East Mountain Neighborhood Association

October Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2004

 

 

 

Attendees: William Burnes, Donna Burnes, Bill Hubbell, Marge Horzepa, Bob Perigard, Turner Langdon, Mike Ptak, Nancy Ptak, Ned Mencio, Pam Mencio, Harold Andrew, Carl Santagati, Gen Santagati, Evelyn Carrah, Julie Stefanelli, Bob Trotter, Alice Rebhorn, Mary Repko, Cathy Filippone, Tony Loechner, Larry Davino, Cecile Davino, Laurie Gaetano, Mike Stere, Barbara Stere, Mike Guisto, Jean Guisto, Bob McGovern, Colin Coburn, Annette O’Toole, Ken O’Toole, Maria Giordano, Christine Gallagher, Marguerite Smith, Brian Carroll, Father David George, Joe Geary, Jim Nemec, Rich Robbins, Vince McDermott, Garret Carlo, Nezih Noujaim, Rep. Selim Noujaim, Richard Harrison, Chris Harmon, Tom Cullen.  ( This is an approximate attendance, since the lists are not available at this time.) 

 

The meeting came to order at 7:12 PM.  Mike Ptak led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Nancy Ptak offered to chair a committee to plan to place a painted American Flag on the Wendell Cross schoolyard.  Nancy will ask for volunteers again at the November meeting.

 

The second annual Ziti dinner is scheduled for March 31,2005 from 5:30 to 8PM.  More information will follow at future meetings. 

 

Mike suggested a second group trip to Seven Angels’ Theater.  A sign-up sheet was passed with approximately 20 people interested, in participating.

 

We’d like to continue with publishing articles and pictures pertinent to the history of East Mountain.  Anyone with photos and articles is invited to share that information.

 

Some discussion of the possibility of having a door prize at future meetings met with the question by Ned Mencio of what would happen if attendance at the meetings would be insufficient to cover the cost of the door prize.  The suggestion of a door prize was therefore tabled.

 

Ned announced that since the down town merchants and bankers have offered vacant storefronts to anyone in the community to decorate as a temporary project, he asked Burt Carpentier, who is a decorative designer, if he would assist such a project for the EMNA.  Burt agreed.  Our committee was allowed to decorate a storefront abutted by Webster Bank on Grand St.  The window will be adorned with pictures of our projects, a copy of our mission statement and awards that we’ve received.

 

The suggestion was made that we could sponsor a basket or baskets for needy people, possible in our own neighborhood.  Larry Davino welcomed the idea.  Discussion ensued about whether to accept donations of money or food, toys, etc., as well as how to find or choose a family or families.  Father David offered to have the church be a drop-off area for the donations. Father’s secretary is at the church on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 9AM to 3PM. 

 

 

Mike announced that Thursday, October 21 ( tomorrow night) the Neighborhood Council Dinner will be held at the Grand Hotel.  Many East Mountain people are being honored, including Tom Conway, Bob Perigard and Ned Mencio.  Mary White and Joe Geary are also being feted.

 

The new Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be held on December 5th, Sunday.  This will be the 2nd annual tree lighting, but the first with our new, live tree. 

 

Our neighborhood is seeing many changes with so many homes being sold.  It’s very important for us to be informed of new neighbors, so that we can welcome them to the mountain, to offer our assistance if they need it and to update our records.  Please call or email Pam Mencio with any information  203 756 1952, pmencio1952@aol.com.

 

 

Turner Langdon, treasurer, presented the financial report.  In short, the current balance is $2,760.64; $500 is intended for the scholarship fund; $2,250.64 is available.  Turner also announced that the entertainment books are now available. 

 

The Park Department representatives are the guest speakers this evening.  Joe Geary the parks director presented Rich Robbins, who last addressed this group last Christmas.  Rich is the city’s landscape architect.  The plan, which was illustrated and displayed is the same one presented to us last year. Other speakers in attendance are Vince Mcdermott of Malone and MacBroom, Garrett Carlo and Jim Nemec of the park and recreation dept.  The discussion was of the plans for the ball fields, walking path, irrigation, Tball field, all of which has been discussed as prime importance.  The sufficiency of money is questionable for the project.  The contract is supposedly in process at present.  The work could begin in spring of 2005.  Many questions from the audience were aired, such as replacing fencing, funds for the playscape, liability, need for grading, bathrooms versus portalets, saving what might be salvageable.  The group promises to meet with us again when the design is completed.  Rocco Orso, the purchasing director, stated that once there is a general contract, the contractor will own the site until the work is completed.  In addition, the importance of spatial arrangement was stressed, which means that there must be ability to move around each event taking place at the park.  The playscape, the ball fields will be fixed items.  Also discussed was the material to be used for the walking path, the maintenance of it, ( weed control), placement of gates in terms of parking and blocking entrances.  It was urged that we all blitz our representatives with letters to request for more funds and to keep the funding that we have reportedly been afforded for the renovation before it becomes more depleted that it already has been.  The discussion was concluded and the guest speakers thanked for attending.

 

We thank Cathy Filippone for the work she did with the refreshments and the decorations for tonight’s meeting.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10PM.  The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 17th at 7:00 PM.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Patricia Mencio