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Barton Hills-Horseshoe Bend Neighborhood Association
Newsletter October, 2000 |
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Neighborhood
Association Meeting Agenda |
Neighborhood Association Meeting
Tuesday, October 24th, 2000 Social Hour and BBQ Dinner 6-7 p.m. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2128 Barton Hills Drive Agenda 6-7 PM: Social Hour 7 PM: Business Meeting 1) Call to order and approve minutes of June 27th meeting 2) Forum: The Austin Light Rail Debate – a speaker for and against the November 7th proposition, ten minutes each followed by questions from the floor. 3) Nominations Committee: Report followed by election of new BHNA officers for Year 2001 4) Treasurer’s Report – financial report, donation to Officer Jones Fund, Sunken Garden contributions, status of BHNA group e-mail 5) Committee Reports: A. Environmental Committee – Sunken Garden, The Terrace Development 6) New Business 7) Adjourn |
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Vote
November 7th |
The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2000. The ballot will include the presidential and vice presidential contests as well as state and local races. A referendum on light rail in Austin is also on the ballot.
Early voting will be held from October 23rd through November 3rd. Locations for early voting will be posted on the Internet at: http://www.taxnet.usa/travisvoter.com. Absentee voting by mail is a two-step process that is different from early voting. Registered voters who are not able to go to an early voting location and who will not be able to go to their precinct voting location on Election Day can vote absentee by mail. To vote absentee, a registered voter must contact the Travis County Voter Registration Office at (512) 708-4783 and request a mail ballot. The Office will mail an application form, which must be completed and mailed back to the Office. After the Office receives the completed application, a ballot will be mailed to the voter. College students frequently use this method when they attend school away from home. The county’s Voter Registration Office must receive an application to vote by mail no later than the close of business on Tuesday, October 31st, one week before Election Day. Ballots must be delivered to the Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 7th. There are very few good reasons not to vote! Responsible citizens support their community by exercising this basic civic duty. The upcoming General Election presents many important choices that will affect the future. |
| Robert E Lee Sidewalk Becomes A Reality |
The BHNA advocated for a sidewalk or trail parallel to Robert E. Lee Road within Zilker Park. It’s becoming a reality. The City Public Works Department has completed preliminary design plans for a 6 foot concrete sidewalk to connect Barton Springs Road with Barton Hills Road following the existing dirt trail about twenty feet west and parallel to R.E. Lee. The City Parks Department is reviewing the plans.
BHNA President Joe Gieselman suggested that the City consider a wider, 10-foot dolomite trail like the trails along Town Lake and still do this within budget. He also asked the City to further extend the sidewalk/trail from the intersection of RE Lee and Barton Hills along the north side Barton Hills Drive to connect with the existing sidewalk at the bottom of “the hill.” The project is to be funded by the Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP-4C) and is expected to be under construction by the end of this year. |
| Traffic Calming On Robert E Lee |
As reported in the last BHNA newsletter, the Zilker Neighborhood voted on a neighborhood traffic calming plan which included speed humps and all-way stops on Robert E. Lee. Many of you wrote letters to the City Council to protest the lack of involvement on the Barton Hills neighborhood and asked for a delay of the RE Lee devices until we were involved.
Subsequently, Carl Newsome, Chair of the BHNA Transportation and Traffic Committee and BHNA President Joe Gieselman met with City staff and representatives from the Zilker neighborhood working group (which developed its traffic calming plan). We exchanged views and agreed to set up a joint working group to develop an alternative plan for Robert E. Lee that does not include speed humps. BHNA President Gieselman has appointed a small group to work with the City staff and Zilker on this issue. City staff claim that the all-way stops on R.E. Lee at Barton Hills and Rae Dell are not negotiable because these traffic control devices meet some of the warrants of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) used by traffic engineers to determine whether or not to install the stop signs. But the engineer has professional discretion in the final decision and BHNA will emplore the engineer to use this discretion very carefully. |
| President's Report |
This past year has passed quickly. With the help of many of you we have accomplished a lot:
We cleaned up the Barton Creek greenbelt, hosted a successful forum for the candidates for State Representative and co-hosted a forum for city council candidates, held a better-than-ever Fourth of July Parade, monitored the development of the Terrace Planned Unit Development, contributed to Officer Jones Memorial, initiated a group e-mail, advocated for a sidewalk along Robert E. Lee Road, and started discussion with the Zilker neighborhood about its plan for speed humps and all-way stops on Robert E. Lee. But there is unfinished business. We need to follow through on the R.E. Lee traffic calming plan. We need to hold the City Public Works Department to its promise to repave Barton Skyway next year. We need to develop a neighborhood plan. We need to fully develop our group e-mail. We need to have fun and enjoy our neighborhood community. Let’s continue to work together. Joe Gieselman, President |
| Independence Day Parade |
Barton Hills Neighborhood had our best ever Fourth of July parade this year! We had record breaking participation and fun. We would like to give special thanks to Roberta Preston, parade committee chairperson and all the members of the parade committee. Their hard work and dedication really paid off! We would also like to give thanks to our contributors: Barton Hills Market, Green Mesquite BBQ, McDonalds, Old Navy, South Austin Music, The Village Hobby Shop, and Tres Amigos.
Neighbors and friends enjoyed the contests and games at the park after the parade. In the stroller division, the Mazacs, the Freis, and the Chases won ribbons. Eric Dingus and Mia Hayward won with their wagons, and David Connor and Mattie Mouton won with their bikes. There were several creative patriotism awards given for an airforce jet, a baby carriage, and a grocery cart. All the parade contestants were wonderful. It was such fun to see all the children (and adults) get in the spirit of the holiday! We hope to see you all out there again next year! |
| From The Treasurer |
Members in our association have contributed $235.00 to the fund for Officer Jones who was killed in our neighborhood Memorial weekend. Members have also contributed $2,200 toward the Sunken Garden project.
The paid membership for the year 2000 is 394 families. The association will be collecting dues for 2001 at the October meeting. Dues are $5.00 per household for the year. Please fill out the membership form at the bottom of the newsletter and send in or bring to the meeting next week. |
| Treasurer's Report |
5/23/00 Beginning Balance $5,076.09
Receipts: Membership Dues $333.00 Newsletter Ads $40.00 Donations: Officer Jones $235.00 Donations: 7/ 4 parade $320.00 Donations: Sunken Garden $2200.00 _________________ Total Receipts $3,128.00
Disbursements: Jan. Newsletter Delivery $114.72 June Newsletter $351.32 Officer Jones’ Family $195.00 July 4th parade $718.54 St. Mark’s $25.00 ________________ Total Disbursements $1,404.58
9/23/00 Account Balance $6,799.51
Designated Accounts Oak Wilt Donations ($3667 less $3600) ($67.00) Donations for Ofcr. Jones ($235 less $195) ($40.00) Donations for Sunken Garden Project ($2,200) ($2,307.00)
9/23/00 Available Balance $4,492.51 |
| If you are not a neighborhood association member, sign up today! The cost is a mere $5.00 per year, and the benefits are well worth it.
Return the membership form below with $5.00 check, payable to Barton Hills Neighborhood Association, to: John Bell, Treasurer 2000 Barton Hills - Horseshoe Bend Neighborhood Association Membership Form Name(s) (include full names of all 18+ household members) (1) ______________ (2) _________________ (3) _______________ Address: _____________________ Phone: (H) ________ (W) _________ E-mail: ____________________ I/we wish to receive the newsletter: ___ in paper form ___ by e-mail ___ both |
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