I.      Overview, announcements or changes (5 minutes)

a.     Wayne Martin, of Martin St. Plaza, is starting a teen mentoring program.
b.     Survey regarding redevelopment of Daniel Glenn housing project.

II.    Zone 3 Police Update

a.     762 Fraser apartments (between Little St. and Bill Lucas. Dr.) collaborated with police and developed an action plan to improve the property in terms of steps against loitering and foot traffic, including a plan for fence installation.

III.  501 C(3) status

a.     ONS is implementing a $10 application fee and $10 yearly due per member to cover basic operating costs, including copy making, clean up materials, website hosting, et al.

IV.  Misc.

a.     Ashlee Murtha was appointed the interim treasurer until the winter elections.

b.     Resident recommended that the board create and post signage to notify neighbors for every monthly meeting.

V.    John Benthal on the SMP (Summerhill, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown) fund

a.     Braves management gives $500,000 a year back into the community and this money goes into the SNDC (Summerhill Neighborhood Development Corp.)

VI.  Georgia Avenue Action Plan

a.     Six month action plan was developed for the GA Ave properties.

b.     October 5 is the next court date and the following will have been done:

i.     Mr. Bowen will provide an update to the ONS board; The Atlanta Development Authority will meet with Brian Hawkins and Ed Bowen to discuss incentives. 

ii.     Before the next 30 days is up:

1.     Rick (Grant Park) will meet with interested parties and tour the buildings. 

2.     All graffiti will be covered every 30 days; 

3.     All windows and doors will continue to be boarded but glass must remain behind.

4.      Mini cameras will be posted to aid in the security for the building; 

5.     The owners must present and adhere to a property maintenance plan.

VII.         ACORA

a.     Atlanta Employee Credit Union has lent ONS money to function and will be reimbursed by our ACORA funding.

VIII.       Community Relations

a.     Wendy Battaglia and Rick Jones collaborated to give the seniors at the Highrise Center a complimentary day of beauty, including hair styling, mary kay services were donated, as well as “glamour shots.” 

b.     AHA and Wendy Battaglia collaborated to raise money for school uniforms for 10 children at Martin St. Plaza.

IX.   Ceasar Mitchell spoke:

a.     The City Council moved to have tennis centers around the city to become privately managed.

b.     Police officers may now cite the parents of truant minors with tickets or jail time; school-age persons are perpetrating many daytime burglaries.  

c.     Councilman Mitchell wants to increase the number of police officers in the city. 

By Emily Trexler

Kenyatta Mitchell spoke:

Regarding the recent Fulton County Recreation Authority meeting

• Tax Allocation District economic development projects.
• Parking lots surrounding Recreation Authority property (Turner Field) are not taxed, but would be extremely lucrative to Summer Hill if they were.
• Recreation Authority wants to purchase these lots for development and as a result they would continue to not be taxed.

Potential new convenience store is not zoned properly and must be rezoned and additionally remodeled to open.

• The business license has been updated as due in previous years but witnesses claim the business has been inactive and this affects the validity of their license.
• The board does not support this venture. To have a store which provides liquor in a residential neighborhood is irresponsible and not common. Because of the unsavory nature of these businesses, their clientele and various code enforcement issues they bring, Organized Neighbors of Summer Hill is appealing the liquor license application for this business. An affidavit has been composed and put before the City, and an appeal to the business license granted to the convenience store must be filed in order to keep this business out of the community.

• Maceo Williams, Community Development Chair of NPU V
  • 501 Pulliam St. S.W. Atlanta, Ga 30312
  • 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of the month
  • 6:00-8:00 PM

• Atlanta Recreation Authority Fan-Plex meeting
  • 17^th of March, Tuesday 8:00 am @ Turner field
• Board should improve correspondence throughout the neighborhood regarding meetings and news; To notify neighborhood of the election of new board members and make efforts to widen meeting attendance throughout. Possibility of spring “membership drive.” 
• Adeona antitheft program for laptops.

Happy New Year!

The Organized Neighbors of Summerhill met on Monday January 5, 2008 at 7:00 at the Georgia Hill Center.  Please note we have a new time and place!  We are now meeting on the first Monday, not Tuesday due to a change in hours at the Georgia Hill Center.

Here's a quick summary of the topics covered:

• Fanplex Update:  Several members of Summerhill went to the County Commissioners meeting on January 7, 2008.  The county and AFCRA have abandoned their plan to put a government building in the Fanplex.  They called for offers from commercial developers, and there is substantial interest.
• Margaret Kaiser Update:  State Representative Margaret Kaiser came by the meeting and gave us a legislative update.  She reports that her Homestead bill passed and that this will reduce our property taxes. 
• NPU-V Meetings:  The next NPU-V meeting is on Monday, January 12th at 7:00 on 675 Metropolitan Parkway in Adair Park.  Remember you have to go twice a year to vote on importan issues like the Fanplex development! 
• Margaret Hooker presented fliers for a SAFE - South Atlanta for the Environment.  She is looking for volunteers for their leadership training program.  To find out more, see the flier here. 
• Major Finley presented a public safety update to the group.

We'll try to keep this more updated and accurate in 2009!  Look forward to seeing people in the next meeting!

RHR

ONS met on April 1 at the Georgia Hill Center at 7:00.

Highlights from the Meeting:

Presentations

Michael Pitts presented an update on Atlanta Public Schools. 

Katherine Brice presented on the Georgia Tech Economic Development Program and handed out applications. 

Officer Scott Slylie presented a public safety update for Zone 3. 

Votes

ONS voted on a variance request from Michael Brown for 673 Martin St.  This request was deferred last month.  ONS voted unanimously to decline the variance.  Michael Brown was not present for this meeting.  Principle reasons discussed in the meeting were:

• The variance does not comply with the Summerhill overlay. 
• The reason stated was to construct a 23 foot home.  However, there are 20 foot homes in Summerhill which are of good quality and fit with the look and feel of the neighborhood.  There are also larger lots for larger homes and options to combine smaller lots.
• The neighbors on the bordering property prefer to have two homes with the proper setbacks or one home on both lots rather than two homes close together blocking their view. 

A letter will be sent to LaShawn Hoffman of NPU-V stating the results. 

Attendees (From Sign-in Sheet)

1. Kenyatta Mitchell
2. Michael A Pitts
3. Mikkal Hart Muranga
4. Godfrey Gaisie
5. Emily Trexler
6. Kevin Evertz
7. Arnie Moskowitz
8. Wendy Battagila
9. Brian Hawkins
10. Tanya Brown
11. Shelia Mack
12. Val Sanders
13. Malcolm Carmichael
14. Taiwanda Carmichael
15. Kathrine Brice