Download here: May 2021 NACA Meeting Minutes
NACA MONTHLY MEETING
Thursday, 20 May 2021
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Introductions:
Matt Myers called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM.
The following statement of Land Rights was read by President Matt Myers:
“The North Austin Civic Association (NACA) would like to acknowledge that the land boundaries of NACA are original territory of a number of Indigenous peoples–– specifically the Numunuu also known as Comanche Nation and the Tonkawa Tribe. We honor and thank the Indigenous peoples connected to this territory where we live and gather, and give gratitude to this land on which we meet. NACA will work towards decolonizing our practices, and make our Civic Association an inclusive space for all.”
Treasurer’s Report
The General Fund contains $2,952.86 and there are currently 100 members. A significant upcoming expense will be the annual charge for liability insurance. The Beautification Fund totals $13,047.27, with slightly more than $10,000 invested.
Announcements
The Secretary position is still vacant.
Planning to clean up on Rutland on June 12 at 8:30 am. A group of volunteers worked to clean Rundberg from Parkfield to Lamar on
On April 26th, there was an online Zoom meeting with Austin FC for a small handful of delegates from each neighborhood association for the soccer club to explain their traffic plan for the season. They will arrange another Zoom meeting in the future to show the traffic plan to all neighbors, and it will be announced so any NACA member or neighbor can attend.
A NACA membership drive will be rolled out in the Fall for 2022 membership. Miguel Briones and John Green and Matt Myers met to get to 200 members for 2022. It’s an attainable goal that has been achieved in the past. We will need a lot of volunteers for this effort to distribute flyers and to co-ordinate sectors. This will be a part of our upcoming meeting.
Naming Heron Hollow Park
The City of Austin’s Park and Recreation Department agrees that the park was originally dedicated as Heron Hollow Park. When PARD took over the mowing of the property, it was mistakenly named “Payton Gin Pocket Park.” A sign was recently installed with that mistaken name. Recently, Kim McNeely from PARD has agreed to help us co-ordinate the City Council resolution to make the name “Heron Hollow Pocket Park” There will be no cost to NACA for the application or to add a new sign.
A motion was made and passed unanimously to recommend this to PARD and the City Council.
Approval of April 2021 Meeting Minutes
The April meeting minutes were approved by the membership.
Neighborhood Watch
Veronica Saldate, Austin Police Department, Community Liaison
If you are interested in starting one, a 2-hour free training for the organizers and as many others who are interested in being involved is necessary so everyone is aware of what a Neighborhood Watch should do and should not do. A Neighborhood Watch is to observe and report. The Neighborhood Watch should not attempt enforcement or put themselves in a bad situation.
Other issues covered in the training include how to provide a good suspect description, when to call 911 as opposed to calling 311, and some home safety and security tips.
An additional service offered by the Community Liaison is a security survey. They can on making your home more resistant to break-ins, and such.
Preston Stewart, Neighborhood Partnering Program
The program is for neighbors who come up with their own projects and then they can partner with the city to match through grant money, and so on.
Examples of projects include park improvements, murals, bike facilities, sidewalk improvements, accessibility and safety improvements, traffic circles and medians, trails and paths, community gardens, and pocket parks.
The space for a project has to be city-owned property or right-of-way. Typically, the right-of-way designation can be complicated, so if it’s unclear, the Neighborhood Partnering Project can help determine where the right-of-way is.
All projects have to be from a community group, such as NACA. The project must be supported by the larger area and those stakeholders. Need 60% or more of the stakeholders to approve of the project for it to be brought to the Neighborhood Partnering Program’s board, which meets twice a year. Applications typically close on June 1 and October 1 each year.
For most projects, the neighborhood would have to be prepared to maintain the project for its life.
Projects can range from $0 to $150,000 for a 30% match.
Projects from $150,000 to $500,000 would require a 50% match.
The match can be from an association’s treasury or through fund-raisers or getting businesses to donate. Grants from other non-city programs can also be applied towards a match. In-kind donations of materials or labor or professional services can also apply towards a match. Volunteer hours also count towards the match. For items that are public works, such as sidewalks, that the City would construct, volunteer hours to improve the nearby area may be counted towards the match.
There are 75 projects around the city. Most recently, NACA was involved in the Cook Elementary Gaga Ball Pit.
Meeting adjourned at 7:54 pm by President Matt Myers.
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