February 22, 2021 FNA General Membership Meeting

View a recording of the meeting here.

Start: 7:05pm

Introduction: Start of the meeting and call to action since we have a voting item

  • Have invited guests to the meeting that are providing information about help

Officer Garner:

  • (817) 335-3022 TCMH
  • 682-287-4448 Code compliance officer for the neighborhood
  • Update on stats for crime in the neighborhood and will be posted on the Next Door app
  • Please continue to help each other out 
  • Cash registers missing from 2700 Hemphill
  • Paco’s break-in still under investigation

Voting item on the agenda: Donating to One Safe Place (Lori)

  • They donated their parking lot and power for Festivus 
  • $500 donation suggested to give back to them to help for the loss
  • They opened up as a warming shelter this last week during the weather event
  • Link will be on Facebook and on the Fairmount page
  • vote@historicfairmount.com to cast the vote to donate to One Safe Place
  • approved though quorum.

Home Tour (David)

  • Moving home tour to June 19 and 20, 2021, Father’s Day Weekend.
  • Walk and Roll Fairmount home tour
    • mainly walkable tour
    • historic information and video on porches of the inside
    • still mainly outdoors and will feature more homes than usual
    • positions open for volunteers to help with the planning for the tour
    • hometour@historicfairmount.com email for information

Cowtown Marathon – Brenda Howell

  • No marathon this year
  • race is now May 8th and all races will take place on the same day
  • No kids race this year
  • No event at Will Rogers
  • No liquids being held out
  • each runner will have to bring their own container for water and there will be water filling stations where a volunteer will be wearing gloves and will push the lever to dispense water
  • Marathon will be done virtually
  • Mask will be required

Jim Zadeh – Insurance 

  • Tax Returns and payments are all extended to June 15th, 2021
  • Pools are only covered if they are listed as part of the dwelling
  • Take pictures and keep any receipts
  • Remember insurance claims are a negotiation and do not accept the claim if you think your claim is worth more
  • jim@zadehfirm.com email for free consultation if you want
  • If you receive a check, do not cash the check unless you are sure that the amount is what was agreed on and will cover the repairs

Rachel Golay – Assistance programs in the area

  • Mutual Aid
    • People working together without barriers or gatekeepers
    • Someone has a need, someone asks, and someone provides for the need
    • Various groups in Fairmount that are providing help to neighbors in need
    • Things to think about
      • Have the phone numbers for the neighbors that are on your block
      • Start a group text with those people to check up on their needs
      • Funkytown Fridge has 3 fridges around the city to take donations of goods and food 
      • Southside Service Industry tip jar to give to those in our neighborhood help during times in need

Sonia Singleton/Victor Turner – City of Fort Worth

  • Waterline Assistance through Emergency Repairs
    • Help community members fix pipelines that have ruptured that need help
    • Presented to council tomorrow for consideration
    • FEMA assistance will be available, but are reimbursable
      • if you are not able to afford costs upfront, you can go to SBA for a loan 
      • the city will also have funds available and would not need to pay upfront (grant program)
  • Weatherization program
    • helps to make the homes more energy efficient
    • limited funds, but you can apply to have the grant to take care of needs to make your home more energy efficient
    • Information available on the City of Fort Worth website fortworthtexas.gov
    • Contact phone 817-392-7540 if you are not able to get online
    • Can also call the number above to get information about questions about upcoming utility bills

Michael McDermott – Historic Preservation

  • Things we can do to help weatherize
    • Insulate the flooring of your homes
    • running around $1.50/sq ft
    • Helps seal gaps in the flooring as well
    • peel and stick insulation for the windows
    • factory painted metal storm doors are allowed in our community
    • attic insulation checks
    • interior storm windows
  • Will post information and links online to the Facebook page
  • justin.newhart@fortworthtexas.gov for questions on permitting

Elizabeth Brammer 

  • Waste management said that they would allow 2 additional bags placed next to the garbage this week due to the time since last pick up
  • not required to keep the trash lid closed this time
  • This week is bulk week also

If you have questions for any of the candidates, please email them or submit them and we will post them with the answers on line.

Ann Zadeh – Running for Mayor

  • 6 years as our councilwoman
  • www.annzadeh.com
  • will answer the questions and get them posted soon

Darien George – Running for District 9 Council member

  • Berkley Place resident 
  • Previous president of Berkley Place
  • Lifelong Fort Worth resident and active member of the community
  • www.GeorgeforFortWorth.com

Elizabeth Beck – Running for District 9 Council member

Roxanne Martinez – FWISD School Board

  • Community action partners board member in Fort Worth
  • 2 children in FWISD
  • Small business owner
  • Advancing Equity in the school system
  • consultant with Read Fort Worth
  • roxanne4fwisd.com
  • Roxanne4FWISD on all social media

Cade Lovelace – FWISD School Board

  • Ryan Place resident
  • 2 children at Dagget Montessori
  • President of Dagget Montessori PTA
  • Product of public education and is a Lawyer in the community
  • Team Cade on Facebook
  • www.teamcade.com

Questions:

  1. What would your approach be when there are weather or health events that disrupt the status quo?
  • Roxanne:
    • Thats where the community partnerships come to play
    • After-school programs play a big part in this help
    • Find the needs within the communities, work with city and school partnerships, and provide these services. For example: lack of childcare facilities in the Diamond Hill neighborhood
  • Cade: Using snow days or go virtual
    • For High School kids, it would make sense to go virtual
    • For elementary kids, it would be hard to manage them online and some families are not able to take time off to make sure the children are learning effectively

Elizabeth Beck: What would you do to ensure robust transportation?

  • Would be a big advocate for transit in the city that is all encompassing
  • This is not only busses, but light-rail
  • Economic incentives to the city are provided by better transit. Big corporations pass Fort Worth over because of the lack of transit in the city. 
  • Access to transit also affects those in need 

Darien George: What would you do to ensure robust transportation? 

  • Need to find a way to get council members who are not big transit advocates
  • Need to pick very specific areas to begin making changes instead of going for an all or nothing approach

Ann Zadeh: What do you think about the way the city looks and treats neighborhood association in the decisions that affect their neighborhoods?

  • There are parts of the city that do not have the 
  • Neighborhood engagement office along with an outreach effort to make sure that people do not have to come out to the city to be heard and included.
  • Encourage members to look at the city as an entity that can be changed by their voices

Dagget is being reconsidered to have the speed warning signs added around the school.

Closing: 8:31pm