Jan. 6, 2009 - January 2009 neighborhood meeting Agenda

Jan. 7, 2009 - RE: January 2009 neighborhood meeting Agenda

Re:  Old Business, item 6):  After trying to contact him several times previously, this morning I spoke with John Wachtel (our resource person from City Planning who has attended several mtgs but will not be at this Jan mtg).  He still hasn't surveyed the SFN as to where exactly we can plant anything (shade or non-shade, native or non-native, fruiting, ornamental, free or bought by grant $, etc).  Therefore, any decision is premature until we have more information.  He told me today (1/7/09) he will begin working ASAP with assistance from his city/county resources to have definitive information for our group at the February mtg.  Meanwhile, I believe we should also think about our own personal resources for beauifying the neighborhood for free by taking advantage of the annual GRU Tree-mendous Day where anyone who is a customer of GRU receives two free trees, shrubs, or plants that will absolutely grow well in our community if planted in the proper location w/regard to light and water.  I will hopefully have the date for this event by our mtg time tomorrow evening.

Jan. 7, 2009 - RE: January 2009 neighborhood meeting Agenda

I'm still very hopeful that at this mtg we might get a definitive answer as to the exact delineated boundary of our Stephen Foster Neighborhood.  This affects not only affects where we might (or not) want to purchase and post any new neighborhood ID signs, have bus shelters built, trees planted, etc., but also how extensive the efforts we put forth to notify neighborhood folks of our mtgs and any other important issues.

As someone who feels communication is vital from the inside out, this is of HUGE importance to me.  Inclusive vs. exclusive is the point.  The fact that in the past I've personally been NOT-noticed via our SFN group or other factions/groups within our neighborhood by phone call, e-mail or direct door-to-door contact re issues that directly affect us all (despite the fact I've lived in my home since 1977, was a active SFN crime watch mtg participant for many, many yrs, and been politically and otherwise active ongoing in my neighborhood, Gainesville and global community at large) is very telling.

We become stronger and healthier individually and collectively when we openly share our concerns with ALL, and not only look for solutions to problems, but also to ways we might rejoice  and share in our friendships and collective commitment to be here NOW in a good way.

Jan. 7, 2009 - RE: January 2009 neighborhood meeting Agenda

I'd like to be able to review the old minutes from previous months for at least a week previous to the upcoming mtg.  I suggest the minutes of each mtg be posted at least on this SFN blog within a wk or two of the mtg such that folks can possibly respond if there are any additions, exceptions, etc. and at least some of the corrections, additions, etc might be addressed. Also, having at least one or several copies of the last month's minutes to pass around to the present mtg group might help save time that takes away from present business.

Additionally, I'd like our group to somehow better utilize committees to streamline some of the things we seem to revisit time and time again ad nauseum (i.e., how to spend the grant $).  Perhaps each committee could focus on one of the money-spending options.  (Anyone can sign up for more than one committee if they want!)  Info from each committee can be brought to the next or future monthly mtgs and we can hopefully proceed more sucessfully from there.