Highlands Board Meeting Thursday, Jan. 13 7pm Karen's house Attendees: Karen Story, Chair Jim Jung, Treasurer Board Members at Large: Sue Keller Trudy Loder Debbie Sinick Jeff Canin Joe Drazich -------------------- Introductions and Welcome to new members Jeff Canin and Joe Drazich ----------- 2011-2012 Budget The City has moved to a biennial budget for the neighborhoods. The Highlands will receive $1699 for the 2011-2012 biennium. This is $849.50 per year. We all feel that human services are important and deserve as much support as we can give them. However, we agreed that we will not contribute any of our grant money directly to any human services organizations. Instead, we will use our grant money to contribute indirectly, for example, by getting the word out about food drives and other needs, or by collecting food at our picnic. Proposed annual budget (same for 2011 and 2012, but the 2012 budget can be modified next year): Communications and Operations (website, posters, stamps, non-profit fees): $75 Picnic $424.50 Egg Hunt (food, eggs, candy): $50 Supplies (plants, paint, hardware for repairs, etc.) $100 Cotton Hill Park (plants, snacks for large events) $200 We agreed that we would like to do a joint picnic with the Norkirk neighborhood again this year. ----------- NE 100th St. Sidewalk Debbie announced that a sidewalk will be constructed on the south side of NE 100th St between 116th Ave NE and 112th Ave NE. We think this work will occur this summer. ----------- 114th Intersection Widening of 114th Ave NE at NE 85th St, to add a second left turn lane, will begin soon. City staff will attend our general meeting on Jan. 19 to show us the design and answer questions. ----------- Facebook Debbie asked if anyone would be interested in having an HNA Facebook page that could be used for posting questions, photos, and information. Our email list does not allow people to have discussions. The page could be private for HNA residents. We agreed to query the HNA email list to ask if people would use such a page, and whether anyone would help administer it. Debbie is willing to set up the page. ----------- Eastside Timebank Sue told us about the Eastside Timebank (http://www.eastsidetimebank.org/), a way for people to barter services. It's free to join during the pilot program, but we think there is a small fee after that. For information about fees, see http://www.eastsidetimebank.org/faq.php#10. ----------- Spinney Park Sue is on the Park Board. The City of Kirkland is developing a new master plan for Spinney Homestead Park ("the pit" on NE 100th St, next to the pedestrian/emergency overpass). Karen will see if someone from Parks could attend our March meeting to tell us about the plans, and hear our input. ----------- Treasury Jim, our Treasurer, explained that we have to keep a $100 minimum in our checking account in order to receive free checking. We've been keeping $270 in the account, which means that $170 is available for quick reimbursements. Checks require two signatures. We have three people authorized to sign checks. Jim and Karen are two, but we can't remember who the third person is. Jim will find out. ----------- Logistics Karen is documenting the passwords and other information about our website, Google group, and other neighborhood business. She will disseminate this to all board members, so that everyone has access to this information. ----------- Entrance Corner Karen will contact Michael Carrion, owner of the old, white fence on the corner of 116th Ave NE and NE 87th St, to ask if he would be willing to repair and paint it, and to offer neighborhood volunteer help. He has been reluctant to repair it because cars kept crashing into it. However, since the reflective stanchions were installed three years ago, no cars have hit the fence. ----------- Garage Sale Benefit We discussed the possibility of having a neighborhood garage sale, the proceeds of which would go to a charity. This will require further discussion. ----------- Big Trash Day Sue told us about "Big Trash Day," a common event in other towns, where once a year, or more often, people can put out large items for pickup - items that normally can't be picked up on trash day. Scroungers go around the night before and take away anything of value. Whatever is left the next morning is hauled away by the garbage company. Sue said it was like a party in her town, with people walking around and visiting with neighbors. Should we investigate something like this for the Highlands? ----------- Meeting Location and Vision There are pros and cons to the Maintenance Center for our meetings. It can be a bit cold and sterile in there. However, it is close the neighborhood, and some people like to walk to the meetings. Heritage Hall is not a great meeting place. The Peter Kirk room at City Hall is carpeted, but not necessarily any warmer or less sterile. Before we decide whether to change our meeting location, we need a vision for our meetings. What is their purpose: Socializing? Sharing ideas and concerns? Disseminating information? Let's discuss this more, and we can also ask for input from the email list. ----------- Street Tree and Loose Curbing Karen emailed Kari Page at the city to report the knocked over street tree on 116th, and the loose curbing on 112th at 97th. ----------- Next board meeting Date tbd. Perhaps March, before our next general meeting? Joe offered to host! ----------- Joe showed us photos of the restoration work he did on our entrance sign. There was extensive dry rot, and he had to almost completely rebuild the sign, including fiberglass work, building a new frame, fabricating several new letters, and repainting. The sign is done, and Public Works will install it soon. ----------- Meeting adjourned at 8:30.