WHNA Meeting Minutes - 9/16/09

In attendance:
President – Sue Walter
Publisher – Tami Ross
Treasurer – Monica Boswell
Treasurer to be – Treloar Medd
Vice President – Jennifer Santori
Richard Russo
Mike & Jessica Kelly

Minutes Submitted by Treloar Medd

Meeting called to order at 8:05 at the Ross home.

1) Treasurer’s Report
a. 163 families in the neighborhood pay dues out of about 300 families.
b. The Treasurer’s recent expenses have been from the last Chronicle and she had to order checks.
c. She is still missing receipts from the summer party.

2) Traffic Calming Update
a. There was a meeting today with Denise Chaplick who is Morris County’s Principal Transportation Planner
b. Neighbors who attended were pleased with the meeting’s outcome and progress made to date; however, the neighborhood needs to keep the pressure on.
c. Chris and Aaron Turner are ready to turn the reigns over to a new neighborhood volunteer chairperson or team.
d. Richard called their cause a “long-distance race.” Both the town and township need to be involved. In addition, WHNA must decide upon their priorities – safety and/or aesthetics.
e. Denise said that you can’t rely on any one means to slow traffic. Using islands, signage, and raised walkways are all possibilities. There might be a flashing light at the Church of Christ Scientist for pedestrians. On Morris Ave. putting in a bike lane and cutting it down to two lanes with an island are also possibilities. However, that might make it difficult to pull out from Georgian onto Morris.
f. McCullough St. just made a big change, which could serve as our model. Not all of the neighbors there were behind it though. They didn’t want a speed bump in front of their house.
g. One of the meeting attendees said that we need to think about who we know who can influence people. Denise know the people who are involved in this process. Marty’s Cycle Shop might be able to bring visibility to our cause by using their monthly critical mass rides for our neighborhood.
h. Denise is going to create a summary of the meeting and give it to Rebecca, who, in turn, will distribute it to WHNA members via a meeting.
i. Sue agrees that there need to be clear goals and consensus among neighbors about what we want to happen

3) Halloween Party ‘09
a. The party will be on Rosemilt from 4-6 pm.
b. Kris Ferrerra and Tami are going to make a haunted house at their residence, but there is a question about how scary to make the experience, considering the age ranges of the children.
c. Tami would like to use the Chronicle as a place to ask neighbors to contribute props for the haunted house.
d. Tami would also like to ask for a volunteer to MC the party/contests.
e. This year we are forgoing a DJ (which would cost about $250) and using an Ipod plugged into the Ferrarra’s speakers instead.
f. Sue urged us to think about someone in the neighborhood whom we know who would be a good MC and gently urge him or her to volunteer.
g. The budget for the entire party is $700. We spent $725 in ’08.
h. This year, we will have goody bags for the winners of the children’s costume contests. There was discussion about whether to have prizes for the adult winners. One attendee suggested giving Morristown Bucks, which were used two years ago.
i. Tami asked if we could ask some neighbors who live near the party to bring over some of their garbage cans and take some garbage back home with them, since the garbage trucks don’t come till Wednesday morning (and the dump is closed on Sunday).

4) Chronicle
a. New neighbor info, business plugs, etc. are coming in floods to Tami.
b. Jen Santori took some of Tami’s questionnaires for new neighbors and new baby families to fill out for publishing in the next Chronicle.
c. Tami is going to include a recap of the summer party.
d. One attendee asked if we are going to have a WHNA “meet the candidates” night since there is a mayoral and council election on Nov. 2nd. Low attendance at past events was mentioned. Another attendee asked if we should put blurbs about the candidates in the Chronicle, but that idea was refuted given that it politicizes the paper and ruffles some feathers. It was decided that if there enough room that Tami can include the date and type of election taking place.
e. We discussed who was going to collect membership dues at the Halloween Party. Lucille Knapik is planning on doing that.
f. This October’s Chronicle is going to include dues envelopes.
g. The budget for October’s Chronicle is $185.

5) Holiday Party ‘09
a. Last year, the hosts used lots of their own wine, but there was lots of leftover beer, which seems to happen annually (beer left over).
b. Treloar will get recommendations from last year’s party.
c. This year’s budget is $750. Last year’s was $785.


6) Miscellaneous
a. Garbage cans are being left out on the streets too late.
b. Skunks are all over the neighborhood.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.