Editor’s Note: Meetings are held the second Monday every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Council office at 6008 Kingsbury Avenue. March and April meeting highlights appear below. Visit https://www.skinkerd.com/meeting-minutes for complete meeting minutes and announcements.
Alder’s Report (Ald. Shameem Clark-Hubbard) An installation date for new 4-Corners playground equipment has not yet been set.
Tornado-related stump removals are complex and often require special equipment and may not be addressed when other stump issues are handled.
Council President (Mike Stephens, Parkview) – The council is considering how to spend newly-found grant funds held in CDs and will be sending an email to solicit neighborhood input and ideas. Care will be taken to adhere to the parks and arts focus of the original grant.
In addition, Stephens said, the Council is looking to revise its bylaws, which have not been updated in quite some time.
Treasurer (Yvette Kell, Washington Heights) – The Community Council is $4,000 in the black as of the April meeting.
Because the City no longer funds the Community Council, institutional stakeholders like Washington University and New Cote Brilliante Church are now key funders, with events like WinterMarkt and PorchFest also helping to defray expenses.
City Neighborhood Improvement Specialist Max Magee – Report street light problems to the Citizen’s Service Bureau — (3124) –622-4800). I, while issues with alley lights should be reported to Ameren. He also mentioned that City recycling is up 8 percent, while contamination is down 83 percent.
PorchFest (Molly Rader) – The event will be held Sunday, September 20, and is still looking for sponsors at all levels.
Historic Preservation (Anne Marie Bliss) – The committee stands ready to help neighbors with updating their homes and will help homeowners with contractor referrals and bid reviews.
Delmar Loop (Samantha Smugala, Executive Director) – Work will begin on streetscape improvements at Delmar and Hodiamont. Projects will add landscaping, provide space for outdoor dining, and be pedestrian- and bike-friendly. The Delmar Trolley will also begin service on April 30th and operate Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Delmar Mainstreet (Tamika Stigers) The organization’s Levitt VIBE Vibe STL Concert Series will hold 10, family-friendly, free concerts at Lucier Park. Concerts will be held on the second and fourth Sundays from May-September and feature nationally-known and locally-based performers. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, visit Delmar Main Street’s Facebook page.
Washington University (Joanna Schooler, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community and Government Relations) – She will try to remind students about the importance of moving cars on street cleaning days, but tempered expectations because many students live in buildings not owned or controlled by the university.
As the school year ends and neighborhood move outs begin, the university will increase alley patrols checking for excess trash and discarded items. A new initiative to encourage students to share and reuse items rather than throw them away is in place, but she encouraged residents to report problems to Neighborhood Improvement Specialist Max Magee or Alderwoman Clark-Hubbard.
