General Assembly Meeting and Board Directors Election

Board members present: Jere Fitterman, Jimmy Wilson, Pat Montgomery, Darren Holcomb, Sue Stringer, Brad Baker, Jonathan Konkol, Shireen Hasan, Jim Hlava

Board members absent: Johnny Engleheart Noel, Julio Mendoza, Maggie Gardener

21 additional guests/residents in attendance

Meeting begins 6:35pm

Minutes from September approved unanimously as corrected. Sue Stringer motions to approve, Pat Montgomery 2nds

Portland Clean Air (PCA) presentation by Greg Bourget

• 41 neighborhood associations and 60 churches and synagogues endorsing the Portland Clean Air effort to require diesel trucks have their diesel engines filtered
•  ¾ of the short haul trucks have unfiltered diesel engines
• XPO logistics has 8000 unfiltered trucks
• PCA has applied for a $20K grant 
• A stake holder is needed in NE Portland and ENA is a key potential stake holder. 
• Committee needed to determine action items, get endorsements, fund raise for more testing equipment, contact offending companies with unfiltered truck fleets
• Sign up for committee – contact Allan Rudwick who will chair the committee

Treasurer report:

• $5420 Check to Friends of Trees for tree planting and watering this summer
• No money from the Blazers yet for 2019 – per Jere Fitterman, Karla Gostnell will check on this year’s money and the new contact person at the Blazers
• Total in checking account as of today is 15266.08

Co-Chair report: 

• Annual report of Eliot Neighborhood Association Actions for 2019 was handed out at meeting:

Jimmy is attending quarterly Public Safety Act\on Committee (PSAC) meetings and has been working to reinstate monthly meetings to discuss police presence. He set up Chief Outlaw coming to Emmanuel Church to meet with the community to discuss her vision for the city. 

ENA and Boise Neighborhood Associations agreed to take out the dotted border lines between our neighborhoods. The border will now run along the alley between Fremont and Kerby between houses and businesses that face N. Vancouver, then along N. Vancouver to Cook Street west to the 405 freeway and following the 405 freeway to the river. 

ENA subsidized tree planting of 20 large trees in the neighborhood which was conducted by Friends of Trees. Toyota paid for its own street trees ($2K) led by the ENA Livability Team 

ENA Board took dinner to Walnut Park shelter dinner once a month during the winter and spring. 

South Eliot Action Team organized a neighborhood watch training and worked with PBOT to canvas for a parking zone. The parking initiative did not pass. The group is still working on neighborhood watch. 

We welcomed many businesses in the neighborhood. Some reached out to meet us. Several are new advertisers in the Eliot News which is now making a profit and has increased distribution to 3700 with:

• PICA, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art 

• Gained Meyer Memorial Trust and Earthquake Tech as new advertisers for a full year 

• Green Drop Garage also wants to get involved 

• Oasis of Change (Kathryn and Dov) announced their new community based urban farm, restaurant, teaching kitchen, community center, live music … relax and enjoy. 

Livability Team— Litter pickup on April 20 (Earth Day), with starting point at BreadWinner Cafe, was very successful. Event was posted on SOLV’s website. Jodi Guth is the new Block Adopt lead. They will reorganize over the winter. 

7th avenue Greenway–PBOT announced 7the greenway will be on 9th, with no road improvements there. Cyclists will ride through Irving Park, no redirect. City will make improvements on 7th adding speed bumps, crosswalks, stop signs, etc. Decision made by the city because major destinations better served by 9th greenway. 

ENA supported Albina cooperative garden by supporting subscriptions for Eliot neighbors. Additionally,  funding was provided for the Diversity Community Gardening Co-Op at St Philips Church led by Shireen Hasan.

Black Parent Initiative sponsored and organized movie in the park, ENA donated to this event and also ran a very successful Domino Tournament moderated by Jimmy, with the support of Jere and Sue. 

Eliot Neighborhood Association’s Eliot Advocacy for Clean Air Team, eACT was formed to work with other neighborhoods and community groups on an initiative to decrease air pollution.

Elections were held with the help of Anjala Ehalebe from NECN. Vote to elect the following board of directors:

• Jimmy Wilson
• Jere Fitterman
• Shireen Hasan
• Susan Stringer
• Jim Hlava
• Sherry Staggs
• Jennifer Wilcox
• Darren Holcomb
• Patricia Montgomery
• Jonathan Konkol
• Allan Rudwick

Executive board positions will be voted on by new board at the November 18 board meeting. New board members need to attend this meeting to vote.

Meeting adjourned 7:55pm