January 14, 2006

January 14, 2006 Meeting

Preparation

An e-mail was sent to each member who has provided a contact e-mail address.
Susan Chu and Kathy Vacio phoned other members who have provided a contact phone number.

Acknowledgments

Susan Chu brought cookies.

Attendees

9 residents attended the meeting.

Meeting

Agenda Items:

"lunch" truck situation update
Association officer election, organization

supposed to have yearly election - the anniversary is in February
should we have an "executive board" as other associations do?
need nominations for elective positions
how can we maximize participation in the vote? Event and/or means of voting.

anything else attendees wish to discuss

The meeting began about 11:20 am in Hastings Branch Library's meeting room.

"lunch" truck situation update

This is in regards to the truck that sets up evenings at the corner of Foothill and Santa Paula on the driveway apron of the auto repair business. This has sometimes generated a traffic hazard, noise, and litter.
These trucks are required to have Public Health License from city. They are regulated by Health dept.
Trucks are allowed to set up for one hour at a commercial location with the property owner's permission.
If we would like the city to investigate a particular truck, we need to give them location, dates and times when they will be able to find it.
Attendees also mentioned that getting its license plate should be of some help. Also that we could ask the auto business if the truck has their permission to be there, and if it does ask them to revoke or put limits on the permission.
Kathy is now keeping a daily log as she returns home from work of the Foothill traffic situation, the parking situation on Santa Paula, and whether the "lunch truck" is there. So far since December PCC has had little activity and the lunch truck hasn't been there. This may change again after spring semester begins.

There is no new news since December on the ice rink or park except activity we can see for ourselves. However, since some attendees are new to the area and/or were not up to date we had some discussions about the history and current status.

As far as we know, Viña Vieja Park is still scheduled to open in April.
No new information on how the pedestrian entrance will be accomplished.
Can now see the structure of the historic picnic shelter going up. Some tiny trees have just been planted in the dog areas. It appears the driveway has just been paved.
Signs beginning and ending a no parking zone just appeared on the west side of Avocado between Las Lunas and Del Vina. Not clear if this is an independent act by the city or if it because that is where the pedestrian entrance was supposed to have been.

Discussed scale and design concept of the ice rink and the logistics of the traffic to and fro.
Still expecting there to be a Conditional Use Permit hearing and a Design Commission hearing on the ice rink in the February time frame.

Concern was expressed about the large amount of development that seems to be going on in east Pasadena.
IndyMac is requesting a sign exception for their Foothill & Halstead building. Bigger then allowed and to be located between 2nd and 3rd story facing the parking lot. Public hearing is scheduled for Wed Jan 18th if anyone calls the city to request the hearing actually take place.
Dept of Transportation transit division staff is offering to attend a meeting to promote public transit services. Seems like we would be more interested in grilling some traffic engineers.

Residents on La Tierra, Estado, and Alameda reported that their electric meters have recently been replaced by the city although they were not aware of any problem with them. The new meters have a digital display which only shows some large unit of usage, possibly whole kilowatt hours. This means it is no longer possible to determine over a short period of time (ie. as we've been able to do by just watching the wheel go around) how much electricity your house is using. This seems counterproductive to encouraging conservation.
Some residents reported having repeated trouble in recent months with trash trucks missing their block and having to call repeatedly to get them to come back and empty them on a subsequent day. We asked that they keep a dated log of which container is missed, the phone calls they make, and when it finally gets picked up.
Several residents reported that not all their trash containers got the new audit stickers put on them because they weren't on the street the one time the auditors happened to come by. Don't know what the city plans to do about it.
Complaints that the street sweeper is still making just one pass and going much too fast to do a good job and seems to consistently cause a pile up of debris in certain places.
Discussed these magazine subscription solicitors who seem to have descended on our neighborhood recently. They claim to be from the neighborhood but that does not stand up to questioning. Instead they seem to be dropped off and picked up on Sierra Madre Villa. Other claims they make in their pitch also seem to transmogrify when scrutinized. More than one of us has experienced at least one of them who was verbally abusive and hostile when told no. There is some concern that some of them may also be casing the neighborhood.

Association Organization / Officer Election

Neighborhood association officer elections are supposed to be at least yearly and it'll be one year in February.
Discussed whether we should have a formal "executive board" as other associations do. That is a board of people who are willing to discuss urgent issues and make decisions about any positions the association will take between general meetings. Assist with planning, deciding agenda, phoning, communication. Most associations don't attempt a general meeting except once or maybe twice a year.
We decided to leave it as is, with a monthly meeting that everyone is invited to attend and at which any needed decisions will be made. So far we have not had an issue other then the park name recommendation where the association has attempted to take a formal position.
We need to get nominations for officers. No one present offered up anyone who isn't already an officer. Existing officers were asked if they would agree to re-nomination. They did (although your current president would still really like someone with better leadership and social skills to be president, in which case she would happily just run for secretary).
It was decided that a flyer/mini-newsletter will be produced in time for attendees at the February 11 meeting to divvy up the neighborhood for distribution of them. We will continue to accept nominations for anyone willing to be an officer. You can nominate at the meeting, by e-mail, or by phone. Note that the secretary position has remained open since your president was elected to both positions last year.
We will actually hold the vote at our regular March 11 meeting. Ballots and a ballot box will be there. Even residents who cannot stay for the meeting can drop by and vote. Even if there is no real contest, we do need at least a minimum number of voters to make the election valid. Votes will be counted at the end of the meeting.

Next meeting is February 11, same time, same place.

Adjourned about 1 pm