October 2015 – General Membership Meeting Minutes

Fairmount National Historic District General Meeting

October 27, 2015

Meeting Called to Order by Pat Bradley – 7p.m.

Introduction of New Members – two new households on Fairmount – WELCOME!

AGENDA

Neighborhood Police Officer Update – Sergio Guadarrama

  • 6 burglary of habitation (3 with unknown/non-family or acquaintance suspects)
  • 5 vehicular burglaries
  • 10 thefts – all porches
    • During the holiday season, please consider shipping packages to work, a friend’s home or pick up items at mail distribution centers.

Constable’s Office: Deputy Mark Diebolt

  • Constable will be driving the neighborhood Halloween weekend keeping tabs on known sex offenders and watching for ne’er-do-wells.

Information Regarding Texas Proposition 1 – Melanie Dotzour

  • Please vote November 3, 2015

“The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $15,000 to $25,000, providing for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for those purposes on the homestead of an elderly or disabled person to reflect the increased exemption amount, authorizing the legislature to prohibit a political subdivision that has adopted an optional residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation from reducing the amount of or repealing the exemption, and prohibiting the enactment of a law that imposes a transfer tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property.”

 

BOARD UPDATES

Melanie Dotzour – Finance

  • Checking acct = $14,076.45
  • Savings acct = $17,845.98
  • Garden acct = $2,024.70

Alex Thieroff – Promotions

  • Santa in the Park – December 19, 2015
  • Christmas party date and location will be finalized within the next week
    • David Thrapp mentioned that Preservation Hall may be available for a Saturday date, and the hall would do all post-event clean-up.

David Thrapp – Safety (no update)

Martin Dahl – Historic Preservation

  • The proposal to create a historic overlay for the Stockyards is being voted on tonight. Expected to be accepted.
  • A second full-time employee will be added to the Fort Worth Department for Historic Preservation. This person will run the new Stockyards district and will likely provide additional support as possible to other historic projects.
  • Happy to report that a previous rent house of dubious ownership is now being considered for purchase by individuals armed with legal representation.

Carrie Carter – Membership

  • Six new member households this month (two from ArtsGoggle)

Kim Worley – Administration (no update)

Stacy Luecker – Communications

  • If you have a story or a story from an older resident, please provide it for the newsletter.
  • Festivus – December 13. “Spruce up your home flyers” will be passed out to all homes on the route.
    • If you have excess decorations, please donate them to FNA to share with other homes on the route.

Roy Neese – Infrastructure (no update)

OPEN DISCUSSION 

  • Green space clean-up will be Sunday, 11/1/15 from 1p until 3p.
  • Rebecca Guttery from the Garden Club requested volunteers to sign-up as “Adopt-A-Block” clean-up captains to assist with trash pick-up on a per-block basis. Also, mentioned that the Fairmount Garden Club now has a Facebook page. The garden club will generally be meeting on the third Thursday of the month at 1936 5th Ave. Check the Facebook page for details.
  • Pat Bradley/Fred Harper asked that in order to keep the FNA Board current on relevant discussions, please let the board know when you have spoken with people like council members or representatives (about alleys/sidewalks/etc). Sometimes the Board is approached by these individuals later, and is not current on what may have been discussed.
  • Sue McLean for Good Neighbors Animal Rescue (GNAR – a 501c3 group): GNAR finds/fosters/neuters dogs and cats.   Looking for volunteers to take cats to Tarrant County Animal Protection for shots/etc. GNAR works with PetSmart to home dogs and cats. Always accepting donations to help cover vet bills, care costs, etc.
  • Sarah Karashin – the Fairmount Fall Festival (10/31/15) is a Teal Pumpkin event which will feature non-food and Blue Zone approved treats. There will also be face painting and a bounce house.

Adjourned: 8:00 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Kim Worley 11/5/15