Active Bethel Community Executive Board Meeting Minutes

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November 17th, 2021, 7-8:30pm (PST)

Members in attendance: Lin Woodrich, Tai Pruce-Zimmerman, Amie Anderson-Forbis , Ed Farren, Sarah Warren, Suzanne O’Shea, Ethan Clevenger, Charlie Sterling, Zach Mulholland

Absent: Travis Johannes, Jeremy AAsum and Ryan Josef-Maier

7:02:  Meeting was called to order by: Tai

7:03:  Public comment:  Suzanne – Brought up issues regarding redistricting for county – Change for District 4 includes all Bethel ABC neighborhoods – Bethel schools under a single commissioner.

• Charlie:   What are the implications?
• Suzanne:  Consolidating demographic/mapping Bethel school district under a single commissioner – Final decision yet unknown.

7:07:  Meeting minutes put forth by Lin to be approved – September/October 

1st:  Ed

2nd: Charlie

7:08:  Meeting minutes approved by board

7:08:  Business (Old/New):

Amie – New hours form to track time spend volunteering for ABC.  Shared screen to go over new form.

• Lin:  Would like to add field for Transportation committee for sheet – new committee being formed by Zach.
• Zach: Transportation for Bethel to increase Bike/Walk opportunities – and safety for these activities.
• Lin:  Would like help to add data to website.
• Amie:  Double checked that everyone is tracking hours spent
• Lin:  Requested link to time tracker to be added to Zoom chat for people; Amie provided link.

7:16:  Letter for transportation proposals for biking – Zach put together and Jeremy created  map.  Screen shared map and letter with board.

• Zach:  Purple “proposed” bike paths by city city.  Yellow is committee’s suggestions for additional paths.  Red lines recommended to connect Highway 99 routes to Barger/Prairie Road.  Committee would like more scenic routes near us connecting around Eugene to and from river.
• – Suzanne: Map with yellow lines – on Royal would this be widened to house the bike lane?
• Zach: Unsure of process to set up bike lanes.

7:22:  Zach will bring mission statement next meeting for the Transportation committee.

7:24:  Tai put forth motion to direct Zach to send letter about additional bike/walk routes and concerns on behalf of ABC:

1st: Zach

2nd: Ed

7:25: Board approves motion.

7:25:  Lin – Bethel capacity development discussion screen shared.

Went over homework shared by Robert Brack with HRNI:

1. Where do you bump into people?  Attempt to engage with issues.
2. Which resources (groups, other non-profits, etc.) can be used a support?

– Zach: Set up a station to speak people or do a survey – where would that be?

  Effective points of contact with public for outreach.

– Lin – River Road- had lots of surveys.  ABC may be able to setup a table to do survey work. Robert Brack will also be present at the next meeting. 

• Ed: Good idea – would like to hear more of what people would like to do.
• Lin: Did get a lot ideas during building a Better Bethel.
• Suzanne – Should have people to help engage others to take part of survey.  How many parks do we have?
• Lin – Screen shared parks list and wet lands- 15 total.
• Zach:  What parks are used in case of an evacuation?
• Lin – Screen shared with evacuation site map.
• Charlie: Maybe Bethesda Church would allow us to use site for surveys.
• Lin: Avoid neighborhood split up to name boundaries with zones names – that park could be center of that zone, types of beautification themes, outreach to parts of our neighborhood.
• Ed: In an evacuation situation – evacuations could be staggered by zones as a way to address traffic standstill.  Next Civic Engagement meeting is on 12/1.
• Amie:  Suggested use of QR code on our e-newsletters – the scan could then send someone to a survey – as an option for outreach.
• Lin: Have never created a QR code but would be interested in its possible use.
• Ethan:  Researching options – should be simple.

7:55:  Lin recapped past meeting about JH Baxter with local residents, Councilor Claire Syrett and Mayor Vinis.  Beyond Toxics and residents – discussion about experiences to those living close to JH Baxter site including reaching out to both DEQ and LARAPA.

• Ed:  Would like to see more severe punishment as a result of the company’s violations.
• Suzanne:  Hard perhaps to prove if health is compromised.
• Zach:  One of the last companies within the U.S. west of the Mississippi to still be using certain toxic chemicals.  There is a civil case currently in progress against them.
• Lin:  Screen shared penalties that have been assessed against JH Baxter from 1993-2020.

8:11 – Committee Reports:

• 8:11 – Finance – Suzanne sent out financial report.
• Ed approved report.

• 8:13 – Events– Lin – sent out earlier information – also screen shared with board the tree events (door hangers, tree walk).
• Lin/Ed – working on matching grant.
• Boo Barn was a success!  16 businesses had coupons
• Recycle event – trying to find a date that will work – most likely will be in January.  Emily Pyle will still be an organizer. 
• Possible Holiday event.

– 8:18 – Civic Engagement – Lin – Next meeting is 12/1 at 6:30.  Would like as many people as possible to attend.  

• 8:18 – Beautification – Travis (absent) – next meeting will see about an update.

• 8:19 – Pantry – (no chair at present) – Lin requested a volunteer for Pantry lead
• Charlie volunteered
• Ed – 6 places with barrels
• Amie, Suzanne, Ed to help with picking up donations

• 8:25 – Business Relations – Lin – Transportation crossover conversation, Boo Barn

• 8:35 – Recycling – (no chair at present) – no events scheduled at present.

8:26:  Lin, on next Civic Engagement meeting, would like a topic and/or personal stories to help make meaningful impact.

• 8:27: Social Equity – Lin – Follow up for next meeting.

8:27: Suzanne would like meetings to be listed better on calendar.

• Zach:  Would need a vision of what board is doing within the next 12 months.
• Lin:  Had goals – but will see about creating one.  Next meeting will discuss so everyone can bring ideas.

8:30:  Tai – Will need to set up next round of one on ones with all committee members and co-chairs.

– Lin:  Envision goals for one on ones.

– 8:34: – Motion to adjourn made by: Tai

Approved by board.