Introductions:
NACA GENERAL MEETING
Thursday January 21, 2010 Little Walnut Creek Library 835 W. Rundberg Lane
Eleanor Langsdorf called the meeting to order at 7:01pm.
Announcements
The November 2009 meeting minutes were distributed and approved.
Linda Moore, the Chair of the Nominations Committee, said the 2009 Board of Directors has offered to serve for another year. A motion was made and unanimous vote to approve of the 2010 Board of Directors.
Brian LaCour reviewed money matters for 2009. We have maintained flat growth from 2008 through 2009. Beautification fund expenditures equaled what was credited. There was $3,000.00 in carryover for general funds. Membership dues received during 2009 covered the insurance cost for board members and volunteers. The newsletter cost $8,000.00 to publish last year; however, this was covered from advertising and other donations. This was great news considering the economy during 2009.
For 2010, we are budgeted to increase membership to 180 members. Beautification host fees were dropped to $2000.00 for the year. Advertising income and insurance expenditures remained flat. The Lanier Scholarship was dropped from the budget.
Beautification funds are budgeted to decrease during 2010 to provide matching funds for the Ron Rigsby Park grant and the Quail Creek Park trail improvement grant.
Barry Woltag spoke about the Quail Creek Park grant for trail renovation and expansion. He needed to get over $10,000.00 in matching funds. Property owners did not respond to matching fund requests. $500.00 was offered by the Park at Quail Creek. The YMCA of Austin agreed to provide $5,000.00 in matching funds. Barry asked for approval for increasing the NACA matching fund request from 3,000 to 5,000. Rosie with Austin Parks Found stated that they cannot proceed with this project without the matching funds. Matching funds can be provided with volunteer hours. A motion was made to approve the budget as discussed including the $5,000.00 matching funds for the Quail Creek trail grant. The vote was unanimous in favor of the budget.
Trinity White, a recruiting assistant with the United States Census discussed the 2010 Census which is conducted every 10 years. The data collected determines the number of seats in the House of Representatives. The census helps the government determine how to spend the money in the budget; where hospitals and schools are built.
Job opportunities in collecting census data as Enumerators are available. 4,000 jobs are available in Travis County. The hours are flexible and you are paid for mileage. The job entails meeting with residents who have not submitted questionnaires or who have submitted incomplete questionnaires. The work will take place between April and June.
Enumerators must have a Census Bureau badge and a hand held computer. They should not ask for bank information. You must be 18 years old.
A 30 minute timed test must be taken and passed to become an Enumerator.
Caro Dubois asked for volunteer help for the March 6th It’s My Park events planned for Ron Rigsby and Quail Creek Park.
Brian Almon gave a Neighborhood Planning Contact Team update. An eight foot fence was installed on 1811 Pine Knoll which the contact team did not support; however, the COA Planning Commission approved it. Mr. Tramps, a sports bar, on Highway 183 requested a zoning change to allow them to operate until 2:00am which the Contact Team does not approve
Angela Baker asked for voter participation during the March 2nd primaries. She would like the City of Austin City Council to notice an increase voter participation in the NACA area. She asked for people to encourage people in the neighborhood to vote and to ask if they have any concerns that NACA can address.
Matt Myers asked for approval that a letter be issued from NACA to the City of Austin acknowledging Allied Waste’s fulfillment of the Good Neighbor Agreement and that we would be a good community partner with the City of Austin in building and operating a single stream recycling facility.
Susie Milam made a motion for NACA to donate $100.00 to purchase a plaque as a memorial to Stephanie Neely. This plaque would be placed at Little Walnut Creek Library. Stephanie recently passed away and was a past library director at Little Walnut Creek Library. This motion was approved.
General Meeting: Speaker; Rosie Weaver, Austin Parks Foundation
They focus on building community support for parks. They were involved with installing the exercise equipment at Quail Creek Park. Copperfield Neigh Assoc (NW of UT campus) developed parkland.
PARD is currently overstressed with trash collection and maintenance at Austin parks.
APF offers grants and donating tools for volunteer clean up and maintenance events at Austin parks. Some financial assistance is available. Fundraising advice and workshops are provided. They also assist in new park development and with ecological restoration and removing invasive species and plants. Installation of playground and skate areas are popular projects they help with. They raised funds from It’s My Park Day. Last year 60 projects were done.
Austinparks.org is the website to get more information.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm.