NLNA Board of Directors – Meeting of January 7, 2019

PRESENT: Matt Ruben, President; Barbara Mulckhuyse, Vice-President; Steve Richman, Treasurer; Janet Finegar, Secretary;  Kristen Ainscoe; Avery Amaya; Melanie Coffman; Aisha Loeks; Ben Mann; Joe Mikuliak; Don Phillips.ABSENT:  Claire Adler; Michael Coyne; Monika Kreidie; Barbara SaverinoALSO PRESENT:        Joe Brunner, accountantThe meeting was called to order by the President at 7:04 p.m. The meeting began with Joe Brunner's presentation of his compilation report of the NLNA's FY2018 finances. He noted that our finances are quite similar from year to year and remain in good order.Treasurer's Report: Steve Richman: written report distributed and reviewed.There was conversation about the Annual Appeal running more slowly than usual this year and what we can do to address that.TREASURER’S REPORT – JANUARY 2019

1. 2018-19 Budget: December Financials - tables attached

 For the three months ended on December 31 st All Funds Income was $55,329; this was $9,135 more than projected. All Funds Expenses totaled $57,083, which was about $9,300 more than anticipated. Current Year Net Income was -$1,750. This was about what we projected. If we limit the calculation to income and expenses from the General Fund and Liberty Lands accounts, our two major operating funds, our financial position after the first two months of the fiscal year is as follows:

1. GF & LL Income (rounded): $54,500 -- $9,100 more than anticipated.
2. GF & LL Expenses (rounded): $53,500 -- $9,900 more than anticipated.
3. GF & LL Net Income: -$1,000 -- $800 lower than anticipated.

 Significant variations from budgeted projections through November include:

1. Higher than anticipated income from grants (+$10,000). Liberty Lands received an unexpected grant from the Smart Family Fund. This was partially offset by modest shortfalls in donations and rent.
2. Higher than anticipated expenses for Liberty Lands improvements (+$8,600). These expenses, however, will be reimbursed by the State under the DCED grant we were awarded for a new fence.
3. Higher than anticipated spending for taxes, supplies, equipment and miscellaneous expenses (+$1,900). Some of this was attributable to payment of prior year expenses and a portion ($543) was for payment of a BID assessment, which was unanticipated.
4. Lower than anticipated expenses for program services and fundraising expenses (-$800). Most of this was due to slow billing and seasonality.
5. Other Items

 Grants from PTSSD – As anticipated, grants totaling $9,500 for the Fall Fest, Parade of Spirits, Operation Santa and recycle bins have been received from the Penn Treaty Special Services District. An additional grant for $2,100 for tree-cycling was approved by the PTSSD in December and will be received in January. Grant from the Smart Family Fund: A $10,000 grant to Liberty Lands from the Smart Family Fund was received in December. 2017-18 Financial Report and Tax Return – Our accountant has completed our tax return and annual Compilation Report for 2017-18. He will be attending our January Board Meeting to present his findings and answer questions from the Board.Motion: By Don Phillips, seconded by Kristen Ainscoe. “To accept the Treasurer's report as presented.”  Passed 11-0-0Motion: By Steve Richman, seconded by Joe Mikuliak. “To approve the minutes of the December 2018 Board meeting as presented.”  Passed 9-0-1 President’s Report: Matt Ruben: written report attached and reviewed.NLNA President’s Report, January 2019

1. PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND POLICY

• Construction Impacts – Several homes in the neighborhood have significant rot/water incursion because of faulty stucco installation, resulting in significant repair expense. I also am hearing about issues with insurance companies. The Inquirer recently did a comprehensive report on what appears to be a region-wide, probably nationwide, problem (http://www.philly.com/real-estate/housing/water-damage-home-construction-defects-rotting-toll-cutler-stucco-20181115.html)
• Waterfront Issues – I will brief the board on the current status of the Central Delaware Overlay amendment process.
• Business Improvement District (BID) – The BID has been awarded a grant by the PTSSD to install 10 “big belly” trash stations around the neighborhood. Details at the board meeting.
• Developer Relations – Update at the board meeting.
• “Slow Zone” Traffic-calming Application – A neighbor has prepared an application for a “Slow Zone” (a city program) on the western side of NL. Details and briefing at our board meeting.

2. FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

• Annual Appeal – Letters went out about five weeks ago; and a half-dozen emails went out. Update in the Treasurer’s Report.
• Office Management/Oversight – Updates in the Operations Committee report.

3. EVENTS AND OUTREACH

• First 2019 General Meeting. We will of course have meetings in April and May, for board nominations and elections. I’d like to have one before then. February 28 seems the likeliest candidate, particularly since Jan 24 will, I believe, be the date of a multi-civic meeting in Old City that the Streets Dept is convening to get public input on new bike lanes and striping on 2nd, 5th, and 6th Sts. As always, I am open to agenda ideas for our general meeting.

4. COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

• No significant updates.

5. OTHER ITEMS

• Board Polls – Ratification of any online or online board polls since last month’s board meeting.

Motion: By Don Phillips, seconded by Barb Mulckhuyse: “To send a letter of support for the “slow zone” initiative proposed by Lex Powers.”  Passed 10-0-0 Communications & Marketing Committees Report: Kristen Ainscoe: written report attached & reviewed.Kristen noted that the open rate for our Annual Appeal emails was about half of what it should be for such messages and discussed some of the ideas for improving this. There was conversation about branding our events better and using Facebook better as a resource since we seem to get a lot of traffic from it.NLNA Marketing Report, January 2019

1. ANNUAL APPEAL

         CAMPAIGN                                      DATE                DOTW          OPEN RATE %    CLICK RATE %         Annual Appeal Tis' The Season     12/26                   W                         20                             2         Annual Appeal Brochure                12/18                    T                          24                             3         Annual Appeal NLNA FUND        12/13                   TH                        20                             2         Annual Appeal Skip the Joe          12/5                      W                         25                             4         Annual Appeal Giving Tuesday    11/27                    T                          28                             3         Annual Appeal Form Letter          11/21                    W                         34                             4

• About 625 Suspended Emails of 3225 (Bounce Rate 20-21%)
• .1% Unsubscribe Rate (Steady to rest of emails sent)

2. EMAILS

• (Since June) Most Engaged Subject Line

o Court Hearing Monday for Man Charged with Multiple Crimes in NL with 1105 Unique Opens

o Lakim Wilson Bail Hearing Open Rate 43.7%

• (Since June) Least Engaged Subject Line

o January 7 Newsletter Open Rate 15.5%

• Opens by device

o Mobile 40%

o Desktop 60%

3. GOALS THIS YEAR

• Expand the email list. We can only be successful if we are targeting people in the neighborhood. Every event needs to have a sign-up sheet so that those emails are added to the current list. We should also do a social campaign to ensure that current neighbors are signed up for emails.
• Qualify the email list. Segment the email list to different audience members.
• Print collateral that shows events are sponsored by NLNA.
• What is NLNA campaign.
• Marketing Guide Book

1. what to do when I am planning an event
2. collateral and how to use it

• Website redesign.

4. GOALS NEXT MONTH

• Calendar of events for the year.
• New template for weekly newsletter.
• Form for events – participants, money raised, money spent, etc.

-Liberty Lands Committee Report: Janet Finegar: written report attached and reviewed.Liberty Lands Report January 2018

• Christmas trees are piling up at the park. Schectman will be out on the 14^thto prune and also chip all those trees. Schectman's work will include removing some more of the non-productive fruit trees from the community garden and pruning for health on other park trees.
• There's also a big pile of wood chips near the fire hydrant from Fishtown's chipping that was meant for Orianna Hill but they couldn't get them in because the ground was too soggy. We can use them or move them to OHP if possible.
• This is a playground-mulching year. I'd like to see us get the dump closer to the toddler playground and maximize the chips there because of all the roots coming up. If someone wanted to coordinate that project, that would be welcome!
• Laura's working on assigning the new garden plots created by fixing the sunken garden plot and from turnover. The FEBRUARY steering committee meeting will be a mandatory meeting for gardeners to get everyone on the same page with policies, etc.
• A new person – Shazana Goff from Veggie Power Farms – has taken over organizing the Farmer's Market for 2019. Big thanks again to Paul for starting this whole thing and Susan for shepherding it last summer – and welcome to Shazana!
• Jacek is working on the project of getting our 3^rdStreet block made permit parking: he has letters to all the property owners ready to go and just needs to mail them out. Meanwhile, the parking permit signs have gone up on American, but we haven't seen anyone getting tickets for the front-in parking yet.
• The sidewalk is nearly done – ½ is fully finished and the other half ready to pour this week. It looks SO GREAT. Mark suggested that we look into having the block made into angle parking (that would mean eliminating parking on the east side but roughly doubling the number of spots on the west side). I like the idea but haven't yet pursued anything with Streets about it – if anyone wants to take that on, you'd be welcome to do so!
• The next step is to have the fence installed – and to do the garden improvements that require earth-moving equipment (taking all the weed-infested compost from the CPH and filling in the sunken garden and any other sinking areas to bring them up to grade, ordering soil for that garden and any others that need building up, and wood chipping all the paths of the garden).
• We should also take another look at the “wish list” (attached) and start talking about what educational project we want to develop with the funding we received for this.
• The Parade of Spirits happened and was nice.
• I'm sure there's more. 
• Liberty Lands Project Wish List – 2018

• Playground:Accessible swings (third swing hoop with one standard/one accessible chair swing). Equipment repainting
• Engagement: Park tour project (Consider format: online, phone recording, printed document?). Official park history (Compile various historical documents, interview stakeholders. Printed document or web-based? Ideally collaborate with a college/grad student to develop.) Flora/fauna guides (Printed lists or web-based? Various possible: trees, weeds, gardens, insects, urban wildlife, kid-centered. Alternately or in conjunction: tree labels and plant labels in gardens. Ideally collaborate with Bodine HS science class).  Workshops/classes for gardeners (Ideally collaborate with Temple horticultural program to present)
• Safety/improvements: Mural renovation/repair.  Finish sidewalk project on east side (add north end of Bodine path/sidewalk and American Street sidewalk. Add lighting to sidewalks). Additional potty. Additional shed/larger shed for garden. Complete 3^rdStreet garden entranceway, fix drainage. Complete/repair path along south of community garden. Fix concrete at American/Laurel street entranceway. Add water lines down to far north end of park
• Proposed problematic improvements for continued discussion: New playground equipment (needs parental initiative, location possibility consideration). Remove concrete pad on southern edge (massive project, involves playground changes). Fence off toddler playground (promotes off-leash dog use, reduces parent engagement). Install lighting along interior paths (promotes unsafe nighttime use). Install sprinkler system and re-sod lawn (massive project, previous failure of sod)

-Operations Committee Report.In Monika's absence, Steve noted that we have a tenant lined up for the empty apartment: it was empty one month longer than we budgeted for but should be rented soon. He also reported that rental agreement negotiations with NLArts are underway and should be finalized soon. Public Safety Committee Report: Melanie Coffman: written report attached and reviewed.Melanie reminded the Board to give her feedback as soon as possible about the Front & Girard project.Safety Report 1/7/19

• Package theft prevention: In November and December some posters went up on outdoor poles and inside business windows. We will continue to put up posters
• CPR: Next free CPR class scheduled for Monday 2/11/19 @ 7pm. We are partnering with the Mobile CPR project again
• Security Cameras for Residents: ORCA started a program to get security cameras for their residents, they say it reduced crime in certain areas. I’d like to do a needs assessment in our neighborhood, and if our neighborhood residents would benefit from this program, I’d like to apply for a grant.
• Front and Girard: Info below is from Venise Whitaker’s email to the stakeholders:

• I connected with Bruce Fox who owns the Dollar store building. He is open to suggestions for murals on his wall, he was not a fan of the illuminated image (attached). But he wants to be involved with the project (also Fishtown Co).
• I've requested for SWEEP to assist with that dollar store corner.
• SEPTA did a recent power washing
• I reached out to set up a meeting with the owner of the bar across from the Saint.
• Since Girard is a state road I included our newly elected state reps on this email, congrats Mary and Malcolm
• Included ORCA (Old Richmond Community Association)
• L&I is checking into the vendors license, will include L&I in the next meeting.
• waiting on pigeon spikes
• the SEPTA concrete mural cost/payment will be discussed within City/State offices
• Will include Philly 311 in the next meeting to discuss the complaints they receive due to this intersection
• Some suggestions for you all to think over:
  • Upgrade signal heads from 8^thto 12^th, install mast arm with overhead signals, move STOP bar back

from current location, install pedestrian countdown signals for Front st crossing and traffic camera.

• Think of possible designs, colors, images for the SEPTA concrete columns that will encompass all the

intersecting neighborhood organizations.

• Any organization want to collaborate with mural arts for placement of murals on any intersecting

building.

• Proposed next meeting date: January 29^th or 30^th
  • The meeting will begin with introductions.
  • 15 minutes of Q&A for the City Officials.
  • Initial planning. What are the first steps to create a welcome transportation hub under the elevated line? The elevated line was built in 1915, this is your time to illuminate the intersection. 
  • I would like to end the meeting with agreed initial alterations/adjustments/additions to present to Council President Darrell Clarke. What is the next step for the neighborhood associations and businesses? 
• I will continue to send you links/images to spark inspiration and discussion within your businesses/groups and organizations. Just a reminder who is involved with this project: Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association (NLNA), Sugarhouse, SEPTA, Fishtown Neighborhood Association (FNA), South Kensington Community Partners (SKCP),  Fishtown Co., Police District Advisory Committee (PDAC), Old Richmond Community Association (ORCA), Northern Liberties BID, New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), First Council District, 5th Council District,  Building owner of 31-35 West Girard (Dollar Store), Streets Dept, Mural Arts, Commerce, L&I, Philly 311, 175 Legislative District Philadelphia County, 181 Legislative District Philadelphia County, Retail Fix
• Next Safety Committee Meeting: Monday January 14^th  Topic-Get input from neighbors regarding Front & Girard. Venise Whitaker, Constituent Service Rep from Darrell Clarke’s office is attending this meeting

 Zoning Committee.There was no Zoning Committee meeting during December 2018. Old Business Steve updated the Board on the progress of the Friends of Tip Top Playground renovation project.Operation Santa report attached and reviewed by Janet Finegar:Operation Santa Report  2018

• 2018 Operation Santa served 42 households in Northern Liberties and surrounding neighborhoods, with a total of 45 adults and 156 children ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years old.
• The sponsorship from Penn Treaty SSD was a significant factor in making this possible: $3,500 from the SSD covered the cost of the meals and supplies like batteries, wrapping paper, and gifts not donated from the community. We also took in around $1,000 in earmarked donations from Northern Liberties neighbors, most of which went to buying supplies for NEXT year at post-holiday discounts.
• The “wrapping party” was so well-attended that we had to turn some people away for lack of space! We could consider trying to do it at a different location next year, although that would add new logistics problems, or just keep having it be a tremendous whirlwind of volunteers. There's always some logistics problems with keeping all the presents sorted for delivery, but Helen and I have discussed some solutions for that for 2019.

** I passed on to Mike and the fundraising committee a suggestion that we use some of the accumulated supplies in December 2019 to do a wrapping fundraiser where people pay a door fee to come and use our tape/paper/etc. and enjoy some of the same festive atmosphere for wrapping their own presents.

• A LOT of people showed up to help with deliveries, also, which made the whole process quick and easy. It's definitely much easier to have several different cars do one or two deliveries for the households that aren't close together, while having the truck for the bunch that are clustered (and for picking up the food initially) is hugely helpful.
• The major challenge of this year was to serve people who really needed the help while staying relatively faithful to the idea of this being a local program – and staying inside the PTSSD service boundaries. We have a longstanding pool of families who live just west of Northern Liberties and whose kids go to Kearny. Despite my reaching out to several groups in the Fishtown neighborhood especially, we only added three new families that way – but had to not serve some 18 families referred to us who were outside the PTSSD boundaries because of not knowing if we'd have enough funds from other donations to help them. This is something we need to figure out for next year so as not to face the same frustration again.

 New BusinessSteve noted that Winterfest tickets are being printed and will be at the NLNA office. Board members are asked to pick them up there and sell as many tickets as possible individually. The meeting was adjourned by acclaim at 8:45 pm