Gannondale Neighborhood Association (GNA)
Open Meeting
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Sue Kaiser’s House (7515 Gannon)
7:00 – 9:00 pm.
Minutes taken by Aaron Geiger, Secretary
Present
- Nancy Baglan – 7540 Cornell
- Heather Brooks – 7502 Cornell
- Aaron Geiger – Secretary – 7606 Gannon
- Amber Geiger – 7600 Gannon Block Captain
- Sue Kaiser – Treasurer – 7515 Gannon
- Mike Kimzey – 7508 Cornell
- Greg Koob – 7562 Cornell
- Tamara Richter – 7620 Cornell
- Meri Ellen Taylor – 7500 Stanford Block Captain – 7552 Stanford
- Nigel Taylor – Vice President – 7552 Stanford
- Kim Mulkey Young – Pillar Post Editor – 7536 Cornell
- Bryan S. Young – President – 7536 Cornell
Absent
- Lori Adair – 7500 Cornell Block Captain – 7558 Cornell
- Margaret Johnson – 7500 Gannon Block Captain – 7509 Gannon
- Therese Siegel – 7600 Stanford Block Captain – 7631 Stanford
- John Tawzer – 7800 Cornell Block Captain – 7619 Cornell
Note: Last Gannondale Neighborhood Meeting was on November 12, 2008. The last GNA Board meeting was on July 15, 2009. Minutes for both meetings were approved by Board and Block Captains via email and posted on the Gannondale Blog.
Blog: http://gannondale.blogspot.com/
Next Gannondale Neighborhood Meeting will be scheduled for November 2010.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00.
Treasurer’s Report (Sue Kaiser): A snapshot of annual expenses for 2009 included:
- Pillar Post (quarterly neighborhood newsletter – printing costs) $193.69
- Fliers (printing costs) $73.59
- Electrical bill for Cornell pillar lights (AmerenUE) $101.97
- Website hosting (Razorball) - $105.00 (note: will be discontinued in 2010)
Special Expenses (2009)
- Repair of Cornell pillar lights (Roscoe Electric) $128.00
- Bounce house for Block Party (Eddie’s Inflatables) $150.00
- Party goods (Block Party): $25.00
Balance in account as of this meeting: (11/18/09): $193.55
Note: Luminaria Night is the major fundraiser for the Gannondale Neighborhood Association.
Gannondale Website and Blog: As of 2010, our relationship with Razorball (our current web-hosting service provider) will end. Instead, the Gannondale blog will take the place of the Razorball-hosted WWW site. Bryan and Aaron will explore free file hosting services that will allow Gannondale documents, files and flyers to be linked to our Blogger blog (Pillar Post, etc.) All content that has not been archived will be backed up from the Razorball WWW site prior to the dissolution of our relationship.
2009 Events Review: Discussion of events
Easter Egg Hunt: (April 12, 2009)
Discussion points and recommendations:
- Hosted for many years by Kristy Wells and Dave Tyndall (7540 Stanford). We will need to find another family to host the event: Christy and Dave are unable to host the Easter Egg Hunt in 2010.
Neighborhood Yard and Garage Sale: (September 12, 2009)
Discussion points and recommendations:
- Instead of having an annual Yard and Garage Sale, schedule the event biyearly. This will ensure that everyone has enough household items for the sale.
- Could the Yard and Garage Sale provide another way to support the Gannondale Neighborhood Association? The $5.00 per household fee is used for advertising. Perhaps each participating household could donate the sale proceeds from a nicer item to the GNA?
Big storms (June 2009): Many Gannondale properties experienced damage from the spring storms that blew through St. Louis in early June (see Pillar Post – Summer 2009 issue)
Discussion points and recommendations:
- A storm tree fund for neighbors who can’t afford the cost of tree removal was discussed, but tabled due to the great expense of hiring a tree service to perform these services.
- It was agreed that the Pillar Post republishes the tree awareness/responsibility information every spring as a service to the Gannondale neighborhood.
Block Party (September 26, 2009): A little rain couldn't dampen the spirits of those who attended that annual Gannondale event.
Halloween Parade (October 26, 2009): Kim Mulkey Young premiered a short video she created at this year’s Halloween Parade. A copy of the DVD can be ordered from Kim Mulkey Young for $2.00.
2009 Golden Flamingo Winners
- June: Ann Lever and Carmileta Matheney (7574 Cornell)
- July: Charlie and Joan Walsh (7557 Stanford)
- August: Sorelle Parker (7629 Cornell)
- September: Allison and Todd Spittal (7616 Stanford)
Priority Business
Luminaria Night (December 13, 2009)
Discussion points and recommendations:
- Kim Mulkey Young will design/print the flyers for the luminaria event.
- Bryan Young and Amber Geiger will take luminaria orders.
- Bryan Young will purchase candles and sand.
- Greg and Sharyn Koob will donate the paper bags for the luminaria kits.
- Meri Ellen Taylor will contact Daniel Shaver (University City High School) and coordinate special music for the Luminaria event.
- Luminaria pickup date will be on December 12th at Greg and Sharon Koob’s garage (7562 Cornell). Bryan Young, Heather Brooks, Robin Hattori, Mike Kimzey and Nigel Taylor will help assemble and distribute the luminaria kits.
New Ideas
Discussion points and recommendations:
- Idea: Create a neighborhood “buzz book” that would include contact information for Gannondale neighbors: (addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.)
Gannondale Safety
Discussion points and recommendations:
- Bryan Young will continue to attend University City Police Focus Group meetings on the last Tuesday of each month.
- Bryan Young will request the most recent Gannondale crime statistics for the final months of 2009. He will continue to post these statistics on the Gannondale blog.
- Missouri Sex Offender Registry
All agreed that any public information of this kind should be distributed to the neighborhood. The “buzz book” would be a perfect way to distribute this kind of information in a timely manner. - Safety equipment for Gannondale events: GNA will look into signs, orange cones, etc. to alert cars to slow down on Gannondale streets.
GNA Officers
Nomination of Officers (2010)
- Bryan Young: President
- Nigel Taylor: Vice President
- Aaron Geiger: Secretary
- Mike Kimzey: Treasurer
- Robin Hattori: 7500 Cornell Block Captain
- John Tawzer: 7600 Cornell Block Captain (confirmed for 2010)
- Margaret Johnson: 7500 Gannon Block Captain (needs to be confirmed for 2010)
- Amber Geiger: 7600 Gannon Block Captain
- Meri Ellen Taylor: 7500 Stanford Block Captain – declined to serve in 2010. She will locate a replacement on her block.
- Theresa Siegel: 7600 Stanford Block Captain (confirmed for 2010)
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.
