YORK ROAD PARTNERSHIP
Meeting minutes – November 1, 2006
Rampant illness, etc. resulted in just 12 members attending this meeting.
Old Business:
2006-2007 Goals were distributed and the following updates provided:
CARES: update provided by Nancy Clark
CARES is open three mornings per week with food provided on two of the mornings. 30-40 clients receive food on each of those days.
They are receiving an amazing amount of food. The churches are very supportive.
They are currently able to offer financial assistance of up to $1000 for BGE and up to $200 for rent and/or eviction prevention. However, they cannot give out as many bus tokens as in the past.
Several key people are leaving the organization and replacements are needed.
Will Hurt, the director, is retiring. The volunteer from the front desk and from financial are both leaving. These positions are crucial. If interested please contact CARES.
TOWERS LOUNGE: update provided by Karen DeCamp
The business deal described at the July meeting fell through.
The secured creditor for the business then filed for foreclosure. Based on the foreclosure, the business and liquor license were sold on October 18, 2006. The buyers are negotiating a lease for the building. The business and the property are separately owned. Liquor licenses are voided if inactive for more than 180 days. This license is nearing that deadline.
McCABE AVENUE: update provided by Karen DeCamp
Karen sent a letter to Housing Commissioner Graziano for follow up on the walking tour. She requested a report on accomplishments, goals, and strategy.
700 block of McCabe is still a problem but there is lots of work in the 800 block.
Woodbourne-McCabe meeting is November 14, 2006.
RADNOR-WINSTON: update provided by Karen
There has been a string of burglaries in Radnor-Winston. Also in Winston Govans.
There have been over 900 burglaries in Northern District in 2006.
Currently, there are 4 officers detailed to this problem.
POLICE ISSUES: (general discussion)
There are just not enough officers, due to citywide policy of using significant percentages of officers in special units, Northern District leadership seems stressed
19 sectors in Northern were recently covered by only 9 cars on the midnight shift.
Attempted robbery at the GEDCO lot, not covered by off duty police for security.
There was a complaint the PAL center officers have been assigned to patrol.
Reminder: Northern District Police Community Relations meeting is the third Wednesday of every month at the Northern District station.
There is a need to balance the desire for safety against taking Pristoop to task for policies that are not in his control.
Bill Miller added that Loyola, Hopkins, and Union Memorial all use off duty BPD officers for security and that that might create the impression that less on duty patrol. He added that a nationally known consultant reported that part of the problem stems from Mayor O’Malley’s adoption of Ed Norris’ recommendation for specialized units.
Baltimore City has 52% of its force in patrol
San Diego has 80% of its force in patrol
STREETSCAPING: update provided by Karen DeCamp
Next phase of streetscaping will be from Glenwood to 33rd Street.
Design phase is set for FY08, construction phase from FY09
GBA and BDC have sent requests to Transportation to move construction phase to FY09
This phase is in both Councilman Harris’ and Councilwoman Clarke’s districts.
Del. Maggie McIntosh might be able to help with this as she was a key player in getting an increased allocation of transportation funding shifted to the city.
POST OFFICE AND POSTAL SERVICE update provided by Karen DeCamp
Some folks from the Radnor-Winston community are planning to do some landscaping work in front of the Govans post office.
Rick Salmone is the manager of the post office.
Sheldon Luz reported that she contacted Cardin’s office about the decreased quality of postal service attributable to service and route changes. The letter carriers are scheduled for new routes every 90 days and most are on six hour routes.
BANKOK PLACE;
Zoning variance was granted to demolish the current structure and build a mixed-used site. Commercial use in the front and 12 condos in back with condo building running perpendicular to York Road.
LOYOLA DORMS: update provided by Joan Flynn
New freshman dorm with 350 beds will open in August 2007. This will allow upperclassmen to move back onto campus into dorms that have been used by freshmen.
No more students are to live in Gallagher Park.
DAEDALUS BOOKS
Store manage Heidi Bell attended the meeting. She has worked for Daedalus for 20 years but this is her first retail venture. She wants to work with YRP, neighbors, non-profits and the city to be a real part of the community. They are already doing projects with CityLit and the Creative Alliance. She has an open door to ideas and suggestions. She would like to do more with the Market. She thinks poor signage and especially the roadwork has gotten them off to a slow start.
YRP PARTICIPATION: update provided by Karen
Karen has drafted a letter to be sent to all neighborhoods not currently represented at the YRP meetings. A member from each board, preferably the president, should participate. Larger communities should have more than one person attend. She will contact GEMS as they are refunded and functioning again. All of our fates are linked.
DECEMBER MEETING
PLEASE bring a dessert to share to the December meeting.
Loyola will be provided cold drinks and ice. Louis Perkins will contact Caribou coffee for a donation of hot drinks.
NEXT MEETING -- Wednesday December 6th at 7:15.