AGENDA: Fishtown Neighbors Association General Membership Meeting Thursday, April 17, 2014, 7 8:00 PM @ Fishtown Rec

Board Members: Kate Micklow Harwan, Thomas Mosher, Pete Harwan, Isaac Slepner, John Alexander, Jordan Rushie, Audrey Morrison

Time 7:00 7:05

Item Welcome / 2014 Dues Reminder/Thanks to Lloyd for Refreshments 26 Officer Intro/Crime Q&A Contact info for our Police Service Area (PSA) Lt. Mike Zimmerman Michael.zimmerman@phila.gov / 267.240.6982, works nights th Property crime down 14% in the 26 District, but there is a current spike in theft from autos keep change, etc. out of view. Lt. also warned about residential burglary prevention report anything suspicious seen around the neighborhood. Tips are extremely useful. One neighbor asked about the best contact for open-air drug markets in the neighborhood; PSA officer asked for neighbor to contact him directly and he is happy to pass along relevant info. Another neighbor asked about contact info for Community Relations officer, regarding youths getting into fights. Jose.dones@phila.gov.
th th

Owner Kate Lt. Mike Zimmerman

7:15

SPEAKERS: Democratic Primary Reps 175 District; City Commissioners office State Rep. Michael H. O'Brien elected 2006; resident of Fishtown. Democratic Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, also serves on the House Education, Health, State Government and Policy committees. OBrien discussed his activities in the Appropriations and Education committees in the State House; he also mentioned his stance on clean and potable water related to Fracking he is currently working with the Delaware River Basin Commission on a Fracking moratorium; OBrien described his efforts since 2006 to secure adequate funding for education prior to the Corbett administration OBrien worked to help increase state contributions to education but funding slid since then, will fight to have funding restored; since 2006 OBrien has prioritized Womens Health issues discussed a womens health agenda including clean facilities for the pregnant, and working toward equal pay for equal work. OBriens email address is mobrien@pahouse.net. A neighbor asked OBrien if he would approve a citywide cigarette tax that would directly fund Philadelphia schools. OBrien said he would approve that bill. Another neighbor asked about general financial accountability for funding the school system Obrien advocates putting together a basic funding formula, taking into consideration graduation rate,

AGENDA: Fishtown Neighbors Association General Membership Meeting Thursday, April 17, 2014, 7 8:00 PM @ Fishtown Rec
Board Members: Kate Micklow Harwan, Thomas Mosher, Pete Harwan, Isaac Slepner, John Alexander, Jordan Rushie, Audrey Morrison

poverty level, etc. Different districts require different funds to educate their children. OBrien restated that his main priority is more funding for education. A neighbor further inquired about creating a basic funding formula for schools how will they find the right people to come up with that formula? OBrien said that he believes he already has the right people that he is working with on the appropriations committee.

Challenger: Sean Sullivan, resident of Queen Village; lawyer (Philadelphia & Pennsylvania Bar), Board of Central Delaware Advocacy Group (CDAG) Sullivan began by discussing anti-SLAPP laws, which protect Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) when developers open retaliatory lawsuits against RCOs. He will introduce this his first day in office. Making our neighborhoods better places to live is a high priority green spaces, connecting wisely to the Delaware, etc. Sullivan promises to be an ally for these things and will regularly be at local RCO meetings. One overriding issue is public education, which is failing in Philadelphia. Fixing public schools has to be the #1 focus of our state government right now specifically, replacing the funds cut by Corbett, addressing discrepancies in per-student funding; Sullivan believes in abolishing the SRC and getting a local and accountable school board. Sullivan also supports the cigarette tax, as does OBrien. Sullivan noted one key difference with OBrien the entire house delegation recently voted in favor of keeping the Phila traffic court in place (though the majority of the judges are under indictment). Sullivan suggests that the vote embodied machine politics at its worst. The house delegation has been marginalized and ineffective for a long time, and needs fresh leadership. A neighbor asked about Sullivans background. Sullivan is from Lehigh Valley, based on his experience being raised by a single mother he has appreciation for the need for pay equity for women; his background is in law, he has spent his career in private practice; moved to Phila in 2005 into Queen Village, was president of a local opera company, now serves with his local homeowners association. In response to a neighbors question about financial accountability, Sullivan said that all funds should be reviewable and open; anything one wants to know about state budget, elected officials, ought to be available to citizens.

AGENDA: Fishtown Neighbors Association General Membership Meeting Thursday, April 17, 2014, 7 8:00 PM @ Fishtown Rec
Board Members: Kate Micklow Harwan, Thomas Mosher, Pete Harwan, Isaac Slepner, John Alexander, Jordan Rushie, Audrey Morrison

Mike Kravitz, from City Commissioner Al Schmidts office voting in Philadelphia http://www.philadelphiavotes.com/

Kravitz reviewed the high points of the new state of the art website that serves Philadelphia voters. He pointed out specifically how to find out all of your local representatives, senators, councilpersons, etc. 7:45 Committee Updates: Treasurers Report: Current checking account balance is $23,930.42, plus 5 outstanding checks; Chili Cookoff numbers are still being counted. Beautification/Rec Center th Committee meetings are every 4 Thursday Citywide cleanup took place two Saturdays ago. There was a great turnout, BBQ afterwards at Brewery Recently some new contacts have been interested in cleaning up locally on their block more often, reach out if youre interested in this Flowerbox contest coming up this summer stay tuned Fishhead trash can project call for artists is out, seeking out businesses to sponsor the cans Zoning There were community meetings in April: 1246 Fletcher supported, 631 florasupported; 1546-48 Frankfordsupported; 1512-18 Frankfordsupported Coming up: 3 meetings coming up on 5/6: 233-35 E Girard for a new Veterinarian; 958 Shackamaxon for mutlidwelling unit in industrial district; 1527 E Berks for a long lot that is proposed to be split in two Further in the future Proposal for Penn Treaty Market (Girard & Frankford) to become a Mexican restaurant (scheduled for 5/13); 2618 York two single family homes Currently unscheduled: 1100 block of Hewson Sometime in May a Fishtown remapping meeting will be scheduled Unscheduled: 10 homes on the 1100 block of Hewson; 1080 N. Delaware Ave proposing a first floor restaurant; Outdoor seating proposal for Mugshots Diner John A. Kristie

Pete

Matt

Education/Parenting

AGENDA: Fishtown Neighbors Association General Membership Meeting Thursday, April 17, 2014, 7 8:00 PM @ Fishtown Rec
Board Members: Kate Micklow Harwan, Thomas Mosher, Pete Harwan, Isaac Slepner, John Alexander, Jordan Rushie, Audrey Morrison

Friends of Adaire Elementary group meets every First Wednesday at the Rec Center (1202 E. Montgomery Ave) at 6pm. Next meeting is on Wed 5/7. Wed. 4/23, 4-7:30pm: Upcoming letter-writing event at By My Side neighborhood parenting group while the kids play. Letters will be sent to the School Reform Commission, which meets the following night. Visit friendsofadaire.weebly.com for more info. Tues. 5/6, 7:30am: FoA are sponsoring breakfast at Adaire in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. They are seeking breakfast food donations; baked or bought is fine. The next day Threshold Wellness will provide free chair massages to teachers to show our appreciation. Planning continues with the effort to repaint the faade at Adaire. Its now looking like the first weekend in June is the target weekend. Let FoA know if you want to pitch in! Visit friendsofadaire.weebly.com to contribute to the school supply fund drive. Michaela Allwine

7:25

NKCDC Announcements Free street tree, applications passed out HighWaterLine project: in order to help residents visualize climate change, HWL project draws lines to show where the Delaware would rise to if there were 10 feet of sea level rise. More info http://www.highwaterline.org/highwaterlinephiladelphia Misc Announcements RFP for website decision in process Feed the Fish deadline 04/30/14 th FNA 4 Annual Chili Cookoff was a great success! Still crunching numbers, but announcement regarding the donation amount to Adaire Elementary should be coming shortly. Adjournment

7:55

Kate

8:00

Kate