Targeted Investment Neighborhood (TIN) Launch

Saturday, April 15, 2014

Meeting Minutes of the 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!

 

1. Charlotte Jackson called the meeting to order and asked for each person attending to give their names and addresses.

  2. Officer Kong presented the Neighborhood Risk Assessment.

          ---there has been NO CRIME since our February 12th meeting.

          ---our vigilance in reporting unusual activities is one of the main

                 reasons.

          ---following the tips listed on the back of the Agenda is crucial

               (See list attached below)

          ---Off. Kong also reminded us about protecting any copper found on

              our houses.  Copper has a very high market value, so professional

              thieves are attracted and can strip it off in a matter of minutes.

           ---If you leave any metal items outside that you still want, keep it out

               of sight so scrappers won’t take it.

          ---He also said that legitimate “scrappers” will ask before they take

              something.

         ---there will be an opportunity to have the City pick up large items at

                no cost in May..(See below for information)

        --- you can always call places like Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation

            Army, etc., for a pick up if you don’t want to put large items on

            your tree lawn.

 

3. Alderman Murphy ..now President of the Common Council.

          ---discussed the need for legislation concerning scrap metal...note

              Off. Kong’s remarks above.

          ---up dated information on the Advanced Waste situation

                   ----Menominee Falls has reneged on the permit allowing AW to

                        move there…Ald. Murphy expects a long battle in the Courts.

                  -----Milwaukee expects AW to move out of the 38th St location

                        by September 2014.  If they don’t move, the City will be

                        aggressive about getting them out and this may result in a

                        long court battle.

                ------“Smell” reports still need to be reported to the City.

 

4. Heather Zydek   , a master gardener from Brew City Gardens, a new

    business on Vliet St. located next to Eat Cake, provided information on

    preparing, planting, nurturing and harvesting our local gardens. 

    Some of her suggestions and comments:

            ----locate the spot in your yard or space with the most sun exposure

            ----figure out which veggies you enjoy eating and use that as the

              guide to what you plant

          ----you can grow successful gardens in raised garden beds and

               containers

          ----most of your time will be weeding and watering your garden, but

                the harvest will make it all worth the time and effort

          ----don’t plant the same veggies in the same spot year after year.

               Rotate your “crops” as farmers do.

         ----her shop can provide guidance and supplies for soil building,

              composting, seeds, and all of the above

 

5. Martin Drive Community Garden

      ----Steve Falsetti, our “Garden Guy”, gave a brief history of the

             development of our MDNA community garden on 46th and Vliet St.

      -----this is the garden’s sixth anniversary

      -----beds are available for adoption and volunteers are needed

      -----no expertise or previous experience is needed...just an interest in

            working with an easy going group who like to grow stuff

     -----an informal organizing meeting will be held on Steve’s porch on

            Sunday, April 13th…or get in touch with him if you are interested

6.Victory Garden Blitz

           ----MDNA is eligible for twelve 4x8 feet raised garden

                beds for half price from the Victory Garden Initiative

                Organization

          ----those interested placed their names in a box, twelve names were

               chosen, and those folks had until Wednesday, April 16, 2014 to fill

               out the application and provide an eighty dollar check

7. Targeted Investment Neighborhood

          ------Pat Mueller, our TIN Coordinator, reported that applications are

                  beginning to come in and that she is planning more small “Block

                  coffees” to provide information on a more face-to-face basis.

8. Bloom and Groom

        ------Pat also reported that the Association may have to change the

                process for ordering, but she would keep neighbors informed and

                probably take orders at the Annual Meeting in May.Organizations

                participating in B and G can only work with Lowe’s. This will

                limit the size of our sale.  Pat will work with the Planning and

                Projects Committee to organize this event.  Flowers ordered will

                be  delivered on May 31st.

     --------Pat asked for help with painting two new garden benches in

               the Community Garden area. Watch the Martin Drive email

              list or call her for more information

    

9. Fundraiser Information

          ------Sharon Williams reported plans are being to come together for a

                  MDNA fundraising activity in late Sept. 2014 at the   

                 Washington Park Senior Center auditorium

          ------It will be a musical “review” featuring  Danny Gokey’s Sophia’s

                  Heart “glee”-type teen choir, many of Martin Drive’s talented

                  professional musicians and singers, and the Marcel Guyton

                  Band.

         ------Neighbors will be asked to help sell tickets and provide additional

                 items for sale the evening of the performance

         ------the next planning meeting is Monday, May 12th 6:30 to 8: pm call

                 933-6800 for the place…it is in the neighborhood.

                Anyone interested in helping develop this activity please

                attend.

10.  Neighborhood Clean-Up Day

       ------The Association is asking neighbors to come out on Saturday

                morning May 10th to clean up their block, and other

                designated areas.

      ------Meet on 44th and Juneau to get gloves and bags.  The City

              will also provide free pick up of many large unwanted items and

              yard waste.  See the next issue of the MDNA newsletter for more

              information.

 

 

SAVE THE DATE:   ANNUAL MEETING 

                                   SATURDAY, MAY 17TH   10:00 TO 12:00

                                   WASHINGTON PARK SENIOR CENTER

        

 

 

 

Ideas:
1. Get a phone number from a neighbor if you are coming home and want an extra set of eyes to welcome you home.
2. You control the traffic in the neighborhood. Take your foot off the pedal and take a look as you go home.
3. Call 911 for crimes in progress.

4. Use your porch light – We can’t get a good description if we can’t      see.
5. Report suspicious activity immediately. Call the police at 414-933-4444, then press 9. This is good for quality of life crimes. The suspect is typically not cited or arrested when there is no victim (calling anonymously does not help). There are examples of it working where neighbors accept no excuse when a problem is bothersome.

 

 

Parking Enforcement – Chronic Parking Problems 414-286-8350

Be prepared to have license plate number, address, description and problem

 

Report at any nonworking streetlights to Milwaukee City Electrical (414) 286-3481 24/7. Be prepared to give an address and location along with the light behavior (I.e. out / on and off / blinking). 

If you believed any trees need to be trimmed to improve lighting around a streetlight feel free to contact Alderman Murphy's Office. 414-286-3763

 

Submitted by Terry McCauley and Sharon Williams