GREATER AVENUES COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes
August 7, 2002 Held at the Sweet Library

GACC MONTHLY MEETING

Number attending: 35

Welcome and announcements by Chair Dick Smiley at 7:00 p.m.

Announcements:

He announced a memo from ABC Channel 4, which he read, excerpts from. James Brown, a reporter, says they are starting a regular series about each of our neighborhood communities, drawing attention to individuals and groups striving to make their neighborhoods safe etc. They want to emphasize elements in neighborhoods that bring people together--lists of things making your neighborhood special. Here is your chance to be on camera. They want us to tell them what is going on -the best in our neighborhood.

Several people asked Dick to take a step about cleaning up LDS church property on 13th Ave. It's been done and will continue to be done. Legal access problems have kept them from doing so in the past. The plan now is to go ahead with building -it's been 6 years.

Notice of a letter from Carlton Christensen. Dave Buhler wrote a letter about Nordstrom from CC saying the real issue is Main Street's future. Anyone who wants to look at it -it's in Sunday, July 23, newspaper.

Requested by board that we are to shorten our various reports because they run over. When Dick stands up please wind up your presentation.

Police: Kim Guess: (POLICE) is departing to Council #6&7. Linda Johnson is assigned #1 but works in #1 & #3. Detective Kevin Joyner is her partner. Linda is a civilian with the Police Dept. Thanks to Kim for a good job for us. Linda has been out with Kim in our area. Linda's phone is 799-3446 (direct line); 799-3464 is Kevin's direct line. There were 10 burglaries in June and went up to 20 in July. Car strips and prowls were up from 24-40. Gang related crimes have been 0 for months. Aggravated assaults stayed at 2. It was un the cemetery. People were there and others came into park and started a fight. The other victim attempted to enter a building and someone approached him and asked if someone lived in there. He said no and while he was responding he was being robbed and then beaten. Happened about 1:54 a.m. 1Robbery. Mobile watch will help with stolen vehicles. This month had 7 of those. 11 burglaries were forced entries. 3 non-forced. 2 attempts but didn't make it in. Here is Sgt. D. J. Summit with animal services & John More are working cat mutilations in the Aves. This has been going on for a lot of years. It is just now becoming known to the public and includes lots of speculation. They have many leads but nothing substantial. Satanists have come forward. Their mutilations take place between Sept. and Nov. True Satanists never leave any evidence. These are out for the spectacular thrill of putting it back in the person's yard and seeing it on the news. Pretty much in cemetery and higher area. Police are certain it's being done by humans. Are cats being dropped there or are they from Aves.? Answer: Never found any blood on the scene. Are being taken from the area and brought back. We have 5 now. Hundreds have happened over the years. No other animals are mutilated-just cats. Going on for a long time. It is illegal for your cat to get on someone else's property. If it leaves your property it's at the mercy of who or whatever.

Legislature:

Paula Julander from LEGISLATURE. It's the slowest time ever known at legislature. Didn't have 2002-03 budget dental care. Concerns are showing up in her email. Have caused pain among some of our citizens. Architect to be selected next week for Capital Restoration. Redistricting has hurt many people. Take your neighbor to polls and really vote. Let's show we do go to polls and vote. Question: Is there any chance to get a Utah architect to work on capital? Absolutely. Have narrowed the options from 8 to 3. Can't hire only a Utah firm. Have to hire a Base Isolation Earthquake firm. Not a person with that qualification with a home office in Utah. Question: Why are we building more buildings when we have a budget shortfall? Money was set aside before shortfall. Looked for rental property for 3-4 years instead of building something. To use the Salt Palace the rent would cost more. It was the only thing big enough. Original plan had wings that would be office spaces. They are only being built now. Jim heard that two senior officials involved in historic preservation were labeling us after Rio Grande decision. Yes and there was also a change in dept. One of the people let go is an Aves resident. He doesn't know what the motivation was in letting him go. He had 18 yrs on the job. Becker has raised a question as to why this happened.

School Board:

Karen Derrick (SCHOOL BOARD) moving ahead on selection of supt. Interim one is Dale Manny, a former employee in district. He is available until we find one. National search team is assisting us in looking for a supt. Relationship with Supt. and board is different than many others as they are expected to operate as a team. Looking for someone that has the right fit and knowledge etc. Last night school board decided to move Wasatch and Ensign forward on retrofit. Wasatch will get 2 new classrooms. Might be 2 stories-- where kindergarten playground is. Ensign is getting 4 classrooms and maybe additional office space. This work is expected to begin next summer and hopefully finished by the beginning of the New Year. Last thing is something on news about negotiations with teachers. Usually done privately but this year teachers took it public. It's like a game that children play where one says one thing each whispers it in the ears of those around and by the time it gets all the way around it's an entirely different story. Contract they have with teachers is 5 years ahead and the board wants to look at issues like the length of day and are having a hard time getting teachers' attention. Comment: This is a public matter-this board is used to doing things in private. How does raising taxes help educate kids. Answer: Not promoting raising taxes. We are having to return $500.000 to businesses and have asked for about $5.00 per household to cover that. School board voted to allow destruction of recorded minutes and notes of meetings after they have been accepted and approved. This is common practice and as that can't all be stored. They just decided to make it policy instead of just practice. Don't want archives filled. Official minutes are available for many years. Question: What kind of role will Supt take in school closure? Will Supt have a say in Lowell? We will not make decision in isolation. Asking public for input about Supt. Submit info about what Supt ought to be aware of. Call 355 8232 for Karen.

Zoning:

Jim with ZONING. Existing zoning regulations are being brought into line with what's being done. Change is regarding landscaping yards which basically says that a yard can be covered with turf and ground cover and perennial plants that fit in with xeroscaping. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE didn't meet because of the holiday. Next one will be the 4th Wed of the month. Comment: It's dangerous to turn left coming out of Aves at State Street and 2nd Ave with 2 oncoming lanes turning right. That is UDOT's dept. Only 2 lanes for 3 lanes of traffic to turn into. Becker said they were looking at that issue. He wants them to install a left turn signal from Second Ave to State. Suggested they (UDOT) ask the Aves. about it. Linda Hull is one to speak to.

City Council:

Neither Eric of CITY COUNCIL or Smith's RECONSTUCTION representative is here.

South Temple Reconstuction:

Bob Beard for resurfacing of streets in Aves. Questions answered: Keeping traffic 2-way in utility phase. Now in paving phase they will do 1-lane traffic. Concrete work makes it one way. How much longer will you be paving Aves? To be done the 9th of Sept or about 2 weeks. Working their way west. Comment: Thank you--you have done a very good job. Slurry seals surface so water doesn't get down to sub-base and destroy roads. Heats helps seal it. Wasatch Elem at 1st Ave was done during school. Trying to work around school system. When will re-strike bike lane on 3rd Ave? They painted 2nd Ave. today or yesterday. Repainting will be done soon. Sidewalk replacement cards will be available.. Rotary park road up City Creek is bad up there. Bonneville drive is scheduled for next year and to be done all the way around.

John Sittner TREASURER:

Financial report of where we are in first 7 months of this year has profit of $4600. Would have to be subsidizing printing of our newsletter were it not for LDS hospital. In last 4 years our mailing costs have gone up 50%. Street fair usually has $1000-$3000 profit. Insurance has made it tougher for us. The difference in 2001 verses 2000 is mostly getting ads for the agenda/newsletter. Full year of advertising revenue will bring us back up. Typically we run between $3000-$4000 or even less. We have approx $40,000 in bank and estimate $4800 expenses. Street lighting holds money rather than in a separate saving acct. What happens to this money? Any expense over $500 has to be approved by the CC. Neither the Board nor John can direct spending. Anything consistent with past expenditures can be done without approval. Traffic study done with approval of $5000 but then John Price reimbursed us.

Ken Bronston AVES STREET FAIR:

Planning for street fair requires request for volunteers throughout because it's demanding. Tends to blow out people who do it year after year. A few people make a big difference. People have been nice about having it on their street. Probably will be losing some money this year--won't have $1000 from city and then a $500 contributor has bailed out this year. Last year the fair made $1187 and if we don't pick it up somewhere we will be in the red. Come here today to consider what to do for the money. Will be a lot of people participating as volunteers -for those who don't volunteer why not give time instead of money. Do some people feel good asking for contributions or willing to contribute yourself? John (treasurer) could take contributions and Ken would be responsible for collecting. More food this year than the past. Mark Shurtleff will be available to be dunked. Donations are tax deductible. Have planned a children's parade and they will get prizes at the end of it. Will be great entertainment as we always have. Very neighborly. Street fair on Sept 14.Thaks to Ken for doing it again this year as well as last.

LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF SALT LAKE:

Talking about 'And Justice for All' project. If you are involved in civil crime the state won't provide services for you. This is a Community Legal Center on 400 West 205 North--by SL Hardware. 5 organizations located in this bldg is one-stop shopping for all of our clients. Someone who is being abused by husband can get help here as well as if she is being evicted from her apt. Can come to one place and have all needs met. Saving money for overhead by having all services in one place. Obviously nothing comes free. Relocating cost $4 million. Have raised $2.6 million to date. Pitch to you is to get you to support this kind of cost. Donations would cover a variety of items from conference rooms to door latches. Would be and are very pleased with your participation. This supports entire community. Legislature appropriated $100,00 last year in memory of Pete Suazo. Handout that listed all their services was given. Services are free. Staff is paid. Consulting attorneys provide services probono. Utah Legal Services is largest in the organization. Have to qualify for legal aid defined by compensation from employment. Is there a waiting list? About 2 months long but shifts wildly over time. 2 years ago it was 8 months long. Last year it was 'get help immediately.' Comment from audience suggested you come to street fair and put up a booth, if you like.

Open Forum:

NAFTA here in library at 6:30 pm tomorrow (Aug 8).

For Street Fair T-shirts get someone to make a big quilt--She might buy it.

End:

Motion to adjourn 8:30 pm. Adjourned.

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