Vecinos del Bosque Neighborhood Association Meeting
Sept 27, 2007
Meeting Minutes

Welcome
Approval of Agenda
Approval of 8/30 Minutes – Irma Ruiz
· Robert and Irma took notes, but no minutes available tonight. Will catch up next month.

The Albuquerque Partnership – Adrian Pedroza
· Board Retreat - Adrian sent out matrix for the retreat, has space to specify preference for date.

· Other Updates
o Adrian passed around a newsletter designed by the Coalition to bring awareness to the issue. Has tips for adults to help prevent underage drinking. If you want to get more involved, call Adrian.
· Upcoming Events
o Peacemaking Circles on Monday, Oct 1 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Holy Family parish. Build community circles and dialog around violence in the community. Take some of the juveniles that are being released and talk about how the community can support them and their transition back into the community. At this first meeting, will just be community members, no youth. Training provided by trained facilitators.
o Development Assets Training. Hosting at Barelas Community Center. Re: 40 developmental assets that have been identified as key for youth to develop into healthy adults, and how we can help to ensure that youth are getting these assets. Evidence-based concept, common sense approach to helping youth.
o Next Partnership meeting is Oct 9. Maybe at CAC. Topic will be how community builds safe and strong communities via community policing. See what has and has not worked in the past.

· Question about research that was done re: alcohol advertising. Robert wondered who is being addressed with findings of the research – the stores?
o Adrian would like to work with the neighborhood association and community to approach store owners to get them to reduce the number of signs.
o Want to update the research on a yearly basis and advertise those vendors who do a good job reducing the number of signs.
o Looking not only at S. Valley, but also the SE Heights.
o Underage drinking committee meeting is held 2nd to last Tuesday of every month, 10-11 am. Irma, Robert, and Richard are the representatives, but Irma cannot attend.
o Can zoning be a tool to address (and limit) the problem of package liquor sales? Can we look at signage codes? If so, someone from the county should get involved with the neighborhood and the organizations that are trying to address this problem.

Treasurer’s Report – Robert Sanchez
· Balance as of 8-31-07, doesn’t reflect donation of $50 given by member. Balance is $1,546.13.
· Check coming for $200 for the walking guide from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
· Irma will check into how to keep the books straight by funneling checks through organization rather than individuals.

October Neighborhood Gathering – All
· Chris is running for County Commision, and George’s mother is ill, so this event may not happen in October. Instead, may happen in the Spring.
· Money for literacy
o There is $900 allocated for past 3 years that we as a neighborhood advocated for the school, but school has not been particularly responsive. School turned away boxes of books.
o Irma proposing we request the $900 toward our gathering – set up a booth as a Literacy Corner and send these books home with kids as part of their own home library.
o This is the last year of the grant.
o If money comes to us, we would be responsible for storing books as property of Vecinos.
o The money must be used for literacy purposes, but can be used towards setting up the gathering and the booth.
o Consider having other events to distribute books at: Acequia of Lights, etc.
o Books re: protecting nature. Would work well for events in the park, which was designed to work with the bosque, get wild birds to come and feed, etc. Cultural, wildlife, nature, literacy.
o Deadline for spending this money is unknown – Irma needs to follow up. May be able to use part of it at the Acequia of Lights, give some to the school, use the rest for other events. If money could be extended to the Spring, it could still work with the planting of corn, focus on the park, etc. Consider talking about this event and these books as part of the retreat.

Discussion of Access to the Park
· Monica is new park maintenance person. Can be reached at 224-1668.
· Frustration that the park is usually locked unless a particular event.
· Can we gain more support in taking care of this park with the Atrisco Little League involvement? Can we meet with new head person for Little League and try to work together?
· Legislative funding has not come through for soccer field, which is something that we specified we wanted from the beginning.
· This year Legislature voted NOTHING for the park.
· The community is not using the park as the resource and asset that it should be – could be be limitations of parking.
· If gate is left open during day, Robert says neighborhood board members “driving by” could simply close it in the evening.
· The park needs an advocacy group – perhaps it should be Vecinos since the county is not maintaining it as expected.
· Group decided to set meeting with Clay and the new Parks and Rec director to discuss plans for the park.
o Possibly propose wildlife sanctuary at the park through the County – that would get some attention and support.
o Implement the natural space, a welcoming open gate, and access to the Bosque.
o Mostly, we need to stay on top of it with frequent calls and check-ups.

Vecinos del Bosque Neighborhood Association Brochure – All
Will discuss at next meeting

Board Member List – Irma will present at the next meeting

Other Business/Updates
· Update on WCCDG and Meeting Dates – Richard not here, but Stephen recalled the emails that have been going back and forth:
o 5 Points correspondence update from Stephen – Emails regarding why 5 Points Rd was paved when the project called for drainage and sidewalks. The response was that no one knows what happened. Large amount of money allocated to finish the project, but all that happened was new pavement. Irma doesn’t think the money is lost, but that the timing got messed up – City repaved before the County could do their drainage and sidewalk project.
o 2nd email re: the money for Larrazolo Community Center, ¼ million allocated to the wrong place – went to Peanut Butter and Jelly instead.
· SV Coalition of Neighborhood Associations – Greg/Gary
o No update
· Activities Log – Irma/All
o No update
· Sunset Rd. Update – Irma/Robert
o Met again on September 12 to follow up on speed on Sunset. Irma wrote to Bernadette to ask for minutes, but got no response. Isaac Benton has been very attentive. Gave out 200 tickets in front of the Batters Edge during speed trap. Drainage money is coming through AMAFCA. We want to know when Sunset gets on the Capital list so that it is significant. They say between 8 and 10,000 cars per day. We continue to meet with them to make temporary improvements, to get them to agree to 1 speed along Sunset. Considering getting petition from City residents to get the speed limit lowered.
· Other
o Irma reported that a community member contacted her and was upset that an article in the Journal implied that Vecinos supports the incorporation of the South Valley as its own city. Implication that it included Vecinos within its boundaries. Lesley will send Irma an email with the link to the article in the Journal. Miguel Garcia, our state representative is supporting the incorporation.
o Lesley will bring map from AGIS to show which parts of our neighborhood association are County and which are City.
o Concern about housing development behind the Church. They have to restore it. The Conservancy District should be the ones to enforce the restoration. Jasmine needs to make it an issue. Stephen will follow up on this.
o Walk to School next Wednesday morning. Start in the Church parking lot and at the park, and one on Atrisco by the Little League fields and walk down the ditch to Valle Vista. Irma will forward Lesley the information so she can post on the website.

Next Meeting: Thursday October 25, 2007 at CAC at 6:00
Agenda Items:
· Budget for Partnership money
· Board Member List
· Vecinos del Bosque Neighborhood Association Brochure
· City/County balance of neighborhood association