SouthWest Common Council
Thursday, 3.20.14

Host: Phillis Wheatley Library

In attendance:
John Boutet LocationSW.org, jboutet@frontiernet.net, 328-4271
Nolia M. Brooks PLEX, quanmb@aol.com, 436-1465
Florence Clemmons City of Rochester, florence_clemmons@hotmail.com, 270-1970
Eleanor Coleman ProsperRochester, Inc., eleanor.coleman@gmail.com, 224-5119
Carl Dickerson RPD/NSC, cd1461@cityofrochester.gov, 528-7156
Andy DiMaria RPD/NSC, ad1392@cityofrochester.gov, 428-9304
Dorian Hall PLEX, dorian@unseenentertainment.com, 615-3605
Dorothy Hall PLEX, dhall555@hotmail.com, 436-5390
Linda Hedden City NSC NBD & FIS, heddenl@cityofrochester.gov, 428-7387
Barbara Hoffman Voters Walk Enterprise & Freedom Way Business Assn, 436-3772
Frances N. Johnson We Care, Nat'l Night Out, francesnjohnson@yahoo.com, 328-4838
Jennifer Lenio SW Libraries - jennifer.lenio@libraryweb.org, 428-8272
John Lightfoot COTS, cotsna@gmail.com, 260-7475
Bill Marshall SBA Neighborhood Resident, 278-6486
Bonnie Mayer Corn Hill, bmayer@rochester.rr.com, 455-6243
Colleen McCarthy UR, colleen_mccarthy@urmc.rochester.edu
Elizabeth McDade FLHSA CPLP, elizabethmcdade@flhsa.org
Dawn Noto SWCC Chair & Susan B. Anthony District, dnoto1872@gmail.com
Norman L. Roberts SWAN, nroberts@swanonline.org, 436-8201
Lynnette Robinson COTS & NeighborWorks, lynnrob10@hotmail.com, 654-5164
Joan Roby-Davison Sector 4 CDC, joan.sector4cc@yahoo.com, 328-5750
Rick Rynski NSC NBD, rynskir@cityofrochester.gov, 428-6932

Moment of Silence

Introductions

Special Guest: Tracey Miller, Assistant to the Mayor

Public Safety - (Andy DeMaria, Carl Dickerson)
Robbery/shooting on Jefferson
3 Wreckless Endangerment: (1) Milton, (2) Penhurst (3-4 separate incidents of house being shot at), (3) 177 Brooks Ave (14 rounds shot at house; high-powered rifle)

Special Presentation: Free to Fly - Marcia O'Brien, John Walker, Maria Wehrle
Goal is to furnish working families with a way to achieve self-sufficiency while providing them with basic food and non-food necessities. Financial planning is main goal; each participant gets 2 mentors; identify goals and work toward achieving them; Bible study offered, if desired; then, shopping time. Participation fee is $15 monthly and commitment to volunteer for FTF; free food and non-food items, such as housewares, non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene, etc. to supplement income. DONATIONS WELCOME!!!!!

Participants will stay with FTF until they have met their goals. FTF Under Project URGE. Currently located in Foodlink; Goods all donated by private sources. Based on successful cross-country model; currently doing a pilot in SW that can accommodate 10-12 families. Must have a H.S. diploma.

Current Location: 936 Exchange St (old Foodlink warehouse); may move to co-locate with Pearl Ministries on Tremont.

Leadership team includes Foodlink, Roberts Wesleyan, Catholic Family Center & Project URGE.

Currently recruiting mentors. Would like 2 mentors for each candidate. Training will be provided.

Pilot will start 1st or 2nd week in May; can accommodate up to 12 for pilot. Program is 8-10 weeks for financial planning. Assessment of pilot will probably take place in July; general applications targeted for August.

Contact info: Maria Wehrle, Director 348-8596
Marcia O'Brien, Co-Founder 594-6574

SWAN
April 17 - Let's Talk Dating Violence
Summer Program being planned; registering 100 youth
SWAN is in the process of formally merging with Montgomery Neighborhood Center

Florence Clemmons
Great turnout for Genesee Valley Little League; 4-5 teams; all coaches will receive training (Big Al's and First Aid) on 3/29
2 youth have been selected to attend a Willie Oree event 3/28-3/30; Oree is the first African American to play in National Hockey League
Clean Sweep - 5/3 - one day event; will meet at Frontier Field and then disburse to all the project areas; will also be doing garden projects. Taking suggestions for gardens or other projects - suggestions due tomorrow. Looking for Team Leaders.

Voters Walk Enterprise - Barbara Hoffman
VWE celebrates Women's History Month on Sunday, 3/23 at the Frederick Douglass Resource Center from 1-4 Symposium; exhibitors and vendors welcome; will be honoring Rev. Bernice Warfield
Ribbon Cutting for "Spirit of 1872" - Tuesday, 3/25, 12-1 at 1872 Cafe

Corn Hill - Bonnie Mayer
Eastman Savings & Loan will be a major sponsor for the Corn Hill Festival
Currently doing site planning (parks, river, etc.); must do river clean-up
Bonnie noted that Wi-Fi is free throughout the communities in some 3rd world countries

Sector 4 CDC - Joan Roby-Davison
Have a targeted Housing initiative underway near Thurston Rd; owner-occupied housing list being developed to do outreach; currently scheduling appointments
Housing Rehab list has been updated and mailed out; also on Location19;
Building at Brooks Landing is going up as scheduled
Boulder Coffee at Genesee/Brooks is up for sale ($125,000). There are still deed restrictions at 955 Genesee across the street (Chabad House) that ensure that we have some control over the type of business allowed.
Vacuum Oil Boa is awaiting State contract.

UR - Colleen McCarthy
No major updates; Community Benefit Report will be available at next month's meeting

PLEX - Dorothy Hall & Dorian Hall
Executive Board has been meeting regularly; regular PLEX meetings will start next month
Have been involved in BOA activities
Active with Teen Empowerment (what businesses in the SouthWest would hire young people for the summer)
Involved with Gandhi Institute and their presentations.
Met with Landmark Society to see about making PLEX area an historical district
Working on connecting UR Warner School/Lynn Gatto with School #19; focusing on reading for K-3
PLEX financially contributed to Strings for Success, School #19 group invited to Washington to perform
Dorian working on how to increase community participation in community development; have been meeting about the riverfront trails
GVP Ice Rink is being gutted; the locker rooms, bathrooms and front foyer scheduled for a facelift; will open again 6/30

COTS - John Lightfoot
Walk-through with Regional Design Center has occurred to support RFP for 301 Adams St.; how to connect this site with the walking trails - Adams St., 1982 Cafe, SBA Museum, then FDRC; will be offering community meetings in May to get community input and develop plans
NeighborGood grants were all funded which means COTS is included in that; COTS project is Summer Fling event in the park on Troup

National Night Out - Frances N. Johnson (328-4838)
National Night Out will be on Tuesday, 8/5; meetings to prepare have started. Next meeting is 6/9 at 9:30 a.m. at the NSC office. Call Ms. Frances to volunteer.
Teen Empowerment needs help with volunteers and funding; call 697-3464

SW NSC Quadrant Reports - Neighborhood & Business Development

Projects
Bull's Head BOA - waiting for State to return work plan/contract; $285,000 grant to do a more detailed analysis and public planning process.
Brooks Landing - student housing/restaurant is going up as scheduled; 11 stories at completion; to be completed in August for student move in
937 Genesee St - vacant lot next to NSC; grant for clean-up underway; first stage is assessment
BureauCats - PI's Lounge, 4/24, 6 p.m. Benefit for St. Peter's Kitchen; Donations requested: household domestic paper products (tissue, paper towels, napkins, etc.)

FIS - Linda Hedden
Neighborhood evaluation with 2 service providers to work with owner-occupants; dedicating resources to Adams St; west and east on Jefferson; Reynolds and Prospect also a possibility; in the 3rd phase of owner-occupant support.
Hardy Properties to be completed by the end of Spring
Ribbon Cutting on 3/25, 12-1 is in celebration of Women's History Month - "Spirit of 1872" - Mayor to attend
4/6 is City Living Sunday at East High School; only one event
Mon 3/24, 6 pm kick off for City's Annual Planning Process for federal funds; less money while costs increase; need community input

NeighborWorks - Lynnette Robinson
Lynnette involved in the FIS investor outreach on Adams St. (landlords)
Outreach to get EmPower / NYSERDA grants out to qualifying individuals (HEAP, SNAP-eligible)
Loans currently available for the "unbankable"
Dept of Social Security is requiring that all business must be done on line; this is a large obstacle for many seniors and also families with young children receiving Soc Sec benefits.

Communications - John Boutet
Communications has been looking at free Wi-Fi for the community for several years. Capital costs are easier to obtain; ongoing costs are the issue. Have some technical consultants working with us who are providing direction. Have been trying to get in touch with Lovely Warren's administration to pursue this agenda as communication for low income is an issue (as was noted in Lynette's discussion around the direction in which the Social Security administration is headed)
Location19/SW is still the primary communication tool for the SW Quadrant.
Exploring how to have one central calendar for the SW
Education Committee - next meeting is Wed, 3/26, 6 p.m. at Flint St.; workshop by FR-EE is on the agenda

SW Libraries - Jennifer Lenio
National Library Week 4/14-19 (also school break week); lots of activities planned
Summer - 3 raised garden beds on side of parking lot at Wheatley; kids will help plan and maintain (veggies, flowers, strawberries); programming will be attached
Summer - Arnett & Wheatley - summer camps planned; goal is to maintain/increase student literacy over the summer; details forthcoming

Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Assn - Dawn Noto
Revamping RFP for kiosk; want a blend of the 3 kiosks and current proposals did not offer that; revisiting the model with the Rochester Community Design Center
Will start walking the neighborhood again; battling the youth problem on corners - walking helps build relationships and promote positive visibility
Open Door Mission coming to SBANA to talk about relocating and revamping their program; would like to increase programming that offers better transition services for their participants, including a women's and family center; planned location is on Broad St. (across from Broad St./lumber yard). Bring all locations into one center. Plan is to provide better services and double their staff.

ProsperRochester, Inc. - Eleanor Coleman
The Seedfolk Store is open Tues-Fri, 1:30-6 and Saturdays from 2-4; all volunteer
Opportunity for residents to use back room to host a workshop - weekdays and Saturdays, 2-4
Nine young people employed after-school through Farash grant; in addition to starting new pants, currently learning how to create a business plan; making soup to be sold; have already developed their own brand of bagels
Every Wednesday young people are at the Atrium at the UR participating in their Farmer's Market
Have a certified kitchen; neighborhood residents can rent the kitchen; first renter is Philomina who has written a healthy eating book for children and sells healthy foods at the Public Market on Saturdays.

FLHSA - Elizabeth McDade
WFM Opens 6/10; SNAP benefits - market gives you $5 for spending $10 (saw 43% increase in that benefit last season); attendance was about 500 every week. Please "Like" their Facebook Page.
Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning has brochures in 7 different languages; free for pick-up
Healthy Homes/Healthy Families Resource Guide in English and Spanish; will be distributed and on line
Active with Healthy Kids - will share information on Philomina with team