April 2022 Minutes

Welcome, Stephen McBride

Treasurer’s Report, Stacey Cordeiro

  • $25 in donations in the month of March, $1.16 interest income
  • Monthly expenses: payment processing and zoom= $17.14
  • Net income: $9.02
  • Assets $11,063.41
  • No liabilities

Police Report, Officer George Downing

  • Contact: George.Downing@pd.Boston.gov 
  • C11CSO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/C11cso 
  • About 5:44 pm on 4/2, drug unit executed a search warrant on Sawyer Ave. Resulted in firearm and multiple drug charges including unlawful possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute crack, cocaine, and marijuana. Suspect was apprehended and taken to the district. 
  • About 12:58 on 4/5 a disorderly event happened where a delivery driver exposed themself to people at St. Mary’s Center. Suspect was located.  
  • 7:20 am on March 20, a body part and pool of blood was located on the ground at Hancock street following a self-harm episode. The person received medical attention.  

77 Stoughton Wine and Malt Beverage License Presentation, Paul Gannon

  • Jay Patel, owner. Deviani Patel is the manager. Have worked in the community for about 4 years. 
  • They are trying to reconfigure their services to include beer and wine. 
  • There were concerns about traffic, but this is a neighborhood store that relies mostly on foot traffic, and that won’t change. 
  • Current hours: 7am-9pm. Not opening beyond the current timeframe. 

Committee Reports 

  • Social Committee / Outreach Committee, Steve Farrell / Starr Vermeulen / Stacey Cordeiro
    • The social and outreach committees have been combined as they are carrying out many of the same functions.
    • Meetings will be held on the 4th Wednesday of the Monday. 
    • Future events might include inclusion in the “Love Your City” events. We will partner with St. Mary’s to get this part of the community more involved. Also a yardsale and summer events. Official dates to come.  
    • Our Hot Toddy Tumble is scheduled for April 29.
    • Next meeting 4/27

  • Planning & Development, Kit Binns / Stephen McBride
    • Site 1 (Library project): Working on reformatting the RFP for the library, commercial and housing part of this project. The new RFP will not include the Strand, which is a change. The city is still running the Strand, but there is no news yet about a professional arts organization running the space. 
    • The Old Citizen’s Bank project is still in process. Old Citizens Bank Parking (corner of Columbia and Cushing) lot project questions were raised to the developer. This will become 60 income restricted houses, 9 condo units (3 income restricted), all first time homeowner, 94 parking spaces. 
    • The Fox Hall project is a private development that is going forward, but no new updates. 
    • Comfort Kitchen: This project is moving along to become a coffee shop and full service restaurant with weekend brunch and event space. Proposed opening date is July 2022.

  • Greenspace & Friends of Downer Park, Carly Cederquist
    • The city cleaned the graffiti in the park. 
    • If people see graffiti or that the dog waste container is empty, please contact 311
    • Hoping to schedule a site visit with the city to address replanting grass
    • Getting complaints from people that dogs are offleash in the park outside of the dog play area. Reminded the group to please keep dogs in their designated area. Looking to include potential signage in the amphitheater area to remind people of the dog rules.
    • There was a question about how people can request to book the amphitheater space. There is a city contact that people can reach out to and an online link to sign up. We will circulate this information in an email and update the website. Possibility of putting a QR code with reservation information/steps on a sign in the park.   

  • Traffic Committee, Chris Vella
    • Reach out to Stephen McBride regarding questions and concerns
    • Denise DosSantos will come out to the neighborhood soon for a walkaround to take a look at the tight corners, the speeding on the two-ways, and potential one-ways. 

 

Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services Update, Denise DosSantos

  • No update this month

Updates from St. Mary’s Center, Alexis Steel, president; Nora Lehan, director of development 

  • Reminded folks at the meeting about the purpose of St. Mary’s Center: Education, employment, housing and transitional services.  
  • St. Mary’s would like to be better neighbors and give back to the neighborhood. Discussed a potential volunteer day where people from St. Mary’s can give back to the neighborhood, and also people could volunteer at St. Mary’s. 
  • There are a number of ways to engage with families at the center. Can support families directly around the holidays, can volunteer for beautification projects on the grounds, also on-site volunteering like resume workshops, mock interviewing, working at the donation center.
  • If people would like to volunteer they can reach out to Nora nlehan@stmaryscenterma.org; 617-436-8600 ext 491
  • Possibility that Women’s Lunch Place to become involved with the community garden  

On The Hill, Meaghan Agnew

  • We are doing a bylaws review with lawyers from the Harvard Law Transactional Clinic. If people have revisions they would like to see in the bylaws, please contact the board. We will vote on these bylaws likely in the meeting in June. 
  • The Spring tumble is Friday April 29. If people want to host and/or attend, there is a link on the agenda to sign up. 
  • We discussed other community events which are outlined in the agenda