SUMMIT MEETING NOTES

April 9, 2009

Location:  McAuley High School

Approved Summit minutes can be found at the following website: collegehilloh.net

ACTION ITEMS

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

Item                                                                                                                   Responsibility           

1.   Contact Avondale about Youth Council, and email to College                Sheena Parton

Hill team (Ric, Ron, Arnice, Joan)

2.   Put e-newsletter on distribution of Aiken newsletter                                ?

3.   Arrange for more in-depth discussion of CH housing situation                Ron Cowgill

      at a future Summit meeting.

ATTENDEES:  (in alphabetical order)

Name                                                               Organization Represented

Sr. Barbara Busch                                           WIN

Pete Bauer                                                       CHCURC

Brad Hammond                                             

Officer Lisa Johnson                                       CPD

Ken Lyon                                                        e-newsletter

Chris Miller                                                     CHPC

Sheena Parton                                                 CHBA

Officer Jason Pechiney                                   CPD, Dist. 5

Steve Rossi                                                     Aiken High School

Paula Sherman                                                Pleasant Hill Academy

Arnice Smith                                                   CH Library

Cheryl Sucher                                                 McAuley High School

Dan Weyand-Geise                                         CCCH, Ministerium

Officer Governor Williams                             CPD Dist 5

AGENDA

Welcome and Introductions

Host Greetings

Opening Prayer

Special Announcements

Previous Minutes Review/Approval

Action Items From Previous Meeting

CPOP/COP/CPD

CHCURC Update

Schools Updates

Library Update

CH Business Association

Ministerium

Housing Team Update

Discussion Topic

Community Activities & Announcements

DISCUSSION:

Ken Lyon ran the meeting and Dan Weyand-Geise took notes, since Ron Cowgill and Valerie Hershberger were out of town.

1.   Special Announcements

None

2.   Review of February 2009 Minutes
The minutes for the February and March meetings were approved.    

3.   Review of Action Items from Previous Meetings

Nothing discussed.

4.   Citizens on Patrol/CPD/Probation/Court Watch –  Officer Pechiney

The College Hill NEP (Neighborhood Enhancement Program) is taking place for 90 days, officially from March 4 to June 8.  

Since the NEP started, arrests have significantly increased.  Everyone was glad to see a quick arrest made in the case of the shooting of the FBI officer. 

One focus of the NEP will be curfew sweeps.  They will start soon.  Curfew for kids age 16 and under is 10 pm.   Curfew for kids age 17 is midnight.  Any students suspended from school are to be at home and not on the streets during the day.

House inspections are another focus of the NEP.

April 25 is the Great American Clean-up.  Aiken High School students and community residents are involved.

A request was made to have regular updates regarding progress and observations to Summit at future meetings.

5.   CHCURC Update – by Pete Bauer

Pete reviewed a number of items:

o       $1.5 million previously allotted by the city for Linden Park will be available to College Hill for other development projects.  Discussion and debate is ongoing among leadership in the community regarding the best way to use this money.   Key ideas include focus on the mid-district part of the Avenue Business area, or to spend on additional new housing.

o       CHCURC is still hoping to buy the Saba building (behind the College Hill Coffee Company) to demolish it.

o       Planning continues to erect a gateway at the corner of Hamilton and North Bend roads.

o       A grant of $23,000 was received by CHCURC, which CHCURC though could be used for operating expenses.  However, it cannot.  So CHCURC will need to develop other sources of funds for operations.

o       This year’s Rhythm Race will be Aug 8.

o       The summer fete will be done at Laurel Court in June.  Specific date to be announced later.

o       An extension was requested for the Façade program to enable two more buildings to participate: the College Hill Coffee Company and Elisha Hall.

o       New Street Signs are planned.

6.   College Hill Schools Updates

Pleasant Hill Academy

Ohio Achievement Tests (OAT) are coming up.  Benchmarks were recently received and are being reviewed.  Preliminary evaluation looks good.

A redesign for the programs and curriculum is underway for next year.  There will be more of an emphasis on Science, Math, after-school activities, and more tutoring.

Math night is April 9.

Aiken High School

Aiken University High School will be closed at the end of the year, resulting in only one high school at the Aiken location: Aiken College & Career.  It appears that Aiken will have more than 900 students next year.  Aiken C&C will have seven areas of focus.  Invitations are being extended to the community to attend the parent/community breakfast on May 2.

A request was made for the school’s newsletters, “The Avenue”, to be regularly sent to the e-newsletter.

McAuley High School

The new Principal of McAuley is Christopher Pasteura.  He comes from Notre Dame Academy in Kentucky.  30% of McAuley students are on scholarships with freshman enrollment up to 180 students.  There was a reminder that the school continues through the summer with many camps available to the public.

7.   Library Update – by Arnice Smith

The Library continues to need volunteers.  Arnice requested that everyone pass this along to their churches, businesses, etc, and to include that simply half-an-hour would be a great help, especially during after-school hours.

Recently a fight broke out in the library.  This was a tough situation that has taken an emotional toll on the staff and community.  The situation was discussed in some depth.  Arnice requested for the police to stop by occasionally just to say “hi”, and indicated a desire to build more community presence at the library.

AYouth Council is being formed in conjunction with Officer Williams and Christ’s Community.

8.   CHBA Update

·         CHBA’s annual dinner will be April 21 at Llanfair at 6 pm.  State Senator Eric Kearney is the featured speaker.  This dinner is open to the public.

·         Form based codes were discussed at length.

·         The students from the University of Cincinnati DAAP (Design Art, Architecture and Planning) District presented their final plan in March.  CHBA wants to keep the energy and ideas flowing.

·         A motion was made by CHBA to the City to transfer $1.5 million from Linden Park to the mid-district.  Still waiting to hear from the City on a decision.

·         $30,000 was applied for to fund security cameras in the business district.

·         Discussions are taking place with the Episcopal retirement Homes regarding the Eastern Star site.

·         Discussions took place regarding the proposed move of Bud’s Pony Keg into College Hill with Jordan’s Marking taking on a liquor license.

·         A new restaurant, Shhhh, will open around May 15.

·         A kid safety program called “Grip, Dip, and Spin” was discussed.

9.   Ministerium Update

The Ministerium is continuing their Bridges program (race relations discussions between churches).  In April and May there will be 5 consecutive weeks of conversation & dinner on Tuesday nights at various churches. 

They hope that the Interfaith Hospitality Network will be in place by the end of the year.  College Hill Presbyterian church and The First United Church of Christ are currently planning to be the host sites.  More churches will be involved as “support churches”.

Christ’s Community/City Cure minister Ron Whitt is organizing a Summer program for the youth of College Hill.  He is working to keep costs affordable.

End Zone continues to receive positive feedback from those at Aiken.  This is a tutoring and mentoring program for youth.

10. College Hill Housing Team

The two new homes built by WIN have been sold.  The family who bought the Saranac property has moved in.  Two additional properties on Lantana and Cedar are being readied for work.

The overall housing situation in College Hill was of interest to participants at the meeting, but there wasn’t time for a good discussion.  There was interest in scheduling more discussion at a future meeting.

Next Summit Meeting: May 14 @ 8 am at Aiken High School. 

                                                                                                Summarized by:

                                                                                                Rev. Dan Weyand-Geise

                                                                                                Formatted by Valerie Hershberger

                                                                                                May 13, 2009

Summit Meeting Schedule

2009

General Meeting Time: Second Thursday of the Month, 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

Location Rotates

tbc = to be confirmed