General Membership Meeting, April 4, 2022 7:00pm
Police Report 7:00-7:20
We’ll be joined by representatives from the BPD
Officer Keaney C-11
Only 2 incidents this past month:
March 13th 7:30 PM – 1188 Dot Ave, 52 year old man at market with knife, the individual stopped him from shoplifting, suspect charged with armed robbery, 9 different warrants
March 2022 – East cottage and pleasant street – car stolen from Roxbury, woman behind wheel, receiving motor vehicle, 3rd warrant for this in 6 months
Cars broken into, no damage, cell phone taken, small buddha statue taken from dashboard – recommendation to lock car doors
Increased tagging with spray cans, etc. Graffiti? Do they ever catch these people? Harp and Bard – getting very tired of cleaning Graffiti.
A lot of meetings at the Patten’s Cove – How do we get a needle drop box? Go through public health for something like that. Call 3-1-1
Sharps box dropped off for Savin Hill Clean Up
The city is a “mess” in terms of graffiti – this is a police issue. How to have a process for getting it off… once it is on, people add more. Any elected officials on the call right now?
Julie from Frank’s office – April 1st is the day we start removing graffiti. You need the heavy equipment for a power washing. Julie will collect the addresses and getting it over to the team that handles it.
Committee Reports 7:20-8:00
Events Committee
2 cochairs – Alex and Michelle Miller
Newly established committee… last 4/5 months
Some events working on:
• McConnel park grand opening – brainstorming about grant opening events.
Holding a parks tour to look at flora and history, what is the general status of the park? (May 1/ rain date of May 15)
• Patten’s Cove clean up
• Easter Egg Hunt (this Saturday, 2 PM) • Donation of $250.00
The mayor is confirmed for Saturday at this event (2 PM)
• Native American Event – Thomas Green – host a 1 hour event for the end of July • Targeting July 20th/21st… That’s when Savin Hill park was declared a park 100 years ago. Bring in tribe members for 1 hour. Historical knowledge about their tribe.
• Food tour – looking to start down in the field’s corner area, visiting various restaurants and food establishments along the way.
• Block Party, permits needed? What does the community envision when we think of block party?
• Dorchester Day Parade – what about participation in this parade? June 5th. Do we want to get involved? Members to march? Or have a table? SAVINHILLEVENTS@GMAIL.COM
• Volunteers to help with the parade? Have a table just in the Savin Hill Columbia Area to get more membership.
• Chili cook off? That is how we have supported the parade. Pat O’Neill died during COVID. How to have us get a local restaurant to cook the chili and invest in the neighborhood.
• Yard sale – Sept 10th. Heidi starts collecting addresses in August.
• Clean-up day – Savin Hill Park? It happened last Saturday… It used to be in early May. But the new management has taken over and appreciates putting it in April before we need to rake things out. Flyers were put out but some people didn’t get the message.
• Trial court – Bust coming up to clean. It’s unclear if this still exists
Engagement Committee
Vote to reimburse costs for new flyer
Now called the outreach and engagement committee
New flyers to hand out to merchants
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum amounts
Promo video –
What the association does?
Say a few things about their committee?
Reimbursement requested for general flyers – looking at 1000 of these. Christo Rey volunteerism, Gnomon copy in Harvard Square – $110.00 to print 1000
Marc Antoine – How to get more people involved?
Goal = To flyer houses
When we used to do mail flyers – what about UMASS? They used to do the copies and stamp them. Why can’t we ask Phil Carver about UMASS to print these for us?
Eileen will introduce Marc to Phil.
How far does Savin Hill extend?
This is the area this organization serves.
Idea: Put the map on the other side of the flyer The map is ON the website.
Catherine O’Neill offered for Dorchester Bay City to pay for them David Butler will table on Saturday. Possibly Marc Antoine as well.
Planning Committee
Our friends in the Dorchester North Neighborhood Association seek support in opposing this project at 20 Hinckley St – [letter of opposition was supported, and letter was sent to the ZBA on the evening of 4/4]
There is a vote from Dorchester North about the project at 20 Hinkley – single family home. Designated as an unusable, undersized lot. .05 acres. The ZBA date is tomorrow. They had unanimous opposition to the project. They were looking for a vote of support to oppose. Someone from Dot North here to speak? The idea was that we would support in favor or opposition to that project. Dot North is a sub group of CSHCA. ZBA – George said almost every case since she has started since the new year, she has opted to not take a stance on any projects at the moment. What that has done is put greater emphasis on how the community feels about the project. George will be on tomorrow and reiterating that the community is in total opposition. Julie from Baker’s office will be opposing.
There are 12 houses on Hinkley street – He assured the neighbors that he would note develop it. He sold it to someone who is. The immediate neighbors are against it. It is way too large. It is 2.5 feet away from the owners house – On the side of the house – a solid wall – no windows at all. Of the 31 units of housing there are only 38 driveways. The variances they are looking for is extreme. Many absentee landlords on this street. This is the side yard of 18 Hinkley. Person: Josh Bloomberg
Planning Meeting on 4/12 including:
Update on 1154-1156 Dorchester Ave – Much smaller than the last presentation
So Sabe Catering seeking approval to add onsite retail license – To Go Items only. No seating.
Liquor license at future market at 951-959 Dot Ave – Former Dorchester Market (beer and wine license… and also some deli meats)
Liquor license at the BEAT = Looking for a full liquor license. To cover 6 areas. Half is publicly accessible. The other are for tenants and special events.
85 Columbia Rd – Now 8 units, pulled back and cancelled their ZBA hearings – consider 6 two bedroom condos.
The mayor needs to give more help on these neighborhood developments. Her promise was to come up with the city plan. Chief of Planning to be tasked with addressing the BPDA issues? With that appointment which has been top priority- like the police commissioner, to identify this person… addressing some developmental issues.
Is the mayor going to slow down projects? These huge developments… will they push things through?
Safety Committee
No meeting last month
April 13th – slow streets for Pleasant Street
Slow streets = application for Savin Hill
Still working on projects from 2017/18. Nothing on this front. Letter to Dot Bay City – asked to fund that project.
State police out in force on Morrissey Blvd.
There has been greater clean up on Bridge near Star Market Cleaning up – priority
Community Benefits Committee
Update on Mitigation Recommendations
The Dot Bay City – it’s 1970 new units. According to City requirements – what are the negative impacts on the community. That amount is 76 million dollars. 68 millions into affordable housing (someplace)… as the CSHCA we have opposed that. We came up with our own mitigation recommendations. We have not have a say – the community benefits fund and what is being proposed. We want a discussion. We led the discussion for what is being proposed now. It should be in the hands of the CAC (community advisory committee). When you are on Zoom – it’s not a discussion. Not much re; a discussion. We put together a mitigation recommendation – asked this is fully discussed at the next CAC meeting.
Beautification Committee
Seeds – seeking money for the bulbs/seeds?
Elections Committee
No nominations received as of 4/3 – No nominations yet for President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary…
Self-Nominations?
Are folks willing to step up? Self-nominate?
Recording Secretary = Doreen Miller self-nominated.
Corresponding Secretary – Correspondences to and from the organization?
Mike did most of this role. Heather asked to flip roles. Heather doesn’t have that bandwidth. Uncontested vote come May. If a role is vacant… how to nominate someone?
IT Person = Heidi? She will update the website (no further IT skills)
President = Des recommended Elizabeth Doyle. She may be interested in the VP. Maybe co-president? Eileen Boyle with Elizabeth?
Jake would be glad to help
The Executive Board = 5 members. Everyone who is a committee chair are members of the executive board. There are 6 committees.
E BOARD = Confirmation of spots
Heidi, David, Bill, Marta and Donna…. Also 2 people not here. Just so it is confirmed.
Voting is completed in the May meeting
Miscellaneous 8:00-?
Don’t forget to renew your membership!
Elections for leadership positions in May
New Meeting place = In person? The Charter School?
The Beat?