Forest Park South Avondale
Neighborhood Association Meeting minutes
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023
Avondale Library
The meeting was called to order by President, Jeff McGee, at 6:32pm.
Lt. Middleton and 3 other officers were present from our neighborhood FireStation #10/22. The Lt. reported that they responded to 378 calls last month. February is Fire Safety Awareness Month, and she offered the following tips: “Curious kids set fires.” Supervise kids, particularly those under 14, who are at higher risk for injury and death due to fire. Check your smoke detectors to ensure the batteries are fresh and the detector is less than 10 years old. In response to questions, Lt. Middleton discussed the 10 year lifespan of detectors, confirmed the Fire Dept will provide you with a smoke detector if you do not have one, and reassured those present that the detectors are safe to dispose of in the trash. The address of the Station House is 4425 5th Ave. So. Further discussion of the chirping sound of a failing detector revealed that a distinctive chirp may indicate the end of a detector’s lifespan. If your home has both battery and hard wired detectors, a series of chirps often occurs and can be fixed with new batteries and a hard reset.
Ms. Carla, Avondale’s beloved Children’s Librarian, informed neighbors of an upcoming special event at Avondale Library. Sunday, Feb. 26th, from 2-3pm, Dr. Wayne Flint will be present to discuss his book Afternoons with Harper Lee. Books will be available for purchase and signing. In addition, Ms Carla reminded neighbors that Avondale Library offers US Passport services, including photos and paperwork processing.
Neighbor Pam Murray spoke to neighbors about her wish to help create a social hour/mixer in conjunction with the neighborhood meetings. Her hope is that this would lead to more community interaction and involvement. FOAP successfully hosted a membership meet and greet at Parkside last month, and Ms Murray will follow up with Parkside to explore some similar type of gathering following a NA meeting in the future.
Maury Shevin informed neighbors that he and others have been discussing the possibility of a sidewalk along Altamont Road from the curve in front of the School entrance to the belvedere. The sidewalk is needed for safety as well as enjoyment of the neighborhood. Mr Shevin has been speaking with our City Council Representatives and will keep the neighborhood informed as the efforts evolve.
Tom Cosby addressed neighbors regarding the on-going efforts to educate people about the benefits of switching to battery pack driven leaf blowers. Mr Cosby brought a $250 leaf blower he had purchased from Amazon for people to inspect and that he assured folks does the job of blowing his yard perfectly well. He further spoke of all the negatives surrounding gas powered blowers: the harm it does to those who operate the blowers, the air pollution they create, and the obnoxious noise associated with their constant use. 62 neighbors have signed on to commit to battery pack blowers, and 20 yard sign have been distributed supporting the movement away from gas powered blowers. Mr Cosby urged neighbors to join he and others in saying “No More” to the nuisance blowers.
Elizabeth Lasseter reminded neighbors that she appeared before us last Fall asking for support for the revitalized Movies in Avondale Park. The Fall series was a big success, and the Amphitheater was filled with neighbors and their families enjoying the film series. Ms Lasseter thanked the neighborhood on behalf of the organizers for their support. This year, Ms Lasseter and her committee are seeking to provide a Summer series for families as well as a Fall series for date nights. A total of 8 nights of films will be screened at the Park, with free admission, food trucks and loads of fun. The dates for the June series are June 8, 15, 22 and 29. Neighbors can follow on social media for further plans as they unfold: on Facebook at Movies At Avondale Park, on Instagram @avondalemovies. Ms Lassiter requested $5000 from the Neighborhood to help fund the film series. The Advisory Committee recommended support for the Movies in Avondale Park’s request. Martha Council made a motion to approve the request for $5000. Maury Shevin seconded the request. There being no further questions, all voted in favor of the request with no objections.
Ms Lasseter also provided the neighbors with an update on the Friends of Avondale Park (FOAP). They have new software “Join IT” which will push emails out to remind members of renewal anniversaries. Efforts are underway to streamline the reservation process so that its easier for neighbors to reserve the amphitheater, rose garden, etc for special events. A park clean up is scheduled for Feb 11th at 10am. The meeting place is in the fields behind the amphitheater and the focus is on cleaning up the trails. FOAP Board members serve for one year. At the end of May, they will again be looking for interested neighbors who would like to serve. There are currently 11 members on the Board. In response to a question, Ms Lasseter confirmed by subsequent email that there are 348 members in FOAP. Martha Council announced that the Miss Fancy statue will hopefully be lighted by week’s end. In response to a question, Ms Lasseter discussed ongoing efforts to preserve the remnant forest contained within Avondale Park. These trees are estimated to be thousands of years old, and their preservation requires controlling the invasive species also found in the forest. FOAP’s landscape committee is discussing maintenance of native species in the forest as well as rose garden, and the efforts are part of their long range planning. Membership dues are vital for keeping such plans going - please join or renew your FOAP membership.
Jay Smith updated neighbors on the Triangle Park restoration committee. A new 501(c)(3) entity has been formed which will have the ability to absorb donations for the renovations. Once the tax exempt status is secured, the committee is seeking to hire McNally Land Design to draw renderings and proposals for renovation of the park. Mr Smith will continue to update neighbors as the project rolls forward.
Mary Boehm, our Birmingham City School Board representative, shared her grief over the recent incidents of gun violence in BCS. There are some efforts underway to combat the violence: The City of Birmingham provided $1 million for conflict resolution programming in middle and high schools. Youth and Peace in Action (YPA) workshops allowed for leadership/networking opportunities for students. And the Woodlawn Association Youth Society was formed to allow students to have a voice not only in schools, but in their community. In other news, the City is building a new pre-k center in North Roebuck. The pre-k program at Avondale Elementary has been very successful and we hope to add an additional classroom there as well. Next week, BCS will be placing classroom aides in the most challenged schools. We are also celebrating Ramsay’s debate team (supported by Impact America) which traveled to Atlanta for a regional tournament and Ramsey’s football team which won the State 5A Championship. 3 senior scholar athletes from Ramsey announced their signing with college football programs last week. Ms Boehm provided data from the State Department of Education on Avondale School. Currently, the overall score is 73/C. Ms Boehm feels confident we can raise the score to a B and requests neighborhood help. A major challenge for BCS is chronic absenteeism. Avondale needs volunteers to call parents to find out why a child is absent, and encourage families to make attendance a priority. Avondale has a wish list for the neighborhood to consider: Trips to the Children’s Theatre to see plays ($6000/semester), Self-defense/karate classes after school ($3000 for the year), and paid tutors for after school clubs such as chess, lego robotics, etc ($3000/year). In addition, volunteers are needed to help late students get checked in (8-8:30, weekday mornings), as library helpers, as readers for classrooms, as teacher helpers, and as after-care helpers. Snack angels (who bring snacks to teachers) are also needed. If you cannot volunteer but would like to contribute financially to after-school programs, snacks and teacher support, Venmo @avondalepta (memo volunteer help) or mail a check to the Avondale PTA to 4000 8th Ct S, Birmingham, AL 35222
Ms Boehm shared that she volunteers weekly as a STAIR reading volunteer. The time she spends with her student is a highlight of her week, and the commitment is easy to work in to her schedule. Folks are encouraged to get involved.
On a side note, Ms Boehm reported (as a neighbor) on the status of her residential solar panels. Yesterday, 75% of the energy she used in her home came from one solar panel on her house. Ms Boehm thanked the neighborhood for its support of her efforts, admitted it had been challenging and encouraged anyone with questions about installing solar energy on their homes to reach out to her.
City Councilor Valerie Abbott stated Council day went smoothly earlier. The Mayor announced that the Critical Repairs Program has increased funding this year and they are looking to help qualified low income residents pay for repairs to their homes. Neighbors can check the City website for more information. Repairs include roof repair, wheelchair ramp access, etc, up to $30k, and they are looking to help 250 people this year. The American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) has loosened and may now include such projects as park and sidewalk repair. Ms Abbott has used the bulk of her funds to address the flooding issues in district 3 but the remaining funds will be directed towards projects such as the sidewalk proposed for Altamont Rd and Triangle Park’s renovation, as well as other similar projects throughout district 3. It is helpful that private funding is being discussed that will match the government funding. Ms Abbott’s office has been receiving multiple calls about dogs running loose, killing cats. She reminds neighbors that dogs and cats are both by law to be kept on leash, and not allowed to run free in our neighborhoods. In response to a question regarding the City’s $80 million surplus, Councilor Abbott stated that the budget is a conservative projection based on best guesses as to how much monies licenses, fees, etc will come in for the year. In addition, the Mayor controls the budget, so she does not have specifics as to the surplus in that he has not shared such details with her. In response to another question, Councilor Abbott stated that the City legal team continues to work on the short term rental ordinance, and nothing new has come before her.
City Councilor O’Quinn’s representative, Kim Phillips, presented neighbors with a packet of information they can use regarding City announcements. Ms Williams followed up on the Critical Repairs Program discussed previously, and let neighbors know that applications are available in the Library. In addition, Ms Williams provided neighbors with vinyl stickers to place on their trashcans reminding drivers “Keep kids alive Drive 25.”
Shannon Blankenship addressed neighbors about two problematic houses on Cliff Road. Ms Blankenship and her family are suffering from the effects of an abandoned, dilapidated house as well as a vacant house that is being used for massive parties. Ms Blankenship has attempted to address the abandoned house through all City methods, including emailing the Mayor’s office, calling 311, reporting through see, click, fix, speaking with the housing department, the condemnation department, etc etc. The City is currently hearing cases from 2017 on its docket, and she expressed frustration with the system. In regards to the house being used for parties, the police have been called repeatedly due to excessive noise, cars parked in neighbors yards, illegal activities etc. Another neighbor, Debra Bruns, described the dangerous and frightening behavior she witnessed in her own front yard. The owner of the house lives out of the country and has placed the house in trust for his adult daughters. It is believed the boyfriend of one of these daughters is hosting the parties which have hundreds of attendees. Neighbors further provided dates on which the numerous parties have occurred, and detailed descriptions of outrageous behavior by attendees. Discussion followed in which the actions of the homeowners were unanimously condemned and Councilor Abbott promised to send an email to the Mayor and Chief of Police requesting the situation be resolved immediately.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:48pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Crawford
Secretary
