC is sponsoring the Churchapalooza again this year, and it will be on Oct 12 from 4-8 pm.  They are working with ARCH to ensure great music.

Ø      Pumpkin Patch – The annual Pumpkin Patch festival is Oct 11.  ARCH always provides professional entertainment, and is looking for additional funding to help defray the costs.

Ø      Engine 51 Open House – Engine 51 will have an Open House from 1-5 pm on Oct 11, the same day as the Pumpkin Patch.   Attendees are encouraged to participate in both activities.

Next Summit Meeting: Oct 9 @ 8 am.  Location is TBD.   The meeting was originally scheduled to be at the St. Clare Parish Center, but there was a concern about acoustics.  An alternate location is being explored.

                                                                                                Summarized by:

                                                                                                Valerie Hershberger

Abbreviation Key: