SUMMIT MEETING NOTES
April 10, 2008
Location: McAuley High School

 ACTION ITEMS

The key action items as agreed to in this meeting are as follows:

ATTENDEES: (See Abbreviation Key)

ABSENT:

AGENDA

• Welcome and Introductions
• Host Greetings
• Agenda Review & Modification

• Review of Minutes from Last Month’s Meeting

• Opening Prayer

• Special Announcements

• Review of Action Items from Last Month’s Meeting

• CHBA Update

• CPOP/COP/CPD

• CHCURC Update

• Housing Team

• Schools

• Ministerium

• Community Activities & Announcements

DISCUSSION: 

1.   Special Announcements

None

2.   Review of March 2008 Minutes
The minutes for the March meeting were approved, and will be forwarded for uploading to the website.

3.   Review of Action Items from Previous Meetings

Mtg with Rep Mallory – Sheena is still waiting to hear from Rep Mallory’s office for possible dates.   She will update us as soon as she has more information.

4.   CHBA – by Sheena Parton

-         CHBA Annual Dinner – Will be held April 15 at 6 pm.   There will be two speakers, Roxanne Qualls, Cincinnati City Council Member, and Professor M. Triantafillou, University of Cincinnati College of Design & Architecture..

-         EZ Mart Liquor License  - The hearing for the EZ Mart Liquor License was held, with great community support and attendance.   Another hearing will be scheduled.

-         Cameras – A mini-grant was applied for with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful.

-         Probation Office - CHBA clarified with the city that the new probation office in College Hill will only cover Northside and College Hill, not other communities like North College Hill.  If other communities want a similar substation, they will need to go through the process College Hill went through to get one.   The Probation Office will soon do a sweep of the community to check the status of all people on probation.

5.   CPOP/CPD/COP/Court Watch – by Jim Bodmer & Capt Dave Bailey

§         CPD handed out a flyer for their open house on May 16, 2008, from 9 am to 1 pm.  Everyone is welcome.   Address is 1012 Ludlow.

§         The area behind the old Pleasant Hill School has become a gathering place for kids.   CPS is going to ask CPS for lights to be installed.

§         Copper and other metal thefts continue to rise.   CPD is looking at a coordinated regional crackdown on scrap dealers.   Capt Bailey has visited one in Camp Washington and warned them they risk getting shut down for failing to follow existing regulations. 

§         District 5 is pushing for College Hill to become part of the Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP), a coordinated city approach to address multiple issues in a neighborhood during a 90 day blitz.   This has worked well in other neighborhoods, and Capt Bailey believes it could work as well in College Hill.

§         District 5 has applied to get two walking police officers in the Business District through approved overtime.

§         A review of College Hill crime stats for March 2008 showed some items increased while others decreased.

CPOP observed that a many problems are now around EZ Mart.  A lot of old time trouble makers are back.  

Court Watch is continuing to be effective.   Many judges are now listening to community participants.

6.   CHCURC Update – by Marty Weldishofer

Annual Meeting – the CHCURC Annual Meeting was well attended, with 150 people.

Linden Park – The Sales Center opened March 5.  Hours are Thursday 4-7 pm, Saturday & Sunday 1-4 pm.  Everyone is encouraged to visit so that we can more effectively promote this development to others.  There are currently 2 solid reservations out of nine condos, and there are 13 more people inquiring.

Business District Marketing – A new brochure for marketing the business district has been completed, and a draft was passed around. 

Fire –the building at the northwest corner of Hamilton and Marlowe had a serious fire.   It’s not clear if the owner will be able to rebuild.   CHCURC is willing to take over the property and develop it if the owner will sell.

Eastern Star Property – the city has the money set aside to demolish the old Eastern Star building this spring.   However, no money is available to purchase the old Kroger property.

7.   Housing Team – by Dave Scharfenberger

o       There will be a ground breaking on June 5^th for the first house to be built by WIN.  The date was chosen to coordinate with the city to help celebrate National Homeownership Month.   City officials will be present in the morning for the formal ceremony, then the team will put on a dinner for the residents of the immediate neighborhood in the evening.

o       The house that will be built will be Leed certified, a new standard for energy conservation and efficiency.

o       Another property, at 1402, is progressing as well.   The garage was torn down with the help of parolees, and WIN is now getting bids to tear down the house.  

o       Another property on Lantana will be rehabbed.

Fr. George shared that the house next to St. Clare church, now owned by St. Clare, will be rehabbed as well.

8.   School Updates:

McAuley High School – by Cheryl Sucher

Cheryl gave a verbal report on McAuley.  Highlights included:

§         Enrollment is 791 students.

§         Next year, the technology/laptop program will be fully integrated into the curriculum.  Freshman tuition will include individual laptops.

§         The daily schedule is being changed to two 80 minute classes and four 50 minute classes.

§         This summer, the school will hold 14 Athletic summer camps for kids in the 2^nd grade through the 7^th grade.

§         The final touches to the $2.7 million dollar renovation of the auditorium have been completed.  All asbestos is gone, the orchestra pit will now lift up to stage level, and air conditioning has been added.   This coming Friday & Saturday nights will be the official opening of the auditorium to the community with the play, The Wizard of Oz.

§         This year’s fund raiser will have the theme of “An Affair to Remember in Barcelona”.  It will be held April 19.

§         McAuley will host Choir Cincinnati (from the TV show Clash of the Choirs) for a program the day before Mothers Day, May 10, at 7 pm.    Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

§         McAuley has initiated a new program in partnership with the Mercy Foundation called Women in Medicine.   This is a pre-med curriculum for girls with a high grade point average with an interest in medicine.   Cheryl shared that her connection with Mercy Foundation was through her participation in the Summit, where she met Peggy A'Hearn and Paul Hiltz.

Aiken College & Career Update – by Karen Barrett

Karen handed out a written summary, and discussed key highlights which included:

§         There are now 188 students signed up to attend Aiken 9^th grade.   Finding space is a challenge.

§         There will be another Men of Aiken on May 2.

§         April 15, Eric Thomas and Paul McMillan will give a talk to the Strategy Committee of CPS School Board about the 9^th grade male initiative.

§         OGT (Ohio Graduation Testing) went very well, and they are looking forward to receiving the results.

Steve Rossi shared that Aiken was awarded a grant for the Play It Smart program, which provides an academic coach to work with football players.  The goal is to increase grades, ACT/SAT scores, increase the number of football players going on to college, and involve football players in community service.  Long tem, they would like to expand this program to all student athletes.  Please forward all community service ideas to Steve.

Aiken is also working with alums to get support to clean up / repair the athletic stadium.   They would like to have varsity teams play there instead of at Taft.

Pleasant Hill Academy – by Treena Goodwin

Treena shared a few key events for Pleasant Hill, which included:

§         Achievement testing is the last week o April

§         65 men attended their Breakfast for Fathers, a higher than expected number

§         They will hold a Parent Training Institute at the Vernon Manor.  Parents who complete the course will get a $500 grant for a school project.

Catholic Schools – by Fr. George

Fr. George indicated that there are 3 regional schools for 10 parishes, resulting in 7 empty school buildings.   While this is better for the students, the churches are challenged to develop new uses for the empty buildings. 

9.   Children’s Hospital Update – by Joan Burger

May is Mental Health Month, and Children’s Hospital will have its 7^th annual Mental Health Symposium on May 29 & 30.   The program will highlight healthy youth, and Joan asked for participation from Aiken and McAuley.

There will be a Mental Health Gala on June 5.

There will be a car wash for NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) on May 10.

Volunteers are needed for mentoring, horticulture, and bike repair.   70% of kids in the facility have no parents in their lives.

Thanks to many College Hill organizations for their support in the last 6 months, particularly College Hill Coffee co, CH Gardeners, Aiken, and the 6 Acres B&B who have taken in families at a discounted rate.

10. Ministerium Update – by Fr. George Jacquemin

The Ministerium consists of 12-15 churches in College Hill who are very active.  Together, they have an annual Good Friday Service, an annual Martin Luther King service, youth programs through CCCH (Christ’s Community), and have initiated an ongoing series of dinners called Bridges for the members of Caucasian and African-American churches in the neighborhood.

11. Community Events & Announcements

§         Clean UP College Hill – will be held on April 26.  It will start at 9 am with light breakfast refreshments (rolls, juice, drinks) and will finish at noon with pizza.  The vacant lot at the corner of Llanfair and Hamilton is the starting point.

§         WIN Walk/Run – The Annual WIN fund raiser Walk/Run was held April 5 and was very successful.   Everyone involved appreciated the support from the College Hill community.

§         CHG Plant Sale – The annual CH Gardenrs will be Saturday, May 3, from 9 am to 1 pm.

§         Garden Tour – CHG’s annual Garden Tour is being planned for this summer.

Next Summit Meeting: May 8, 2008 @ 8:00 am at Aiken High School.

                                                                                                Summarized by:

                                                                                                Valerie Hershberger

Abbreviation Key: