Shepard Boulevard Neighborhood Association
Minutes of Annual Meeting
April 22, 2014
Chair John Prenger began the meeting at
7:00pm and introduced association officers.
6th ward councilwoman Barbara
Hoppe updated us on several items of interest to our neighborhood. Barbara does not know what will happen to the closed
Bee Line gas station on Old 63 & Shepard Blvd., but will try to find out
any future plans. She wondered if MFA might be interested in that location. Improvements to the intersection on Old 63 and
Stadium have been approved and funded: landscaped medians, pedestrian cross
walks and lights, a second turn lane on North bound Old 63 turning west on
Stadium, a longer turn lane on Stadium going west & turning North onto Old
63. This should make getting onto and off of Stadium easier, more attractive
and also pedestrian-friendly. Park 7 can come back to the City Council in
September to request approval for student apartments to be built north of Stadium
and east of highway 63. Barbara is working with the neighborhood to
come up with other developments that would fit better with the area and city
planning. One of the concerns of Shepard Neighborhood Association is a
need for a designated left turn light (rather than the current blinking arrow)
for traffic coming from the west on Stadium onto Audubon. As it stands now, the left turn signal would
be installed two years after any permit was issued, if approved by Missouri
Department of Transportation. There was much discussion of the need for
the change now, as traffic has increased greatly since The Domain apartments opened
at the East end of Stadium Blvd. Barbara will continue to push for this change
and let the neighborhood know how they can help advocate for this with the City
& MODOT.
John Prenger said he has been attending City Council meetings as well as meeting with the Shepard Hills neighborhood association as they discuss the Park 7 situation.A fourth option for the trail to connect the neighborhood to campus area is being studied by an engineer to determine cost and/or feasibility. It would follow along Stadium Blvd. There is interest to keep the Altis property as park area as much as possible, including the connection to campus area.
Meredith Donaldson, representing the Parks
and Rec Commission, reminded us the park sales tax continuation will be on the
ballot this year. If there is a project
of interest to us, we should ask the commission to include it in their
proposal. On
a side-note, Meredith mentioned that she has talked with some neighbors, who
are noticing more dog waste being left on the street and in yards. Just a
reminder to pick up after your dog.
Barbara Wyatt announced that the mini park on
Old 63 near the corner of Shepard Blvd. has officially been name after her
grandson, U.S. Army Specialist Sterling Wyatt, who died while on duty in
Afghanistan. On the second anniversary
of his death, July 11, 2014, there will be a dedication to unveil the sign with
Sterling Wyatt’s name and a bench. A
tree has already been planted in the park in his memory. Following the dedication, the Wyatt family is
inviting neighbors to their home. More information will be posted on the SBNA blog
as to the time of the dedication.
A motion to schedule the neighborhood garage
sale on June 14, 2104 was made by Rod Robison, seconded by Meredith Donaldson
and passed by voice vote. The Robisons will publicize the sale.
The SBNA potluck picnic is scheduled for
August 16, 2014. We will gather at 5:30 pm under the shelter at Shepard
Park and eat around 6 pm. Please bring a dish to share and your own
plates/utensils. Terri Anderson will reserve the Shepard Park shelter from noon
until 8pm. (post meeting note: we received confirmation from Terri that
she has reserved the shelter for us.) Brian and Rheanne Brinkman will take care
of the meat for the picnic. More
information on the picnic will be posted on the blog this summer.
The current officers agreed to serve for
another year. Motion to approve the
slate by acclamation was made by Joe Donaldson, seconded by Barbara Wyatt, and
approved by voice vote.
Julia Helvey, treasurer, reported that our
balance was $683.22. Dues collected tonight are not included in that amount.
Motion to adjourn was made by Jim Muench,
seconded by Suzie Robison, and approved by voice vote.
Respecfully,
Cokie Blake (taking notes for Beth Cunningham,
Secretary, who was unable to attend the entire meeting)
