Minutes of DRH&NA Board Meeting January 3, 2005

Present were Janice Santos, Chris Nevil, Elizabeth Pollock, Michelle Rudo, Kathy Brier, Celia Knight, Lillian Jenkins, Steve Knight, Jack Cumming, George Gross & Casey Anderson. Susan ? was a guest.


Meeting called to Order at 7:01 by Chris Nevil.


Minutes of 12/6/04 meeting by C. Knight were reviewed and approved as submitted.


Treasurer’s report by Michelle Rudo was read by her. Checks written were detailed, $1,231 in and ending balance given.


Discussion ensued regarding yearly donation to Japanese Community Center for use of the room for Board meetings. Donation has been $200 per year. Motion to increase donation to $250 by C. Knight, seconded by L. Jenkins (?) passed, barely. Considerable discussion re: rationale for increasing amount, and amount to pay and our stewardship role re: dues and lack of a budget and spending money without direction or purpose, i.e., “capriciously” and rate per school for its use vs. rate per room and support from members of the Japanese community.
Motion to keep donation at $200 by K. Brier, seconded by J. Cumming, did not pass.


Police & Crime – K. Brier – Meeting was 12/8/04, potluck, lots & lots of food. Discussion about 59 officers going out of Pacific – where were they before they left? No news re: Beacham’s promotion. Venice Beach 2nd highest tourist draw in L.A. after Disneyland.


Traffic/Playa Vista – C. Nevil – No meetings, no contact from them.


Newsletter – S. Knight – Needs articles – due 3/7/04.


General Meeting – C. Nevil – Request to amend 12/6/04 minutes to indicate General Meeting 4/7/05. Nyah nyah, already do. (Just kidding! – Ed.) Topics kicked around:
Airport Election
“Passing the torch” – have Councilperson Miscikowski & new councilperson
or “Meet new reps” – Council & assemblyperson.
Our election in April too.

Profile ourselves and how we’re different from DRNC.
Heads of schools to talk.
What was 3rd on survey? Sound wall?
Suggestion to table issue until February meeting. Continued discussion re: “passing torch.” S. Knight has talked to candidates and they’re doing forum 1/26/05. Possibly someone will contact councilperson.


Membership – C. Anderson – more checks coming in, $165.00 presently.
Elizabeth suggested a drop mailing with the local phone book distribution – no opposition. George Chung perfectly happy to piggyback our article in his newsletter. Elizabeth moves Jack renew contact with Chung – Jack explained how he had approached him. Motion failed. Realtor Juanita ? also sends out a newsletter.


Web Site – G. Gross – Jack responded re: finding site on search engine. George now maintaining web site. We can ask NC to put us on their web site.


Membership redux - Suggestion to approach realtors with welcome wagon info packet after 501(C)(3) status achieved & can get lower mailing rate. All will look into these possibilities.


Web Site redux – George has ideas and no time to implement. Suggestion to have a blurb soliciting articles. General meeting date not on site yet. G. wants to link to DRNC. Jack advanced a shared web site with DRH&NA & DRNC.


DRNC – S. Knight – Executive meeting 1/13/05 at Middle School Library. Would like to be able to use DRH&NA mailing labels to publicize Candidate’s forum. OK for DRNC to borrow DRH&NA sound system with proviso that any damage will be taken care of by DRNC.


Matching Funds – No C. DeMeo, no report.


Sound Wall – No committee head, no report


No. 15 – Tabled.


Vacant Officer position – C. Nevil – Recording secretary C. Knight has to resign. Will send letter saying same.


Conversion – Elisabeth responded to letter from IRS. Hopefully to their satisfaction.

Old Business
Westside Urban Forum Meeting – C. Nevil – Attended meeting 12/10/04, wasn’t revolutionary. Situation with DRH&NA and DRNC, 2 organizations in one place – not unique. No easy solutions even from a brain trust. Speakers were energetic, lady from USC, George P. from Palisades, Gwen Vuschas, Westchester. Reasons to not form NC given by Palisades gent – disclosures, Brown act too cumbersome, ties to city. Nothing particularly new revealed – not a mature science.


Cell Tower – C. Nevil – No news re: meeting. City site listed accomplishments – city to design a cell phone master plan.


Michelle requested an Officer Roster.

New Business:
Message phone – S. Knight checks every 4 – 5 days. Maybe Board members could monitor

Discussion re: Fat Cow site and e-mails forwarded.

Proposed increase in sewer service charge – received by all. Can get an outflow meter for lawn watering and won’t have to pay for that water in your sewer service charge because that water doesn’t go into sewer.

Meeting adjourned 8:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Celia Knight, Recording Secretary