HSPI General Meeting, Tuesday, July 22, 2024
7-8 PM, Blommel Park (Jay Street and Park Drive)
Call to Order by President Mark Manovich, Introductions and Social Time Invite
City of Dayton Police Report
- Officer Ashley Frey read the June/July crime report for the East Side precinct: 1 recent breaking and entering, 1 residential burglary, 2 larceny thefts, uptick in shoplifting (Family Dollar), decrease in motor vehicle thefts (down from 4 to 2), rise in assault (from 1 to 2), 3 stolen property offenses, drug violations came down. If you have any questions, please contact officer Frey at [email protected] and her partner [email protected]
- A neighbor asked about individuals camping alongside Hickory and Buckeye. The team is working on assisting these individuals on finding them resources they need, so please be aware of this process. If it’s private property, though, you need to complete a right of entry paperwork, so if a call is made then law enforcement can work in place of the owner to trespass the individuals.
- There was a young child hit last night at the intersection of Clover and Wayne.
- Neighbors brought up seeing lots of police cruisers at the Sunoco on Wayne and Wyoming on Friday, June 12th around 1am.
Blommel Park Improvements Committee Update (Katrina Badger)
- “I’d like to t do 3 things: Celebrate, give thanks, and update you (on where we are and what’s ahead). In September or October our new swings will be installed, and at that point every single thing in the playground will be new, replacing what was there just one year before. And a year ago we hadn’t even started dreaming of these improvements. So, we’ve got a LOT to give thanks for! None of this would have been possible without Fred Stovall, director of Dayton Public Works and his incredible team at the city being such tremendous allies and supporters. They helped Karin and Mark and HSPI get the brand-new jungle gym for big kids before many of us were very engaged at all. That exciting win sparked a whole new set of parents and neighbors to get active in doing even more! And HSPI had our back every step of the way, introducing us to the right people in the city, and giving us the organizational support to make it all possible, and donating $ to the cause. Jill, Galen, Karin, Mark – from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
- Now, an update on where we are and what’s ahead. We’ve raised over $83k – that’s ALL we set out to raise when we started this project in February, and we’ve purchased and are now just waiting for the swings to be delivered and installed in September or October. We did eliminate the originally planned metal benches and picnic tables with built-in shade structures because they’re just so expensive, and the city offered to provide regular benches and picnic tables to us in-kind. Given our success, and the elimination of the shade structures on benches, we’ve talked with the city about planting 8 more trees in the park – 3 larger shade trees around the edges of the mulched area, and 4-5 smaller trees along the fence line on Jay St., so as not to interfere with the electrical lines. We’ve already raised the money for those trees, and are just waiting for November, which is the next appropriate time of year to plant.
- The subcommittee does plan to stay active to support the annual calendar of events in Blommel Park and establish a maintenance fund to keep up with repairs and the like. We’ve explored the possibility of a drinking fountain, which Fred’s team has informed us would need to be ADA accessible and would cost just over $17k, if we chose to pursue it. This would require a neighborhood discussion and vote to decide whether to move forward, and there’s not even consensus on the subcommittee at this point. If we chose to move forward, we’d still have to figure out how to raise the $17k.
- Thanks to the parents that have been working on this over the past several months: please stand or wave so everyone knows who you are: Maureen and Brad, Amanda and Jimi, Sarah and Willie, Erin and Brandon, Jenny and Travis, Aaron and Caitlin, Andrea and Kevin!
- As always, if anyone wants to get involved in this or any other neighborhood effort, please just reach out. Everyone’s always welcome and appreciated!”
City of Dayton Community Engagement report (Martha Rodriguez): No announcements
Holly Hornbeak, City of Dayton Landmark Commission Historic Preservation Planner. She will work with any neighbors who would like to move forward with any updates, like securing COA’s. [email protected], 937-333-4271.
Guest Speaker, Trent Fisher, owner of 735 Wayne Avenue: Trent is currently working to bringing it back to code and restoring it and right now there are no changes in how this building is zoned. If neighbors know any businesses that may be interested in space, please contact Nick and Trent. There is a number to contact listed on the building. He also shared that muralist Atelie Gagnet will paint the north side of this building.
Approvals: June meeting minutes were approved without correction.
Presidents’ Report, Mark Manovich.
- I attended a focus group in Twin Towers with held New Hope Church regarding the future use of its Xenia Avenue buildings and how they could best serve that community.
- Wayne Avenue Traffic Update: Wayne Avenue Traffic Safety Coalition (WATSC) met with ODOT last week at Ghostlight to give citizen input into their road study of Wayne. WATSC President, Willie Morris IV shared a survey monkey link and asked that we please take a few minutes to share insight on any incidents/concerns about safety on and around Wayne Avenue. This will be a vital piece of information for ODOT to review as part of this traffic study. WATSC hopes the outcome will lead to a 25mph business zone along with many other traffic calming measures needed to insure driver, building, and pedestrian safety. For those familiar with the very serious recent accident at Wayne & Clover that resulted in life-altering injuries for a young girl, neighbors may be interested in contributing, please get the details and visit the funding page.
- Upcoming/Neighborhood Presidents Forum (July 29th). If you have any questions, concerns, or issues for the city, please see President Mark Manovich so he can ask these questions on our behalf during this meeting. Many are in attendance from public works, police, fire, etc.
Committee Reports
Parks Committee (Nick Vanderpool): Jill Davis shared an update on Nick’s behalf which includes we have plenty of volunteer opportunities, if you are interested and available included removing tree suckers, mulching, etc. This time of year, there is generally an uptick in litter, so thank you to neighbors that have been helping walk through to pick up. Jill shared at the beginning of the year we applied for a mini grant for a park improvement project, but we were sadly denied. There was nothing wrong with our application, but because we are so successful in receiving so many previous grants, the city has tried to reach out to other neighborhoods encouraging them to come together and apply for these funds.
Social Committee (Sarah Dugan): All are invited to socialize with neighbors and make new friends at the upcoming PPD (Porch Patio Deck) Party on Friday, August 9th at 406 Hickory Street 6-10pm. All are welcome to attend. It costs $5 and we ask everyone contribute a dish to share. Beverages provided by HSPI.
Block Captains (Jayne/Jeanine): Flyers for the upcoming PPD will be distributed door to door within this next week.
Membership (Amanda Korb): We are currently at 65 official members. If you have not joined, go online to the HSPI website. You can pay with Paypal/Venmo, check or even cash when you’re attending a PPD.
Housing/Development (Karin Manovich): We should see the old nursing home at 250 Park, demolished in September or October. The owner of 33 Perrine (two story vacant brick house) has given this property to his parents, and they are working to restore and make habitable again. Citations for garages will be going out in the next week by our housing inspector. You can turn in a vacant or abandoned car by using the Dayton Delivers app. Many of the streets in the neighborhood are seeing cars parked in illegal spots. If you see any safety issues, please call 333-COPS.
Preservation Dayton Inc. (Karin Manovich): Sep. 15th members only will be honoring our very own Margie Harrell for her remarkable renovation of an extremely challenging property, no Slidertown Apartments at 50 Theobald Court.
New Business:
Neighbor Bob Lloyd shared he has been working to oversee Adams Park and would like to share a proposal for its improvement at the September meeting.
Announcements:
The Veritas Community Church Anniversary Party at 500 Hickory (Hope Lutheran Church) invited neighbors to attend its celebration Sunday, September 8th, 4:30-7:00pm for food and activities
Neighbors are invited to attend the outdoor theater production of Love’s Labour’s Lost, a comedy about love, staged by Shakespeare in South Park, August 16, 17 and 18, 8pm in South Park Green.
Reminder – No August Meeting
Adjournment: 8:06 pm.