King William Association

President Brad Shaw called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm.  Board members present were: Noemi Cue, Bonnie Pfannstiel, Laurence Doxsey, Susan Erickson, Johnny Heidelberg, Harry Shafer, Olin Strauss, Nancy Diehl, Roselyn Cogburn, Janis De Lara, Neal Leatherbury, Hope Garza-Cortez, Gretchen Garceau-Kragh and Kit Walker.  No members were absent.

Shaw moved approval of agenda.  Motion seconded; motion carried unanimously.

Visitor, Vice-President, Jefferson Bank presented power-point explanation of Active Management strategy versus Asset Class Investing (his recommended strategy).  This presentation arranged by Finance Committee which is considering Jefferson Bank as manager for KWA investments.

Visitor, Curtis Johnson, Chairman of King William Park Renovation, introduced the project with photos of existing park amenities; problem areas; ideas from the River Walk and Crockett Park in Tobin Hill.  He asked for authorization to contact landscape architects Sara Lake and Pete Hinton (Rialto Studios) and was told we would discuss it and get back to him.

Visitor, Mike Casey, reported on behalf of James Lifshutz that the EPA is delaying development of the Big Tex portion of the Blue Star Extension.  Casey relayed a request from Lifshutz asking for a KWA letter to the City asking that a safe redevelopment of Big Tex be allowed to go forward.

Visitor Ed Day and Board members Doxey and Walker added information on the City/EPA/River Authority/Lifshutz/W. R. Grace history of Big Tex.  Day’s chief concern is that work on the hike and bike trail has been halted indefinitely.  The Eagle Land bridge has been constructed but cannot be installed until EPA and property owner resolve asbestos problem.  

Olin Strauss moved that KWA urge the City to work with all appropriate parties to clean up the Big Tex site in a timely fashion and proceed with construction of the Hike and Bike Trail.  Discussion followed.  Harry Shafer called the question.  Nancy Diehl seconded the call.  Motion to call passed.  Original motion passed unanimously.

Visitor Day, related a long history of stalled implementation of the Mission Reach portion of the river redevelopment.  Major budget shortfalls are now occurring because of the delays.  Day asked for a letter to the San Antonio River Oversight Committee expressing KWA concern over work stoppages and delays.  He also asked for Barbara Jackson to be named KWA representative to work with him on Mission Reach.

President Shaw asked for approval of the minutes of the September meeting.  Johnny Heidelberg asked for clarification of an item in the Finance Committee report on utility burial.  Kit Walker answered: The $425,000 King William portion to be raised from donors and grants over a period of four years.  $2.25 million is to be raised from other donors. Laurence Doxey moved approval of the minutes.  Neal Leatherbury seconded.
Motion carried.  

Treasurer, Harry Shafer, referred to finance committee report previously emailed to Board and asked for the following actions:

    1.  President Shaw to set up committee to review By-Laws and recommend changes to general membership; changes to include recommendations from finance committee and other needed changes.

    2.  Approval of $600 for Alan Cash to buy trees to be planted in King William and Lavaca.  Olin Strauss moved approval, Brad Shaw seconded; motion carried.

    3.  Approval of $3000 for the Insco Mural from Preservation and Historic Fund. (City has pledged $8,000/HEB $3,000.)  Johnny Heidelberg moved approval of the $3,000; Nancy Diehl seconded; motion carried.

Parking Committee Chair, Susan Erickson asked that the committee be renamed “Traffic and Parking”.  (Approved by general consent.)  Erickson reported results of parking survey questionnaires; and major problem of drivers ignoring the 20’ set-back from intersections.  Committee recommends a prevention strategy to ensure that the setbacks are appropriately marked, specifically on Madison Street and the relevant streets which cross Madison, the source of most of the over-parking complaints.  The committee regards either street (diagonal yellow stripes) or curb painting as most appropriate to mark the 20 foot setback in an historic neighborhood and wishes to contact city parking persons to discuss and request this parking remedy.  Support will also be sought for an alternative to signage from the Conservation Society.  Nancy Diehl moved we authorize  Traffic/Parking Committee to contact City parking persons to discuss and request the parking remedy briefly described above.  Laurence Doxey seconded, then asked to amend the motion to include exploration of tow-away in the 20-foot set back.  Maker Diehl accepted the amendment.  No further discussion.  Motion carried.

Erickson asked that the committee be authorized to prepare and send, with KWA Board President’s approval and co-signature, a request to City Council Woman Cisneros’ office to assist KWA with the parking set-back issue.  Olin Strauss moved authorization; Janis De Lara seconded; motion carried.

Erickson asked that she and committee member, Johnny Heidelberg be authorized to meet with Southtown regarding collaboration to identify possible parking solutions.  Laurence Doxey moved authorization; Olin Strauss seconded.  Motion carried.

Utilities Conversion Committee Chair, Kit Walker, asked to show the committee’s power-point presentation to the November general meeting.  Johnny Heideberg moved approval of presentation; Janis De Lara seconded.  Motion carried.

Graffiti Abatement Committee Chair, Harry Shafer, gave brief report:  “We had some; we cleaned it up.”

President Shaw reported on efforts to work with Southtown on First Friday problems; agreeing on “who is responsible for what”.  Syeira will call Police Department each Tuesday before First Friday to insure police presence.

President Shaw and Kit Walker reported on Architectural Review Committee meeting with Ann McGlone and Tim Cone of HDRC.  Shaw quoted McGlone and Cone as saying HDRC rules on ordinance-related issues, and said the KWA ARC would also concentrate on those issues.  Johnny Heidelberg said her committee would have further suggestions next month.  Kit Walker asked to join that committee.  Agreed

Nominating Committee Chair, Gretchen Garceau-Kragh reported a prospective nominee had been selected but had not gotten back to the committee on his availability.  Discussion followed that several Board Members had nominated other possibilities and did not understand that the Nominating Committee would be making the choice, not among those mentioned at the September Board meeting.  President Shaw moved that the committee’s nomination be given 24-48 hours to reply as to his availability, then all the nominated names be placed on a ballot for an email vote by Board members.  Laurence Doxey seconded.  Following discussion, motion failed.  Matter tabled until next month.

President Shaw asked for update on the status of the Lisa Wong/Casey Lang restaurant on S. Alamo.  Roselyn Cogburn repeated Ann McGlone’s statement that the restaurant’s appeal for HDRC approval had been tabled because of Board of Adjustment refusal to approve.  Kit Walker said “Sanchez” (head of Development Services) could over-rule Board of Adjustment and give the restaurant a waiver.

President Shaw reported on KWA Executive Committee meeting with Mike Villareal on the purchase of the residence next-door to Bonham School for school expansion.  KWA has supported Bonham for thirty years with volunteers, money, equipment, and political influence.  KWA views the loss of historic residential stock with concern.  Shaw moved that he be authorized to write a letter to HDRC asking that the house not be demolished and moved only to a site within the King William or Lavaca neighborhoods.  Janis De Lara seconded.  Discussion followed.  Roselyn Cogburn called the question.  Motion carried.

President Shaw announced upcoming meetings on the Federal Court House site.

Kit Walker announced that funding for the Alamo Bridge safety improvements will be included in the proposed Venue Tax continuance election.

Olin Strauss moved adjournment at 9:45 pm.

President Shaw presented former President Kit Walker with a piece of art glass for years of service to KWA.

Respectfully submitted,

Roselyn Cogburn
Secretary