Minutes of CONA Meeting

7:00 p.m., October 21, 2009

City Hall Building

Bloomington, Indiana

Board Members Present:
6th & Ritter - David Walter
Elm Heights - Kathy Holland
Green Acres - Jane Spearman
Eastside - Molly O'Donnell
Maple Heights - Greg Alexander

Business Meeting

1. The minutes from the September 16, 2009 meeting were approved.
2. David Walter reported treasury balances as follows: Checking: $427.13 and Savings: $7,943.05. Jane Spearman submitted copies of her receipts for travel, housing and registration at the RNNC in the amount of $374.59 for reimbursement from CONA. David mentioned that Irwin Union Bank was closed and has been taken over by First Federal Bank.
3. The Board asked about a summary of funds and how much was available for CONA use and how much was being held for the member neighborhood associations. David is working on the account balances for CONA and should have a report at the next meeting.
4. Jane Spearman gave a report on the RNNC in Decatur, Illinois and passed around the contents of the "goodie bag" that she was given. Jane attended workshops on schools and community, communication, non- profit funding, urban tree inventories, and community gardening. She said that the RNNC is well organized, the speakers were interesting and entertaining, and the conference attendees are involved with their communities. She mentioned that Bloomington's issues with student housing are not that important in comparison to other neighborhood issues that were brought up during the conference.
5. Molly O'Donnell asked if CONA would provide a letter of support for Sarah Mincey's project to do a tree survey in one of the neighborhoods. Jane Spearman made a motion to support the survey and Molly seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote.
6. David Walter reported that the Redevelopment Commission had approved a new project called "FIP" - furnace and insulation improvements for low- income households. Grant funds are available for replacing old furnaces and making insulation improvements to homes on a limited basis. He said that Neighborhood Grants are available for projects and applications should be filled out by the end of the month for consideration by HAND. The Redevelopment Commission has also approved engineering fees for the street, sidewalk and curb improvements on the Rogers Street corridor from Kirkwood down to Country Club Drive. This will include "bump-outs" similar to West Kirkwood Avenue from Rogers Street to Maple Street.
7. In Neighborhood News, Molly O'Donnell reported that the Eastside Block Party had been rained out, so it turned into an indoors pumpkin carving party. Jane Spearman reported that Green Acres is attempting to get the residences of a group home involved with their community garden and Kathy Holland reported that Elm Heights had two turkey vultures hanging around the neighborhood.
8. CONA members are reminded to tell everyone they know that the CONA survey for Bloomington Hospital is completed and results are available at www.conaonline.org. Bloomington Hospital and Clarian Health are working on a regional plan toward the integration of the two Indiana based health care hospital systems. Bloomington Hospital also purchased 85 acres of land for development between Ellettsville and Bloomington.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.