Woodlawn Neighborhood Association General Meeting Agenda

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 7pm

Please make every effort to join us In Person at Classic Foods: 817 NE Madrona 

 Or online on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/3014662210?pwd=d3VKbXkzVldqYzNWU2RwVm9OUkZyZz09

Meeting ID: 301 466 2210

Passcode: WNA

Also online at Facebook Live

Welcome and Vision: “In the future, Woodlawn will be a place where people live harmoniously, respectfully, and in support of one another.  The neighborhood will be a clean and thriving community… All Woodlawn residents will share and pursue the common values of health, efficiency, beauty, equity, and justice.”

7:00 – 7:15 Introductions

• Please share name, pronouns, & what brought you to tonight’s meeting.
  • Linde & Matt (new neighbors)
  • Melissa (works For Good Co. in Woodlawn)
  • Miles (Firehouse owner, lives just outside Woodlawn in Concordia)
  • Keith (board member at large and liaison to Woodlawn Farmers Market)
  • Dan (neighbor)
  • Aimee (at large board member)
  • Anjala (40-year resident, historian, land use & transportation committee chair)
  • Dennis (treasurer for 8 years)
  • Barbara (neighborhood association chair)
  • Selma (long term neighbor & at large board member)
  • Nancy at large board member (5+ years, former Chair, 16 year resident and community garden liaison, NECN rep)
  • Jeff (neighbor)
• Conversation/breakout room with neighbor(s) new to you

7:15 – 8:00 General Business

*Items in red were official Board votes*

• • Approve May meeting notes

• Approved

• • Presentation by Miles from Firehouse
    • Miles has lived in Portland since 2001, NE PDX for 10 years, co-owner of Firehouse since 2016, restored building that has strong historical significance to Woodlawn, many changes over the last 5 years, happy to be part of the neighborhood, sister business in NW Portland (Pokehouse)
    • Challenges with vans living in front of restaurant & associated trash, community supported Firehouse in engaging city to help resolve the issue, was a 9-month challenge, have since cleaned up property and installed fencing
    • A few break ins this year, nothing too severe
    • Miles is open to hosting WNA for a potential WNA fundraiser/gathering at the Firehouse patio
    • Firehouse has been a supporter of the Woodlawn Farmers Market for many years, with incidentals like electricity, water, storage, essential to keeping the Market going and very grateful for Firehouse support
    • Jessica from LobbyBar asked about traffic calming measures and invited Firehouse to the Land Use and Transportation committee on June 26nd to discuss transportation issues and potential redesign of the triangle
  • Distribution of Flyers for WNA
    • For posting at businesses, telephone poles, and community boards in the neighborhood
  • July Meeting

• Will move to Tuesday, July 11th and Nancy will lead it in Barbara’s absence. 

• • WNA Fundraising for Sponsors.  Volunteers
    • Delegate by main roads (MLK, Lombard, Columbia, Dekum, etc.)
    • Fundraising letter & donation form – WNA getting feet back on the ground
      • Three levels – Partner, Friend, Neighbor ($300, $150, $75 or more respectively)
      • Check envelopes
    • Nancy would like to take Columbia businesses
    • Melissa would like to take MLK
  • Review Board list
    • Keith, Anjala, Nancy, Dennis, Selma, Shirley, Aimee, Linde, Barbara
    • Anjala, Barbara, and Melody to meet in-person to discuss next steps (if she and Rob would like to continue on the Board after stepping down as co-chair)
    • Need resolution to have a quorum (current board capacity is 12 members, but this can be changed by vote at an annual meeting)

• What is the process for potentially interested candidates to put themselves forward to join the Board? 

• Come to a meeting and talk with the board

• At-large positions and Vice Chair positions are open

• • Update on City dumpster day – Flyers  – Saturday, June 17, 2023
    • Assigned yard sign distribution to attendees: Miles will put a sign out on Firehouse lawn, Melissa at For Good Co., around Woodlawn Park x3 (Nancy), Dekum & 15th & Holman at 13th (Linde), 15th & Ainsworth (Melissa), Ainsworth & Safeway (parking strip) (Melissa), Killingsworth and 15th (Nancy)
    • Retrieve signs after event, keep metal stakes for Farmers Market (Nancy), MLK (Melissa)
  • Update on Party on Portland (formerly Neighborhood Night Out) – save the date!  Tuesday, August 1, 2023

• No August meeting because this event takes place

• • • Barbara getting permits
    • Set up around 4pm, clean up afterwards needed

• Volunteers needed for the whole event (set up, during, clean up)

• • • • Online sign up (Nicole used one for Easter Egg Hunt, would like to follow that process) (Maybe Aimee to make the sign up form)

• Interested people can also email info@gowoodlawn.com to express availability

• • Farmers Market Ordering Grill (same size as last year), Justin doing Costco run for food (increase supplies by about 20%), will coordinate with Liz
  • Entertainment – clown, live music, ask to Tony to see about grilling, Ask to Keith/Farmers Market for booths, chairs, tables
  • Liz organizing a meeting Saturday at Ps & Qs at 4pm (June 7th)
    • Melissa and Aimee helping lead volunteering
  • Liz trying to get a bounce house – since permit doesn’t include & asking about porta potties (there may already be one there)
  • Keith potentially to get ice cream vendor from market, bubble man, etc.
  • Nancy – open community garden for touring around
  • Aimee suggested a check list for this event for future years (there’s a timeline)
• Open time for neighbor input
  • Sidewalks overgrown, trees hanging low, neighbor concern about walkability and safety
    • Anjala mentioned that a committee used to exist regarding the look of the neighborhood that did gentle communications to neighbors that maybe had the difficulty maintaining their yard and/or volunteered to help clean up overgrowth if the resident was open to it

8:00 – 8:20 Board Business

• • Vote to change banking signatories to Treasurer, Chairperson and Secretary
    • Dennis and Melody are currently signatories on the bank account, with Melody transitioning out of Chair position, would like to vote for Dennis, Barbara, and Linde to be the banking signatories.
    • Historically there was the Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer were on the bank account
    • Dennis (Treasurer) nominating Barbara (Chair) to be on the bank account as Chair and Linde (Secretary) and move to remove Melody (former Chair) off the bank account

• Dennis motion to remove Melody, seconded by Keith, majority approval (all board members present approved)

• Dennis motion to add Barbara and Linde to bank account, seconded by Keith, majority approval (all board members present approved)

• • Treasurer’s Report & reiterate pre-approval for spending
    • $6,901.41 in account, $300 deposit from Woodlawn Coffee (many thanks!), $30 contribution from Farmers Market (share of money to state for Charitable donations), paid out $50 to charities/activities, paid $178.97 to Anjala for Camera and Zoom account
    • Written reports done for the year, no reports until next year
    • Anjala to give Barbara info for Zoom to become Woodlawn account
  • NECN Report
    • Nancy is official NECN representative for WNA, Shirley is an At-Large representative, no quorum at last meeting so no updates
    • North East Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) – helps us advocate with city for small grants, all neighborhood associations sends two reps to the NECN, they meet by Zoom
  • Secretary Updates
    • Connecting with Shelly and Bryan re wordpress updates
    • Shared updates re the website, facebook pages, and mailchimp
    • Reiterated importance of limiting scope of WNA website and official FB group to only WNA business
  • Land Use and Transportation
    • Committee can meet to make a decision that can be verified by the board
    • Significant power of the WNA, can weigh in on developments and the city must listen
    • Website that lists planned developments and demolitions

• Jessica with TheLobbyBar on traffic calming measures on Dekum

• • • • • Anjela received training (5 week course at PSU) through the city on land use training. Learned traffic circles are more efficient, speed bumps on narrow two lanes are generally ineffective at slowing traffic and are a burden to public service and buses
        • Dekum Triangle Master Plan  (https://www.emmonsdesign.com/woodlawn-triangle.html) was developed a few years ago (city approved) but WNA could not garner support and city funding went away. Need businesses on the street and land use committee to get involved – woodlawn triangle master plan on PDF
          • Linde will add to the website (blog)
      • City planning in 2020 had projects on Columbia and Dekum which included a bridge overpass on 13th that would reduce the need for trains to do horns in the neighborhood.
        • Informed by Shirley and Dennis that there is railroad money that could be used to build that bridge
      • A property was sold to multifamily developer or mixed use commercial at 904 NE Dekum, buyer has 2 years to get plans approved by the city
      • PDX reporter is a tool (https://www.pdxreporter.org) – Anjela reported the sign at Woodlawn Park that was missing and it was returned, Anjela would like 3 volunteers to weed the circle

• Felicia Ferruzza (neighbor) working on the weeding and talking to parks department to not use herbicides at the park

• Attendee remarks on opposition to speed bumps on Ainsworth 

• • • • • Person to contact at PBOT is Scott Cohen
        • Concern is PBOT has decided and not given a date for construction
        • https://www.portland.gov/transportation/planning/transportation-system-plan-tsp

• Motion to ask Land Use and Transportation Committee to contact Scott Cohen to delay construction because of hearing neighbors concern – APPROVED

• • • • • Concern it is ineffective and potentially disrupts houses (vibrates)
      • Anjala will restock a book on history on Woodlawn at Ps & Qs and there are books available at Cafe Eleven – WNA board member written!
      • Restarting History Walks on Sunday mornings before Farmers Market – Anjala leads these, and will update with dates on all forums
  • Farmer’s Market Update – First Market Saturday June 3 from 10: AM  – 2:00 PM
    • First market was successful!
    • Financially – high water mark $15,944, ⅔ grant related funds with variable restrictions (earmarked for Music and Food Bucks matching), other expenses are staff member and permitting
    • Sasha is new market manager and doing great!
    • Vendors grow over the season

• Thanks to Melissa and For Good Co. for safe space to park trailer/van for market

• • • Music will be there every week
    • Veggie vendor had an injury that limited their offering at the first market, will be back in full swing for rest of market

• Opportunity for nonprofits to table at the market as well (community booth), WNA can do it or any nonprofit (particularly those that are in or near Woodlawn) can do it – email woodlawn market manager, there are still open spots!

• Need volunteers to run market – set up, take down, running the booth (get SNAP tokens)

• • • Will send sign up sheet for posting on website and mailchimp etc.
    • Volunteers get a token for a free coffee at Cafe Eleven (talking with Breakside to also set up a beverage token with them)
• Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET)
  • Revamping NET again to focus on major earthquake, winter storms, staff heating and cooling and shelters, next meeting is on Monday, June 9th in Alberta Park and will go over cache of emergency response equipment
  • Can sign up and do the training
  • Every other month training
  • Potential late summer event – meet your NET event in Alberta Park
  • NET is Woodlawn, Vernon, Concordia together

8:20 – 8:30 Additional agenda items and announcements