SW  Communications Committee

January 14, 2013

In attendance:   John Boutet, Eleanor Coleman, Dawn Noto, Joan Roby-Davison

• Review/expand membership

Ariane Drew and Stacey Colaprete (home owner of house next to church; 644 W. Main); live in Neighborhood United.  Need to work on breathing life into Neighborhood United, especially with current focus on Bull’s Head.

Core group is:  John Boutet, Eleanor Coleman, John Lightfoot, Colleen McCarthy, Dawn Noto, Joan Roby-Davison

ACTION ITEM:  Suggestion for extending invitations to this committee:

• new Healthy Blocks person from NeighborWorks
• Deb Leary, oversees SW libraries
• Will remind Colleen McCarthy we’d like to have her at the meetings

ACTION ITEM:  Joan will  reach out to Ariane and Stacey to connect them with Bill about revitalizing Neighborhood United.

Establish ongoing meeting day/time (2^nd Monday of the month at 4)

• Wi-Fi Update

John Lightfoot sent an update in his research for building Wi-Fi community in regards to the Hot Spots in the Susan B. Anthony area; still an issue of how do we absorb recurring costs.  Need to gauge commitment from area potential stakeholders (businesses).

Should we be focusing on Wi-Fi as opposed to building other networks of communication.  Not sure people we’re trying to reach are going to be any more accessible via computers.  Eleanor noted that John has done exceptional work in building bridges of communication via Location 19, Housing Committee and work with School #16.

• By-laws Update – By-laws are on Location19.  Dawn will send out by-laws with next agenda asking people to review them for approval.

• School #16 Update

Actively taking steps to block the closure of School #16.  Several neighborhood members attended (1) a walk through, (2) a follow-up meeting on that meeting and (3) a presentation by architects.  Overall energy is still around opening up the school in September.  Engineering study needed.

See detailed update on Location 19 in SW Education Forum group.

Is there a way to connect school libraries with community libraries?  ACTION ITEM:  Question for John Lightfoot.  May be a City/County hurdle.

Location 19

John proposed that the CDC act as fiduciary for Location 19 so that contributions can be made (PayPal?)    Joan looking into this.  May also position us to apply for RACF community engagement grant.

FYI

1872 Cafe is located at 431 W. Main