Minutes for CSA General Membership Meeting on 5/21/09



1. Call to Order: by Kelly Bush @ 7:08p.m.



2. Introductions

In attendance: K. Bush, Harold Rubin, Margie Doolin, Jeannie & Jeff Straussman, Demi McGuire?, Karen Strong, Officer Matt Montesano (Police Dept.), Capt. Alex Kapczynski (Fire Dept.)



3. Reports: a) Police rpt. deferred until later in mtg. b) Fire: per Capt. Kapczynski 261 State St. has been cited for violations re. exterior sanitation & overgrowth, already brought to court 8/08; no current court activity, owner lives downstate, for an interior inspection owner must be contacted, city can eventually try to serve warrant, Dept. of Gen. Svcs. can eventually clear overgrowth & add cost to owner's tax bill, Fire Dept. doesn't inspect sprinklers but sends questionnaire, when returned they are filed w/ the Bldgs. Dept.

c) Committee Rpts.: per K. Bush we will plan to change our dues collection procedure based on calendar yr., per H. Rubin we will vote on at next mtg. due to lack of quorum at this mtg.



4. Citizen's Police Review Board, represented by Anthony Potenza: he was appointed to board by Common Council in 2006, his term expired in '08 but he was reappointed to another full term; if citizen alleges police misconduct, s/he can bring complaint before CPRB & Police Dept.'s Office of Professional Conduct; CPRB has no authority to discipline officers, it reviews investigative process, monitors are assigned to more serious cases; Albany Law School helps to administer; in some cases person may complain w/out wanting to file an official complaint- in these cases CPRB still gets contact info. of person from Office of Professional Standards "just in case"; lots of "he said, she said" situations & complaints of officers' use of "salty" language & lack of "bedside manner", mediation btwn complainant & officers encouraged to avoid escalation of problem but police unions are reluctant to participate; no set mediator has been established yet, candidate must be an impartial 3rd party; if mediation is successful incident is stricken from officer's record; no mediation cases completed yet; most complaints are dismissed as complainant doesn't tend to follow through; CPRB has no subpoena powers & police are involved in investigative powers of the board; if complaint is found to be warranted it is either sent back for further review or there is a vote to sustain, it may go before the City Council or the mayor; when CPRB receives complaints names of officers are redacted; board has been in existence since 2000; it hasn't yet made any recommendations to City Council but is considering ideas such as tracking system to locate complaint patterns, cameras in all police cars & interrogation rooms, wireless system in which info. is transferred to a server; federal funding a possibility...



5. Library construction update by Elissa Kane: $5000 state grant rec'd, 5 bldg. projects underway: renovations taking place at Howe, Delaware Ave. & Pine Hills (adding 2nd flr) branches, new bldg. going up on Henry Johnson Blvd. & state of the art lib. going up on New Scotland Ave.; Howe project delayed b/c they negotiated w/ Hist. Alb. Foundation re. restoring rather than replacing windows; main lib. very busy, w/in 3 yrs lib. wants to start community discussion re. its place, might make more sense to make it a branch location, it was originally meant to be office bldg. (hence low ceilings); attempts made w/in last 10 yrs. to improve svcs, such as getting popular titles faster, online renewal of materials, e-books; also mentioned the vast array of people from all over the socioeconomic spectrum the lib. serves; lib. budget passed & they will be hiring more staff (these are civil svc. jobs & diverse applicant list is sought).



3. a) Police Rpt.: Per Officer Montesano on 5/9 there was a robbery in front of 312 State St., 2 black males knocked victim down basemt. vestibule, then ran in different directions, no arrests yet; on 4/29 there was a robbery at Dove & Madison, 2 arrests made; also on 4/29 a homeless person was robbed at 488 Madison, no arrest yet; on 4/30 there was a burglary at 71 Chestnut (files stolen while victim was in shower); on 4/24 in early a.m. there was a robbery at 363 State, arrest made but alleged perpetrator is already out on bail (criminal procedure law); mentioned the Bike Lock Registration Prgrm; Brain Injury Assn. to distribute 140 helmets, police will probably use command bus for fittings in neighborhoods; Lark Public Safety group to begin stoop watch training in June; there have been complaints that Hackett Middle Sch. students are very disruptive at dismissal time, will ask school administrators to attend Lark Public Safety mtg, problem may get worse as Hackett will take overflow of students when Livingston Middle Sch. closes.



6. Art on Lark: Lark Business Improvement District is requesting $500 from us to help fund; per H. Rubin we should look into their long-term spending strategy (e.g. are they asking vendors to contribute & will they ever become self sufficient?).



7. Nominating Committee: no quorum tonight to vote on any suggestions, but per K. Strong committee must organize before our next mtg.



8. Other Announcements: per J. Straussman a welcoming committee of 3 people so far has been formed, if we know of any new residents (including renters) in the neighborhood pls contact her: ; permit parking bill still pending, the Mariano's were our chief rep's re this, we should be working w/ other neighborhood assn's; per K. Strong the Citizens for Public Transportation will be having a mtg., pls let her know of any issues that should be raised; per M. Doolin watch out for "taggers" esp. as a garage on Chestnut btwn. Lark & Dove was defaced (apparently there is a "graffiti artist" in our area called Ouch...)



9. Approval of Minutes: deferred until next mtg. due to lack of quorum at this mtg.



10. Adjourn: standing motion made by K. Bush @ 8:37p.m.

 

Minutes for CSA general meeting on 9/18/08                               
1. Call to Order: by Paul Fowler @ 7:04pm.
 
2. Introductions
   In attendance: Paul Fowler, Mary Beth Fowler, Brigiclaren Rauch, Edith Leet, Jeffrey Matthews, Bernard Kennedy, Chris Higgins, Rich & Kate Azzquardi, Most Rev. Richard G. Roy, Br. Stephen Peterson, H. Newhouse, Margie Doolin, Cara Macri, Jackaline Ring, Mike Mursky, Richard Conti, Robert & Linda Marie Serenka, Bill Mahoney & Laura Alpert, Doug Ebersman, Scott Peterson & Giovanna Dorazio, Bill Newman, Mary Hodge, Colleen Welsh, Newell Eaton, Dixie Hathaway, Kelly Bush
 
3. Approval of Minutes: D. Hathaway motioned to approve; seconded by M. Hodge
 
4. & 5. Police & Fire/Codes Reports: no representative from Fire Dept. in attendance; per D. Ebersman no news from police.
 
6. CSA 50th Birthday Party: per M.B. Fowler party will be @ Univ. Club on 10/11; drinks & dinner (adults only); guest speaker will be Paul Grondahl, local author and Albany historian; per K. Bush both neighborhood bakeries would provide cake for about same price; will use Crisan's as they are new and more neighborhood-oriented; local dignitaries have also been invited; P. Fowler mentioned possibly showing movies about neighborhood during cocktail hr (we have projector but no screen); there will also be a block party at Hudson/Jay Park on 10/25 (kids, dogs, etc. welcome); per B. Serenka general consensus supports blocking off street; possible use of classic cars to line street; open container permit will be needed if alcohol will be consumed (per D. Ebersman we wouldn't serve it but people could bring it).
 
7. Historic Albany Foundation: no representative in attendance.
 
8. Other announcements: J. Matthews, new pastor of Trinity Methodist Church wants to initiate more neighborly relations; no more youth gatherings at church; if any concerns pls contact him at his office (8am-2pm); there will be an organ recital @ Trinity 9/21 @ 3pm.
   Per M. Doolin tulip bulbs will arrive in early Oct.; then sorted & distributed in mid/late Oct.; call her cell (428-7254) to order.
   Per E. Leet FOCUS breakfasts begin 11/4 at Emmanuel Baptist Church; served Tues.-Thurs.; to volunteer pls call their ofc @ 443-0460; two concerts @ EBC: classical music 9/27 @ 3pm & children's entertainer Joe Uveges 10/5 @ 7pm; no charge but donations welcome; she is running for Albany school board & forum is set for 10/14 @ 6:45pm @ Albany High School.
   D. Ebersman provided contact info for our beat cops (Ofcr Kevin Meehan's email addr: & Ofcr Tracy Condon's ofc ph: 458-9420); Rev. Roy asked if they had set hrs & feels there should be increased police presence esp. on Lark; mentioned possible discrepancies between police crime statistics & "real world" stats; per R. Conti there will be a Common Council Public Safety Mtg 9/23 @ 5:30pm; Pol. Chief Tuffey will discuss police dept. reorganization & public comments will be allowed (also stated that police contact info. given for beat cops not meant for emergencies).
   B. Rauch, intern @ College of St. Rose, working on designing a bicycle/pedestrian corridor from Washington Park to Empire State Plaza; is in contact w/ Albany Bicycle Coalition & will provide business cards.
   C. Higgins brought copies of his latest newsletter; county has just acquired Old Canadian Pacific railway line for possible conversion to bicycle/pedestrian path & he has introduced legis. that would use hotel occupancy tax to estab. trust for conservation effort; County Exec. did sign his plastic bag recycling bill so big box stores should start complying; Convention Ctr. not being built but still being funded.
   R. Conti mentioned city has a grant to put together an advisory board re. bike/ped. path issue; in July the common council adopted an amendment to city charter for council members to have input on city budget after adoption, mayor hasn't vetoed, will be on ballot initiative in Nov, CANA unanimously supports; mayor's proposed budget due 10/1; projected deficit of $34 billion over next 2 yrs, no state aid forthcoming; public hearings re. this sched. for 10/15 and sometime in Nov.
   P. Fowler mentioned we are revising membership lists & emphasizing use of Yahoo groups; Larkfest set for 9/2 maps & schedules for set up & clean up provided (R. Conti clarified parking restrictions).
   D. Hathaway provided financial report.
  
P. Fowler motioned to adjourn @ 7:58pm; seconded by Rev. Roy.
   

 

Minutes for CSA General Meeting on 5/15/08                     
 
1. Call to order: by P. Fowler @ 7:05 p.m.
 
2. Introductions
   In attendance: Paul Fowler, Bruce & Ginny McEwen?, Ellen Tatreau, Margie Doolin, Harold Rubin, Christopher & Ian Burke, Justin Pfeiffer, Jeannie Straussman, Paula Bloch, Rachel Everleth, Barbara Bertucio, Richard Conti, Kelly Bush, Dixie Hathaway, Ben Chi, MaryBeth? Fowler, Christopher Higgins
 
3. Approval of Minutes: M. Doolin motioned to approve; seconded by H. Rubin.
 
4 and 5. Police and Fire Reports: none at this time (no representatives in attendance).
 
6. Library Update: none at this time (no representative in attendance).
 
7. School Budget: see Agenda Item no. 9.
 
8. Home and Gardens Tour: per D. Hathaway new posters have been printed and will be distributed this wkend to retailers; pre-pay fliers also provided; pls contact her if interested in serving as a docent.
 
9. New Business
   -Rev. E. Tatreau, pastor @ Emmanuel Baptist Church: Jim Kalas @ Trinity Methodist Church & head of FOCUS (advocacy grp for the poor) is seeking to establish better communication w/ us re. Trinity's impact on neighborhd; wants to "mend fences" for past grievances; D. Hathaway stated this is an excellent idea & H. Rubin suggested the church could communicate better w/ our block captains re. need for parking for events such as funerals, etc.
   -C. Burke, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Exec Dir of Northeastern Assoc. for the Blind, (offers rehabilitation svcs & employmt opportunities for the blind): currently lease out some of their office space for revenue; they receive some money from the state but are limited in its use; to attract potential tenants they need to provide more parking & therefore seek to demolish 80-88 Central Ave.; P. Fowler stated we have reciprocal agreemt w/ other neighborhood assoc's to support/oppose an issue based on what the neighborhood assoc.'s closest to affected area think & we should therefore support what the Wash Park N.A. decides; H. Rubin stated we should be careful not to blithely follow what other N.A.'s want when issues aren't necessarily the same; P. Fowler stated the issue is especially dicey right now as we just came out against the Ft Orange Club's proposal; B. Chi stated we should consider being hospitable to organizations that provide beneficial svcs & it is unrealistic to think they can function w/out adequate parking; per C. Burke issue will go before the Board of Zoning Appeals on 5/28/08.
   -M.B. Fowler: provided copies of budget proposal for Albany City School Dist.; proposal seeks to increase budget by $39 per $100,000 of home valuation (one of the lowest in state); if budget vote fails, there are 3 options: change budget & vote again, vote again on same budget, or contingency budget goes into effect; contingency budget means costs get passed on to parents for items such as aftercare, janitorial services & classroom supplies; re-vote costs approx. $400,000; school budget vote will take place on 5/20/08.
   -CSA's 50th Birthday Party: tent. set for 10/11-12/08; awards dinner on 10/11; block party on Jay St on 10/12 w/ Hudson/Park N.A.; options for location for awards dinner are the Univ. Club, Ft Orange Club or lobby of Alfred E. Smith bldg; will look into costs; per R. Conti Columbus Day Parade will also take place that wkend & therefore perhaps not a good idea to have block party on same day; if party takes place on Upper Jay Lark BID can perhaps help; if in Hudson/Jay Park it might be more contained; per Bob Serenka via P. Fowler Jay St. residents want to have a block party regardless of what we do.
   -Tulip Festival: per Yahoo discussion grp there was a perceived increase in public drunkenness; Center Square didn't see as much of it as Hudson Park; per H. Rubin laws re. open containers & use of coolers not effectively enforced; per R. Conti a mtg on this issue is scheduled for sometime next week between rep's from city & neighborhds. 
   -University Club: per member Matt Badaluco the club is facing some financial difficulties & seeks to be a resource for the neighborhd; club offering a special membership rate for residents @ $35/mo, a gym fee for members of $12/mo. and for nonmembers $25/mo.
 
10. Other Announcements: Rev. Tatreau stated that they haven't heard from the city re. apparent abandonment of 261 State St.; C. Higgins' legislation re. "big box" stores providing recycling svcs for plastic bags has passed the county legis. & is awaiting County Exec's signature; he has also circulated his first newsletter; next Tues A.M. rep's from Ft Orange Club will give rep's from the 3 affected N.A.'s a presentation re. their proposed demolition plans.
 
-D. Hathaway motioned to adjourn the meeting @ 8:50p.m.; H. Rubin seconded. 
 
 
 
 

Minutes for CSA General Meeting on 4/17/08

• Call to Order: by Paul Fowler @ 7:10 p.m.

• Fire/Codes Report: Captain LaJoy? in attendance representing Albany Fire Dept.; mentioned the dept. is seeking to recruit candidates for its next exam in June; P. Fowler and R. Conti mentioned Fort Orange Club's proposal to demolish a neighboring office building located at 118-120 Washington Ave. to expand parking and to build fitness facility; per R. Conti if demolition goes through it would establish precedent of prioritizing parking over preservation of buildings; Fort Orange Club owns buildings proposed for demolition and they are not deemed historically significant; Bob Serenka motioned that we submit letter to Zoning Board of Appeals stating our opposition to proposed demolition; motion carried.

• Approval of minutes: per P. Fowler do at end of meeting.

• Introductions:
In attendance: Paul Fowler, Kelly Bush, Newell Eaton, Richard Conti, Bob Serenka, Chris Higgins, Karen Strong, Margie Doolin get rest from Fowler
Captain LaJoy? representing Albany Fire Dept.

• Albany Comprehensive Plan: per R. Conti the appointment process continues; 30 members total will be approved; consultant may be hired; might take 1-2 years.

• Newell Eaton facilitated "community conversation" in which we discussed how to maintain/increase diversity in our neighborhood; attendees broke into groups based on street address.

MAIN THEMES:
Lower Jay group: maintain housing diversity; keep affordable for all; how do we keep children here once they're grown; make housing accessible to people with disabilities.
Upper Jay group: not all diversity is good (i.e., no criminals); how to attract visitors to Lark St., including making it more pedestrian friendly and generally more inclusive.
Chestnut St. group: how do we get more residents/tenants to attend our meetings; how are we defining diversity (e.g. tenant/resident, ethnic, age, student/nonstudent); we should support street life in the form of outdoor cafes, artists, activities for children.

• Other announcements: Two upcoming events, spring clean up day on 4/26/08 (starts @ 8 a.m. at Hudson/Jay Park, finishes with barbecue @ noon) and Neighborhood Stoop Sale on 5/3/08; C. Higgins mentioned that the County Legislature will be meeting 4/29 @ 7:15 p.m. at the County Courthouse and his proposed legislation forcing Big Box Stores occupying more than 10,000 square feet to provide recycling facilities on their premises will be discussed.

• Approval of minutes: K. Strong motioned to approve and M. Doolin seconded.

• K. Strong motioned to adjourn the meeting @ 8:25 p.m.; K. Bush seconded.

Minutes for CSA General Meeting on 3/20/08

1. Call to Order: by Paul Fowler @ 7p.m.

2. Introductions:
In attendance: Paul Fowler, the Most Reverend Richard G. Roy, Brother Stephen K. Peterson (OSJD), Charles Winslow, Bob Serenka, Margie Doolin, Kelly Bush, Bernard Kennedy, Karen Strong, Candace White, Harold Rubin, Richard Conti, Chris Higgins
Officer Tracy Condon representing Albany Police Dept. and Lieutenant Alex Kapczynski representing Albany Fire Dept.

3. Approval of Minutes: P. Fowler motioned to do at end of meeting as they are lengthy.

4. Fire/Codes Report: per Lt. Kapczynski owners of 261 State St. cited for falling bricks and due in court today (city having difficulty locating owners); owners of 152 Jay St. cited on 2/22/08 for sanitation issues and unsafe steps; code violation process is as follows: after a complaint is filed, an inspection is scheduled, which should take place within 2 wks; if owners are at property, the inspection is done and they have 36 days to correct violations; if owners not present, they are prosecuted, which might take another 36 days; Lt. Kapczynski again mentioned American Red Cross's "Be Ready, Be Safe" program; P. Fowler contacted them; the program consists of a Powerpoint presentation which takes about 45 min.

5. Police Report: per Office Condon, things have been quiet; now warmer weather has arrived, look out for roaming groups of school-age kids and panhandling "detoxers" ; bringing panhandlers to court is lengthy process (usually given an appearance ticket); Officer Condon clarified that residents may leave bottles in plain view on garbage/recyclables collection night for those seeking them to collect deposit, but scavenging through garbage/recyclables is illegal; per S. Peterson there seem to be more "Emergency No Parking" signs posted and insufficient notice given to residents of restrictions; per H. Rubin signs seem to restrict more parking than necessary;could be due to trees/utility poles on which signs are posted being spaced too far apart; Officer Condon will look into and follow up; B. Kennedy noticed recyclables for 5 blocks not picked up until quite late this week.

6. Committee Reports
a. Financial Report: per D. Hathway, recent activity with our funds include collecting $33 in interest, donation to Westminster Presbyterian Church for $150, donation to Lark BID for $100, and check re-order fee of $9; our account is with Smith Barney; interest on our account increased slightly but every Oct. they deduct $100 for financial mgmt fee, which seems excessive given the scope of our organization; also tried to charge us for reordering checks that they botched in first place; H. Rubin suggested we consider dealing with a money mkt fund instead; D. Hathaway will look into; per P. Fowler we will be cutting 2 more checks this month, 1 for First Friday and 1 for Family Day @ EBA.

b. Communications Report: per B. Serenka Phil Foster passed away, who was a longtime Jay St. resident; on 3/25/08 the city's Gun Violence Task Force will hold its first public forum at Livingston Middle School.

c. Membership Report: J. Gobrecht not present; Jay St. neighbors Jim and Jenny Quinn had house fire started by ember from fireplace (they are back home now); P. Fowler offered his Carriage House apt. if need for emergency accommodations should arise.

d. Zoning/Codes Report: per P. Fowler The Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark St. was given approval to be open 10a.m.-2a.m; Lark Street Tattoo and The Good Leaf Tea Shop, located at 276 and 272 Lark St. respectively, are in need of use variances as their block is zoned residential; M. Doolin inquired about the disposition of Wine Shop at State and Lark; per R. Conti the State Liquor Authority is very understaffed and backlogged with permit requests (not a zoning issue).

e. Beautification Report: per M. Doolin the deadline to request a tree from the city has been extended to 4/15/08; city provides description of available trees on its website; C. White noted the presence of tree stumps in neighborhood; can we have stumps ground out? H. Rubin noted increased installation of utility poles, wonders about their necessity and notes unsightly presence of gravel around base after installation is complete; we should follow up with National Grid; B. Kennedy noticed several street lights out on State St. and Madison Ave.

f. and g. Public Safety Report/Lark St. Public Safety Committee: per D. Ebersmann (provided report in absentia) things have been quiet; police are providing incident updates via e-mail to Lark St. Community Watch, which didn't meet this month.

7. President and Vice President's Report: per P. Fowler the Home and Garden Tour met last month; CSA's 50th Birthday Party Planning Committee hasn't met yet.

8. Other Announcements: E. Leet (in absentia) sent reminders re. events taking place at Emmanuel Baptist Church: Easter Egg Hunt on 3/22/08, Sunrise Service and Breakfast on 3/23/08 and Medieval Faire on 4/12/08; R. Conti spoke about city's Comprehensive Planning Committee: City Council must approve 20 people to serve on comm. with emphasis on diversity; H. Rubin mentioned the annual mtg. of the Neighborhood Resource Center taking place at First Lutheran Church on 5/6/08; B. Kennedy mentioned "Little Shop of Horrors" coming to town in April; B. Serenka noted that C. Winslow provided image of projected impact of expressway proposed in 1970s through Center Square and Hudson Park neighborhoods (expressway proposal failed when funding ran out).

-M. Doolin motioned to approve last month's minutes and K. Strong seconded; Fowler motioned to adjourn meeting @ 7:48p.m. and H. Rubin seconded.

Minutes for CSA General Meeting on 2/21/08

1. Call to Order: by Paul Fowler @ 7:05p.m.

2. Introductions:
In attendance: Paul Fowler, Mary Hodge, Jeannie and Jeff Straussman, Kevin Everleth, Jim Linnan, Hennie Newhouse, Tim Perales, Edith Leet, Karen Strong, Margie Doolin, Bernard Kennedy, Dixie Hathaway, Chris Higgins, Candace White, Bob Serenka, Charles Winslow, Michael Bergan, Harold Rubin, Kelly Bush
Officer Matt Montesano representing Albany Police Dept. and Lieutenant Alex Kapczynski representing Albany Fire Dept.

3. Approval of Minutes: P. Fowler motioned to approve at end of meeting as they are lengthy.

4. Police Report: Officer Montesano stated that arrests have been made in connection with two strings of robberies and burglaries in the city, the burglaries of apartments taking place within Center Square; in robberies of businesses not taking place within Center Square the suspect, Jose Ventura, indicated that he had a gun; both suspects in these robberies are repeat offenders; Lark Street Community Watch Committee plans to send a letter to the Office of Court Administration regarding why these two suspects were released back on the streets following prior arrests; regarding car larcenies, police have been using unmarked vehicles in an attempt to thwart robberies and have also been leaving flyers on cars warning of potential larcenies and damage to vehicles; string of burglaries now seem to be happening in North Albany; also mentioned that via the Council of Albany Neighborhood Assocations attempts have been made to establish better relationships with landlords and with following up with residential occupancy permits (R.O.P.'s); suggested we may want to consider asking Jessica Klein from the District Attorney's office speak to us re. the D.A.'s affadavit program; also mentioned the police dept.'s Citizen Police Academy, which is a 13-week comprehensive course describing what the police do.

5. Fire/Codes Report: Lt. Kapczynski says there has been much improvement with regard to bringing property owners to court for code violations; the fire dept. has greatly increased its property inspections and has thus identified more than 250 R.O.P.'s all in the West End of Albany (zone 1D); also clarified that an R.O.P. is needed whenever a property owner wants to rent out property and said property must be inspected and meet standards. In response to questions from members Mr. Kapczynski said it is difficult to determine what percentage of the neighborhood that number represents and that it is not possible to hire more staff to do inspections as they are done by line companies. E. Leet again asked about the disposition of 261 State St.; Lt. Kapczynski did not have an answer but will follow up with her at a later time; K. Strong mentioned that there should be more efficient coordination of the dept's databases as she was recently required to obtain an R.O.P. in order to complete the sale of her home but was erroneously told by the dept. she did not own her home; Lt. Kapczynski also mentioned the "Be Ready, Be Safe" program offered by the Red Cross which prepares residents for local or national crises (power outages, etc.).

6. Wine Bar and Bistro discussion: establishment is located at 200 Lark St.; now owned and operated by K. Everleth; per attorney J. Linnan Mr. Everleth is operating under a special use permit which forces him to close at midnight, he cannot open on Sundays nor can he serve food before 5 p.m. or use his private dining room, which presents a hardship for Mr. Everleth as he would like to expand the menu set up by the previous owner; K. Everleth is seeking a use permit that would lift these restrictions; other nearby establishments are allowed to remain open until 4 a.m. and the entire street block is commercial, so there should be no negative impact on the neighborhood; K. Everleth and J. Linnan clarified in response to questions from members that a liquor license will not be sought at this time and that a use variance is not being sought, which would mean the changes being requested would remain in effect in perpetuity; D. Hathaway moved that CSA should support the use permit being sought, M. Doolin seconded and the motion carried; per C. Higgins the Hudson Park Neighborhood Association will support CSA's decision in the matter; per K. Everleth a hearing on the matter is scheduled for 3/12 before the Zoning Board of Appeals in the Albany Common Council Chambers.

7. Committee Reports
a. Financial Report: per D. Hathaway there is not much to report; will defer until next meeting.

b. and f. (i) Communications and Public Safety Reports: B. Serenka acknowledges changes and improvements in CSA's website and P. Fowler's contributions in that regard; reiterated Lark Street Community Watch Committee's intention to send letter to OCA re. release of perpetrators of aforementioned robberies; the Committee has also discussed the street use of shopping carts and a proposed ordinance banning such use as well as attempting to get local supermarkets involved; the Committee has also given its recommendations to the Gun Violence Task Force and has ordered 5,000 doorhangers with tips on safety including the importance of stoop lights.

c. Membership Report: none (Jordan Gobrecht not in attendance).

d. Zoning and Codes Report: per H. Rubin, nothing to report.

e. Beautification Report: M. Doolin reports that the deadline for ordering a tree through the city is 3/31/08; can order through the city's website and city will pay half of purchase price.

8. President and Vice President's Reports: P. Fowler thanked all for attending; the Albany Convention Center Authority will be hosting a workshop 2/26/08 at WAMC studios; the Home and Garden Tour Committee will be having their first meeting also on the 26th; no meeting has been scheduled yet for CSA's 50th birthday party.

9. Other Announcements: per E. Leet the Emmanuel Baptist Church will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on 3/22/08, the church's Medieval Festival has been rescheduled for 4/12/08, the Diana Butler Bass Event will be taking place on 6/14/08 at the church, and the Focus Food Pantry is now open and serves approximately 250 families per month; per K. Strong a juried nature exhibit at the State Museum will take place 4/16-4/19/08 and local residents are needed to host the visiting artists; T. Perales mentioned the "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" initiative being undertaken by Hamel Realty; C. Higgins (our rep. in Albany County Legislature) mentioned his support for Iraq War resolution, stated he does not support the idea of a Convention Center in Albany and has signed on to a bill that requires property owners to be more specific about intended property renovations.

P. Fowler motioned to accept minutes from January's meeting; H. Rubin seconded with suggested changes; meeting adjourned @ 8 p.m.

Minutes for CSA General Meeting on 1/17/08

1. Call to Order: by Paul Fowler @ 7:02p.m.

2. Introductions:
In attendance: Paul Fowler, Bob Serenka, Kelly Bush, Harold Rubin, Jordan Gobrecht, Richard Conti, Ben Chi, Edith Leet, Patricia McDonald?, Bernard Kennedy, Linda Serenka, Allie Middleton, Dixie Hathaway
Officers Matt Montesano and Tracy Condon representing Albany Police Dept. and Captain Robert Smith representing Albany Fire Dept. (filling in for usual rep. on medical leave of absence)

3. Approval of Minutes from November General Meeting: J. Gobrecht motioned to approve; B. Serenka seconded.

4. Police Report: Per Officer Montesano, there have been multiple burglaries in our area (including 114 Spring St, 329 State St., and two at 64 Willett St.) all taking place in the first two weeks of January and during daytime hours; Officer Condon encouraged neighbors to be aware of unfamiliar people in/around their homes and buildings; Officer Montesano reiterated the importance of keeping valuables either out of cars or well hidden to prevent car larcenies.

5. Fire/Codes Report: Capt. Smith wasn't aware of any ongoing or new business in this area; B. Chi inquired about the Fire Dept.'s policy on vacant buildings; per Capt. Smith they must be registered and secured and the Fire Dept. must be informed of their condition; if a threat to public safety exists, the dept. will perform an emergency demolition. B. Chi specifically asked about 313 State St.; per R. Conti it is listed as vacant and meeting public safety standards and is also listed as good candidate for rehabilitation; per H. Rubin it has just been put up for sale (Judy Rosen is the broker); there is some concern about the property being converted to nonconforming multi-unit use. E. Leet inquired about 261 State St.; per R. Conti it is not listed as vacant; per E. Leet it has been vacant 2-3 years, has garbage strewn about, and bricks are falling off the building; Emmanuel Baptist Church has been broken into possibly via this property.

6. CSA 50th Birthday Party: a sign-up sheet was provided at the meeting; a chairperson for planning the event is currently being sought; B. Chi thinks it presents a great opportunity to promote the neighborhood; J. Gobrecht suggested a special dinner (for which people would pay) which would honor people who have served CSA, perhaps including a slideshow; she also suggested holding it later in the year so it doesn't conflict with the Home & Gardens Tour (or should it be held in conjunction with the Tour?). A committee should form ASAP and decide the date. H. Rubin suggested that former residents should be invited and be asked to speak; J. Gobrecht volunteered to join and organize the committee but not serve as chair and suggested the committee should have a fairly limited focus; H. Rubin offered to serve on committee in an advisory capacity; also mentioned that CSA's 25th birthday party festivities were held in Washington Park Lakehouse and former residents attended. A. Middleton offered to help and said she is interested in using the party as an opportunity to promote the notion of community. The idea of a walking tour of the neighborhood was also suggested, as was using the Albany Institute of History and Art as a resource for documents, photos, etc.

7. Home and Garden Tour: a sign-up sheet was provided for this also; this is CSA's biggest fundraiser. Frances Tarleton, who has served as its chair for several years has stepped down; D. Hathaway has been chosen by Ms. Tarleton to be her successor. K. Bush asked if we should reach out to Historic Albany Foundation for "nuts and bolts" help since they receive a third of the tour's proceeds; D. Hathaway mentioned we should reach out to the Hudson/Park Neighborhood Association as well. J. Gobrecht and H. Rubin mentioned it has been historically difficult to find people willing to "roll up their sleeves" for this event. Per D. Hathaway, Ms. Tarleton is willing to help in an advisory capacity. B. Serenka suggested that board members should contact HAF and HPNA about their contributions to the tour.

8. CSA Newsletter: traditionally delivered by block captains; should we send out via listserve instead? What should the content be? Per J. Gobrecht we have many more e-mail addresses listed for members than "snail mail" addresses (our current point person on this is Shannon Cherry). J. Gobrecht suggested it is still beneficial to provide hard copies of the newsletter as this is how new residents find out about CSA. Should we just do two per year and should we also do in conjunction with Capital Neighbors?

9. Committee Reports:
a. Financial Report provided by Treasurer D. Hathaway; will speak to Jenny Quinn re. $708.99 expenditure for "membership brochure" to find out what this is; re. beautification could we possibly hire people to weed, maybe reach out to youth groups (suggested by J. Quinn); per E. Leet we could possibly reach out to Rev. J. Miller of Council of Albany Churches as he runs an incarceration prevention program
-Proposed budget provided by P. Fowler. J. Gobrecht suggested we increase our contribution to Capital Neighbors to $500 or pay for a large ad for CSA's 50th birthday party celebration (no action taken); D. Hathaway will speak to Charlie Sullivan re. this as he publishes Capital Neighbors. P. Fowler suggested based on discussion earlier in mtg. that budget for 50th birthday party be increased and also suggested the newsletter budget be increased to $200 (approx.).
J. Gobrecht motioned to approve amended budget; B. Serenka seconded.

b. Communications Report provided by B. Serenka: mentioned our new website, acknowledging contribution from CSA Pres. P. Fowler; board members have access to make updates; board members will meet next month to discuss. J. Gobrecht expressed a concern that we not rely too much on solely web-savvy people for information. It was also mentioned that we will have new block captains in place and they should meet to discuss their duties.

c. Membership Report provided by J. Gobrecht; 69 memberships have been collected so far (including 9 new renters); we are very close to meeting our dues goal; there are still 85 members who have not renewed their memberships; J. Gobrecht will follow up with J. Quinn re. this. D. Hathaway mentioned that in the past members have been upset that their dues checks were not being cashed in a timely fashion; per J. Gobrecht we are all caught up with check-cashing.

d. Zoning and Codes Report provided by H. Rubin; no new business to report; concerns about 313 State St. again mentioned (see Fire/Codes above); another potential area of concern is the long term use of dumpsters in front of properties by absent landlords/residents (B. Kennedy specifically mentioned 145 Lancaster St.).

e. Beautification Report: none provided (neither Margie Doolin nor Doug Ebersman in attendance).

f. Public Safety Report: a new group named the Lark Street Public Safety Committee has been meeting on Fridays and is now ready to form a permanent membership structure; attendees thus far have included members of the Lark Street BID, representatives from neighborhood associations and the police dept. as well as elected officials. Issues discussed include crime, neighborhood watch efforts and potential outreach efforts such as a "doorhanger" project with tips about safety.

10. President and Vice President's Report: P. Fowler extended his thanks to the previous board members and officers for their help in making the transition.

11. Other announcements: E. Leet mentioned several upcoming events hosted by the Emmanuel Baptist Church that residents are welcome to attend:
-A fundraiser at Friendly's Restaurant on Central Avenue on 1/23/08.
-An Easter Egg Hunt will be held at the church on 3/22/08.
-A Medieval Festival will be held at the church on 4/5/08.
-The church is now the home of the FOCUS food pantry and they will be hosting an open house sometime in February.
The church will also be celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2009 and will be looking to do more neighborhood outreach in conjunction with this.

J. Gobrecht motioned to adjourn the meeting @ 8:37p.m; P. Fowler seconded.

November 15, 2007 General Meeting Minutes
Welles Room, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut St., Albany, NY

In Attendance: Edith Leet, Becca Leet, Paul Fowler, Karen Strong, Bob Serenka, Barbara Bertuau, Margaret Doolin, Harold Rubin, Richard Conti, Jennifer Quinn, John Quinn, Brian Bush, Chris Higgins, Mike Snyder, Margie Doolen, Alex Kapczynski, Tara Rainstrom, Judith Place, Lisa Jensen, Doug Ebersman

Welcome and Introductions
Call to Order at 7:17
Minutes approved with minor modifications

Police and Fire/codes reports
Mayor has new task force - Building Albany Block by Block - 60 Blocks
4 Zones: South End, Arbor Hill, Park South, West End
Vacant Buildings is the focus

Financial Report - Nothing to Report
Election and Committee Review
Nominees introduced
President — Paul Fowler (Middle Lancaster)
Paul Fowler provided his quick vision - Follow CSA charter and Follow Zoning and Comprehensive Plan
Vice President — Ben Chi (State) - Statement read from Ben
Corresponding Secretary — Jordan Gobrecht (Lower Jay)
Recording Secretary — Kelly Bush (Lower Chestnut)
Treasurer — Dixie Hathaway (Lower Lancaster)
Director of Community Outreach — Bob Serenka (Upper Jay)
Director of Neighborhood Beautification — Margie Doolin (Upper Chestnut)
Would like to expand Tulip distribution
There are master gardeners in Center Square - We should better utilize them
Harold moved to accept slate, Motion was seconded, All present were in favor

Karen thanked CSA for help she received as past President
Holiday Party Plans
December 12th Proposed
John De John offered to Host - Logistically easier to use John
Discussed family hour - Should we have kids at Party? General consensus was “yes”
Discussed drink tickets
People should pay for own drinks, although Non-alcohol drinks covered
Richard Conti noted that John’s space not handicap accessible
This was an oversight
Harold suggested CSA turn this over to executive committeeto resolve issues
Per Fowler, John's can hold approximately 70 people on third floor
Party needs a budget
We need to tip wait staff approximately 300 dollars
Margie motioned to budget up to 500 - Motion was accepted

Reports: Center Square Brochure and Park Sign
Brochures are being printed and will be distributed to non-members
A sign has been made (and picture shown to group) for Hudson Jay Park

Reviewed Committees
Membership is active with Jenny as Chair
Zoning and Codes is active with Harold as Chair
Harold would like more assistance
It was noted by Doug that the City does not appear to keep website up to date on Zoning
Ask city (Brad Glass) for Zoning email notifications
Also ask city for Historic Resources email notifications
Finance is active with Dixie as Chair
Communication and Web is active with Bob as Chair - Assistance needed on website
Beautification is active with Margie as Chair
Public safety is active with Doug as Chair
Parking is not active
House and garden is open and needs a Chair - It is an important CSA fundraiser
Historic Resources is open and needs a Chair

Albany Public Library-update on Facilities
5 libraries slated for work
3 libraries close in March for renovation
New Scotland and Henry Johnson will have new library
Architects have begun work - Everything is currently on time and on budget
No library staff will be let go
All buildings are being made sustainable (aka green)
Originally, management wanted to replace main library
Effort on hold and Fundraising will continue to fix up main library for now

Other Announcements
1000 Tulip bulbs remain to distribute
Dec 1st has neighborhood work conference - Theme is living in Albany
Focus news letter available - Discussed advocacy for the poor
Historic Albany Historic house tour - Sunday December 9th
Calendars from local farms made available to membership
Albany Art Room starting on Madison - www.albanyartroom.com
Comprehensive Plan ongoing
Discussed sign decision on Armory
Harold recommended that CSA President write letter to BZA
to have BZA inform Police Department to enforce no parking on sidewalks
On lower Lancaster there is now a “Cattlegate” behind 70 Chestnut – needs historic attention
Fran found "Center Squares" teashirts
Sell at Christmas Party for $10.00
All shirts appear to be size smalls

Adjourned 8:18

7:00-8:30 There is a hard stop

Fowler Carriage House

211 Lancaster Street

Paul Fowler, Karen Strong, Ben Chi, Bob Serenka, Harold Rubin, Kelly Bush, Margie Doolin Present

Welles Room, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut St., Albany, NY

In Attendance: Paul Fowler, Tara Rainstrom, Ruth Rubin, Harold Rubin, Mike Snyder, Robert Serenka, Jordan Gobrecht, Jennifer Quinn, Mike Colbert (APD), Frances Tarlton, Mike Bergan, Susie Carrk, Bernard Kennedy, Paula, Bloch, Joulia Dib, Richard Conti
Call to Order: 7:03 PM
Approval of Minutes: Two corrections were requested. First, Harold clarified that for the lot across from the Laundromat on Lancaster and Dove, if it became a parking lot, only 3 cars would be allowed and only if they are within 250’ of the residence. Second, the address for the legal battles was 327 State Street instead of 329. Note: 9/29/2006 minutes have been updated. Minutes were approved.

Police Report: Mike Colbert, Albany Police Department
• The neighborhood has been quiet since the last CSA meeting.
• Some car windows have been broken, with larceny, in the Washington Park neighborhood
• The Bergan’s noted that they have heard shouting outside their house (at the top of Lancaster Street.)
• Officer Colbert suggested potential domestic disputes and reiterated that residents should call the police in such instances.

Discussed 12 ½ Delaware Avenue: Suzan Carrk - Owner
• The building is on Delaware just south of Madison.
• Suzan Carrk also owns Susie's and provided a quick profile
o Born and raised in Albany
o Left Lionhearted to open Susie's
o Painted Susie’s and has maintained the outside
• Suzan Carrk discussed Jack’s
o Recently purchased Jack’s
o Wants to “extend Lark” through to Susies.
o Susie’s only holds 40 people
o Local people use Susie’s,
o Jack’s will be a cafe
o The hours will be 11:00 pm to 2.00 pm the next day.
o Suzan Carrk wants to cater to the “second shift.”
o Jack’s is pending approvals of Historic Albany
o No Board of Zoning Appeals application has been made yet
o Jacks would hold 35-40 people
o Suzan Carrk has discussed this with Hudson Park Association already
o Hudson Park Association is waiting to see the BZA application before providing approval.
o The question was posed if there are any other cafe’s open late at night. The answer is that Dan's place is only other known place open late hours.
o Harold recommended that Center Square Association defer to Hudson Park
o Mike Bergan pointed out that Suzan Carrk’s approaching Center Square Association was a courtesy.
o Harold was asked if the BZA’s approval of a late night cafe would alter when other businesses on Lark street close. Harold’s answer was no.
 Lark street closes bars at 2:00 on weekdays and 3:00 on weekends
 There should be no worry since business hours are on a case by case basis.
o Suzan Carrk would like to submit the BZA application in time for the November 22nd BZA meeting
o Suzan Carrk would like to open Jack’s in March of 2007.
o The hours of operation require a special use permit that the BZA must approve.

Financial Report: Mike Snyder
• Our revenue was $236.72 for the last period
• Our major expense was ($7,000) to finish paying the legal bill.
• Our total expenses were ($7,618.49)
• Our balance is $7,731.64
• CSA is approaching the end of the fiscal year
o CSA needs everyone to pay anything outstanding
• Karen is currently working on next year’s budget.
o Karen is budgeting a reserve fund in the budget.
o It was suggest that we clear our budgeting with Doug.
• Mike bargain's wife suggested having donation for church.
o We donated last year and plan to donate this year.

Holiday Party: Paul Fowler
• A potential date and time has been provided of Thursday December 7th from 5:30 to 8:00 with cleanup starting by 9:00.
o There were no objections.
• A potential location has been provided of Elise Van Allen’s house.
o The question was raised “why not the University Club?” The answer provided was that there was no pressing reason, simply an idea to explore venues. Albany Institute has also been suggested.
o There were no objections to the use of Elise Van Allen’s house.
• CSA was asked their opinion on getting an insurance rider (approx $50) for the Party, or being willing to pay $1000 deductible if there is a problem.
o The CSA requested the insurance rider
• The question of babysitting was posed. Should we provide babysitting services upstairs in Elise’s house?
o It was agreed that we should make the room available, but let parents with children create a caucus to decide on babysitting.
o It was suggested that parents may want to use another house with a common babysitter.
• The question of how to provide drinks was raised.
o Bring your own beer.
o $500 has been provided for the party. Use the “remaining” funds after other purchases have been made for beer and wine.
o Ask Capital Wine for donations.
• The question of how to provide food was raised.
o It was agreed that CSA should purchase a base of food in case other plans fall though at the last minute.
o The food should be “easy eating” but also “labeled.”
o We also want to ask for donations from local businesses.
• The question of music was raised.
o “Background music” was the answer.
• The question was raised about inviting Spring Street (Above Lark) to CSA party.
o The answer was “no” however Spring Street between Lark and Dove is o.k.
o Officers will be used to send out invites.
• CSA does want a greeter at the door.
• CSA wants a Sign-in sheet.
• CSA does not want a raffle.
• CSA wants a membership table.
• Doug has offered Chafing dishes, and CSA is happy to use the Chafing dishes depending on the food.
• We need to buy paper dishes, and utensils.
• It was motioned, seconded, and approved that CSA give money ahead of time for the party and get receipts after.
• Several CSA members including Jordan Gobrecht have spare nametags which can be used for the party.
• CSA does not want to have a joint art show during the Holiday Party.
• CSA does not want to have tables set up for business to promote themselves, however, if a business donates food or other items, they should be allowed to provide cards / notices next to those items.
• A box for donating canned goods in the hallway would be fine, but we do not want to make a large deal of the donations.
o Donations should be made to Manuel Baptist Church. Dod Wilborn is the secretary.
• Mike explained the needs to publicize.
o We need to get 550 brochures to Mike by the first weekend in November.
o It was suggested that we put membership forms on the backs or bottoms of the brochures.
 Membership forms can be found on the CSA web site.
• Paul Fowler asked about committees. Which ones should we form?
o Instead of committees, it was suggested that tasks be created and then people volunteer for tasks (such as 30 minutes as a greeter.)
o CSA needs to focus on cleanup of Elise Van Allen’s house after the party.

Police Reorganization Meeting: Karen Strong
• Last Thursday (10/12/2006) Center Square had the Police Chief describe the current plans for the Police reorganization in Albany.
• There did not appear to be any major objections to the plan at the meeting.
• Richard Conti and the common council met with the Chief on Wednesday (10/18/2006) to discuss budget.
• A written plan from the Chief on the reorganization should arrive to the Council tomorrow (10/20/2006)
o There is not currently scheduled a public comment period on the plan that will be submitted.

Pedestrian Committee: Jordan Gobrecht
• A meeting was held by the Pedestrian Committee and a list has been made.
• The list will be sent out in time for review during the January CSA meeting.

Per the September meeting, Karen provided a letter of support for the Jay Street Church to assist with funding for repairs.

Outreach Committee: Mike Bergan
• The “Block captains approach” appears to be working as a good way to distribute information to the neighborhood.
o There have been two recent distributions including Capital Neighbors
• We have a Lark St. Vacancy
• Charles of Knickerbocker has asked about distribution – they need approximately 100 fliers each time.
• The Upper Jay block captain will distribute (and Mike normally receives around 100 fliers too many, so the numbers should now balance.)

Membership Committee: Jordan Gobrecht
• The survey went out and CSA has received 40 responses out of 500
• It was suggested that we should follow-up with an e-mail reminder to send back in the surveys.
• Approximately 10 people have asked about membership already.
• The results should be available in November

Zoning Committee: Harold Rubin
• On August 11th, the BZA provided the 70 Chestnut Street decision.
o It has now been more that the required 45 days to compliance and they are not compliant in at least two areas.
 A sign has not yet been posted saying that parking is only for residents on Chestnut.
 They still have spots for 25 cars instead of 22 cars.
o 70 Chestnut has made some plantings.
o The committee has requested an inspector be sent to insure compliance.
• Another issue exists at 310 State Street on the first floor
o The first floor should be vacated for business use. In the past it has housed "Air Page."
o There have been compliance problems in the past, and currently it is hard to judge compliance due to the windows being covered.
o The Zoning Committee has asked for an inspection
• 352 State Street is asking the BZA to allow a Real-estate office.
o It is a simple application and a special use permit is needed.
o The Condominium board above the proposed office space has already approved the use.
o We still need some clarity on hours of operation.
o The location is where reflections use to be.
o It was discussed that although this use is not bad, it is not the retail use that some members would like on Lark Street.
o It was moved, seconded, and approved that Center Square has “No Objections” to the use.

Other Business:
• Tim cannot continue to maintain the Center Square Website.
o Center Square would like to recognize Tim.
o The website has received awards in the past.
o The motion was made, seconded, and approved for a $30 gift certificate to be given to Tom for the Wine Bar at the Holiday party.
o Bob (???) has offered to take over the CSA website.
o Paul Fowler requested that CSA review the website design to add features to the website which allow for more web collaboration. He suggested looking at dotnetnuke or tikiwiki as examples.
• The question was posed whether we can have Valerie Scott from Code Enforcement as a speaker at a future CSA meeting.
o This is being taken under consideration, but could not occur until next year at the earliest.
• The parking committee was unavailable to discuss any new business.
• Harold Rubin suggests that CSA provide more people at the CANA meetings.
o The meetings occur on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 at the Public Library.

Adjourned – 8:24 pm