Chester Square Area Neighborhood Association

The Executive Board proposes the following for the  February 5^th meeting at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Avenue, 7p.m.

1. Election of new Treasurer

2. New Contact person at the city’s Office of Neighborhood Services.

3. Update on Estelle’s – Continuing business

4. South End Forum report (see south end forum agenda)

5. Brainstorming projects for the coming year.

6. New Business.

The next meeting will be on March 5th, 2014

Full minutes are available by emailing the secretary at 61pony@mindspring.com after they have been approved at CSANA’s February meeting.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2014, 7p.m. at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Ave.

January 8, 2014  CSANA meeting notes

Sara Mitchell presided and 18 others attended.

1. General Business. The Treasurer’s report, showing a balance of $4,945.18 was accepted, and December’s minutes were approved.

2. Eva’s Tailors & Dry Cleaners, 605 Massachusetts Ave. Thuyloan Nguyen, proprietress, assisted by Randa Wilkinson, resident of Chester Square, requested support for her request to the city that three parking spaces on Mass. Ave. be reserved for 15-minute parking between 8 am and 6 pm. The Association decided to recommend that the applicant request moving the 3 existing short-term parking spaces from around the corner on Shawmut Ave. to the front of her shop, as equally convenient for the Mass Food Market.

3. Estelle’s, 782 Tremont Street.   James Byrne, attorney, with Brian Poe, chef, and design engineer Paul Tyrell, presented a revised sidewalk café plan, addressing sidewalk clearance for pedestrians including wheelchairs, which revisions they said came as a result of conversations with the subcommittee and as identified in the CSANA letter of December.  The Association voted to support the revised plan, conditional on confirmation of minimum 5 ft. clearance from all permanent and impermanent objects, subject to a confirmation of the drawing’s representations of measurements within the week.

4. United South End Settlements. Sara Mitchell distributed stamped post cards for use in promoting USES’ Feb 6 fundraiser, Brewers Helping Neighbors. Discussion led to a vote to cosponsor the event by helping to promote the event.

5. Election of officers for 2014 – Elected officers for the 2014 include Sara Mitchell, President, Mark Carrig, Vice-President, and Lloyd Fillion, Secretary/Treasurer. Lloyd expressed a hope that someone will soon be elected to take one of the two offices, as he indicated an unwillingness to carry both for the entire year.

6. Other Business –

• Mark Carrig reported that one trash barrel from Chester Park, on the even numbered side, was missing.  He was requested to investigate through the South End Forum whether there are plans for public covered trash containers as located in parks and on street corners, rather than the open barrels currently in the park.
• Dr. Zameera Fida announced an opportunity for free pediatric dental care at “Give Kids a Smile”, Saturday – Feb 8 at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Fida was directed to several organizations within the South End which are centers for children.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2014, 7p.m. at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Ave.

Notes from December Meeting
Treasurer’s Report
Estelle’s – sidewalk café proposal before the Public Improvement Commission
Eva’s Tailors & Dry Cleaners – proposal for commercial parking in front of 605 Massachusetts Ave.
Election of officers for 2014
Other Business
Next Meeting?

21 attended – 8 represented Estelle’s, 1 represented Corner Café, & Sara Mitchell presided.
Carol Blair provided an update on South End Historic Apartments Renovations. Work is ramping up and further details will be available soon.
Neighborhood Clean-up Debriefing – Sara reported BPD provided hot chocolate, Sargent House cleaned and planted bulbs, 25 people participated, 70 bags were filled with leaves and trash, and 200 daffodil bulbs were distributed.
Corner Café: Ilknur Duman requested support before the Licensing Board to extend service to 12 pm and to maintain the 8 outdoor seats currently provided. Those in attendance voted to support Corner Café’s request before the city’s licensing board.
Estelle’s – a team of professionals representing Estelle’s described proposed sidewalk seating (10 tables/20 chairs) along Tremont St windows. Discussion that followed suggested possible benefits of activity on the sidewalk and also losses to pedestrians using the sidewalk. An alternative that would intrude less on the pedestrian experience and take advantage of sidewalk space owned by Estelles (on Massachusetts Ave) to provide tables for 4 seemed promising. While there was interest from members in the general idea of outside dining at this location, the meeting decided to deny the request for support without prejudice and to urge Estelles to return with a revised plan . A subsequent letter has itemized concerns and suggested particular modifications.
Nominations for CSANA’s January Election of 2014 officers – The Executive Committee has nominated Carol Blair for president. Sara Mitchell and Lloyd Fillion want continue serving on the board. Mark Carrig and Craig Lovewell also indicated an interest in serving.
South End Forum – Representing neighborhood associations throughout the South End, the Forum continues to work to improve the effectiveness of the city’s trash collection program. In an effort to improve conditions following snow, the Forum has also decided to support enforcement of city ordinances which prohibit saving on-street parking spaces.
Next Meeting – January 8, 2014