GACC Community Council Meeting
5 September 2007

GACC Board members in attendance: Michael Hughes, Phil Carroll, John Sittner, Ruth Morgan, Jill Van Langeveld, Thella Mae Christensen, Kat Kivett, Charla Allen, Jim Jenkin, Jaynie Brown, Dave Jonsson, Walter Jones, Wayne Green, Shane Carlson, Judith Locke, Ann Tillson.

Meeting started approximately 7:05 p.m.

General Information

• Michael Hughes announced an agenda change: The topic of renaming Reservoir Park has been tabled for the time being, so Rick Graham will not be on the agenda for tonight’s meeting

Reports

• Sweet Branch Library Assistant Manager Adrienne Juarez

  • Upcoming art exhibit starting on Sept. 17th—Michael Vincent Wright (Avenues Artist)

  • Upcoming “How To” programs: Sept. 4—Make a Zine, Oct. 23—Repair a Relationship

Nov. 13—Publish Your Own Book

• Partnering with LDS Hospital for a grief support group

• Tickets for Dewey Lecture series are available free (4 per person)

• Manager Alveeda Lauscher out with broken hip for 3-4 weeks.

• Police (Roger Williams)

  • Went through different crime reports (rape, robbery, assault, fire, car crimes)

  • Fire at 619 East 5th Avenue has been determined as an arson, now in the hands of the Fire Department, Roger will call Fire Investigation team to see if he can get an update

  • Avenues resident brought attention to graffiti vandalism at Ensign Elementary, targeting Principal Miller. The grafitti appeared on the day of registration and first day of school

  • Speeding problems throughout Avenues, bullet bike races during early morning hours.

• Legislative (Scott McCoy)

• Special session over—kept school district equalization issue from becoming law, task force was created to find a solution for equalization issue, Scott is a member of the task force which is working on solutions.

• City Council (Eric Jergensen)

  • 75% of speeding problems in neighborhoods comes from residents themselves, general reminder to watch our own speed

  • Working on legislation for absentee landlords—holding them responsible for their properties, would require landlords to get a license to rent (for controlling nuisance and property upkeep issues)

  • Explained new taco stand ordinance

• Street Fair (Ruth Morgan)

  • General reminder of upcoming Street Fair on Saturday, September 8th

  • T-shirts and tote bags available and shown.

• Housing (Shane Carlson)

  • Still waiting for a response from City Planning Department on following issues: side entry, side setback, accessory structures on accessory lots, and the house on 9th and G. GACC will write a rebuttal to the upcoming Board of Adjustment hearing where an approval of the excess height of 9th and G will be considered.

• Transportation (Jim Jenkin)

  • Reviewed bus route changes—UTA basically ignored suggestions from Jim and Eric Jergensen

  • Another call for residents to obey traffic laws and a reminder that school is in session again

• Mayor’s Office (Gwen Springmeyer)

  • Reminder to vote on Sept. 11

  • Reviewed City calendar, which was also handed out to meeting attendees

Agenda Items

• Mikelle Moore—LDS Hospital Update

• Reviewed the updated Master Plan

• Summary of PowerPoint presentation also available in handout

• LifeFlight will still land but will not be home based at LDS Hosp.

• No buildings are being torn town in the next 5 years

• Information for qualification for free services can be found on IHC website

• Anne Allen is contact person for Emergency Preparedness plans

• Scott McCoy and Ann Alba—Police Citizen Review Board (PCRB)

  • Scott McCoy is current acting chair for PCRB

  • Made up of 14 members, two from each city council district

  • Provide civilian oversight of SLPD; specifically complaints by citizens

  • PCRB must review complaints about excessive use of force

  • PCRB has an advisory-only role

  • PCRB members can meet with police chief and mayor if feel very strongly about differing opinions

  • Training by police department includes the following:

• Two 4-hour ride alongs, Cultural diversity training, Mini police academy, Gangs, K9, Internal affairs, Firearms

• Can’t review anything until complete ALL training

• Ordinance requires extensive training because citizens are being asked to judge police officer conduct and need to understand what they do and how and why they do it

• Stephanie Duer—Xeriscape Demonstration Garden

  • Reviewed design concept, which is based on different types of vegetation regions in Utah

  • Reviewed idea for benches to be created from boulders

  • Discussed ideas for what to put in the circle in the garden; possible suggestions included a sun dial, solar-powered fountain, drinking fountain, art/sculpture from local artists; boulder sculpture with drinking facets coming out of it and a trough-like feature for dogs
    It was decided that this issue would not be decided at the meeting. Stephanie will send email asking people for input and ideas and will return to the October GACC meeting for a final vote.

  • Reviewed options for irrigation:

    • Full irrigation would cost 35-40K, Currently set up for manual irrigation using couplers, Subterranean irrigation company is looking for a demonstration site, Stephanie would like to contact irrigation company and see if the garden could be their demo site. If not, suggests we go with couplers.

  • Motion was made by John Sittner to:

Accept the design concept as presented, Accept the benches being made from boulders, Contact irrigation company to see if they will donate services for the garden. If they won’t, then we go with the couplers for irrigation and the Avenues takes responsibility for irrigating the garden. Gwen Springmeyer seconded the motion. Voting was unanimous in the affirmative. Motion passed.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:25 p.m. The GACC apologizes to the library staff for the late ending of the meeting.