The Sweet Librarian gave a review of all the fun things happening in the Library.

They are trying to bring in nationally recognized speakers. We are having Harold ? who writes for Newsweek. It is a wonderful opportunity. We have a few tickets; ask for them at the Library.

We are also programming with Museums in the community: Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Red Butte Gardens, etc. We have a ticket that you can use to get in; obtain it at the Library.

We also partner with 7 fine arts performances, Ballet West, Rire-Woodbury, Symphony, etc . Each family can get two per year. Ask at the Library.

For children, we have Wednesday mornings reading, (Book Baby and Pre-school Story Time) that we focus on Emergent Literacy.

We are having a Valentine program for Children, they can make them at the Library. So come with children and make a beautiful valentine.

We also have a book read for adults: “SWEET READ” once a month. It is held the last Tuesday of the month at 2:00 in the afternoon.

We are trying to do the kinds of programs you like so please give us suggestions if we need it. slcpl.org

[Note, at this point there was a fire in the back room that Steve Mecham noticed through the window behind him, so we had a brief interlude to put out the small fire, which was a box left on the stove in the kitchen, and then continued.]

May 13th will be the Memory Grove Clean-up so please contact Phil Carroll to sign up to be on the committee: 328-1081

POLICE REPORT FOR THE AVENUES:

Aggravated Assaults - 3

-- A gentleman walking in the Avenues reading a book and a man jumped out and hit or cut him in the nose. No motive, no theft involved.

-- A fight over popcorn between roommates – severe beating involved

-- Another roommate fight with bat and knife

Burglaries - 7

Auto thefts cars located and returned - 13

Auto burglaries – 13

The police officer gave a plug for Neighborhood Watch; they are very interested in having people set up a program in their neighbors. Please call Jill Van Langeveld to give suggestions to get this program up and better running in the Avenues.

CITY COUNCIL - Eric Jergensen:

Train whistles- Engineers are required to blow whistles at all the intersection. Some hold whistles down from 6th North to somewhere way south, disturbing sleepers at night. So we have been working with the State to solve this problem. It has cost money to get this problem solved and re-work the train line. Union Pacific, the State, the City, and the Federal Government all put money into this project to the tune of $52 million. Ralph Becker and I recently attended a press conference on Grants Tower (the big turn north and west of the Gateway), announcing that the tight curve line which caused trouble will be made more easy to maneuver. The trains from Union Pacific will no longer use the 9th South line, so it is opened for trails and open space. We also developed quiet circles so the train whistles will likely used in those areas.

There is a problem with the zoning requirements in the Capitol Hill area allowing higher buildings, so an over-lay was created to bring that height down, limiting them to 45 feet. He suggested we make a motion rejecting the 75 feet. If the existing building burns/falls down in an earthquake, they can build up to the height they had. But if they pull the building down the new building is held to the 45 foot limits.

Call me if you have questions or concerns: 532-4844. You do such great things, people are in admiration of you as a community council wherever I go.

TRAFFIC: Jim Jenkin: I regret to say that we did have a fatality in the Avenues. On Friday 13th a 90 year old man was walking, and someone turning left hit him. He was pronounced dead at arrival in the hospital. When it is dark we have to be much more careful, for if someone

Do everything you can when you drive in the Avenues, to watch out for pedestrians. Be especially careful.

OPEN FORUM: Global Warming is a great concern to me. Does the Council have the power to make a resolution asking the State to adopt a resolution? Yes, come to the Board Meeting and make a request. We have, in the past, made a resolution to adopt the most stringent air-quality standards and we sent it Gov. Leavitt.

REPORT OF BUDGET OPERATIONS FOR 2005:

BALANCE SHEET:

Cash in checking: $10,003

CD Maturing in Nov. at 3.4% $49,630

IRS: held by the IRS until we get non-profit application in: $4847

Total Assets: $67.656

LIABILITIES:

Street Light Reserves: $1223.98

INCOME STATEMENT in $2005

Street Fair: $6,120

Newsletter: $1100

Postage increase will cost more this year, costing us $900 more a year, so we may increase the rate of the ads.

The LDS Hospital prints our newsletter for free as a community service. If we increase the size of our newsletter they will no longer be able to print it.

HOUSING COMPATIBILITY COMMITTEE REPORT – Shane Carlson:

Housing Overlay in the SR1 to the City Zoning Ordinance, will be done by the Committee. If you have concerns you want to share, please come and participate and make comments. We meet: Feb. 6, 13, 22, 27 in the Library at 7:00 pm except the 13th, which will be at 6:30 pm.

He gave some definitions:

In-fill Ordinance: This is where land is mostly developed; focuses mainly on remodeling.

An SR1 Overlay: Gives different specification. (The overlay applies to the subset).

Over-the-counter: You go to city planning, if your dimensional limits match, you get permit quickly.

Block-face: Usually where your property faces.

Development pattern: 3 properties on a block-face comprise a block-face; they determine what you can do on your property.

Set-back: the difference of your home from your property line.

Rear set-back: Building height limit at the midpoint of the house.

Roof line: measured at the peak.

Lot coverage: what you can cover with your building and garage- 40% for a counter permit.

CITY LOBBYIST LEGISLATIVE REPORT: Land use regulations: Senate bill 170 by Al Mansell gutted all language authority at the local level. A substitute bill will be substituted that will cover most of these issues. Some are: the “Private Property Ombudsman” (which takes a look at what is right when government takes your property) will no longer be in Natural Resources but in the office of Economic Development. If you take your complaint to them, the Ombudsman decides against you, and you continue in court, the loser of the court case must pay the attorney fees of the other party.

He is making another law for Referendum, which lets citizens initiate laws.

MAYOR’S OFFICE: Gwen Springmeyer:

Calendar Items:

This Friday and Saturday: SLC Winter Fest at the Gallivan Center, all free, all fun.

2nd Wednesday is Open Day with the Mayor. You can call and schedule a few minutes private time with him once a month.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT –Rep. Becker and McCoy

You can track the issues you are interested in on the State Web site, which is very user friendly. It is www.le.utah.gov . You can type in the name of the issues you are concerned with, can see who is sponsoring a bill, and you can sign up to see what is happening daily with the bills you are interested in. (Go to: www.le.utah.gov/asp/billtrack/track.asp) You can email the bill sponsor (find their email on the Senate or Legislative Roster), or call them, or speak at committee hearings. You need to check very early in the morning to see when committee meetings are, because sometimes they have 8:00 a.m. meetings.

Referendum question (Sen. Mansell’s bill) We have almost constrained the ability of the citizens to initiate laws. This legislation would almost wipe out the ability of the citizens to make laws.

Grama Laws (dealing with access to Government information access) are a great concern to us: (Good government is transparent government) John Dean said, “Secrecy is animated democracy.” Some laws make it more difficult to access government information. Senator Thomas has 3 different bills, the Senate amended them dramatically. He has two others. One question is whether or not our emails are open. We will be watching these. Please email and make your voice known.