SWCC Minutes 5.21.15

SouthWest Common Council

Thursday, 5/21/15, 6 p.m.

Host: Phillis Wheatley Library

In attendance:

John Boutet LocationSW & SWCC Education- jboutet@frontiernet.net

Judy Clifton Resident - jclifton60@ymail.com

Eleanor Coleman ProsperRochester, Inc. - eleanor.coleman@gmail.com 224-5119

Mary Dan Cooper 19th Ward - marydan@frontiernet.net

Dave Culeton Investor 362 Arnett &

Mary D’Allesandro Resident - mhd7444@hotmail.com 703-7444

Elizabeth Doucette Cottage Street Block Club - cottagestreetvoices@gmail.com

Dorian Hall PLEX – dorian@pl-ex.org

Dorothy Hall PLEX – dhall555@hotmail.com

David Haygood PLEX - davidhaygoodjr@yahoo.com

Frances Johnson SWAN

Jennifer Lenio SW Libraries - jennifer.lenio@libraryweb.org 428-8272

Elizabeth McDade Westside Farmers Market, elizabethmcdade@flhsa.org

Dawn Noto SWCC Chair & Susan B. Anthony District - dnoto1872@gmail.com

Norm Roberts SWAN - nroberts@swanonline.org 436-8201

Gladys Royster COTS

Nick Tamburrini Corn Hill - tombo@rochester.rr.com 355-4547

RPD surveying the community to find out how they feel things are going with the new reorganization. CPO’s available to community via NSC office.

Special Presentation - Dave Culeton;

Investor on Arnett (#362) and on Thurston (Hunt’s Hardware); 362 Arnett will be a Mexican Restaurant (sit down, $5 burrito, small stage area for poetry, wine & beer, no liquor, etc.). There will be a laundromat in the second space.
In process of purchasing Hunt’s Hardware to rehab it, restock it and reopen. Will redo and modernize the floor plan. Dave Hunt and Mike Heineman will stay on. Will bring on mature adults with customer service experience as well as technical skills. Will expand the services provided depending on what customers want.
Long-term plan is to knock down garages in back and put up a barn that can hold equipment for classes and community rental.
Fundraiser: $100 contribution will get you $150 over three years at the time of the store anniversaries. Crowd Funding site has been established at startsomegood.com to provide additional information about the new vision. More information in LocationSW in several different groups.
Homeowners are encouraged to support this initiative as hardware stores increase the value of a community.
David has arranged for an artist to use the vacant building between Hunt’s and convenience mart on the corner to open an art studio/art school in that space.

SW Libraries - Jennifer Lenio

Arnett

Books by Bike Mobile has arrived. Mobile will now be able to attend Square Fair, Westside Farmers Market, etc. to provide books. With I-Pad, will be able to do searches and check out books, register for library cards, etc. Giving away some free books.
Arnett Branch was awarded Public Library of the Year by the Rochester Regional Library Council.

Wheatley

Wheatley awarded $9,000 for edible garden design; raised beds, bushes, trees, etc. Will also establish a tool lending library.
Shawn from Arnett will move to Phillis Wheatley as the new Adult Librarian.

Both libraries - Free Summer Learning Labs, 4 days a week for K-6

ProsperRochester, Inc. - Eleanor Coleman

The 540 W. Main St. location now ProsperRochester; PR is now the fiduciary for Seedfolk City Farm, considered their first “incubated business.”
Philomina Agbara, owner of a healthy eating business opening 6/1up at 544 W. Main
Kitchen rental hours available.
We are a SWEM food cupboard satellite for picking up food bags; call 235-4491 to see if you qualify.
Fidelis is on site every Friday from 3-5 p.m. to enroll in health care and do Medicaid recerts.
We have a Facebook page.

Cottage Street - Elizabeth Doucette

Legacy Garden with raised beds has been established; vegetables for neighborhood (Cottage St. & So. Plymouth); focus on education and history.

Corn Hill - Nick Tamburrini

Several historic neighborhood walks have been scheduled; start at the Gazebo. Starts Sun at 2 p.m. - 2 hr walk; tour guide is an Emmy Award winning presenter; go to cornhill.org for detailed information
Planning underway for the annual Arts Festival to be held the weekend after the 4th of July

PLEX - Dorian Hall, Dorothy Hall

Very successful support for Clean Sweep. Flowers planted at roundabout.
Representatives from SWAN and from Westside Farmers Market spoke at last meeting.
Dorian passed out information from the GVP meeting at the GVP Boathouse.
Lots of planning has happened without community input. PLEX reps met with Norm Jones and other city officials to express concerns.

Plan was updated to include a sidewalk for walking to the pool starting from behind the hotel.
Will also be adding 15 light poles which were requested for child safety; unfortunately, they are proposing shorter poles which mean less light spans. Not sure if solar lighting is being considered.
General concern that plans were developed without community involvement (meetings held during the workday when community members unable to attend); sense is that the development is done based on how it benefits the University of Rochester, not the community (e.g., Aquatics Center pool will be much smaller)
John Boutet videotaped the meeting on YouTube. The Location19 post: Public informational meeting on Genesee Valley Park West Master Plan and Brooks Landing Phase II Public Improvements Project has the YouTube link: http://youtu.be/dyVt4bZ7x5c for the May 6th Public Meeting about GVP.
Recommended that we invite Norm Jones (City) and Lori Maher (State) to next SW Common Council meeting.

RIT helping build a solar greenhouse at Gandhi Inst. - RIT, Seedfolk City Farm, PLEX, School 19, In the City/Off the Grid

Melody St. - Gladys Royster

Gladys was with SW Common Council from its inception and was President of COTS for many years. Responsible for the Rock Garden on Troup Street near the Anthony Square apartments.
Gladys very active on her street (she is known as the “mayor”) and all 3 houses will be getting siding and new roofs.
Still very active at Montgomery Neighborhood Center as a volunteer.

SWCC Education Committee - John Boutet

Doing what we can to keep School #44 going for a few years while we wait for School #16 to be opened tentatively in 2018. School #16 currently at Freddie Thomas.

Mary Adams has been a strong advocate for community voice.

Hoping to have plans for School #16 available at Square Fair. Trying to be able to use one of the rooms in School #16.

School #44 having an Open House on May 28 at 4 p.m. (CANCELLED)

Robin met with Del Smith and Alan Williams several months ago and it was considered. Subsequently, conversations being held considering city-wide internet access.

Minutes of yesterday’s Education Committee meeting will be posted on LocationSW.

New History group on LocationSW to capture stories, photos, etc. of anything related to the SouthWest Quadrant.

Resident - Judy Clifton

Lives at 142 Post Ave - 5 years. As soon as Judy and wife were married, group of youth ages 14-20 have been harassing them (writing on sidewalks, windows broken, objects thrown at them, threats, etc.); when they received no help from police, she called news media at which time it was finally labeled a “hate crime”.
Frustrated that police, while not addressing the hate crime issue, threatened to take action agains them for antique guns owned by mother who is Native American (guns are 1937 and older). Also frustrated when NSC office reported talking with property owner, which was not true.
Positive news - 4 days ago, police car has been parked on the street and it has been quiet.
Dawn suggested meeting after this meeting to arrange for a meeting with NSC.

19th Ward - Mary Dan Cooper

Arnett Trolley Stop was very successful; anchored at 362 Arnett (Dave Culeton’s property); vendors left early because they sold out of what they brought. Very positive feedback from community. Hats off to Dan DeMarle and his team.
Day of Caring 5/14 - planting
Getting an Urban Fellow this summer
Square Fair June 5th: Pancakes at 8:30 a.m. Parade at 11 a.m. It’s also the 19th Ward’s 50th anniversary; picnic/reunion barbecue in GVP; tickets by reservations necessary - Unkle Moe’s providing the food. 328-6571 for reservations.
User-friendly website up and running - please check it out; 19wca.org
Historic Districts are being approved by the State - welll-attended meeting was held May 2nd; tax credits for home owners
Open Door Mission spoke at 19WCA meeting; want to begin residential services for women and children (looking at church on Post & Sawyer); start with 12-15. Worried about rezoning but looks like they will go the route of a “special permit.” There are very few beds for women and children in Rochester.

SWAN - Norm Roberts

Home Repair Preservation Program at Montgomery Neighborhood Center still active.
After School program doing well; approximately 80 youth attending. United Way cutting funding for all programs significantly.
The greenhouse was cleaned on Day of Caring. Lisa Barker has been working with SWAN
SWAN will operate a 6-wk Day Camp Program this summer for $500. Ages 5-15; breakfast, lunch and snack.
Foodlink will be coming curbside at Montgomery weekly.
Pool at McCree Way sight will be open this summer.
Please check out SWAN's website: swanroc.org

Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood - Dawn Noto

Salvatore’s coming to 1872 - they will continue to maintain the 1872 theme serving Salvatores and Donuts Delight. Soccer Sam is the owner; jazz music outside; use youth to help clean $2 slices/$10 pizzas, $2 salads/$10 salads; coffee & snacks. Wants meetings for community. Target opening date 7/5, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., 7 days a week.
Police working on Main & King because of persistent drug sales and loitering. Have never seen Main St. look so clean and calm.
Working against opening of Brothers Liquor Store on Main St.; need to reapply because they did not meet opening deadline.
WFM is coming to next neighborhood meeting which will be held at the Carriage Factory. They will also have curbside market.

Westside Farmers Market - Elizabeth McDade

Opens 6/9, 4-7:30. Walk with the Doc starts at 5:30 (2 mile walk around the neighborhood; get a coupon to use at the market); music
Market supplements SNAP benefits to stretch food dollars.
Please “like” their FB page.

Respectfully Submitted,

Eleanor Coleman

eleanor.coleman@gmail.com