[Dewey-Darrow] NIF meeting- STIIL VOTING-

Mon Apr 20 07:21:00 CDT 2009

Dear Neighbors,
Thanks so much to all of you who came and contributed to a  very productive 
meeting today. Voting is still going on. For anyone who  hasn't voted and 
would like to, please send in your vote by Tuesday,  April 21 by 10:00 P.M.
If anyone would like to help with the voting process and take ballots  
around in their block, please let Dickelle or me know and we will send you  the 
ballot to print out. We would like to make this process as democratic as  
possible! We want to include your vote!

Here is a brief synopsis of what transpired at today's meeting: 

All proposals approved last year are in process. The corner plantings have  
been installed and are being maintained through the end of this growing 
season.  The soccer teams are expanding. The mailings about the ChicoBags 
(reuseable  shopping bags) and bike helmets and bike safety course should be 
going out by  May 1. Depending on the number of ChicoBags and bike helmets 
ordered, we will  have used between $96,000.00 and $108,000.00  of the 
Neighborhood  Improvement Fund.

Dickelle Fonda detailed her research into the 6 cul-de-sacs within the NIF  
area. They were put in, sometimes decades ago, at the request of area 
residents  to alleviate reckless street traffic. The city put in the plantings 
but left the  maintenance to residents living on either side of the 
cul-de-sacs. Over the  years many of the trees and bushes have been run over or become 
diseased or  died. Nature's Perspective (who also designed and planted the 
corners) has  surveyed all six areas and drawn plans to save as many plants 
as possible and  rejuvenate these areas with hardy, drought and 
salt-tolerant trees, bushes, and  plants. In one area a fence has been added as an 
additional barrier. These plans  include all material and labor for the 6 
cul-de-sacs as well as one year of  maintenance by Nature's Perspective. After one 
year, the City of Evanston will  be asked to take over the maintenance of 
the cul-de-sacs. Total cost of this  proposal is $24,549.85. For more 
information about this  proposal, please see attachment or call or email Dickelle 
Fonda at (847)  491-9748 or _SugrCreek at aol.com_ (mailto:SugrCreek at aol.com) . 

There was some discussion about this proposal and how continued maintenance 
 should be handled. There was also a question about adding "bollards" 
(decorative  cement posts) to increase the security of the areas.

Gay Riseborough and Adam Finlayson gave details of the "Tot Lot" or "pocket 
 park" proposal. Several buildable lots have been identified in the 
Dewey-Darrow  neighborhood (Dempster to Lee, Dodge to Florence). Gay and Adam are 
part  of the Grandmother Park Initiative committee who have a plan to 
purchase a  lot and install a playlot with playground equipment specifically sized 
for 1-5  year-olds. Their budget for this plan includes land purchase,  
demolition of a building if necessary, playground equipment, landscaping and  
fencing, and various fees. The playground would be donated to the City of  
Evanston after completion. They are asking for $50,000.00 from  the 
Neighborhood Improvement Fund as seed money to buy the lot. After discussion  at the 
meeting today, they clarified their request by saying that they will work  to 
come to an agreement with a property owner and will present their proposal  
again to the neighborhood before going to the Economic Development 
Committee.  For more information or questions about this proposal, please see the 
attachment  or call or email Adam Finlayson at (847) 866-3697or 
_amf at adamfinlayson.com_ (mailto:amf at adamfinlayson.com) , or Gay  Riseborough at (847) 
475-5159 or _gayrise at comcast.net_ (mailto:gayrise at comcast.net) .

There was much discussion and many questions asked about this proposal,  
both pro and con. Some residents feel this is a very good use  of the NIF and 
will add to the attractiveness and ambiance of the neighborhood.  Some 
residents feel this is a good idea, but not a good use of the NIF because  they 
feel it would not be usable by and available to enough  residents in the NIF 
area. Still others liked the idea but thought the amount  was too much and 
favored a smaller amount of money.

After discussion with two area residents who own rain barrels, I have  
decided to remove the Rain Barrel Proposal from the ballot.  Although it is a 
very "green" idea and I have read many good things about  rain barrels in 
doing my research, they are impractical and difficult to use on  a daily basis. 
In a 1" rainfall, about 600 gallons fall on an average roof. You  would need 
over ten 55-gallon barrels to collect that rain. They  have to be set up 
every spring and taken down and emptied every fall. If you get  rain during 
the cold weather season, your rain barrel will not be available. If  you 
forget to empty your barrel before we have a freeze, the barrel will crack  from 
the ice inside. Although they have a screen to prevent mosquitoes from  
infesting the barrel, if you don't keep the screen absolutely free of debris,  
mosquitoes will breed on top of the barrel.

Several other residents have asked about other ways to use the fund money  
such as: 
1. Fund half the price ($40) of a permanent yard waste bin, available from  
the City of Evanston for every residence in the NIF area. These would save 
both  the cost of paper yard waste bags and the trees that were cut down to 
make them.  They could be required to stay with the residence and would be a 
long-term  item.

2. Fund extra years of maintenance on the corner plantings.

3. Fund extra years of maintenance on the cul-de-sac plantings, if  passed.

Motions were made and seconded for me (and I would be happy to have any  
volunteer help) to research these three ideas and come back with formal  
proposals. Please call or email with any questions or suggestions: (847)  
869-9136 or _juliemarkw at earthlink.net_ (mailto:juliemarkw at earthlink.net) .

You are still able to vote on the "Tot Lot"  proposal and the "Cul-de-Sac" 
proposal, Yes or No for each one. All residents 18 and over may vote. Please 
let us know how you would like to  spend this money! If you have already 
voted, but after hearing this discussion  you want to change your vote, you 
may do so up to 10:00 P.M. this Tuesday, April  21. Just contact Dickelle or 
me, whoever recorded your  vote.

Sincerely,
Julie Westbrook and Dickelle Fonda

"It is  not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to 
recognize, accept,  and celebrate those differences"

(Audre Lorde  1934-92)
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