Home > Meetings > 2002 > July 18

Minutes of  Special Meeting Held at Ben Walker’s on July 18, 2002

Attendees: Carl Siechert, Lew Farmer, Eugene and Cathy Thomas, Ben and Irene Walker, Nick and Charlene Vayos, Joe Lonergan, Sandra Myklebust, Wilburt Smith, Margaret Mgrublian, Mitch, Patrick and Susan Sawasy, Debbie Hammock.

I want to thank every one of you for coming to the meeting last evening and joining in a spirited discussion of the future of the SMVA.  I also want to apologize for the confusion on the starting time--it was due to an error or my part and was completely my fault.

I think we all learned some things about the organization and expressed some excellent ideas about where improvements can be made.

The specific action items from the meeting were as follows:

1. Election of officers was postponed indefinitely.
2. Carl Siechert will continue for the time being as President. We appreciate his busy schedule, and should all pitch in and help with tasks that he asks us to do to help him keep the organization moving forward.
3. Wilburt Smith and Nick Vayos will take the lead in getting the "Large Fire Preparedness  Meeting" planned and organized.
4. Debbie Hammock and Cathy Thomas will take the lead in getting plans going for our fall picnic to be held some time in October.
5. Cathy Thomas will hand of the Secretary's job to Linda Clelland.
6. Lew Farmer will continue as Treasurer for the time being and work with Carl Siechert to get out a "Pass the Hat" message, so that we will have sufficient funds to at least get us through the picnic.
7. Ben Walker will continue as Block Captain Coordinator and will increase efforts to acquire new block captains where needed.
8. The question of Dues versus voluntary contributions as a means of raising funds was deferred until later in the year.
9. Lead people in all of the above activities will draw in the assistance of new residents where possible to broaden the people support base of the organization.

For everyone's general information, a copy of the SMVA Mission Statement (that Lew Farmer Read at the meeting) is provided below.

The Sierra Madre Villa Association Mission Statement

Purpose:

The Sierra Madre Villa Association is established to:

1. Encourage and assist  residents in the development of emergency preparedness plans to cope with the potential natural disasters of earthquakes, fire storms, and floods/mud slides.
2. Encourage and assist  residents in the development of plans and actions to enhance neighborhood safety from crime, natural disasters, and traffic hazards.
3. Encourage and promote communication and concern of residents for each other.
4. Represent the area before city and county agencies to promote and protect the interests of the area and feedback information to residents about issues and events affecting their neighborhood.

Method of Operation:

The main purposes of the Association (as listed above) are carried out through a series of small  neighborhood organizations, consisting of 5-25 residences grouped together on the same or adjacent streets, each headed by a “Block Captain”.  The officers and directors of the Association are responsible for:

1. Defining the neighborhood organizations and appointing and training the Block Captains.
2. Providing a communications network for the Block Captains to exchange information and ideas.
3. Maintaining appropriate levels of activity and integrity in the neighborhood organizations.
4. Facilitating  communications between the neighborhood organizations and the appropriate city and county offices.
5. Providing assistance with the solution of problems common to many of the neighborhoods.
6. Organizing a yearly picnic where the residents from all of the neighborhoods can meet and get acquainted.

Articles of Association and Bylaws:

The Sierra Madre Villa Association is a “Not for Profit” organization and operates in accordance with its Articles of Association and Bylaws adopted June 10, 1994.

Minutes Prepared by Ben Walker
32xx Barhite St.
Pasadena, CA 91107
E-mail: bwa...@ear...
phone 626-xxx-xxxx

Note: To protect privacy, phone numbers and addresses are obscured in this online version of the minutes. If you'd like to see an "uncensored" version, contact the Webmaster.