Forest Park Civic Association Meeting

Forest Park Civic Association Meeting

Date: 8 October 2024

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:00 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

With the FPCA elections coming up in a few months, please start thinking about ways that you can get involved. There will be some seats that will be opening. Please contact Ed, Lou, or Erin if you are interested.

Guest Speaker: Mark Bell, Area 13 Area Rep, works with the Adjutant General’s Office with the Ohio National Guard dealing with cybersecurity.

1. Discussed the cybersecurity framework created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). There are steps that you can follow to become more secure. You can find it here: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework
2. Mark went over the steps we all should take to make our home networks more secure.
3. Mark hopes to start writing a cybersecurity article in the Forester in the near future to remind us of the things he presented in his talk.

Vice President Trevor Secord – tsecord@une.edu

1. The Board of Trustees is in the process of dealing with an issue with the Forester, therefore, causing a delay in its delivery. When the issue is resolved, the October Forester will be delivered if possible. If not, you can read the minutes from the September meeting online – on the website.
2. This is Trevor’s last meeting. He is deeply sorry and will miss all of us. He is moving out of the FP area and will no longer be our VP. We are looking for a volunteer to step up, Trevor and the rest of the Board will be willing to support you through this transition. 

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, TS, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LH, EM, MSt, SB, QM, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: CA, KG, DP
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,11,13,14
• Area Reps Absent: 3,6,10,12
• Total meeting attendance: 26

1. Reviewed minutes from Sept., no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru October

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. 10 more household memberships received, meaning we only need 50 more households to join to meet our budget projections! Continue to tell your neighbors about the good work we’re doing!
2. No new business memberships. We just need 4 more for those budget projections. Garage sale income was $120. Hope everyone who participated had some good sales that day! We sold 3 more t-shirts to our members – wear them with pride!
3. Expenses: printing the Forester and paying for security.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

1. Received a call from a resident who needs assistance with a 311 call.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

1. Due to budgetary concerns, we will combine the Nov. and Dec. Forester issue. The deadline for articles will be Nov. 1st. It is later than usual due to the later delivery date.
2. January and February issues will be online.

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

1. One of the patrol officers reported to the police a suspicious person poking around someone’s house. CPD came out, and it was just the owner who locked himself out. We are noting this just to reinforce that the Supplemental Security patrols are working.
2. See full report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  Cynthia Alkire – 1classicyn@gmail.com

No report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

1. Thanks to everyone who helped deliver welcome folders last month, we delivered over 15 folders.
2. We still have 7 left that need help being delivered, called the area reps who didn’t attend last month’s meeting. They are going through major life events.
3. We are collecting information for the next cycle of packets, including the YMCA
4. If anyone has information they’d like to include or wants to help with stuffing please let me know.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. Still looking for volunteers to fill vacant positions.  
2. I have a zoom meeting on Thursday at 10 am about receiving the grant money. If anyone is interested in implementing a program to celebrate diversity in our neighborhood and encourage our New American neighbors in joining the Civic Association please let me know.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. We have rebuilt our membership database and that is exciting. Looking to keep adding and improving over the next year. Getting some foundation back to the database after a few years of neglect.
2. We are starting to send out thank you notes to those with valid email addresses. Looking to send out notes to those without email addresses. Many people gave over $30 and should be recognized.

Social Activities Vacant

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net – absent, Trevor Secord – tsecord@une.edu

See report in the Forester

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

Nothing presented at the meeting is in the immediate FP area.

Grant Writing Committee Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

We completed a final request from the City of Columbus, New American Program. We should receive $5,000.00 from them soon. Our team will complete and send the application for the Designer Brands Foundation’s Community Grant. We are eligible to receive up to $5,000.00 for our first cycle.

From the City of Columbus website: “Grants will support and assist with the unique and emerging needs of the growing immigrant and refugee community in Columbus as well as provide supportive services that meet the cultural and linguistic needs of newly arrived residents. Seed Grants will support new and existing projects or programs as well as services that support integration, civic participation and the pursuit of the citizenship process. Funding will be provided through the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods’ New American Program.” 

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org – absent (Website)      Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS

Damaged FP sign at Satinwood and Pegwood:  ”Hazardous stubs removed 8/22/24. Work order# 24-081438 issued to install new sign for Forest Park. Please allow up to 45 days for installation.” –From 311 dispatch. As of October 6, it was 45 calendar days.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

1. “Halloween Jubilee Family Fun Night & Trunk or Treat!!” – October 25th -Friday- 5:00-8:00 PM. If you want to volunteer or participate, please register your car on the YMCA North’s Facebook page
   • Volunteers Needed
     • Direct Cars that are registered for Trunk or Treat
     • Parking Lot Monitors
     • Activity Assistants
     • Food Table
     • Hall Monitor (Keep everyone on the lower level
     • Door Monitor
   • We also need candy donations
     • Anything wrapped, try to avoid anything with peanuts
     • Pre packaged cookies
   • We need to get more cars registered also
   • Small Bottles of Water donations
   • Please click link and create an account and then sign up for the event:  https://www.volunteermatch.org or for more information, email: vic.rosselet@ymcacolumbus.org
2. Next meeting: November 12, 2024

• • Meeting Schedule
    Block Watch @ 6:00 – 6:30
    311/Code Enforcement @ 6:30 -7:00
    FPCA Meeting @ 7:00 – 8:00

Meeting adjourned at 8:01 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA