June 2021 Meeting Minutes

Attendees:

• 5 execs – Mark Keller, president; Rachel Booth 1^st VP; Tracy Kraft 2^nd VP; Holly Diflora Treasurer’ Heath MacAlpine, Membership Secretary
• 15 neighbors, some in-person, some on Zoom
• Guest speaker, South Park neighbor Rosie Kennedy representing Girl Scouts of America, Troop 33313.

Call to order: 7:05 pm, Hope Lutheran Church downstairs dining room.

Crime Report:

Fireworks season is upon us. Please educate yourself on which fireworks are legal. Officer Bunch wasn’t able to attend but Anticrime Chair Tracy tells us that If  there’s something you’ve called about and need and update, you can email him at [email protected] or reach out to HSPI at [email protected]. As always, if you see something, say something – such as people on your porch, in your yard or alley, call 937-333-COPS, the non-emergency number. If someone appears disoriented and in need of medical help, you can ask for the Mobile Crisis Team.

Minutes from the May 2021 meeting were approved.

Guest Speaker: Rosie Kennedy, Girl Scout, told of the GSA initiative to recycle bottle caps put the resulting recycled outdoor furniture in local parks.

Committee Reports:

Housing + Development: Chair Mark Keller reminds us: Always get a Certificate of Appropriateness for work on the exterior of your historic home. Call Holly Hornbeak 937-333-4271. Thank you to Tanza Everding for tracking down the property manager of 424 Hickory oh behalf of those interested in the status of that long-abandoned property.

Parks: The committee is late on getting mulch and fixing the fence around Blommel Park that was hit by a car and installing bollards to prevent cars from entry. Work continues on renewing the beds in South Park Green. The first “wine & weed” event will be held June 30^th at the Gazebo.

Social:  The first Porch, Patio and Deck party is scheduled for July 17, 6-9pm at 106 Park Drive. Individual-serve will be catered rather than a carry-in due to lingering Covid-19 concerns.  Also, for those neighbors wishing/asking about neighborhood music festivals, you can apply for a $1000-$1000 City of Dayton mini-grant for that purpose.

Marketing/Communications:  Thank you to Nick Vanderpool and his team of street captains for distributing the New Neighbor Guides. We’ll continue to give them out as needed.

President’s Report:   We are pressing Verizon for comprehensive information on the installation of 5G towers throughout South Park. We have asked for input into the plan for the excessively tall poles Verizon plans to install as we are concerned about their impact on the aesthetics of our historic neighborhood. Meanwhile, please volunteer for your neighborhood; there are many opportunities to contribute. If you need funds for a neighborhood project you’d like to lead, funds are available through the City of Dayton Mini-grants. HSPI will act as your fiscal agent.

Treasurer’s Report:  For month of May 2021: We remain very strong financially with a balance of $11,827.87. Income: dues $223.04. Expenses: $751.25 for 100 Earth Day t-shirts; design and printing of New Neighbor Guide $1,407.25; memorial spruce tree $161.25.

Membership Report: Thank you for joining and supporting the work of Historic South Park Inc. Memberships continue to come in online. If you have any questions about membership, call Heath MacAlpine at 937-313-4040 or email [email protected].

New business/Unfinished business:

Shakespeare in South Park asked HSPI for $2000 to be set aside for its fall production. Members voted yes.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Shakespeare in South Park: Producers Galen Wilson and Phyllis Tonne announced their staging of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest, three free performances September 10, 11, 12 outdoors in South Park Green.

Heath MacAlpline is working with the League of Women Voters for an educational session about the drawing of voting districts. More on that later.

David Esrati encouraged neighbors for familiarize themselves with the idea of ranked choice voting which is explained on his website Reconstructing Dayton.  David also expressed disapproval of neighbors were informally/online discussing the impact of airBNB properties on South Park. President Mark Keller responded that HSPI has taken no official stance on the matter, and its mission is limited to any property that is blighted/neglected or a nuisance, in which case HSPI will bring that to the attention of both the property owner and the City.

Jordan Rowe, owner of South Park Tavern, asked if there was a way to work with HSPI on landscaping their parking lot. Mark Keller responded that we’re open to talking with them about what can be done to help with plantings.

Meeting adjourned, 8:02 PM.

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