Minutes from the January 10, 2011 5:30 pm

Meeting of Martin Drive Neighborhood Association

WASHINGTON PARK SENIOR CENTER - 4420 W Vliet Street

The mission of the Martin Drive Neighborhood Association, through its programs and projects, is to embrace and foster a sense of belonging and common purpose, in order to create a neighborhood that is beautiful, diverse, secure, and fun for everyone!

 

A light dinner was served. Thank you Birdie's Cafe.

 

1.      Welcome - Neighbors introduced themselves and said where they were lived. Amy Peterson of 43rd Street led the meeting. 

 

2.      2010 Accomplishments/Committee Recruitment

·         Curb Appeal Project with 50 beds of flowers for neighbors to plant in front of their homes

·         Active Participants in the Third Police District Community Networking  and Third District Block Watch Council meetings.

·         Summer Picnic with 90 neighbors participating

·         An email list serve to contact over 245 neighbors.

·         Five other list serves to help members of Martin Drive Neighborhood Committees communicate to each other.

·         A facebook page with over 190 fans.

·         A new website, www.martin-drive.org

·         A farmer's market right across the street from the neighborhood

·         Community Pies Project using fruit from the neighborhood

·         Helped with the Washington Bark Dog Day at Washington Park a fundraiser for UEC

·         Participated/promoted in the Concerts in Washington Park

·         A neighborhood-wide rummage sale in July with 45 neighbors participating and it's wide promotion on various websites.

·         Continuing a tradition since 1995 of having Night-Time trick and Treating.

·         Continuing a tradition of caroling in December followed with a holiday pot-luck party

·         Went back to Block Rep representing their blocks and 10 other committees to organize neighbors with a lead "Organizer" for each.

·         Installed 25 high efficiency and bright porch light on neighbors' homes.

·         Selected for 88.9 Radio Milwaukee  "Neighborhood Project" where residents from Martin Drive were featured for one minute of every hour for one week in interviews on the radio. 

·         Selected for  Milwaukee Urban Gardens Fall Tour as a tour stop.

·         Added 2 beds for vegetables at the Martin Drive Community Gardens.

·         Changed a neighborhood-wide meeting schedule to once every two months, with meetings of the MDNA committees occurring as needed with its members.

·         Three newsletters delivered to 600 households in the neighborhood, written and put together by neighbors.

·         New neighbor packets delivered to twenty new neighbors.

·         A first-year of a new Program & Planning Committee planning agendas for neighborhood-wide association meetings.

 

3.      Recognition

Pat Devitt, Linda Devitt, Pat Mueller, Maggie Blaha, Nelda Womack, Ada Rouse, Al and Betty Siemsen were recognized with a framed photo of the Community Garden

 

4.  “Digging in for 2011” An idea was explained that new events for Martin Drive, were not a priority. Instead the neighborhood would look for ways to make events and activities better, "Going Deeper". Ideas were shared such as having booths at the summer picnic to help neighbors connect to available resources, and using more staples to attach holiday red bows to trees.

 

Distributed list of Neighborhood Committees and asked for new participation on Committees. 

 

Please contact Shirley Drake (414-313-9476) if you are interested in participating in any of the MDNA committees listed below:

 

·        Finance:   Track the MDNA budget and manage the distribution of funds

·        Welcome:  Be the first point of contact for new neighbors

·        Picnic:  Organize the “Summer Sizzle” neighborhood picnic

·        Halloween:  Organize the nighttime Trick or Treat event

·        Holiday:  Organize the distribution of bows and holiday caroling

·        Garden:  Organize the initial planting season and on-going maintenance

·        Rummage:  Organize the advertisement and execution of this one day event

·        Newsletter:  Organize the publication of the newsletter

·        Projects & Programming: Creates the agenda for the Association meeting, and actively think about projects

 

Adjournment

Neighbors shared several reasons why they like to live in Martin Drive. The meeting ended at 7:45 p.m.