May 12, 2003 MLPA Board Meeting Minutes (draft)

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Board members present: Norman McKay, Mike Carew, Dianne Olansky, Ruth Alexander, Alan Perry, Charlotte Gillis, Joelle Spain, Mae Reich, Trav Carter, Tad Christian, Kerry Brown, Daniel Cherrix, Pat Gardner, Joe Giardina, Martha Porter Hall, and Karen Schaefer.

Pres. McKay called the meeting to order at @ 7:32 pm.  First order of business was the approval of the April minutes.  Motion made, seconded and passed.

Committee reports:

Security/Public Safety: Mike Carew reported.  Probably June before we have access to crime stats.  Reported on a Good Samaritan who found stolen mail from Lenox Circle area and attempted to return as much as possible.  Mail thefts are a problem.  Neighbor on Monroe who lost potted plants then planted plants has now lost his mailbox.  No arrest made yet.  Identification of perpetrator has been made though.  Another neighbor observed that Cherokee vehicles from early-90's are very much targets because VIN numbers can be changed easily.

Membership: Joelle Spain reported.  Meeting planned with graphic designer to begin on welcome package.  Appeal to Board for help with graphics design because it is expensive.  Motion made to pay designer for directory (already completed) in amount of $484.  Seconded and passed.

Newsletter: Martha Porter Hall reported.  Invoice for last newsletter presented in amount of $2762.21 to Austin Printing.  Motion to pay, seconded and passed.  We are down from 14 to 5 signs.  Recommends that we spend $330 for 30 more signs.  Seconded and passed.  Next newsletter deadline will be June 7th.  Feature will be anniversary of stopping 485.

Parks: Charlotte Gillis reported.  2 invoices: one left over from tree planting because we did not get billed for all trees that were actually planted. $795.  Second invoice was to get a hose bib on Barclay median.  We agreed to pay this because we did it in other locations. Total of $900 (even though City pays for water and it is for City property).  Motion made, seconded and passed.   Report on problems with enforcement of Tree Ordinance.  Looking to move Arborists out from under Bureau of Buildings (Norman Copeland) and into Watershed Management.  Looking for MLPA Board approval to move forward with Anne Fauver’s office and look for such structural changes.  Janet Kishbaugh’s absence noted with sorrow.  Belief stated that we have the Councilperson’s support on this issue.  Discussion about need for official MLPA positions to be run by the Board but it does not have to be at a Board meeting.  Comments by several Board members who spoke positively about citizens working to change/improve City government, but that putting forth recommendations as MLPA-sanctioned should be run past the Board prior to submission, perhaps via email if time was short.

Beautification: Kerry Brown reported.  Pat Gardner also present.  Yardman will accumulate invoices over summer and will seek approval shortly.  Habersham Gardens working on plan for Rock Spring circle.  Questions on whether Tour of Homes signs from other neighborhoods belong here.

Schools: Joe Giardina reported.  No report.

Special Events: Daniel Cherrix reported.  Celebration of Summer will be May 23 at Sunken Garden Park at E. Rock Springs/Sussex; 5:30 pm to dusk.  Multiple expenses due, including $600 for clowns.  Sponsorship monies already committed, better than in previous years.  Rain or shine.  Motion to pay monies, seconded and passed.

Tour of Homes: No report.

Traffic: No report.

North MLPA/Sidewalks: No report.

South MLPA: No report.

NPU Rep: Dianne Olansky reported.  No new news.

Treasurer’s Report: Ruth Alexander reported.  Report distributed with 4 months worth of results.  Reminder from Ruth to watch increases that seem to be coming in every year in different ways.  Resolution passed unanimously to place the current president as a signatory (and remove the former president as such).

Zoning: Trav Carter reported.  Tad Christian also present.  No applications.  Questions arose about Du Plex.  Questionable goings on with respect to liquor license and parking spaces.  Not zoned for present use.

New business: Former president Olansky needs reimbursement for copying charges and One-Call of $239.18.  Motion made, seconded and passed.

Recurring business: Handout from Anne Fauver’s office about property tax assessments. Janet Kishbaugh showed up (late due to Anne’s being in car wreck but everyone OK) and asked about: New noise control ordinance: annoying sounds must be “clearly audible” from a certain distance away.  Different standards (distances) depending upon time of day.  Construction contractors get temporary variances from ordinance.    Much discussion about appeals from property tax assessments as well.  May 21 is date of public hearing on Fulton County millage rate (necessary because mills selected by County results in a tax increase).

Old business:

Lenox Road Substation:  Don Perkins and Joe Thomas called Norman this morning about a meeting this afternoon between Georgia Power and CDC about just what it meant for GP to be backup power source.  Planners studying that, according to GP, and still feel that it may be necessary to go forward with Lenox Road substation.  “Stay tuned” is the catch phrase.  Appraisals being done for 2 homes next to 2020 Lenox.  3 options under consideration for routing power to CDC from substation; options probably are city streets, CSX right of way, and another way that affects some homes.   Also, the Corps of Engineers responded to a letter from Pat Gardner that no application was on file for construction on the wetlands on the site but that we would be informed if there were any
applications or hearings.

Liability insurance issues still out there.  Quote should be forthcoming.  Effort will be made to get it in place before Celebration of Summer.

Meeting adjourned at @ 9:02 pm.

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