General Minutes October 2000

GENERAL MINUTES OF TURNAROUND TEAM MEETING

Chair Karen Hiller announced that Channel 27 and 49 are present and that Channel 13 and the Capital Journal are unable to be in attendance but are awaiting post-meeting faxes.

I. Agenda: Karen asked if there were any additions or correction to the agenda. None were offered.

II. Minutes of 9/25/00 Meeting: Motion was made and seconded to approve the 9/25/00 meeting minutes. Motion passed.

III. Washburn-Lane Parkway:

  1. Karen announced there's a lot of "show and tell" for the Parkway tonight, and turned the floor over to David Leamon, Chair of the Parkway Committee. Scott Wiltz of OK Johnson Electric was introduced and displayed a Parkway light pole. Scott stated the lights are 150-watt high-pressure sodium lamps. There are 15 bases left to be poured and the poles can be installed beginning next week unless instructed otherwise. David stated the beautiful lights will line both sides of the Phase 1 demonstration leg (10th to 12th on Washburn) and will generate further interest in the Parkway. The lights are lower than regular streetlights to provide a pedestrian friendly walkway; they will be placed approximately 50 feet apart. Samples of the metal banners which will hang from the light poles were also displayed: the Washburn-Lane Parkway banner, the TurnAround Team banner, the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library banner, the Elmhurst Neighborhood Association banner, and the Tennessee Town Neighborhood Improvement Association banner. The TurnAround Team banners will be displayed on the corners of each Parkway intersection, the Washburn-Lane Parkway banner will be displayed on every other light pole on one side of the banner pole and the neighborhood banner for that section bordering the Parkway on the other side of the banner pole. The banners are metal and will be printed on both sides. This will help all passers-by to know where the individual neighborhoods are; it will also help realtors listing homes in the area and out-of-town visitors. We also have parkway signs for business windows to show support of the Parkway, and smaller self-stick signs for residence or car windows, fences, etc. A completed construction sign, donated by the Public Library, was also displayed. It will be installed at each phase of the Parkway as it is completed.
  2. Fund raising will begin at area businesses and they will display window signs. We want all to feel safe with the lighting and we all know from Sally Zellers how important adequate lighting deters crime. We hope the "City fathers" will feel the Parkway exceeds their expectations! The Parkway project is to be completed by 2005 so we hope to get the necessary funding to allow us to meet that deadline. Phase 2 of the project will extend from Huntoon south to 17th Street. Karen stated if anyone is interested, Scott will call us when the last light pole is ready to be installed; all present indicated they are interested. Joyce Ritchey will call when that schedule is set. David announced the section from 12 th to 21stth Street and back to 15th will cost $1-1.25 million. We committed to the City to raise $100,000 and then to apply for grants for the rest; Councilmember Clark Duffy took the lead and said he would support $100,000 every year for City funding. Tonight we will announce our first contribution to add to our $100,000 from the City.
  3. Karen welcomed Jerry Farley, President of Washburn University, who stated he is filling in for Tom Ellis, Washburn University's representative the TurnAround Team. Jerry stated WU has been a part of the community for 138 years and is committed to making the surrounding neighborhoods a more attractive area to prospective students. Landscaping efforts at WU and a new building add to their commitment to improving the appearance of the campus. WU wants its students to feel they are a part of the neighborhood and one way to do that is to support the Parkway which is the "front door" of the WU campus. WU wants to project a positive image and the Parkway is a great opportunity for WU to partner with Central Topeka. The WU Board voted to spend $100,000 for the Parkway lighting from 17th to 21st Street along Washburn Avenue. Karen thanked Jerry for their funding and recognized the Washburn-Lane Parkway Committee for all their hard work. Committee members are David Leamon, Ted Mize, Tom Ellis, Jack Blossom, Dick May, Frank Meadows, Joyce Ritchey, Delores Smith, Joe Swalwell and herself.
  4. Karen introduced Dave Graversen regarding the proposed dogleg reconstruction along Washburn from 17th to 16th Streets. Dave stated blocking off part of Washburn Avenue along this area will improve traffic flow and add some green space. The City is working with Pete and Joyce Ritchey who own the property along that area to propose a mutually agreeable design. The TEA grant is geared around transportation and the fact we will have a Parkway/walkway from WU to the Hospital area is a plus. The grant application is due mid-December but we won't know for several months if we are awarded the grant. The plans are coming together which is very exciting and it looks very promising for some TEA grant funding.
  5. Karen met with Dillons' management in Hutchinson last week and informed them of contributions to the Parkway, and the support received from WU. She also told them of the improvements being made to housing in the area by Elmhurst NA, Chesney Park NIA, and College Hill NA. Homes are being renovated for rental to students, and the "roof count" so important to Dillons' marketing decisions will be increasing. We should hear further from them regarding their Parkway commitment within the next two weeks.

IV. Housing Code Task Force: The Task Force, which was formed in August, has met three times and continues to study five different codes (Housing, Nuisance, Weed Abatement, Abandoned Cars, and Commercial Code) under which Topeka operates. The challenge is to develop a more effective way to enforce all the codes, identify resources, and suggest changes. Mayor Wagnon is very interested and asked us to identify the biggest problems. Karen asked for consensus on the following six issues as the biggest problems:

  1. Repeat offenders
  2. Multiple visits to the same site, duplication of codes and enforcement procedures
  3. Ineffectiveness of fines and penalties as applied by our current judges
  4. Preference for a customer-friendly approach, yet questions about effectiveness
  5. Where financial assistance, other assistance and/or education is needed, a "safety net" is critical
  6. The current political climate creates an atmosphere that prohibits the Committee from optimal performance

All in attendance indicated they are in consensus with this list. Thanks to Committee members Darrell Eklund, Dave Graversen, Frank Hoge, Karen Hiller, Melody McConnell, Pete Rutshe, Joe Swalwell, and Sally Zellers for their hard work.

V. Recognition Awards: Deb Swank, Recognition Secretary, displayed overhead projection pictures of the following properties, and allowed those present who renovated the properties to add their comments:

  1. 12th & Clay: Countryside United Methodist Church constructed a Habitat for Humanity house at this location. New residents Johan and Stehanie Freeland assisted with the construction.
  2. 1100 Block of Mulvane: John and Julie Lyle, 1161 Mulvane, purchased six houses in this block and have been working on renovating them for 3 1/2 years. Three have been totally renovated and are currently rented out. One house is awaiting a new foundation, one is under renovation, and the sixth has a new roof and will be the next project. Julie stated she and John worked alone in shifts for two years as they also had two children during that time. Deb suggested all drive down this area of Mulvane to appreciate the big improvement there.
  3. 1176 Garfield: Ron and Denise Wylie, 1524 Jewell, completely renovated this Tudor home inside and out. This home will be open for the Elmhurst Neighborhood Association annual Holiday Home Tour on December 10th, and will be listed for sale at that time.
  4. 1195 Garfield: Wayne Frahm and Fred Salazar bought this property with the idea of renovation and then using it as rental property. Fred stated they liked the house so much they sold their home at Lake Perry and moved into the Garfield property. Fred stated they are glad they've moved to such a great neighborhood. They also purchased other homes in the TurnAround Team area and are renovating them for rental property: one in the 1100 block of Boswell, one on Buchanan across from the Ronald McDonald House, and one at 13th and Clay. They stated they also screen their tenants very well.
  5. 1199 Garfield: Don Taylor, owner, has painted his home and put in a beautiful garden on his corner lot. He also built a stone retaining wall between his yard and the sidewalk. Drive by for a closer look!
  6. 1100 block of MacVicar: Todd Alexander (1523 High) recently completed the renovation of three houses: 1166 MacVicar, 1176 MacVicar, and 1186 MacVicar. All three have been sold and are owner-occupied. He is currently working on another property at 1039 MacVicar.
  7. 817 SW 6 th: Jim and Kathy Speier (Berryton) renovated this house and converted it into a business property. The main and upper floors are presently occupied by a law firm and the lower level is the home for the Sojourn office in Topeka.
  8. House of Barbeque/1221 SW Huntoon: James and Lula Jenkins have moved the House of Barbeque from its former location on 17th Street to Huntoon. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday, they do catering and are working to add a drive-thru to the business.
  9. Ross Rowhouses/ 500 block of VanBuren: Historic Topeka is nearing completion of these row houses and space is available for business and office rental.
  10. Huntoon and Topeka Blvd.: the horticulture staff for Topeka Parks and Rec landscaped this recently completed intersection. We wish to recognize Terry Bertels and Lee Schick for the greatly improved appearance. Lee was the landscape horticulturist on this project and responsible for much of the actual labor.
  11. 124 N. Fillmore/Anna's Reading Garden: this beautiful garden, complete with a bridge crossing a waterfall, has recently been completed at Ward Meade Park. The garden is a memorial to Anna Riphahn and was designed by Bill Riphahn and Ray Shroeder. Anna was killed in a car accident a year ago and would have graduated from high school this next spring – this is a special way to keep her in our memory. The garden was financed by private donations. Be sure to visit this restive garden area as pictures simply don't do it justice.

Deb Swank was given a hearty round of applause for her efforts in interviewing all the award recipients and obtaining pictures of the finished results of all their hard work. Deb has also taken pictures of the existing Washburn Lane Parkway area so we'll have a before-and-after view of the light poles which will border the Parkway.

VI. Announcements:

  1. Safe Streets: Sally Zellers announced a community assessment of Topeka's approach to reducing crime (Where We're At and Where We're Going), a one-day event from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at Forbes Field. The planning committee is comprised of KBI, Topeka Police Dept., Shawnee County Sheriff's Dept., Prevention & Recovery Services, HUD, U.S. Attorney's Office, Court Services, and Safe Streets. For information call Safe Streets at 266-4606. Sally also announced six central Topeka churches are going door-to-door in the central Topeka area notifying the residents of the current after-hours activities provided at their facilities, and surveying residents as to what activities they would like to see provided.
  2. Robinson Middle School: Clardy Vinson announced the students are selling Spirit Cards for $10 each with discounted items at several Topeka merchants and restaurants. This is a PTO fund-raising activity to purchase additional computer equipment and a new sound system for the commons area.
  3. Elmhurst and Holliday Park Holiday Home Tours: Pam Mullins announced that Elmhurst's home tour will be December 10th from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. A trolley will take residents from the tour start to eight different homes. Holliday Park's tour is the weekend prior (December 2-3) and both neighborhoods promote each other's tours. Proceeds from the Elmhurst tour will go to a volunteer restoration project in which neighborhood volunteers paint and repair homes owned by selected elderly or low-income residents.
  4. Topeka High School won their first homecoming game in eleven years last Friday night!
  5. Phase 1 Parkway Lights completion: the lights will be installed and ready for "light up" by November 27th.
  6. Nominating Committee: Deb Swank is chairing a nominating committee for next month's election at the November 27, 2000 general meeting.
  7. Refreshments: thanks go to Claudia Luttjohann, Frank Meadows, and Clardy Vinson for tonight's refreshments.

      8. Meeting adjourned. There were 33 in attendance

      People who are interested in improving the quality and image of Central Topeka, particularly people who live in or own property in the Central Topeka area from Monroe to MacVicar and 21st to the Kansas River, are particularly encouraged to attend. For further information, call 234-2883.