May 30 HEN Board Meeting Minutes

The Historic Edgefield Neighbors Board met at 6PM on Tuesday, May 30. The following topics were discussed:
 
New yard signs to announce meetings are posted around the neighborhood.
The board ordered six yard signs to help promote the bi-monthly business meetings. The signs and stands cost $215. Various neighbors volunteered to place the signs in their yards, so neighbors should see them around Edgefield. We have one more to place in a strategic location, so the board will ask another neighbor living at a busy intersection.
 
Broken street sign on 7th and Fatherland.
Someone driving a stolen vehicle ran down the street sign in a police chase. The board is waiting on the police report for the purposes of filing insurance: Sean Alexander has the information, but it's not clear that insurance will cover it since it was a stolen car; Sean also has the blades.
 
The board needs to clarify the process from previous experiences with Bob and Hibah. Jerry Fannin offered to help once we get the police report to start the filing process and have an estimate. We are not sure yet how much this will cost but will have to consider how we, as a board, sustain these repairs and replacements.
 
Pending conversation: what is the viability and sustainability of the signs?
 
Finding ways to track and encourage more neighborhood dues.
The board needs to decide a stronger plan for recruiting and tracking neighborhood dues. Chris is going to set up better tracking to support the process going forward and working with Jenny – including transitioning bank account and process from Hibah. We also need to leverage the social meetings to collect dues and figure out a plan to get a payment method for credit cards.
 
Upcoming social meetings:
On June 25, we will have a neighborhood picnic at Shelby Park at 4PM. We need to remind people about dues and notify people about the Night Out Against Crime.
 
On June 27, there will be a board meeting for internal planning. During that meeting, the board will finalize board committees and roles, as well as prepare for August new board members/continuing board members
 
We will have July 25 business meeting and an August 29 Ice Cream Social.
 
On August 1, Night Out Against Crime will be held in East Park. We are considering setting up a table for the neighborhood association. Denise Downs is also hosting a table for East Nashville baseball. Lois suggested we should have neighbors volunteer to make balloon animals or paint faces.
 
General Discussions:

• Tulip Street United Methodist has helped organize events and giving out of back packs, books, and other things to support Warner Elementary. Interested in further partnership as we are interested and able. The congregation plans to remain involved even as it has relocated.
• Need to discuss the board’s position on new commercial pressures on the neighborhood: 715 Russell, Tulip Street, and more to come – May need to consider a policy committee or something like that for broader neighborhood issues given the pressures of the growing city. 

Board Members: Chris Lucas, Sherne-Marie McMillan, Randall Gilberd, Lois Layne, Anderson Williams, and Jenny Alexander
Guests: Brandon Dyce, Gracie Porter, Terry Dorsey