Weinland Park Community Civic Association
Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of April 25, 2018
Jen Mankin, president, and Ed Chin secretary, called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. in the Schoenbaum Family Center.
Election of officers. Paper ballots for the election of officers were distributed to civic association members as they signed into the meeting. Omar Elhagmusa and Ta Mika Tanyhill were running for president. Laura Bidwa and Marque Majors were running for vice president. Lydia Yoder was unopposed on the ballot for secretary. No one had been nominated for treasurer, although the ballot permitted members to write in a name.
Constitutional amendments. Mr. Chin briefly explained the proposed amendments to the civic association’s constitution that were prepared by the Steering Committee. The amendments were presented in writing at the March meeting of the civic association. Ms. Bidwa moved that the amendments be adopted. The motion was properly seconded. The motion was approved with 12 votes in favor and none opposed.
Roots & Roofs. Evelyn Van Til announced the Growing Weinland Park Roots & Roofs neighborhood beautification and community service event will be Saturday, May 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. Volunteers will gather at Godman Guild Association and then will work in the various community gardens throughout the neighborhood. The first 150 volunteers will receive a t-shirt. Ms. Van Til also explained that many of the sites will have volunteer activities monthly to tend the gardens and, where appropriate, harvest the edibles. More information is posted on the Weinland Park Facebook page.
Employment. Deshawn Toney of Godman Guild announced her agency is seeking additional employers to partner with the agency’s Pathways to Work, a program offering transitional jobs and coaching for persons who have had barriers to employment. Residents seeking employment through Pathways to Work should contact Godman Guild. Ms. Toney also announced Godman Guild has a new program to prepare residents for childcare certification and to assist them in finding employment in that field.
Storybook Village. Steve Sterrett of the Weinland Park Collaborative urged Weinland Park residents to take advantage of free family passes to the annual Storybook Village event on June 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ohio Village on the state fairgrounds. Each family pass will admit up to eight people. The event includes costumed characters from children’s literature and public television.
Fund-raising dance. Laura Kogan announced the Weinland Park Elementary School PTO will hold a fund-raising dance on Wednesday, May 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the school. The event will be free and open to the public, but the PTO will sell food, sponsor a photo booth, and have a dance in the gymnasium. The civic association’s Steering Committee has cancelled the regular monthly meeting of the civic association that evening to encourage all residents to attend the dance. Ms. Kogan asked for residents to volunteer that evening to help stage the event. Residents can sign up to volunteer by visiting www.signupgenius.com.
Parking plan. Ms. Van Til reported the city has issued a proposed new parking plan for the Short North, including a portion of Weinland Park. She said the plan still doesn’t include a provision for free parking permits for low-income residents. She strongly encouraged residents to express their concerns to city officials.
Thanks. On behalf of the Weinland Park Collaborative and the civic association, Mr. Sterrett presented hanging baskets to Ms. Mankin, Mr. Elhagmusa and Mr. Chin for their service as civic association officers for the past two years. He also presented Ms. Mankin with a gift card for her leadership as president.
Election results. Susan Colbert of Ohio State University Extension reported the results of the election. She first recognized and thanked each of the candidates. She then announced Mr. Elhagmusa was elected president, Ms. Bidwa was elected vice president, and Ms. Yoder was elected secretary. She reported a tie between two write-in candidates for treasurer, so the three-person elections committee decided not to reveal the write-in candidates and leave the matter to the new president and Steering Committee to fill the treasurer position.
Dance replaces meeting. Ms. Mankin reminded everyone the civic association won’t hold its monthly meeting on May 23, but will encourage people to attend the fund-raising dance at Weinland Park Elementary School that evening.
The business of the civic association being concluded, Ms. Mankin adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.
Meeting minutes prepared by Steve Sterrett.