MINUTES – August 31, 2011, 8:30 am at Alchemy Restaurant

1.        Introductions

2.       Police and Safely – Lots of new stuff:
Dick reminded us of a rash of car break ins. Cars were left, but stuff stolen out of the car. Almost always the windows were down or the doors unlocked. It only takes a second to reach in and grab the computer on the front seat. Bring it with you. Lock your car doors.
Break in behind El Camino restaurant as new group was moving in. Door open and they just walked in and took stuff. Monta Bryant from Baby Garten also recounted how her purse was stolen right out of her house when the door was open. Be alert in these hot days. Lock your car door and windows when you leave, clear the shrubbery from around your front door, put in motion lights
Dumpster divers may be casing your house, finding out when people leave, so report them
Reminder to Bars and Restaurants – daytime hours are not a free for all in terms of noise. You can’t crank the music/band just because it’s before 11pm. Consider the night shift workers.
There is a man near 32nd street canyon who is groping women. Watch out and report anything suspicious
Bicycle theft is high. Lock them and stow them out of sight.
The question was raised about a woman screaming last night. Dick says Report it immediately via 911. Let the police worry about where she is. Don’t let not being able to tell where it’s coming from prevent you from informing the police.
“One of the Biggest Friends of Crime is Complacency”

3.       South Park Community Group (Matt Thomas) – the Plan update is moving but slowly. Greater Golden Hill planning committee is giving 1 hour of its meeting to South Park. (2nd Wed of the month 6:30pm – talk to Matt at Alchemy)
Golden Hill is now part of District 3 with us, as is Downtown. There is some concern Downtown issues will dominate.
Community Plan Update Committee is on hold
Small Business Seminar will be 9/15/11 at 9:30 am at MLK hall in National City. They will have advice on tax compliance, contracts, (they may have info on tax credits if your employees live near the business “Enterprise Zone”)

4.       Refuse/Recycle situation – As of July 1, Commercial trash and recycle will no longer be picked up by the city. We can buy cans or dumpsters and arrange for our own pickup. Mixed use house/business may still be picked up, it is unclear, but the workers will be going by addresses with a business license. We can call Environmental Services if we have questions.

5.        Old House Fair – A great success! Here’s the numbers and Plans for next year - 6/23/12 is next year’s date.
a. Achieved goals: Equal or exceed ticket sales – check! (+$3000)
More traffic at the festival itself – check!(exhibitor and vendors say yes)
Equal or exceed sponsor, exhibitor, and advertiser revenue – check! (+$2500)
PR exposure for South Park – check! (Westways covered it, local media too)
Good feedback from Historic Home Tour homeowners and from docents – check! And some good ideas for the future!
b. Special salute to the sponsors who stepped up the make this event possible, esp. since our reserve funds at the CDC were unavailable as seed funds. (Management also worked for several months without compensation, no payments until mid May).
c. Proposal: To protect the funds and insulate the individuals who manage this event, it is going to be necessary to return to CDC as fiscal agent (cost us $3000/year, and our reserve funds of approximately $5000 are not available) or to create our own Corporation.
May be advantageous to have our own corporation, and make it a non-profit 501c3 so that we can obtain permits, insurance, etc. We anticipate we would incur legal and corporation fees to get this done, and accounting fees for audits and tax returns, and we would have to identify a Board of Directors.
It may be prudent to create a single non-profit that encompasses SPBG as well as the Old House Fair. Then SPBG could obtain permits and such also, and get insurance, security, etc, and apply for other grants in addition to the micro-BID (such as Tourism Occupancy Tax grants, which contribute funds for certain special events in Hillcrest, OB and downtown.
Interest was widespread, and no one opposed a corporation committee to investigate the requirements/costs/etc required for this. Corporation committee volunteers: Matt (Alchemy), Connie McDonough, Jinna (Thomas Bikes), Joy Boatman, Christ-Jaynes (Progress), Chad Thompson. If you are interested in participating, please contact studiomaureen@yahoo.com.
d. 2012 date is 6/23/12 – AFTER Father’s day.
e. Marsha and Maureen are documenting the OHF event procedures with an eye to transitioning Maureen from full Director Duties to a less demanding role in 2013.

6.       Walkabouts - Future dates 10/1 Artoberfest in South Park and 12/3 Twinkle, Twinkle, Mix and Mingle. We had a motion again to change the dates in the future so as to not coincide with December Nights, Gay Pride, Bird Park Concerts. All were in favor of changing future dates for next year. Proposals for other dates tabled.
a. Get your postcards, maps, and posters
b. Get Marsha your specials, announcements, etc for Walkabout. If you want the trolley to say something when they pass by, get the information to Marsha, who gives the drivers their script. Email to SPBG@lucyslist.net.
c. October 1 – Artoberfest and Pumpkins. Maybe you could do art projects, art with pumpkins, any art event.
d. Tour de Fat is having a cycling festival Oct 1 at 10am in Golden Hill Park, with a costumed bike parade through South Park 11am to Noon with all the kids on bicycles. Decorate your bike!

7.        PR Committee Report – Micro BID grant gave us $6800. It supports the marketing, media, Printing, Trolley, and Light it up. This brought up the desire for all trees to have lights. Should SPBG pay and distribute or leave it up to us. Debate ensued on natural soft lights versus LED lights. Finally it was decided to leave it up to us the type, as long as it was white and we would like it up by the October walkabout.

8.       Social Media Seminars by Monkey C Media – The first one was a success and we now have 3 more to go into more depth. They will be held for the next 3 months the week after SPBG meeting, on Wed morning 8:30-9:30am at Alchemy. Handouts and slides can be made available.
9/7/11 – Facebook – Plug-ins, apps, and how to use it
10/5//11 – The Power of the Wordpress Website
11/2/11 – Optimization of Search Engines

9.       Community Reports
a. CDC – Mixer 8/31 at the 2435 B Street. Check out the redo that Fuschia did in the house.
b. MAD – They are having an auditing problem and so all projects are on hold. Any problems, just drop into the Kemp building and let them know, or text them at 664-5138 and it’s done fast.
c. Todd Gloria’s office – Anthony not here, so Craig from Foundation for Form spoke about a fundraiser to re-elect Todd Gloria. It will be 9/29 at 6:30 at 830 25th street. (AM X 30 building). He also let us know they are remodeling the old Texaco building on 25th, and will have 5000 feet of retail space available, as well as 22 residential units. FOR AN INVITATIONS TO THE FUNDRAISER, contact Craig@foundationforform.com, or call 619-906-4006.
d. The South Park Walkabouts were nominated for the Golden Footprint award for walkability in our neighborhood by Walk San Diego. We did not win, but we will have special mention at their gala 10/14 ($40 to attend)

10.     New Business
a. Pathfinders is having a celebration on Saturday, Oct 8 5:30-10pm at the San Diego Woman’s Club on 2557 3rd Ave. Tickets are $40. They will have door prizes and are accepting donations. They are located at 2980 Cedar and next door. See Jason Bradley
b. Juan Chou’s – a restaurant with both traditional Mexican and Japanese (read Sushi!) will be opening 9/9 where El Camino used to be. Great Happy hour 4-7p with $3 saki bombs and tacos. All organic, but not necessarily “healthy”, only dinner hours for now. Hopefully a Sunday Brunch if there is demand. Sushi Sundays and Taco Tuesdays.
c. Urban Gourmet is having its soft opening. Lots of gluten free options, coffee, deli sandwiches (even gluten free), Vegan and gluten free soy, and juices. 9/10 is official opening. 6:30am-8pm M-TH, 8am-9pm Fri, Sat, 8am-7pm Sun. 1947 Fern St.
d. Paul from Mooch Exterior Design is setting up North Park Nursery on the corner of 32nd and Thorn, sharing the lot with Fresh Stop Produce. 10/1 is target opening for his storefront. In honor of the opening, he will be giving back to the community – they will accept nominations for a free yard makeover to a member of our community that will be nominated by the community and selected by the business members involved in the project. Services and goods donated up to $3000, which includes complete design and install of a new front yard. Deadline is Thanksgiving for entries. Winner to be announced 12/1. Also, he will do any storefront at cost for SPBG members. Check out his work at Donna’s house, 3174 Nutmeg.
e. South Park Psychological Services has a new psychologist. His name is Charlie Freedman and he is a sleep specialist coming back to the neighborhood where he grew up. He has recently been in Minnesota. 2991 Kalmia St.

1.        Announcements.

a. Baby Garten – new classes coming up on positive discipline.

b. Thomas Bike Shop has lots of exciting news! • It is the 10th birthday for the Albrights' ownership. Hoorah! It is 104 years old in San Diego, 74 years on South Park. The Party will be on October 2, 2011.
• They are sponsoring the Worlds Bike Polo Championship in Seattle there for 5 days. • Fall Walkabout Oct 1 – They will be giving pumpkins away and having spiced wine, pumpkin food and goodies and baked macaroni and cheese.

c. Some Like It Hot Photography can do your commercial shots – check them out!

d. The Presbyterian Church on 30th and Fir will be having a concert in remembrance of 9/11. It is “Romantic Melodies”, and will be on 9/11,4pm at 3025 Fir St

e. South Bark Dog Wash – Donna is turning 50! Party at her house 9/24/11. RSVP to dogwash@southbark.com.

f. Chad Thompson Photography is having White Background Wednesdays, where you can come in and have him photograph your products with a white background.

g. The Grove was featured in Vogue Knitting magazine. They’ll have a book signing this weekend with the author of Sweet Treats.

h. South Park Doctor has a special on Back To School Physicals for $40, Whooping Cough vaccines are $50, and she has the needleless Flumist Intranasal vaccine (for the needle phobic) for $25.

i. South Park Psychological Services (Joy Boatman) has a part time office space available.

Minutes provided by Dr. Tara Zandvliet, South Park Doctor.

NEXT MEETING: Wed. September 28, 2011.