President Jasmine Aaenson opens meeting, starts with the treasurer’s report.
Treasurer Millicent Fulton updates on status of CHNA bank account:
· Have all designated signatories in place for account access and in the process of getting a debit card for approved purchases.
· Verified group account holds $433.54.
· MF states a personal goal as treasurer to do fundraising to pay for things such as the new meeting banner, to repay Historian Miriam Mills for the banner stolen and at a personal expense of $168.00.
Banner:
M. Mills shows designs for a replacement banner on her phone. At last board meeting, members talked about making a new design with the CH neighborhood logo. Miriam submitted it to same vendor supplying the first. Vendor has returned two design ideas for consideration. Will get cost estimates and bring to the body for vote on approval.
Member Jennifer Powers also volunteers the window of the pH Community House made available for smaller notices for association events.
Halloween Party:
J. Aaenson brings up needs for the upcoming (Oct. 31) Halloween party for area children. Event has been scheduled; will need to decorate pH Community House for event. Event will offer games and arts & crafts. Member Myrna Cramer has donated decorations.
Also, planners are looking for donations of candy, craft supplies, prizes and will welcome ideas and volunteers to help at event. Event will be relatively short (from 5:30-7:30 p.m.). Member J. Powers asks to be involved and who should she contact? J. Aaenson states need to send out list of supplies needed and will get with J. Powers and Matt Williams to make specific plan for the event.
Ring cameras:
M. Mills shares she is waiting to hear from a guy about a program through Ring.com offering 25% discount on cameras to (or for?) neighborhood associations. Cameras can cost $100-$800 and monitoring $15 per month. She is looking into other deals. She states she received a link from a Maple Ridge association member. Their cameras are linked so that neighbor homes are notified when suspicious activity is reported at or by one household.
Association can work with police if it wants, but police make all aware they not monitoring the cameras. Police brought this program up at a recent city councilor event.
J. Aaenson spoke about having a guest at an upcoming CHNA meeting to talk about awareness of surroundings and keeping home and family safe.
M. Fulton recounts how her car was stolen and recovered. Thieves were caught on camera. Suspects appear familiar to the neighborhood.
Community garden:
J. Aaenson states a group was started recently and sent an email to organize efforts. That’s as far as it went and the progress so far. The garden needs to be cleared out for next season. Asks for show of hands for those interested. Several members raise their hands.
J. Powers shares she attended a meeting with Tyler and M. Williams in which they went through the garden and Tyler explained his vision for planting and areas. She could not recall how she was notified of meeting.
Several members state they were not aware a meeting took place.
Dumpsters:
J. Aaenson states the association has inquired about having dumpsters brought to the area for neighborhood use. She spoke with Travis Hulse with the City of Tulsa. After much back and forth, the city brought the dumpsters to the area, but did not notify her when it would take place. The dumpsters were removed, but city says it will bring them back for a week if the neighborhood wants them. Member Femi Fasesin states it would great to have over a weekend period. Group agrees would be best for a weekend between Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Suggestion is made to announce a clean-up day for the community to coincide with dumpsters brought to locations at Seventh Street & Phoenix Avenue and at Second Street & Nogales Avenue. May want to have a clean-up day in the spring possibly with garage sale.
Speaker:
J. Aaenson states that a representative with the Kendall Whittier neighborhood was invited to speak with the CHNA on this evening and was scheduled to speak on that group’s experience working with the Tulsa Development Authority and their section/sector? plan. The scheduled speaker did not show up.
New Business:
Land values dropping within the neighborhood:
Vice-President Larry Vance shares news that Tulsa City Councilor Kara Joy McKee met with residents of the Pearl District recently to talk eminent domain and a debated retention pond said to be necessary for flood control in the area. The pond measure is now on hold.
Guest Michael Bates, local columnist and journalist, attends meeting and talks at length of the Pearl District issue. He is curious of how CH is dealing with its own property/land situation. Talks of other areas that have undergone condemnation proceedings.
Bates states he is only present as a guest to learn, not to gather material or quotes for his column, Batesline. He also shares what he knows of these processes.
Members talk about land value devaluation of certain residences in the neighborhood.
J. Aaenson states that O.C. Walker of the Tulsa Development Authority has expressed interest in returning to a CHNA meeting to visit again. She has not returned his call yet, but wants to know the membership’s thoughts before she returns his call. She already has guests scheduled for upcoming meetings. Is curious to know what his plans are. Group agrees to hearing him out. (Resumes with “future guest speakers” below.)
Resident Fletcher Stewart Introduces himself, presents a spreadsheet revealing a pattern of land valuations that have dropped in the neighborhood. He has found 200+ examples. The most dramatic valuation drop went from $18,000 to $3,000. Also, some improvements values have undergone a similar dip. Other homes, however, have bucked the trend: these were properties sold in recent years at higher valuations because a real world transaction took place. All valuations on assessor’s site are way out of line with the reality of the market, he states.
F. Stewart states he has also inventoried properties in Easton Addition and Pearl District neighborhoods. The pattern is not seen in these areas. What does this mean? He suspects neighborhood is being diminished. Others present share their suspicions of what is happening and that they have noticed how properties owned by such groups as Quapaw Properties and Colonial? Investments have gone up in price without any improvements made. Most noticeably, land values have declined on properties overlooking and facing downtown Tulsa.
L. Mitchell states he has spoken with INCOG representative/employees. They are unaware of what has taken place and want to find out.
Suggestion is made that residents approach the issue collectively.
M. Bates offers the following: Assessor’s site uses formula that is supposed to provide objective valuation. County assessor or representative will visit with neighborhood groups.
J Aaenson: There appears to be two things we need to take immediate action on: Send F. Stewart’s spreadsheet to association members and schedule the county assessor to speak to the association.
Question arises of is there anything residents and owners can do to protect the structures that exist in the face of approaching development?
Small Area Plan: M. Bates states the small area plan doesn’t change the zoning. The only real way to protect against radical development is an Historic Preservation Overlay. Will have to decide where to draw the line. Mr. Buford’s massive collection of properties could make it difficult. Also, former councilor Maria Barnes tried to push a neighborhood conservation district in which construction must conform to characteristics existing within the neighborhood. She was not successful. The Sector Plan can open the door to TDA acquiring property. M. Bates suggests the neighborhood contact the Institute for Justice, which works on eminent domain issues.
Future guest speakers:
J. Aaenson states the association will invite O.C. Walker and the Tulsa Development Authority back after the new year, but not in “that suit.” If he wants to be heard, he must be more relatable. Will update on his answer and scheduling. For the November meeting, crime will be the topic. Or should we put a meet with the County Assessor ahead? Members are in favor of the county assessor meet happening soon.
Suggestion is made to have guest speakers arrive later than the start of the meeting so they don’t have to wait for the association to finish regular business or so they are not present for association discussion. J. Aaenson states she gives guest speakers the option to arrive on time or later.
Committees:
J. Aaenson encourages membership to think about association commissions they would like to serve. CHNA Board is working on outlines for committees, but some committees need greater involvement immediately. For example, communications for the association needs a lot of support. Attendance of regular meeting has whittled down to a core group, but a committee could get the word out and increase attendance.
Charles Page Boulevard re-lining:
F. Fasesin asks when the Charles Page Blvd. street narrowing is scheduled? Fellow members suggest in approximately a year.
Meeting adjourns.