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Council of Neighborhood Associations
Minutes for March 1, 2000

1. Introductions
2. Minutes: Mimi Mounteer moved to accept the minutes as circulated. David Phaff seconded. Motion approved.
3. Communications/Announcements
· Neighborhood Resource Center's Annual Meeting is on Wednesday, May 24. Nominations are being accepted for the Thomas J. Senchyna Neighborhood Service Award and Certificates of Recognition for Outstanding: Public Official, Organization/Group, Publication and Web Site. Call 462-5636 for nomination forms and more information. Deadline for nominations April 5 (next CANA meeting).
· Letter received from Steve Winters, South End Improvement Corp.- suggesting that CANA and other public meetings should be televised. Marggie, Aimee Allaud and Steve will get together to pursue this with Library, CC Public Authorities Committee and Time Warner.
· Very generous contribution received from Paul Veillette- thank you sent.
· Police Council minutes distributed- Emily Grisom wants to step down. Helen Black from Arbor Hill offered to replace her. Appointment approved.
· Police Review Board Task Force public hearing tomorrow at Albany High. Attendance encouraged.
· Zoning hearings held re CVS on New Scotland Ave and Eckerd/School 10- well attended.
· Ellen Becker- Mansion NA- Neighbors and users of Lincoln Park Pool believe that replacement of the pool with something smaller and rectangular is a bad idea. Pool is a treasure and a community resource. Committee to save the pool is forming and can be reached at 462-9963 or e-mail beckerfirm@aol.com.
· Brian Renauer, SUNY has a police community research project and would like NA's to test questionnaire they will use. Agreed to give him mailing list of NA presidents to use to circulate the questionnaire. 
· City has announced NA cleanup dates- letter sent by DGS to each NA contact. 
· Tree planting: deadline for applications 3/31.
· Don Wardle (UTA) Public Service Commission wants to lower corporate utility costs. Nancy Burton is exploring formation of a consortium of public agencies to take advantage- perhaps include residential customers. May be issue to raise at NA meetings- contact Don at Box 7060, Capital Annex, Smith Bdg., Albany, 12225
· Various announcements distributed including: ZBA Notices, Community Police Council minutes, Albany Public Library press release, University Heights Association News.
4. Committee Reports
a. Committee on University & Community Relations- Next meeting on March 8 to continue planning 10th anniversary celebration this fall. Recent initiatives include Census 2000 promotional plan.
b. Schools- no report
c. Census- Counting homeless on March 27. Marggie asked for any ideas on where to find people to make sure that as many people as possible are counted.
d. Budget - Committee should respond to unbudgeted raises recently announced. Dominic Calsolaro reported that Police still do not have money to purchase equipment- grant money cannot be used- bicycle needed in south end… 
e. Zoning - Council passed Carol Wallace's ordinance requiring property owner to post a sign on property subject to a zoning hearing. It went into effect immediately, so please take note and assure that there is compliance in your neighborhood.
f. Housing/Code Enforcement- David Phaff see enclosed questionnaire.

5. Guest Speakers: Isla Roona and John Cutro , Restorative Justice
The Social Capital Development Corporation is reaching out to the neighborhoods to establish a Restorative Justice program in Albany. Restorative Justice is based on the philosophy that all individuals have a right and an obligation to try and prevent and repair harms that occur in their lives and within the community. It focuses on the needs of the victim of a crime and tries to rehabilitate the offender and repair the community while preventing future harm. Ideally, criminals and victims meet with a trained facilitator to develop a "restitution" that will repair the damage done and prevent further harm. Training sessions for facilitators will be held in March and April. Isla can be reached at 433-1755 or iroona@social-capital.org for registration information. 
The Justice Studies Association is holding its second annual conference "Confronting Processes and Institutions of Power: Where Restorative Justice and Social Justice Meet" from May 31 through June 2 in Albany.765-2468 for info.
6. Guest Speaker: Paul Bray, Founder/Chair: Albany Roundtable- Preserving and Capitalizing on Albany's Heritage 
A. We should capitalize on our assets: 
1. Education: 25% of population BA or better; city and immediate Capital District contain several educational institutions from a large research university to small colleges and professional training.
2. University Heights
3. Heritage: 2009 will be Quadracentennial of Henry Hudson
4. Environment- 5 minutes to country: Great neighborhoods: Urban patterns
5. Civic Life: e.g. Roundtable- April 12 Peg Breen; May 10- Tom Whalen, Fred Field; June 14 Mayor of Charleston. 431-1440 for reservations $10; 3d fl Fed. Bdg. Broadway 
6. Culture: Theatre, Music, Dance, Writers Institute…
B. "Progress" is putting Albany at risk: Legislation established an Albany Urban Cultural Park with an Advisory Commission that should be a coalescing force. It is not. It cannot act until the Mayor has appointed his representatives. Some perceive that an active commission would "stand in the way of progress," so nothing is done. 
C. We should aggressively market city living. Real estate agents still steer professionals to the suburbs: "Lawyers live in Delmar". We must reach out and convince people that city living is attractive and the diversity of the neighborhoods in the city allow for "suburban" style living as well as urban amenities. (aside: if gas prices stay high- public transportation and shorter distances from home to work and other destinations make city living even more attractive.)
Q&A: Helen Black-lives in Arbor Hill, can't get over how much there is in Albany- What can CANA do?
How about a Neighborhood Summit/ Forum/ like the old neighborhood conventions?
Should recognize that we need a vital downtown and vital neighborhoods- without either one the City will die. The Urban Cultural Park will be difficult to pull off- celebrating and telling the story of the city requires cooperation that is not apparent yet. 
Mark Yolles: When National Neighborhoods Convention was here the neighborhood tours were very well received. They should be revived and supported. 
Now celebrating our history is perceived as a threat to development. How do we change that? e.g. big box drugstore proposals everywhere; tear down buildings to make parking lots; local developers court the drug conglomerates that are only willing to sign on for short-term leases- what happens after 3 years? 
There was a small victory in 1980's Stewarts on Western Ave.- take a look. Does it look like every other Stewarts? (aside- even the new Rite Aid at Central and Main is not a gray suburban concrete box- some designs can be altered.)
Does Albany have (need) a master plan?
There are proposals to tear down more buildings on South Pearl St. for new federally financed buildings. Elfrieda- We have to tear down the wall between City Hall and the South End. The City has rejected the neighbors' suggestions regarding locations for this construction.
Motion: CANA should write to Mayor re his appointments to Urban Cultural Park Advisory Commission. Unanimously approved.
David Phaff: CEQL's areas of concern fit this general area.
Harold: Love thy Neighborhood Convention- a Big job for an organization with a budget and staff. New we have neither. Can we do it?
Mark Yolles lets try to identify other groups who might be interested. Tap into funding that must be somewhere.
Next month- follow up and sign up.

Submitted by Clare Yates & Marggie Skinner

Attendance 3/1/00

Dominick Calsolaro, Second Avenue NA
Mimi Mounteer, Manning Blvd. NA
John Mounteer, Manning Blvd. NA
Elfrieda Textores, South End Concerned Citizens
Thomas Gebhardt, University at Albany
Roy Conrad, Sheridan Hollow NA
Clare Yates, Center Square NA
Harold Rubin, Center Square NA
David Phaff, New Albany NA
Craig Waltz, Helderberg NA
Pat Hancox, Pine Hills NA
Gene Solan, Pine Hills NA
Don Wardle, CSQ/UTA
John Salamida PHNA
Mac Mowbray PHNA
Colin McKnight MANS
Mark Yolles MANS
Jim Lyons MEL
Aimee Allaud MEL
Ed Hamilton IND
Margo Janack CDTA
Helen Black AH
Marlene Pressman DANA
Mary Connair DANA
Cathy O'Neill DANA
Holly Katz MANS
Ellen Becker MANS
Larry Becker MANA
Howard Stoller MEL
Kathleen Kearney HPNA
Dominic Colafati PHNA
Paul Bray UWNA
Roger Markovics UTA
John Cutro HTA
Isla Roona SCDC
Anne Brewster WPNA
Chuck Liddle WPNA