Can't wait for the printed edition of the first BHNA newsletter of the New Year to show up at your home? It's available now online (880K PDF).

Be sure to watch for the printed version, though, since it includes our annual Neighborhood Survey for you to complete and return.

Our friends at the Austin Police Department provided us with a new edition of their Southwest Area Command monthly newsletter, and included a helpful brochure about identity theft. Both are available for your viewing online:

Identity Theft Awareness

APD SWAC Feb'05 Monthly Report for Neighborhood Associations

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR THE BEST SHOW THIS SIDE OF THE GREENBELT AND SOUTH LAMAR!! HERE'S THE AGENDA FOR OUR FIRST BHNA MEETING OF 2005.

DON'T FORGET TO PAY YOUR DUES.

Barton Hills Neighborhood Association

General Meeting
February 22, 2005
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

AGENDA

Welcome - Don Long

1. Introductions of New Executive Committee Members
2. Approval of Minutes - Diana Stangl
3. Treasurer's Report - Scott Smith
4. Austin Police Department Community Liaison - Dawn Leonard
5. Clean Water Program Update - Crispin Ruiz
6. Zilker Botanical Gardens (user fees proposal) - Craig Nazor
7. Neighborhood Planning Series of Speakers: Special Guest, Bill Bunch, Executive Director, Save Our Springs - Regional Water Quality Issues
8. Neighborhood Planning Update - November House Meetings Reports
9. Bicycle Lanes Proposal - Scott Johnson
10. Electric Lawnmower Project - Scott Johnson
11. ANC Report - Eddie Torres
12. Committee Reports
Greenbelt Guardian - Glee Ingram
Sidewalks - Jen Stuart
Neighborhood Watch - Don Long/John Luther
13. Adjourn

TO ALL WHO VOLUNTEERED TO WORK AT GUS FRUH TRAIL ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR REVISED WORK DATE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26.

John Cook (our COA Parks Liason person) and I walked the trail yesterday and it is extremely soggy, plus more rains are predicted for the week-end. The Greenbelt trails are closed to the public under these conditions, in order not to cause undue compaction and erosion.

We decided that we would do more harm than good if we had 58 people (the number of volunteers who were signed up!) with wheelbarrows and tools working on the trails under these conditions. Hopefully, our volunteers will be able to accommodate the date change and work with us on Saturday, February 26, on the Gus Fruh trail at 2642 Barton Hills Drive, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please RSVP so we can adequately plan ahead.

We have an ambitious agenda to fill in eroded trail areas on the steep switchback trail and repair all of the cross trail drainage swales with more effective placement and more permanent materials. We also envision a dramatically diminished population of ligustrum and nandina along the creek bed trails, due to enthusiastic use of our weed wrenches. Rock wall and edge repair, native seed planting, short cut barriers, and trash clean-up are also on our list of tasks. The creek is up and running again, so we will probably have to hold off on repairing the creekside retaining wall, which was totally obliterated in the last big flood.

Thanks to all who have signed up to work. We hope to see you February 26, on a cool, sunny, dry day!

Glee Ingram
Greenbelt Guardian Coordinator
443-7522