Valentine Neighborhood Association Board Meeting
May 22, 2024
Submitted by Mary Jo Draper, secretary
Attendance: Kim Kimbrough, Bob Crutsinger, Chris Jordan, Mary Jo Draper, Jared, Michael Salzman, Lauren Snodgrass, David Snodgrass, Cheryl Baird, Richard Denton, Jim Martin, Kelley Martin
Call to Order – Mary Jo called the meeting to order
Westport Update: Kim Kimbrough of the Westport Regional Business League joined us to give an update on Westport activities and issues.
- Upcoming events
- Westport Wednesdays – restaurants feature new menu items, stores offer new products; good deals
- Cheers for Charity: includes 10-15 restaurants and bars, raises money; June 23-30
- Pride Parade: June 8, streets will be blocked from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Car Show: Aug. 24
- Stormwater Management Project: Westport has been working on this project for 309 years. Design will take place through March of next year and construction will begin in April 2025. Retention basins will be built under Dr. Jeremiah Cameron Park on Broadway and on Mill Street. Construction is expected to take nine months and will begin at the park. Kim thinks it may lead to redevelopment in the area, and some owners have had ideas they had put on hold because of flooding.
- Sunfresh: Westport Public Safety is now contracted to work both inside and outside to reduce “shrinkage,” which was huge.
- Speed tables: will be installed at 40th and Penn; scheduled for September
- Violent crime: going down, property crime is not going down
- PIAC Project on Archibald: bumpouts on 4 corners, media with plantings; should start late summer to early fall; pedestrian island in middle; meant to stop street racing.
- Broadway, 40th Terrace and Washington: traffic calming has been installed, 24 planters, has slowed traffic at intersection.
- Enhanced security in Westport for summer: beganm first weekend in May, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
- Manor Square project: set to start before the end of the year, seven story tower, 236 units; Murphin, developer from Wichita.
Treasurer’s report
Adrain reported we have four CDs which were opened in three month increments. On June 13th, the first matures. We have made $105 in interest. The options are to reinvest the original $2500 or to reinvest the $2500 plus $105 interest.
Motion: Jim Martin made a motion to put the interest into the general account and reinvest the $2500. Seconded by Kelley Martin. All voted aye.
Committee reports
- Development/Chris Jordan: Crispin Rea spoke at a recent Broadway Westport Council meeting. He said there have been recent changes to illegal dumping policy. The jail proposal will be released soon.
- 38th Street Task Force/Cheryl Baird: The next Clean and Seen is scheduled for June 3. The task force now meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 5:30. Loitering has shifted from Valentine to the east side of Main.
- Safety/David Snodgrass: We have learned that Charmainne is leaving her position as community liaison to KCPD; need to find out who will be our contact. David has figured out how to use ChatGPT to gather statistics on crime in Valentine. He asked for ideas on what type of data we would like him to gather.
- Entertainment/Adrain reporting for Cori: Plans are underway for the 4th of July; we will close down the street for the party and request a firetruck; neighborhood will supply the meat and people are asked to bring potluck dishes. We discussed changing the parade route or blocking off streets since there were some issues with through traffic on Pennsylvania last year.
- Neighborhood environment/Jim Martin: mulch has been spread on the triangle.
Ad Hoc Committee on PIAC grant: Michael Salazar submitted a PIAC application on behalf of the VNA and we were awarded $72,000 for traffic calming on Pennsylvania between 38th and Valentine. Michael said the issue is the traffic speed. The board has requested that an ad hoc committee of people interested in the project be formed to guide the project.
- Needed from board: Michael requested guidance from the boardr on the role of the committee.
- People who would like to be on committee: Michael, Lauren Snodgrass, David Snodgrass, Bob Crutsinger (Josh Parks indicated by email that he would like to be involved)
Suggestions for upcoming meetings
- Sheri Henry, our new codes person