Meeting Minutes-- May 1, 2007

GAP Community Organization Meeting Minutes
Date: May 1, 2007 meeting

A. Call to order: 7:31pm

B. Introductions from community members

C. April Minutes read and approved.

D. Area rep reports: none given

E. Housing Committee Report:
1. Chicago Landmarks Commission is conducting a workshop for landmark districts at Bronzeville Military Academy on Saturday, May 5th. Stephen and Tim will attend and then conduct a walking tour of the neighborhood for attendees.

F. President’s Report:
1. Annual spring clean and green is Saturday May 5th from 8:30am until 11:30am.
2. 3rd Ward Alderman elect Pat Dowell has called to indicate she supports returning the tree grates on 35th street.
3. The trashcan at Mahogany has been returned. The President will ask about having the can at the corner of Prairie and 35th returned as well.
4. There is a move to install an Obelisk markers on 35th street from Cottage Grove to State Street. We were expecting an update on the project by Ester, Barnett and Tinker. No update given.
5. Summer sizzle date is forthcoming. It will be held again on the playground area at Pershing West School. The president is putting together a budget for the event.
6. Summer Dinner/Dance is scheduled for July 28th or August 4th. We are looking for sponsors for the event. We have confirmation of site it will be held, but that location will be announced later.

G. Area Representative Nominations
Giles—Joan Emerson & Michelle Wall
Calumet—Rochelle McGee
Prairie—Venetta Grant, Lynn Rinkowski (later withdrew nomination)
Indiana—Leon Singleton
Michigan—Marvin Paramore, Gwynn King, Kenneth Johnson
- Election during June meeting. Each candidate will receive 3 minutes to state their case. Main job of area rep is to hand out flyers for monthly meeting and talk to neighbors to learn of any concerns in the area.

H. Yard Sale: Michelle Wall indicated in April meeting that the yard sale would be held on June 16th. But Michelle discovered that BARCC is hosting a Bronzeville Bike Tour that weekend. We will move the yard sale date to a later time. Vote was taken to move event to June 23rd with rain date on June 30th. The body had unreadiness about the rain date being so close to July 4th. Then voted to move rain date to July 14th. New yard sale volunteers: Jalita, Jennifer, Gywnn King. Michelle will put together a budget and report back.

I. Community Speak Out:
1. Blue Light will not be installed on 35th Street.
2. McDonalds Loitering—working on setting up a meeting with restaurant’s manager, coordinating with Beat 2 and 21.
3. CAPS request—asked the community group to speak with BP owners at 35th and King Dr. about pan handling there. Employees have reportedly been asking pan handlers to make runs for food, etc. Issues have been reported at Mahogany: vehicles parked across the crosswalk, upset customers calling police. CAPS asked community group to speak with owner.
4. Trash pick up on Giles: Thursday is the pick up day, but sometimes it is picked up on Friday. Calle 747-5054, Denise Johnson with 2nd ward to complain.
5. GAP Recycling: reported rumor that someone in community is investigating recycling in the area.
6. Movies in the park: it will happen, but don’t know the date yet.
7. President approached about Dunbar School being torn down and replaced. Student and teachers have complained about the cleanliness and condition of the building. President reports that Dunbar Park and School issue are connected. There is a 30 year agreement with the Chicago Park District that Dunbar School would act as a field house for the park in the evenings. New configuration for a new Dunbar School includes making sure the gym could be accessed by the community in the evenings.
8. Field House at Pershing: still slated to be demolished. President will follow up with the principal about a timetable.
9. Vacant Lot next to Pride Cleaners: is there a plan to maintain it or develop it? Trash piles up, in part because of the building to the north. Residents reportedly throw trash out the window. A building tenant moved out last week, so, trash problem might be over.
10. Pothole problems in the alley at 35th and Prairie. President reports it is a CDOT issue.
11. CTA Bus Shelters: one just erected on Michigan Ave between 31st and 29th. Community wonders when one might be installed at 31st and Indiana. President reports it might be on CTA list of shelter sites. There is a priority list the city and Aldermen composed, mainly high traffic areas.
12. Possible illegal rehab: 34th and Prairie 3 flat. Does the owner have a permit? Call 311 to report and then report tracking number to GAP organization.
13. Leonas Status: last report restaurant was still coming. Sam Toya was supposed to close in April. The president will follow up with Sam.
14. Lou Collins plaque: Collins is the outgoing president of IIT. The President reports Collins has helped the GAP through the years. Motion was made and passed to present Collins with a plaque on behalf of the organization.
15. Leroy Kennedy, VP of external affairs at IIT is building a staff and will come before the body in June.
16. Lord Manor Condos on Indiana will have a grand opening May 5th. Community is invited to attend.
17. Motion was made to extend GAP membership to 14 months. Unreadiness: motion is against the GAP bi-laws. After much discussion, a vote was taken. 2-15. Motion failed.

J. Motion to pay bills: approved.
K. Adjourned: 9pm