SUMMIT MEETING NOTES  - corrected

February 12, 2009

Location:  College Hill Recreation Center

Approved Summit minutes can be found at the following website: collegehilloh.net

ACTION ITEMS

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

Item                                                                                                                   Responsibility           

1.   Inform & invite parents of students at Pleasant Hill Academy                 Paula Sherman &

      to participate in WIN’s Homeowners classes.                                            Hope Wilson

2.   CHBA to prepare presentation and/or summary for Summit                     Sheena Parton &

      members to enable the discussion on “Healthy Business                           Phyllis Schoenberger

      District”.

ATTENDEES:  (in alphabetical order)

Name                                                               Organization Represented

Pete Bauer                                                       CHCURC

Jim Bodmer                                                     Community Problem Oriented Policing (CPOP), Forum

Ron Cowgill                                                    Facilitator

Valerie Hershberger                                        Facilitator

Sheena Parton                                                 CHBA

Officer Jason Pechiney                                   CPD, Dist. 5

Phyllis Schoenberger                                       Forum, CHBA

Rick Schroer                                                   CH Rec Center

Paula Sherman                                                Pleasant Hill Academy

Arnice Smith                                                   CH Library

Cheryl Sucher                                                 McAuley High School

Hope Wilson                                                   WIN, Housing Team

ABSENT:

ARCH

Aiken High School

College Hill Fundamental Academy

College Hill Gardeners

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Mercy Hospital Mt. Airy Foundation

AGENDA

Welcome and Introductions

Host Greetings

Opening Prayer

Special Announcements

Previous Minutes Review/Approval

Action Items From Previous Meeting

CHBA Update

CPOP/COP/CPD

CHCURC Update

Schools

Ministerium

Housing

Discussion Topic

Community Activities & Announcements

DISCUSSION:

1.   Special Announcements

None

2.   Review of January 2009 Minutes
The minutes for the January meeting were approved. 

3.   Review of Action Items from Previous Meetings

(a)  Invite parents of Pleasant Hill Academy students to WIN homeowners classes – Hope was not aware of this item, and indicated that she would follow up to give Paula the appropriate flyers.

(b)  Explore the use of drug forfeiture money for City Cure programs – Jim gave Ron Whitt a form to fill out.  Off. Jason will send Valerie .an electronic copy for distribution to the Summit.

(c)  Get a new CHCURC rep for Summit – Pete Bauer is the new CHCURC rep to Summit.

(d) CHBA to prepare presentation for Summit members about their ideas and plans for the CH Business District – this will be done for a future Summit meeting.

4.   CHBA Update - by Shena Parton

There were several significant items of progress by CHBA reported by Sheena:

·         The students from the University of Cincinnati DAAP (Design Art, Architecture and Planning) District are coming on Monday, Feb 16, to present 3 options for development.

·         The wireless survey for the cameras has been completed.  They are now trying to contact Todd O’Neal because another building owner doesn’t want a camera on his building.

·         CHBA is looking at iron rod fencing for between the buildings, to prevent loitering and foot traffic between the buildings on the Avenue.  The cost will be higher than expected, a total of $20,000, because the fences will need panic releases for safety.

·         The city’s NEP (Neighborhood Enhancement Program) will kick off in College Hill on March 4 at 10 am at the Eastern Star property.  Everyone is invited.  Mayor Mallory and City Manager Dahoney will be present.

·         College Hill and Pleasant ridge are the only two neighborhoods in the city to have come up with the $10,000 needed to start the Form Based Code study.

·         PNC and National City Bank have merged.  They are still waiting to hear which bank in the business district will be closed.

·         There is a rumor that the Episcopal Retirement Communities want to build affordable housing on the Eastern Star property.  They are talking with Roxanne Qualls office to determine what is actually going on.

·         There is a lack of clarity about the $1.5 million that was previously slated to be allocated by the city to College Hill.  Some of the money is being used to maintain the old Shuler property, and some will be used to pay for the demolition of the Easter Star buildings.   The city is doing a feasibility study of the Linden Park area.

·         The old A&S building will participate in the façade program.  Marty was able to get an extension of the funding to allow the owners of this building to participate.

·         Private investors are putting about $500,000 into the business district.  Elisha Hall is closing this week, and the building has been purchased by a local resident.

·         The burned out building on the corner of Hamilton and Marlow is slated to be demolished by March 1.

·         Bud’s Pony Keg is shutting down and wants to transfer their liquor license to Jordan Market in northern College Hill.  Residents are contesting this.

·         District 5 is conducting a Safety Awareness program at Llanfair on Feb 19 and March 19.

·         A business called Reflections, with ties to the Taliban gang, is trying to get a liquor license in North College Hill.   It is now in Northside.

·         The NEP program will make progress, but will not have enough money to deal with all the blighted buildings in College Hill.  Residents are disappointed.

·         The City Council voted to cancel their long standing contract with Invest In Neighborhoods (IIN), and has directed the city department of Community Development to take on the IIN responsibilities.

5.   Citizens on Patrol/CPD/Probation/Court Watch – by Officer Pechiney and Jim Bodmer

Drug crime in the area has diminished, which is good news.   Crime stats show that the number of crimes dropped significantly in January. The police caught a serial robber in January, with the help of a school custodian (Mt. Airy) who was robbed by this individual. This was the best January in the last 3 years. One crime, a gun shooting next to the EZ Mart, is still being investigated.  During the NEP program, Off Pechiney and another police officer will be working out of the substation full time. 

Court Watch is proceeding well.  More people are going to jail.  The Court Watch volunteers are also asking judges to fine criminals, as well as sentence them.

6.   CHCURC Update – by Pete Bauer

Pete reviewed a number of items:

o       There is a property on Hamilton Ave up for demolition via eminent domain.   CHCURC has applied to the Ohio State Supreme Court.

o       CHCURC’s Annual Dinner is Feb 18, and will feature Chris Bortz as the speaker.

o       Jennifer Kinnen is no longer our liason to City Hall.  Greg Kohler, an intern, is the only College Hill contact now.

o       The NSP funds must be spent within 18 months, but the timeline doesn’t start until the City signs the contract.

o       CHCURC is still trying to buy the Saba building to demolish it.  Funds have again been requested through the CNBD program.  In that program, every neighborhood can request funding for both a major project and a minor project.  College Hill’s requests this year are $200,000 for the Saba purchase & demolition, and $30,000 for the community signs.

o       A grant of $30,000 for operating expenses has been received by CHCURC.  Some of this goes to pay Marty’s salary so he can finish up the façade program. 

o       Mood Beauty Supply will be moving to the old A&S building, which is getting façade renovation.

o       College Hill signs will be installed soon.

o       Piazza Discepoli Wine Shop will be closing March 1.  The owner has two other shops which generate much more business, so he has decided to shut down this one.

7.   College Hill Schools Updates

McAuley High School – by Cheryl Sucher

The school is working to make up for the unusual number of snow days.  McAuley is pleased to be hosting several weekend volleyball tournaments.  March 27, 28, and 29 are the dates for this year’s musical production, which is The Princess and the Pea.  Enrollment is going great for next year.

Pleasant Hill Academy – by Paula Sherman

The school is also working to make up for all the snow days this year. 

This coming Friday is the first father/daughter dance at this school. However, the staff has become aware that many girls do not have a relationship with their fathers.  The school is working on how to handle this situation in a positive way for the girls.

Pleasant Hill is looking for community service opportunities.  They want 4 good projects for this summer, when they will have about 350 students.

They are getting ready for summer achievement tests.

They are looking for another location for 7^th and 8^th graders, maybe Aiken.  The school has 200 too many students.  If Aiken can’t take them, the Pleasant Hill will need trailers.  Another issue is that if Mt. Airy goes to K-6, CPS may move those 7^th & 8^th graders to College Hill.

Aiken High School – by Phyllis Schoenberger

Phyllis reported on Aiken from the perspective of the community.   She indicated that all the plans developed for Aiken’s rebuilding to this point have to be scrapped.  All those plans were based on having 600 students, but CPS now wants Aiken to have 1000-1200 students.  The community prefers that Aiken have a smaller enrollment because the community really can’t handle the impact of 1200 students getting released into the neighborhood all at once.   The community prefers a maximum of 900 students, with entrance testing in order to qualify.  CHBA has sent a letter to CPS.  Having a large number of students getting released into the neighborhood has a negative impact on the business district, and particularly on Llanfair, which already gets overrun by kids each day after school.

8.   Ministerium Update

No one was present to give an update for the Ministerium.

9.   College Hill Housing Team – by Hope Wilson

The two new homes that have been built by WIN are under contract, and WIN hopes to close both by early March.   WIN will be starting the rehab of the house on Lantana in March.   WIN continues to be optimistic that even in this economic climate, qualified buyers will be found for all the houses being rebuilt or rehabbed by WIN in College Hill.

10. Library Update – by Arnice Smith

Arnice reported that there was some significant vandalism of the library at the beginning of January.  The doors were shot out while the Library was closed, and it took 2 weeks to get them fixed.   More recently, staff arrived in the morning to find the barricades torn down and the trash cans tossed about.

There are still a lot of Aiken kids who hang out there, and the Aiken Truancy officer has only come by once.   The Library parking lots are highly congested at 2 pm as both Pleasant Hill Academy and College Hill Fundamental Academy let out simultaneously, and the line of College Hill Academy buses extends into the Library parking lot.  Parking is such an issue that the Library staff can’t get in and out during the day, and they have a safety concern for kids who walk through the lot right after school.

11. Discussion Topic: Healthy Business District

Sheena and Phyllis will prepare a presentation on CHBA ideas and plans for a later meeting.  The discussion was a very casual one in which the vision for the district was outlined.  Basically, a “healthy” business district would be one in which there is a lot of foot traffic because it is walkable, safe, and has businesses more people want to partronize, such as:

-          a grocery store

-          more restaurants

-          a bakery

-          an ice cream shop

-          a wine shop

-          a yarn store (to complement St. Theresa’s)

-          a sports bar where you can bring your kids (like Fricker’s)

-          offices

It was reported that Shakers is for sale, and that the new restaurant “Shh” will open in April.

11. Community Events & Announcements

Pot Luck – The annual community pot luck will be 5-8 pm on Friday, Feb 27, at CHPC.   There will be a presentation by the College Hill Historical Society.

Next Summit Meeting: March 12 @ 8 am at Grace Episcopal Church. 

                                                                                                Summarized by:

                                                                                                Valerie Hershberger

                                                                                                March 11, 2009

                                                                                                Revised March 15, 2009

Summit Meeting Schedule

2009

General Meeting Time: Second Thursday of the Month, 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

Location Rotates

tbc = to be confirmed