WHNA Meeting Minutes – March 16, 2010

The WHNA meeting was held at the home of Sue and Keith Walter of Olmstead Road, and was called to order at 8:12pm. Attendees included: Sue Walter, Tami Ross, Treloar Medd, Michele Lucas, Rebecca Feldman and Lucille Knapik.

Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the January 2010 WHNA meeting were approved by Tami Ross will be posted to the WHNA blog.

Treasurer’s Report (Treloar Medd)
o WHNA checking account balance as of March 16 was $2833
o Dues for 2010 was received from 129 residents to date
o A budget of $2940 was established for 2010 based on planned activities and 2009 expenditures; the goal is to spend to budget each year

Old Business:

Chronicle Newsletter (Tami Ross)
o Residents provided positive feedback on the February issue of The Chronicle, citing it was informative and substantive
o Lucille Knapik will mail a copy of the Chronicle to the Town and Township Mayors’ office, Town Council members, etc
o The WHNA board suggested spreading the word to local realtors to print a copies of the newsletter from the WHNA blog and leave them for prospective buyers at neighborhood open houses
o Next edition is planned for late May or early June

Traffic Calming Update (Rebecca Feldman)
o WHNA board will continue to drive resident awareness of neighborhood traffic calming issues and related initiatives
o Neighborhood meetings, open to all residents, will be held in April to review the key concerns, review recommendations from the “walkability report”, and determine next steps
o Washington Avenue: Meeting will be held on Monday, April 12th at 7:00 pm at the Nosofsky’s, 98 Washington Ave.
o Morris Ave: Meeting will be held on Sunday, April 18th (time TBD), at the home of Deb Reegan, 1 Tiffany Road.
o Resident participation is strongly encouraged

Historical Initiatives
o Arnold’s Tavern Sign (Lucille Knapik)
o Lucille Knapik has received preliminary approval from the State’s historical society to move the location of the sign from Morris Ave near Jacob Ford Village to the national park/Ford Mansion site.
o The goal is to raise $1500 for repair of the sign; fund raising efforts will begin after official approval on the sign’s new location is received
o George Washington Statue Triangle Update (Rebecca Feldman)
o Repair and renovation of the statue and triangle is necessary, to address safety concerns, ADA accessibility and overall aesthetics
o Rebecca Feldman will spearhead a project to repair and re-landscape the area, as well as establish a budget (the statue is not on the historical register to so repair/renovation does not qualify for grant funds)
o Although the triangle is Morristown property and is not owned or maintained by the National Historical Park, there may be an opportunity to present the triangle’s repair and renovation plan for possible integration with the Park’s Mansion and Museum plan
o WHNA would submit a formal request to the National Historical Park Commission
o National Historical Register (Sue Walter)
o After the February Chronicle article, residents have expressed interest in pursuing historical designation for Washington’s Headquarters Neighborhood
o Sue Walter will continue researching requirements and will begin seeking a grant writer to apply for funding

WHNA Slate of Officers
o The following board positions remain open for the 2011-2012 term: Vice President and Recording Secretary
o A Chronicle Editor position is also available
o Interested residents should contact Sue Walter via the WHNA mailbox

Summer Party/Volleyball Tournament
o Residents have expressed interest in attending such an event, however a chair person and planning committee is required
o The event will be cancelled if a resident chairperson does not volunteer

Halloween Party
o Chair person and planning committee are also required for the 2010 Halloween event
o It was suggested that the party be held on Oak Lane, however no volunteers have expressed interest in hosting/chairing as of yet

New Business:

Meet the Mayors Event
o A Meet the Mayors event was socialized, however it was determined that resident attendance would likely be low as we move into the busy spring season
o Another idea being considered is a neighborhood cocktail party with an invitation extended to the Town and Township Mayors (possibly at the Westin/Governor Morris)
o Residents will receive an update via email if such an event is confirmed

Upcoming WHNA Meetings
o Tuesday, May 18 at 8pm (host Annie Acken of Washington Ave)
o Tuesday, July 20 at 8pm (host Treloar Medd of Georgian Road)

The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 pm.