The meeting took place by video-conference.
Those present: Jasmine Aaenson, Denise McKinney (from The Well religious organization utilizing the pH Community Center), Miriam Mills, Charles Chesher, Jonathan Biddle, Shayne and Cathy Saucier, Larry Mitchell, and Ken Vonada
Jasmine presented her proposal for a Mutual Aid outreach providing necessary goods to neighbors in need. She will continue to pursue this, utilizing emails, NextDoor, and pamphlets to assay the neighbors’ needs. Denise offered to be involved.
Jasmine reported that Lefty’s on Greenwood would be making lunch boxes available at 11 am, and dinners at 5 pm, free of charge, for those who need them, as supplies last. The Yoga Room will provide virtual classes; Magic City books and Whitty Books have offered curbside pickup of books, and Magic City can arrange to have an hour for solo browsing in-store. Admiral Twin Drive-in is still open for those wishing movie entertainment. Bobby Dean Orcutt and his wife Telly, who are trying to develop an RV park in the neighborhood, are also interested in helping with relief efforts. He is involved with the Mercury Lounge providing streamed nightly live performances. The Farmer’s Market is not meeting, but the farmers involved in it are still engaged in individual outreach.
The upcoming community-wide garage sale, tagged the “Spring Cleaning Sale”, is planned to go forth if possible on May 2, 8am-2pm, with Myrna Cramer offering hot dogs and drinks, as well as signage to advertise the event. Those not wishing to have their own sale during that time can make donations to be sold at the pH Community House with proceeds going to the CHNA. Board member and Treasurer Millicent Fulton is organizing the event.
The possibility of utilizing the historic overlay for the neighborhood is still under consideration. Councilor McKee has informed us of a less-restrictive overlay, called a “character” overlay, which has recently been approved for the Renaissance Neighborhood (by the Mother Road Market). Myrna, Jasmine, Miriam, Larry, and Fletcher Stewart will discuss further various options with property owners, with the intention of protecting the Small Area plan as much as possible, since the initiate must come from the homeowners and not the CHNA.
Cathy Saucier and her husband Shayne, who have recently renovated houses at 719 and 724 S Olympia, with plans to move into one, are interested in buying and renovating other historic properties in the neighborhood.