ENA Meeting Minutes: May 2021

Meeting Notes – May 10, 2021

The Ellendale Neighborhood Association will comply with social distancing practices recommended and required by the City of St. Louis Health Department in response to COVID-19. As a result, this meeting was held in-person outdoors at Francis R Slay Park and virtually via Facebook Live. The meeting announcement and joining/participating information were provided in advance, consistent with the organization’s bylaws (revised July 2015 and adopted November 9, 2015).

The full meeting broadcast can be viewed on the Ellendale Neighborhood Association group Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/groups/EllendaleNA.StL

Meeting opened at 7:02PM

⦁ Welcome & Facebook Live Overview

⦁ Jacqi Kamp outlined the meeting procedures for the session so that online participants could submit questions via Facebook chat, or by email, or by text.

⦁ Streaming our meetings via Facebook Live remains quite popular and will be continued indefinitely for future meetings.

⦁ Approval of Minutes, March 2021 Meeting

⦁ Hard copies of the March 2021 meeting notes were distributed to those attending the meeting in-person. A weblink to the online document was previously shared on the ENA Facebook page.

www.ellendalena.wixsite.com/ellendale/single-post/march-ellendale-association-meeting-minutes

Motion to approve March 2021 notes as formal meeting minutes made by Linda Boyd-Shell and seconded by Robert Morrissey. Approved by voice vote.

Community Reports

⦁ Alderman Bret Narayan (24th Ward)

⦁ New mayor elected for the City of St Louis: Tishaura Jones. There are some personnel changes that accompany a new administration. Ald. Narayan asks for patience with service requests as many City departments get acclimated to the changes.

⦁ Board of Aldermen 2021-2022 session has started. His aldermanic committee assignments are: Housing, Urban Development & Zoning (HUDZ); Personnel & Administration; Public Safety; Transportation & Commerce

⦁ The City is receiving approximately $500 Million in federal grants assistance. Most of the allocations are expected to go through HUDZ and Public Safety committees. Ald. Narayan will be in a position to advocate for those programs important to the 24th Ward Community.

⦁ Community Support Program (also known referred to as “aerial surveillance”): Mayor Jones opposes the proposed legislation and promises a veto if the board bill were to get enough support to pass it through the board of aldermen to become an ordinance. The board of aldermen has tabled any further discussion on this item.

⦁ Air Quality Control legislation sponsored by Ald. Narayan was signed into law by former Mayor Lyda Krewson before her term expired.

⦁ Ald. Narayan working on getting 45-degree angled parking for Canterbury Ave, in front of the Wilkinson School Building Apartments. Working with the Streets Department and the aldermanic attorneys on language that would exclude angled parking in front of the single-family residences on either side of the apartment building development.

⦁ ENA has requested a stop sign and lighted signal for the crosswalk on Canterbury Ave. Matt Sisul forwarded him a photo of the recent install for the crosswalk on Arsenal St & January Ave. That location is in a different ward, so Ald. Narayan will check with the Streets Department to see if this was a carryover from a previously budgeted ward capital project or if these installs can now be scheduled & installed.

⦁ There was a rumor that the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) was disbanding its Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART). Rather, it is Ald. Narayan’s understanding that SLMPD is assigning homicide detectives to investigate anything that involves the death of an individual. Some homicide detectives may be reassigned from the DART task force. However, domestic violence cases will still be handled by those SLMPD officers specially trained for them.

⦁ Hoping to get larger thoroughfares in the 24th Ward repaved using the federal grants resources mentioned above. Ward capital budget amounts are too insufficient to handle fully by themselves. That is a Citywide problem, not just a 24th Ward problem.

⦁ As always, report potholes and/or streetlight maintenance requests to Citizen Service Bureau.

⦁ Karen Clifford: 314-489-2078 or CliffordK@stlouis-mo.gov

⦁ Question: Regarding the Canterbury Ave crosswalk, are you talking about a stop sign?

⦁ Ald. Narayan: The photo Matt Sisul shared was of a crosswalk with flashing light signal.

⦁ Jacqi Kamp: We had talked about also getting a stop sign installed with the lighted signal.

⦁ Ald. Narayan: We may be able to get both.

⦁ Question: The City set large stones and two cinderblocks at the intersection of McCausland Ave & Emilie St to protect the backyard fences of the residents of Ellendale Ave. The boulders look okay, but can the cinderblocks be replaced with cylindrical planters instead?

⦁ Ald. Narayan: The City is no longer making those cylindrical planters anymore. The only way we can get one or two is when/if they are scheduled to be moved from an existing location. There would be some cost to the ward capital budget to do so. The current setup was not intended as the permanent solution, though. It was simply done because this was the quickest solution to the problem of cars crashing into backyards.

⦁ Karen Clifford (NIS): will check into the situation. There may already be another location that prefers the cinderblocks over the planters, and a swap may be possible soon.

⦁ Karen Clifford (24th Ward Neighborhood Improvement Specialist)

⦁ Submitted many requests for pothole repairs. Many have been repaired, but some look like they need refilling already.

⦁ Reminder that residents should put out bulk pickup items on only the fourth week of the month. Please do not place items on the curb the week prior or the week after. If items like a couch or mattress is left out in the rain, they will gain a lot of weight and it becomes difficult for the City Refuse Division to remove. Also become havens for mosquitos and other bug/pest-related nuisances. If you have new furniture delivered, please try to have old furniture hauled away at the same time. Bulk-pickup items should be placed either in front of your property (if you have rollout carts) or in the rear of your property (if you have an alley dumpster). They should not be placed adjacent to the City’s alley dumpsters.

⦁ She brought to the meeting interior-use, blue recycle bins provided by Operation Brightside. They are available to anyone in the neighborhood. For anyone attending meeting virtually, reach out to her directly. She will need your contact information to keep track of bins given out.

⦁ Contact her directly (314-489-2078 or CliffordK@stlouis-mo.gov) to arrange for delivery/pickup.

⦁ Refuse Division will be placing new labels on alley dumpsters to indicate what items are acceptable for both trash & recycle receptacles. If anyone (Block Captains) wants to help distribute, please contact her directly.

⦁ Please break down your cardboard boxes before putting them out for recycle. Otherwise they take up too much space in the containers.

⦁ The City does have an existing ordinance about prolonged dog barking, regardless of time of day. You can reach out to Karen directly to report confidentially. Her preference is to speak with an owner first before formally pursuing as a nuisance. But if you are a pet owner, especially if you are a dog owner, please be respectful of your neighbors and do not leave your pets outside for long periods of time to be a noise disturbance.

⦁ Karen met with Forestry about cutting back the overgrowth around the track at Ellendale/Slay Park. Safety concerns have been acknowledged. They should be conducting a substantial amount of vegetation cleanup, using a crane & tractor.

⦁ Ald. Narayan: Forestry will also be addressing some of the erosion around the back hill of the park. The brush should be cut back approximately 6-feet from the walking/running track path.

⦁ Question: Resident concerns about a problem property on Magnolia Ave.

⦁ Karen Clifford (NIS): happy to speak with resident after the meeting to provide updates, including information on a cease-and-desist order. Also trying to schedule a “neighborhood blitz” (involves several different City departments) to tow cars, address alley & building code issues for this block of Magnolia Ave.

⦁ SLMPD, Ald. Narayan, and Matt Sisul have all been actively involved with Karen Clifford in trying to address these problems.

⦁ Karen Clifford will forward to the neighborhood information on the Problem Properties Division of the City of St. Louis so that it can be shared with community.

⦁ Question: Resident concern about the manhole covering in front of 7327 Canterbury Ave, work is still incomplete.

⦁ Karen Clifford: will followup with City about repairs

⦁ Question: Resident concern about a problem property on Tremont Ave.

⦁ Karen Clifford: City building inspectors & Forestry have cited the owner, and the address is now in Housing Court

Board & Committee Reports

⦁ Treasurer’s Report (Jacqi Kamp, for Joe Nea)

⦁ $1,096.46 starting balance (March 2021)

⦁ $0.00 deposits or expenses

⦁ $1,096.46 new balance (May 2021)

⦁ Housing Committee Report (Linda Boyd-Shell)

⦁ No report

⦁ Beautification Committee Report (Jacqi Kamp, for Jenise Nea)

⦁ Approval of committee members will be postponed until July 2021 meeting

⦁ Ellendale Trash Cleanup Schedule

⦁ Weekend 1 - Saturday, April 17th (9am-11am)

⦁ Cleanup area: east side of McCausland Avenue, between Southwest & Odell

⦁ (meet at intersection of Odell St and McCausland Ave)

⦁ Weekend 2 - Saturday, May 1st (9am-11am)

⦁ Cleanup area: north & south sides of Southwest Avenue, between Limit & McCausland

⦁ (meet at stairs, intersection of Southwest Ave and Ellendale Ave)

⦁ Weekend 3 - Saturday, May 15th (9am-11am)

⦁ Cleanup area: west side of McCausland east & west sides of McCausland Avenue, between Canterbury & Manhattan

⦁ (meet at Slay Park parking lot area)

⦁ Weekend 6 - Saturday, June 26th (9am-11am)

⦁ Cleanup area: east & west sides of McCausland Avenue, between Manhattan & Wellington

⦁ (meet at intersection of Ellendale Ave/Wellington Ave and Wellington Ct)

⦁ Miscellaneous

⦁ Reminder that 2021 dues are due. Membership applications are available. Online payment options are also available.

⦁ Annual dues are $6 per person, per household; $3 per person 65+; Business dues are $24

⦁ Venmo @Joey-Nea; be sure to specify “ENA dues” in transaction notes

⦁ Block Captains/Neighborhood Ownership Model

⦁ Reach out to Matt Sisul to find out who your block captain is and/or if willing to serve as one.

⦁ 24th Ward Community Directories (Clifton Heights/Clayton-Tamm, Ellendale/Franz Park/Hi-Pointe/Cheltenham neighborhoods) are available for pickup. Contact Matthew Sisul (314-606-3427 or m_sisul@yahoo.com) for delivery.

Motion to adjourn made by Linda Boyd-Shell and seconded by Robert Morrissey. Approved by voice vote.

Meeting adjourned approximately 7:30PM