Minutes from the July 11th 2005 Meeting
of the Martin Drive Neighborhood Association
Twenty-eight neighbors gathered to
improve, praise, and express concerns about our neighborhood. As usual we
had new neighbors as well as the seasoned people who have history with this
neighborhood including one from 1948 to some from 2005. We agree that
this is a good place to live. We also recognized that there are problems
when people do not respect others.
Some of the neighbors' concerns
involved garbage and firecrackers. (1.) One involved the need to bag
garbage rather than just tossing it in the containers. Bagging,
especially tying the bags, prevents losing pieces on the street. The household
people then need to clean up after the garbage pick-up has been through the
street. A neighborhood is labeled by the amount of litter in the
gutters. Simply put, we have no need for litter. (2.) 45th Street has
split garbage days, due to the fact that the city now has combined garbage
pick-up. Trash is supposed to include all items smaller than 2
sofas. All garbage carts are due back in place within 24 hours of the
pickup. Therefore we are given the night before pickup to the evening
of the day of pickup. . Maggie became rather boisterous about carts being
returned immediately to the point of storage. Maggie promises she will be
giving calls to neighbors who leave their carts out more than the 24 hours.
It just really makes the neighborhood look bad for all of us. (3.)
Firecrackers continue to be illegal. The noise causes unrest and fear as
well as the concern of the possibility of a fire resulting from the fall out of
the explosive material.
Washington Park
was to have an art truck in the park area from noon to four from July 18-22 for
kids from 4 - 14 years of age. Volunteers are needed to assist the people
in the truck near the boathouse. Lois, Pat, Linda and Cathy volunteered
to help with this program.
There was a reminder from Pat M.
that Jazz in the Park will continue through the month of July. On August
14th, Afternoon in the Park will be a call to all neighbors to come enjoy this
wonderful gem known as Washington
Park. There will be
food vendors, artists, and general picnic type activities. Here is your
chance to get to know more neighbors.
Sharon reminded us of the all neighborhood
rummage sale for July 23rd from 9 to 1PM. She will make contact with the
participants from the previous two years. Larry Gietl will make signs for
each street plus two large ones for Vliet
Street and Highland.
Our next dumpster day will be
August 5 between 42nd and 43rd
Street.
Ada stated that the newsletter Martin
Drive Trolley News was ready for editing with the hope that it would be
delivered the week of the meeting. We are grateful to the small group of
people who make this item possible. They are always looking for more
hands and eyes.
*Officer Thomas Kupsik, our
community liason, listened and offered informative words of encouragement
concerning some of the problems addressed by neighbors. The City of Milwaukee has a nuisance
ordinance that bans loud cars, obnoxious noise after 10:00 in the evening, and
loitering with intent to be intimidating. The number to call during the
day to report such negative activity is 935-7733. The more details the
caller presents, the better the chance of change. However, all of this
does take time. Three calls concerning one address in one month, provides
cause for a citation.
Positive comments included
recognition of Ada's
birthday, pleasure from the diversity of the people, enjoyment of the fresh
cookies, and the wonderful results of the renovation the bandshell.
Our next neighborhood meeting will
be August 8th at 1219 N. 45th
Street from 6:30 to 7:30. We will be
interested in follow-up on the issues that most troubled neighbors. See Officer Kupsik's information.*
Maggie B. 7-22-05