Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Pueblo Neighborhood Partnership Meeting MInutes — 070605

Notes of the meeting.

The discussions of the PNP meeting for June 2007….

Pueblo Neighborhood Partnership
Meeting 6-05-07

Minutes

Present:  Susan Finzel-Aldred, Kristen Castor, Charlie Reicherseder, Quana Simpson, David Cockrell, Ellen Cooney, Nadine Triste, Susan Morse, Michele Keplinger, Diana Esen, Chuck Pelto, Susan Pelto, Floyd Jaramillo, Arlene Arellano, Eva Montoya, Gilbert Mora, Margaret Barber, Ted Lopez, Don Bruestle.

Susan Finzel-Aldred, Pueblo City/County Health Dept.  Susan gave a report on the progression of neighborhood clean-ups this summer.

David Cockrell, City Planning.  Packard Grant is entering a youth leadership training phase.  Interns are available to be placed into neighborhood organizations and agencies requesting them.  The grant provides for a stipend for the intern, and placement agencies are asked to match the stipend.  If you are interested, be sure to talk with David soon (553-2249). 

Todd Ahlenius, Urban Transportation Planning Division.  Discussed Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan.  Looking at concentrations of citizens w/o cars, low-income residents, locations of need for public transit.  Several federal programs can provide additional money for public transportation (e.g. the New Freedom Program).  Can be matched with CDBG.  Meetings June 12, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., June 14, 12-5:30, Fri. 12:30 – 1:30, and Wed. June 20, 1:00 – 2:00.  Flyer will be sent soon.

Lionel Trujillo, Director, Neighborworks.  Community Meeting Saturday in Bessemer.

Committees: 
Clean-Up Committees.  C. Pelto was appointed to EPAC.  Will be working with Susan Finzel-Aldred on developing a comprehensive trash/recycling policy for the city. And possibly beyond.

Beautification (Neighborhood garden).  Doing weeding and soils work.  Plants waiting to be planted.

Traffic and Safety (Kristen Castor).  Sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner.  CDBG used in Y zone.  Sidewalk is public Right of Way but owners’ responsibility.  Strategies include Charter Neighborhoods rezoning, and Special Districts.  There are special machines to more efficiently repair sidewalks.  Kristen will be talking to Public Works about their capacity to improve repair services.

Margaret Barber, Citizens for Clean Air. 

Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE).  Emphasis on voluntary compliance with laws pertaining to environmental quality.  $91,000.  Partner organizations.  Grant recipients must complete three tasks for level 1(planning & organizing):  1.  An inventory of toxic exposures in the community.  2.  Categorizing by toxicity.  3.  Representatives prioritize list according to toxicity.  Homes, schools, communities, land, air, water, work places.  Level 2 of the grant provides for strategies for mitigation of the most important risks.  $300,000.

Pueblo has more than half of the state’s mercury and lead depositions.  Lead and mercury poisoning may be pretty pervasive.  Big meeting on Mercury on July 13, 6:00 pm at the library. 

Another major issue is black mold in apartment bldgs.  Another is stormwater drainage.  Loss of use of homes because of flooding.  Water quality in the Fountain River.  Meeting June 6 on Stormwater management issues.

The project is in the education phase.  Trying to learn about the issues and how they can be addressed.  Meetings on stormwater are designed to bring to light how the system works.

Brownfields opportunities are being assessed.  Abandoned gas stations, storage tanks.  EPA/State Health Dept. works with the property owner to assess the extent of the impact, and then assists in generating a redevelopment plan.  Opportunity to identify places in town that we’d like to see cleaned up and redeveloped.  CARE project is getting $50,000 to do the Phase I assessment.  They are putting together a Brownfields Steering Committee to identify candidate properties.  The committee will develop a process for taking applications for redevelopment.  Probably ten sites will be funded for assessment.  PNP members are invited to serve on the assessment committee.  The current money is for assessment only.

Member Updates/Announcements

Kristen Castor, Access for All:  Pueblo transit is required to provide transit for those who can’t ride the buses.  MB Transportation is the new alternative transit provide.  Service only provided curb to curb.  Drivers instructed not to assist anyone beyond the policy. Recommendations for policy changes to be discussed at the ADA committee, SRDA 3rd floor, Thursday, 6-07, 2:00 -5:00. 

Don Bruestle, Urban Renewal Authority:  Visioning Meeting tonight 6-05 5:00 – 7:00 at the convention center.  The meeting is to focus on the downtown developer’s master plan.

ENA having a neighborhood clean-up on Sat. 6-09. 

Salt Creek having 3rd annual community picnic this Friday, 6-08, with a poetry reading 1331 Santa Rosa, Fulton Hts. Rec. Center..  CICI grand opening is this Friday 6-08, 3:00.

Next meeting July 10.  ENA will host the July meeting.  Location TBA.

 

Less...