Attendees

Laura Dykes Present Kris Hoellen Present Kelleigh Eastman Present Abigail Breiseth Present Charisse Lue Present Edith Gilliard-Canty Present Scott Kashnow Present Jane Shaab Present Gigi Lazard Present Cecilia Gonzalez Present Rebecca Altman Present Jose Resendiz Present Howard Hughes Present Gregg Herlong Present Sonia Eaddy Present Donnell Nance Present Bill Joyner Present

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 

June 18, 2024

Quorum required: 50% + 1 And at least 4 neighborhood representatives (At least 12 | 4)

  • Quorum met (17 | 6)

7:05 – Sonia call to order. 

Minutes Approval

Several members were unable to open the minutes. We will table approval of the minutes until next month. 

Executive Director’s Report  (Donny)

    1. Poppleton Rec Center – Plano has returned to the site and is working to complete the construction. Hoping within 8 weeks to be complete.
      1. We were not selected for the grant from Middendorf Foundation.
      2. Working on some others including one in partnership with UMB from the Under Armor Foundation.
      3. Howard mentioned BCIT Grant opportunity for programming – due in July.
      4. Grand opening mid August hopefully.
    2. Housing and Commercial Development (Adrian)
      1. Working on BRNI Grant Applications.
      2. Patrick Jordan is assisting
      3. Cecilia requested the final version of the housing action plan with the amendments that we voted on at the last meeting be distributed to the board and to the housing committee and added to the website
      4. Donny mentioned that the priorities of DHCD this year are Acquisition, Rental and Commercial Development.
      5. Cecilia and Laura noted that the partnership with Rebuilding Together is important to the mission of SWP and we should be looking for funding to support that partnership.
        1. Donny asked for board members to help by keeping an eye out for funding opportunities to support it.
      6. We voted last month in favor of all the BRNI/ CORE applications except the Bon Secours partner grant that has since been added to the list.
      7. Bon Secours is requesting a $1M partner application to provide renovations to Smallwood Summit Senior Apartments. Discussion included:
        1. Bon Secours is a good partner and we want to support them
        2. The address of this building is west of the SWP official boundary but there are limited partners available in West Baltimore that can apply for BRNI.
        3. The potential for DHCD to limit funding for (our highest priority) the SWP Housing Action Plan due to this competing request.
      8. Motion (Bill) to authorize the staff to apply and accept award of a partner BRNI grant with Bon Secours of $500,000 and rank our projects higher – Rebecca 2nd
  • All in favor (note: Cecilia in favor but will rank according to her committee priorities.)
        1. The ranking form is linked in the agenda as well as here. Board members are asked to return them to Chris either by email or at the office.
      2. Make Space is requesting a letter of support. 
      3. Motion (Donnell) to provide a letter of support to the Mount Clare Live-Work Artist Housing project – “make space”  – Rebecca 2nd
  • All in favor – none opposed or abstaining.

Announcements & Updates (Sonia)

  1. Kelleigh – no updates
  2. Barre Circle – no updates
  3. Hollins – no updates
  4. Franklin Square – no updates
  5. Poppleton (Sonia) had a Juneteenth event at Poe Homes 
  1. Commercial – no updates
  2. Preservation – no updates
  3. Housing – 
  4. Public Safety – 
  5. Vibrant Streets (Donnell) – Taking Tree Orders Now to submit to the City (They are providing just trees – planting and care are on your own). The order is due next week.
    1. Invite to the meeting the 4th Thursday at 7PM
  6. Education & Workforce (Abigail) – in partnership with UMB – put out a survey (only digitally so far) regarding quality of life factors – received 65 responses so far. Would like to receive many more and requesting that board members and community associations assist in getting responses. Door knocking hasn’t happened yet but is begin planned.
  7. Abigail on behalf of all the committee chairs reporting that:
    1. The committee chairs have begun meeting as a team and are:
      1. requesting the board undertake a strategic planning process soon building on the work that was previously completed by CHA.
      2. requesting a meeting with appropriate staff to discuss how best to manage the tasks of our committees – in light of little staff support – technology etc…+ relationship building opportunity.
      3. Some of our board members have been selected to the Community Action Team for the Red Line.
    2. Sonia – has been considering how to introduce this topic. Thinks it’s best to have the experts in each topic come and meet with community associations.
    3. Scott mentioned that there are many groups involved in overlapping areas. The group that he and Howard and Sonia are a part of is run by the State – MDOT – MTA – it’s the Redline and focused on transportation. There is also the West Baltimore United group – from Baltimore City DOT focussed on the reconnecting project. There is also community groups like the Reconnecting West Baltimore Communities and Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition. The news from the Redline group is that the Governor is going to announce a decision about the mode for the Redline soon – probably this month and we will know whether it will be a bus or a train. There is still a lot of work to do to decide on an alignment, the path it will take, whether and where a tunnel will be and where the stops will be.
    4. Cecilia – adds priorities of the committees
      1. Community Engagement
      2. Uplifting needs and priorities of the community associations
      3. and looking at things holistically – together.
      4. We also need to improve getting the word out – maybe create a committee to work with David.
    5. Sonia has been discussing with Donny plans for a retreat – so thanks for getting this started.
    6. Diana – is glad we have started this effort.
  8. Jane S. – The lunch market is open on Wednesdays from 11-2 – not tomorrow due to Junetteenth but beginning again next week. Come and get lunch.
  9. Gregg – nothing to add
  10. Bill – Staff from the CEC have been attending meetings
    1. One thing they have heard is that we don’t recognize the expertise of the neighborhood residents properly – they heard this.
    2. UMBC – offers Neighborhood Leadership classes at the Lion Brothers building.
    3. UMB is offering scholarships to these classes for residents of the 7 neighborhoods that are over 18. – Call Brian Studivant
    4. Needs assessment – same survey that Abigail mentioned – he is requesting assistance getting more responses.
    5. Grant opportunities – looking to partner with a community organization on the BCIT project. due July 14, 2024
      1. Digital Literacy – how to use a computer, how to use the internet
      2. Advanced Digital Education – get certs
      3. Digital Creative – Maker Space
  11. Rebecca – UMMC – exploring W-F development program with Digital Harbor High School – internships/ apprenticeships for facility maintenance projects.
    1. The Midtown Pharmacy is open at Linwood Ave
    2. The main pharmacy is at the hospital and is available 24/7

9:05pm – Meeting Adjourned

Motion (Edith) to adjourn. Rebecca 2nd

All in favor

Good night everyone!

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