In Shaw (an historically gentrified blog)

Last night's BACA meeting

I'm going to go on what is still left in my head as I didn't write notes (it would have helped to have brought a pen).
Jim, our fearless leader, showed up late so Art Slater led the meeting for the most part. Yay Art! The topic of the day BACA committees. Thinking of it now as I sit in front of this computer I wonder if you can be on a committee without having to show up at the main BACA meetings? We do that for our alumni chapter and professional committee, it makes it easy to grab folks for projects. But anyway, talked about the various committees.
First Public Safety. We had two police officers, who were not really prepared to say anything. The female officer said she got notice at 6pm to be there at 7pm. But they did participate in the discussion regarding strategies to deal with crime. Suggestions were to make sure there is more lighting in the streets and alleys, such as having motion sensing lights. A Neighborhood Watch as was the orange hats were mentioned but I can't remember if then problem with that is lack of volunteers. Block captains got another mention. Other things were said.
Second, Youth Services. Many things were said. Some things I remember, many things I don't, and some things remembered that I don't care to write down. A few things that I do care to write down include the idea of trying to get some of clearinghouse to match kids up with small odd jobs in the neighborhood. I'll admit I tend to do a lot of my own yard work but if I could schedule it, I'd be willing to pay $5 -$10 for jobs for kids within the borders of Truxton. It was mentioned that we need something like a Craigslist just for the neighborhood. At this point I wished TruxtonCircle.Org's Scott & Matt were there. BACA might want it's own website but anyway... Yeah, I'd do classifieds here if I could figure out how to do it. Anywho, also mentioned during this portion of the meeting a fellow who manages/d Cada Vez is interested in opening a dinner theater on the 1400 block of North Cap talked about his work with hiring young people. Talking a little bit about his plans he said wants to have a dinner theater with 'female illusionists'. Okay that's a new one. Is drag queen a bad word now? I don't know. I don't keep up with those things. After that little exchange I couldn't get out of my head a restaurant in Capitol Hill I went to one night with friends where there were (as hinted) a fair number of transgendered youth working as wait staff. Anyway, moving right along.
Was next transportation. Can't remember much something about where permit parking was and something about people parking in the hood because of the new metro station (NYAFAGU) on Florida Ave. Also folks wanted to be able to make left handed turns on North Cap and New York to get into the neighborhood.
Then Land Use. A bright new resident has taken on the task of surveying the green spaces in Truxton. Something about Clear Channel and those billboards. And I asked about the firehouse on North Cap. Answer was with Brown and Benson.
Membership. Mary Ann would like more dues paying members. Memembership is $20. Was the garden club talked about? Yes. The wreath project was mentioned. It would be nice if someone could store all or some of the wreaths used to decorate the hood this Christmas.
Yeah, that was the meeting as I remember it.

posted by Mari @ 10.1.06