ATA October 27, 2022 General Membership Meeting Minutes

WHEN: Thursday, October 27, 2022, 6-8pm
WHERE: Parks & People Stone House

The New Auchentoroly Terrace Association (ATA) held a member-requested General Membership Meeting in person at the Parks and People Stone House and online via video conference call on Thursday, October 27, 2022, 6-8pm. ATA President Graham Coreil-Allen opened the meeting. The minutes from the September meeting were approved as read. President Graham Coreil Allen welcomed members and began the meeting.

Participants discussed the recent election and ways to help future elections run more efficiently. Suggestions included the following:

• Holding the election as a stand-alone meeting separate from typical agenda topics of discussion so as to allow nominees more time to share why they are running for office. 
• Making it clear in the by-laws that residents who wish to vote in the election must sign up for or renew their membership 30 days prior the election date.
• To save on time and avoid confusion, not processing new member sign ups or renewals at the meeting.
• Numbering the ballots and noting which members received a ballot to ensure that only one ballot is distributed to each member.
• Instituting a participation requirement for individuals who seek to  hold office. For example, in order to be eligible to run for office, a member must have attended at least one ATA meeting or community event that calendar year.

Residents discussed organizing a welcome committee to go door–to-door to drop off welcome packets for new members. In addition, participants discussed holding meet and greet events in the spring for new members to connect with fellow neighbors. Events ideas included porch parties, an Easter Egg Hunt, and/or a cookout on Whittier Green.

Participants engaged in a robust discussion on the goals for the next two years of ATA. Ideas for new initiatives included the following:

• Bringing more art to add life to the streets, such as murals.
• Creating more calming art crosswalks.
• Requesting more traffic calming speed bumps and bump outs
• Holding fundraisers such as a community yard sale.
• Create a dog park with a dog waste bag station.
• Holding outdoor events for kids with yard games.
• Organizing a Halloween event with decorated porches and/or concentrating trick or treating in one public space.
• Creating “Yard or Stoop of the Month” awards to acknowledge people beautifying their residence.
• Host a holiday decorating event such as with wreaths and poinsettias.

Residents discussed reorganizing the annual ATA holiday dinner. Al Chenault agree to help coordinate a potluck. The presidents expressed that it would be possible to use association funds to purchase a main course.

Participants discussed additional strategies for advocating for additional much needed traffic calming measures along Auchentoroly Terrace. Ideas included documenting and publicizing the many attempts ATA has thus far made to improve safety along our streets for pedestrians and others, flooding DOT with emails and phone calls, and holding a public media event to raise awareness over the lack of response ATA is getting from DOT.

Residents discussed ideas for engaging seniors and  youth. For seniors a weekly card playing night was suggested. One challenge that exists is finding a venue that would be able to host such a card night for free or low cost. For youth residents discussed offering community service hours by helping to set up and run ATA meetings and clean ups. In addition, residents discussed reaching out to bicycle organizations to find a group that could help teach youth how to repair their own bicycles, then organizing group bike rides.

Participants agreed that more needed to be done by the city to improve public safety. The idea of hosting a community safety walk was discussed. The walk could be a way for residents to safely and anonymously report illegal activity and engage with city agencies on other issues that need attention.

Click here to download the meeting minutes.