RCA Spring Meeting, April 3, 2019
Minutes
Call to order 7:07pm
In attendance: Erin Hildreth, Fred Zamon, Killian Kelly, Kathy Hughes, Saundra Honeysett, Ann Prior, Madita and Bastian, Joe and Corinne Velli, Julia Wilson
1. Traffic Calming Update – Kathy Hughes
Background – this came about from residents’ concern about reckless speeding; working with the FCPD and county to study traffic issues, trends. Currently Braeburn, Ashmeade, El James – all have speed humps.
The traffic calming committee has been putting in for new traffic calming tables. Braeburn, Ashmeade, Rockcrest, and Briar Patch qualify for the calming tables based on the number of cars but also based on the average speed. They met with county in the fall – and again in the spring – and looking at the data from the prior years, there hasn’t been much of a difference in speeding based on the presence of the calming tables.
After brainstorming – why go through this process if it’s not working? New ideas:
- PR campaign to keep this front and center, and being aware;
- Talking to PD regarding patrols, and keeping them updated on info about specific incidents in the area (especially with regard to a specific driver in the past – who has vacated the area) and if you witness anything that should be shared with FCPD please call the non‐emergency police number (if you feel threatened please call 911)
- Concerns about thru trucks – increased police presence has helped
- Meeting with FCPD to share ideas and find out what more we can do – this costs $$ to keep unmarked squad cars, for example; there IS a correlation between rush hour, school dismissals with specific spikes in the speeding
- Getting more use out of speed‐radar
- Having FCPD presence at national night out? (follow up with Renee)
- Reaching out to WHS to see if a group is interested in doing a “speeding study” to get students engaged in awareness
- Going to look at getting permanent no speeding signs that we qualify for – at the entry points to the neighborhood (including the residential speeding sign)
- Slow Down signs available from John Cookes office – a campaign started and the signs are free to residents. If you have concerns please let Kathy know!
2. New positions open
Newsletter Editor – Ann Prior is stepping down, here is the run
Three or Four editions each year, 4‐6 pages; things happening in the neighborhood, she contacts the board members, local school PTA, holiday events, the neighborhood yard sale, pool announcements etc! It usually takes a few days to write and the printer gets it back in a day. She distributes it to the VPs, who distribute to the block captains, who distribute it to us!! Thank you Ann for your fabulous work – it’s greatly appreciated! If YOU are interested please let us know!
Median Strip Manager – Thank you Jenny and Chad Raymer for keeping the median strip beautiful for the past 5 years; we need someone willing to keep the plants trimmed, mow the lawn, and just keep it maintained. There is a budget for this – it’s really about your time and interest to keep the entry to our neighborhood beautiful!
3. Welcome sign repair – all this wet weather has really done a number! We could fix it, or replace it but at the very least it needs to be sanded, repainted, and the vinyl letters replaced. Be on the lookout for a message about sign cleanup day!
a. Committee – there is money in the budget – looking to get started:
- Plan
- Budget iii. Timeline
4. Rutherford Pool – Killian Kelly
a. Update –
- About to open for the season (opens Memorial Day weekend). New online membership system in the works, there’ve been a few snafoos but it’s very efficient and should have membership open mid‐April. You’ll see a blast from email, Facebook, etc.
- Membership will be online, you can pay online, but you CAN still pay via check.
- We have NV Pools again this year – we’re excited to welcome them back! iii.
- BONUS! If you pay your membership by end of April you will be entered into a drawing for $250!!
- There will also be a pre‐summer season fundraiser: “The Taste of Rutherford” May 24th (the day before pool opens) – open to ALL residents, not just pool members; price TBD.
b. Membership –
- Membership is typically paid in full for the summer; if you have questions about membership please go to the pool website rutherfordpool.org
- RFD has a wonderful swim team teaching children to swim from age 3‐18, and additionally offers lessons to children not on the swim team.
- There is a new member open house on May 19th; please contact Bill Blackford, the membership coordinator, with any additional questions!
5. Community Mini‐Grants – a new idea! Based on a mini‐grant program of the Little Run ES PTA, this offers an opportunity for residents to ask for assistance to pay for events that promote neighborhood socialization, improvement, etc. (spring party, Easter egg hunt). Ann mentioned that this has happened in the past and it was helpful (for example $50 for a block party on Argonne two years ago). A motion was made to approve starting a mini‐grant program – approved. (Question – could the traffic calming issue use this? Answer: it depends on the cost; this may need to come out of the budget in a different way.)
6. Financial Update
- Current bank balance = $5,976.19
- Number of households that sent in dues for 2019 so far = 145 (includes money received after envelopes were passed out with directories in late 2018 plus all received so far in 2019)
- Note: we did not make all of the planned charitable contributions in 2018. The Board has discussed other uses for RCA funds which we believe better support the theme of helping neighbors become friends. We are leaning toward putting more funds towards programs that encourage neighbors to interact (please see the above mentioned MiniGrant Program); I’d also like to propose that we add funding for a spring program (Easter Egg Hunt in RFD Park – and apparently this used to happen a while back) and consider increasing the amounts budgeted for the fall festival and national night out.
- One more thing to note from the 2018 budget ‐ we have now paid our Braddock District dues.
- Summary attached
7. Spring Stroll – date TBD, more info coming soon!
8. Community Yard Sale – May 18th; Allie and Rob Calderon on Briar Patch set out signs and maps if you want to participate. Look for more information on the Yahoo and Facebook groups!
9. REMINDER: If you live in the neighborhood there is a Yahoo group, a Facebook group, and a Next Door group if you would like to join and keep up with all the neighborhood happenings!
10. Adjourn: 7:53pm
