Tucker-Jefferson Neighborhood Association

TJNA Quarterly Meeting Minutes

July, 2006

July 25, 2006
TJNA Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order and began with a very interesting talk by Sharon Gordon from the Memphis Public Works Dept. She spoke to us about the city’s Scoop the Poop Program, and the need to be very careful about what pollutants end up going into the storm drains. She explained that the storm drains collect the rain runoff, which ultimately joins the streams and rivers, which are used for many purposes. While the emphasis of the talk was on pollution from animal waste, she also reminded everyone that nothing hazardous can be disposed in the storm drains; that even kitchen grease and oil can cause sewer blockages.

We next heard from Ian Randolph from the Annesdale Snowden Neighborhood Association. He told about the many things that are going on in his neighborhood, home tours, picnics, Easter egg hunts, househopping/cocktail hours, and more. He told that 30-40% of the households in the neighborhood are active in the association, and that they have something happening nearly every month.

Pam reported from Park Friends, additional trashcans have been provided for Overton Park, and she briefly commented on the problem for the need for additional parking at the Zoo.

Neighborhood Night Out will be held at 1866 Court Ave, next Tuesday between 7 & 9pm. Everyone should bring a dish to share.

The Treasurer reported that we have $887.61.

Neighborhood Watch – Since Donna Heidelberger has been ill, Gail said that she would work at getting this restarted.

Neighborhood Clean Up – It was decided that the next neighborhood clean up will take place on Sept 23 at 9am, with Sept 30 as a backup date in case of rain.

The group discussed the need for speed bumps in the neighborhood. Apparently, there will have to be signed petitions from the neighborhood, there has to be a certain level of traffic, and then if it is approved, the waiting period to actually get the speed bumps is between 12-18 months.

Sara Goff reported that the Midtown Redevelopment Corp (Heart of the Arts) now has an office at Overton Square.

The next meeting will be October 24 at the Barbecue Shop.

April, 2006

Tucker Jefferson Neighborhood Association

Minutes of Meeting, April 25, 2006

The meeting was called to order by co-president, Sara Goff. The minutes of the past meeting were approved as presented.

The guest speaker, Suzy Askew gave a wonderful program about urban gardening. She is a member of the group that is restoring the kitchen garden at the Magevney House. A kitchen garden is one in which every plant has to be productive, and provide something that can be used in the kitchen or the house. This group is trying to only use plants that might have been available to gardeners in the mid-1800s, and she announced that it is possible to tour these gardens on Saturday mornings.

She recommended that we adapt our gardens to the style of our homes and to the level of energy required to maintain them. After talking a bit about different heirloom plants, she recommended a number of books that might be very helpful for urban gardeners: Plants that Merit Attention: Volume I: Trees by the Horticultural Committee of the Garden Club of America, Trees in Urban Design, Second Edition by Henry F. Arnold, and The Southern Gardener’s Book of Lists: The Best Plants for All Your Needs, Wants, and Whims by Lois Trigg Chaplin.

Following the speaker, the meeting resumed.

Pam will be our liaison with Park Friends and she announced that on Sunday May 21 from 4-7pm there would be a party at the golf house. She also requested suggestions for the yard of the month.

Bill Crowder, treasurer said that we have $881.61 in the account.

The tentative plans for future meetings include:

July 25 - A speaker discussing the storm water division’s campaign on
“Scoop the Poop”

Oct 24 - A speaker to discuss the historical nature of the neighborhood
and what it might take for this area to become a
designated historical neighborhood.

Jan 23 - A discussion of Neighborhood Watch

Mr. Jack Nichols of Playhouse on the Square talked to the group about the Heart of the Arts Initiative. It turns out that as more groups have become involved in this effort the size and scope of the project has changed somewhat. He will keep us posted on the project as it evolves. He also reminded everyone that demolition on the Antique Mall will begin in a few days and that there will be a party at Playhouse on the Square this coming Friday evening to celebrate.

Steve Bell gave a report about the Katrina victims who had been living in one of his apartments in the neighborhood. He had recently been to New Orleans and had met them again and they are still so appreciative of all the donations and support they received while they stayed in this neighborhood. They wanted to show their appreciation and so, even though they have next to nothing there in New Orleans, they sent a huge collection of Mardi Gras beads for us.

Sara brought up the need for code-enforcement rules to be distributed to the neighborhood. Probably none of us know exactly what the rules are and it would be helpful for everyone to be aware of them.

She also requested that all the committees that were formed at the last meeting should chose a leader, and to meet as a committee before the next meeting.

Social Committee - It was announced that there will be a neighborhood mixer at Boscos Squared on May 16 during happy hour, like between 5 and 7pm. Everyone just needs to come.

There also was a discussion about forming an exercise group that could meet in Overton Park for running or walking.

The social committee is to meet following this meeting to plan a porch party.

Clean Up committee – There is a neighborhood clean up planned for May 13. Everyone should meet on Jefferson, behind the dairy, near Lick creek at 8am. We will be doing a neighborhood sweep to pick up trash, so bring trash bags and wear gloves.

Open Floor - There were two comments about Tucker, one is that there are new No Parking signs posted on the west side of the street, and the other was that because many people leave their garbage cans on the sidewalk for days on end, people who are using wheelchairs are having to ride in the street.

There was a comment about how crummy the streetlights are looking at Cooper and Madison, that they desperately need a coat of paint.

Sara asked if anyone knew the location of the neighborhood T-shirts that had been printed several years ago.

The next meeting will be on July 25.

January, 2006

Tucker Jefferson Neighborhood Association
Minutes of meeting, January 24, 2006

Co-President Sara Goff called the meeting to order.

The minutes from the previous meeting were approved and the treasurer gave his report.

Austin Lowry, liaison for Park Friends, reported that Park Friends will be continuing the fall hayride as an annual event and are planning another family event for the spring. He also announced that he would be moving out of the neighborhood, which will leave a vacancy on the TJNA Board for an at-large member.

Sandra Mathias from the Emergency Management Agency gave a very interesting presentation on emergency preparedness. She explained that we all should be prepared to manage on our own for at least 3 days during an emergency and listed the items that we should have available for use during that period. Fortunately, these items are probably already in our homes, they just need to be assembled into an emergency kit. She reminded us that we also have to plan supplies for any pets that we might have. She handed out some additional information and said that the Emergency Management Agency offers classes for anyone who might be interested, and can be contacted at 901-458-1515 or www.mscema.org.

The meeting then divided up into groups to brainstorm for ideas that might benefit the neighborhood.

The neighborhood cleanup group identified the persistent problem along Jefferson as one area to focus our cleanup effort. It was also suggested that the neighbors that go walking in the neighborhood might take a trash bag along, and pick up trash along their way. Another idea was to suggest that people pick up the trash that is on their block.

The membership group had many suggestions, including, encouraging business membership, letting businesses put ads or coupons in the newsletter, working on getting renters to join the group, putting an application for membership back onto the meeting flyer, meeting more frequently, having door prizes, and having more social events.

The code enforcement group suggested having a nice notice or pleasant flyer, which could be left at the door of persons who are violating the city code. It should be something nice, which would inform them of the city rules. It was also suggested that we would need to get a copy of the code from the city.

The social group listed a number of social events that the neighborhood might plan, including, a pre-holiday yard sale, a meet-the-candidates forum during election years, a spring pot-luck, a door decorating contest at one of the holidays, offering help to
the elderly or infirm in putting up some holiday lights, and doing the Neighborhood Night Out which we have been doing.

Some of the ideas raised during the earlier board meeting included, a progressive porch party, a neighborhood walk/run, a neighborhood parade, and an organized running/walking group. A final idea was to organize a walk around the neighborhood that would focus on the historic nature of the neighborhood.

Sign-up sheets were passed around allowing people to sign up for any committee they were interested in.

Co-President Gail Karr announced that the Northwest Passage had opened at the Zoo. She also said that she had gotten all the information about Neighborhood Watch from the Police Department and needed someone to take charge of this effort. Donna Heidelberger offered to do this for the group.

There was a request for items for the newsletter, and a short comment on the Heart of the Arts District project. It was decided that the dues would be collected during the month of July each year.

It was decided that we should meet every other month beginning in April.

The next meeting will be on the 4th Tuesday of April, April 25, and the speaker will be Suzy Askew, who will speak to us about garden restoration and heirloom plants.

The meeting was adjourned.