2024 FPCA Budget Meeting

17 April 2024

Epworth United Methodist Church

Attendance: Ed Vanasdale (President), Trevor Secord (Vice President), Lou Bernard (Secretary), Cheryl Lutman (Treasurer), Daryl Van Mercetta (Supplemental Security), Mary Sguerra (Public Relations), Rita Woeste (Forester Editor), Andrea Philipsen (Social Committee), Laura Hayes (Welcome Committee), Scott Biggs (Website Administrator)

Meeting called to order at 7:04 PM

1. Cheryl did a quick review of the budget and asked for questions or suggestions. 
2. Laura needs money for printing for Welcome Committee
   1. There was $500 raised in 2023 for the Welcome Committee. That money was allocated to the WC for 2024.
   2. Thank you Mark Bell!
3. Andrea has $500 to spend. If more money is needed, it could be allocated.
   1. National Night Out falls under the Social Committee and is not a separate line item in the budget. 
   2. Trevor will try to secure grant money to increase the FP involvement in NNO.
4. Mary will be looking into finding someone to cut and maintain the grass at the 2 main island entrances off of Karl Rd. She will look into possible grants to help with the upkeep.
5. Rita needs $100 for printing supplies for the Forester delivery. It was voted on and passed.
6. By reallocating some funds, we are left with $641 in the black.
7. Discussed giving possible discounts for year long ads taken out in the Forester. The Board decided the advertising price is reasonable enough (compared to other places where one could advertise) that discounts do not need to be given.
8. A discussion was held about trying to find someone to write grants for the FPCA.
9. The new budget was voted on and approved to be put forth before the members at the next meeting for a vote.

Meeting adjourned at 8:32 PM

To see new and revised 2024 budget CLICK HERE.

Forest Park Civic Association Meeting

Date: 9 April 2024

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:02 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

1. Thanked everyone for the great turn out and great job at the annual membership stuffing over the weekend.
2. FPCA Volunteers of the Year: Laura Hayes and Andrea Philipsen for all of the work that they have done over the last year. They will be honored at the NCC Banquet on Tues., April 16th at Villa Milano.

Guest Speaker:

Jamie and Larry Middaugh from “The Peach Cobbler Factory” off of 4691 Morse Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230, Stoneridge Plaza. They are going to be the kickoff food truck of the 2024 Social Activities season on May 1st – 6-8pm at the North YMCA. Come and get your “cobbler flights”. They have cobblers, churros, brownies, etc. We are very excited to have them kick off our summer of fun! We had lots of free samples at the meeting. Yum!!!

Vice President Trevor Secord – tsecord@une.edu  Absent  No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, LB, CL, MS, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LH, EM, AP, KG
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: TS, CA, DP, SB
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 
• Area Reps Absent: 5, 6, 8, 10, 14 (Area 14 remains vacant )
• Total meeting attendance: 25

1. Reviewed minutes from March, no changes or corrections were needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru April will be available on the online version of the minutes on the website. Attendance thru April

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1.  A copy of March’s Treasurer’s Report and draft budget are available in the online minutes of the website.
2. Mulch sales are already starting to roll in, and more are coming. We also received 5 new household memberships. The bulk of our annual mailing printing has been paid, but the last sheets for the mulch sale will be in 2024, and booked as an expense against the sale.
3. The biggest item of note – we finished the year in the black! We had total income of $31,911.98, and total outflow of $29,151.28, resulting in a balance carry forward of $2,760.70.
4. Notes for the 2024 – 2025 budget: we need at least 480 household memberships and at least 10 business memberships. If folks have items they want included, now is almost past time to speak up.
5. A quick shoutout to Mike Stone who figured out how to navigate the new USPS system for our annual mailing. We have some work to do with the post office to get everything the way it should be, but he is definitely the hero of our mailing this year!

Public Relations Mary Sguerra – marysguerra@howardhanna.com

Forest Park Spring Garage Sale: May 18th. $5.00 to get your ad in the Forester. 

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

1. Rita needs to buy bags to stuff the Forester in, money was approved from the budget.
2. Made a motion to put a 1 month ad in the Forester for Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services by Schoedinger-North as a gift for their services in letting us use their facility for the membership stuffing. The motion was voted on and passed.
3. May Forester articles are due April 19th. June articles are due May 17th.

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, 

Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com, 

Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

Crime in the greater FP area is down 23% for the first quarter.

See full report in the Forester.

Business Representative 

Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  Cynthia Alkire – 1classicyn@gmail.com Absent

Nothing new. Getting ready to start heading to businesses.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

1. Two homes were sold in Forest Park in the month of March, in Area 8 and Area 2. Laura contacted all the area reps to ask if the Welcome Packets that were passed out at the past few meetings were getting distributed.
2. Laura contributed an article to the annual mailing edition of the Forester (April) about the welcome folder and to encourage neighbors to connect with new residents of the neighborhood.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – volunteerfpca@gmail.com

Membership drive envelope stuffing was a success, we had 29 people attend. Thank you all for participating. Extra thanks to Penny and the Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services by Schoedinger-North, for all of their help.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. Thanked all those involved in the stuffing, especially Katie, Dave, Rita, Lou, Mary, Erin, and Cheryl for all of the behind the scenes prep work. We had 29 volunteers in attendance. It took 2 hours to complete–that’s a record folks! Thanked Andy Hunt for the use of his truck to take all 2800+ membership envelopes to the USPS. 
2. We will be having drawings throughout the spring for all those who have sent in their membership application (gift cards as prizes.)
3. People who have sent in their membership will be recognized in the Forester.

Social Activities Andrea Philipsen – andrea@yellowumbrellahomes.com

1. Andrea hope you all enjoyed “March Madness” on Facebook – 14 days of Forest Park social event announcements! Please take note of the upcoming events column featured in all upcoming issues and check our neighborhood page on Facebook for all the latest.
2. Now accepting candy donations for the July 4th parade. Please bring candy donations to the June meeting. Call 614.264.3846, Andrea – for more info or drop off.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Trevor Secord – tsecord@une.edu

See NCC report in separate article in the month’s Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

The committee met on March 27th and heard 5 cases. None of the cases pertained to the FP area.

Website Administrators 

Scott Biggs – sbiggsmail@yahoo.com  Absent       Dave Paul – dwpaul@fpcivic.org  Absent

Our website/Facebook page is always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS

Updates on the 2nd Annual Mulch Sale:

Mulch Sale:

• We have received several online orders and expect many more when the flyer hits mailboxes with the membership mailing. We will need volunteers on Saturday, May 4, from 9 am to about Noon or 1 pm for delivery. 
• Delivery Central is Sequoia Pro Bowl parking lot at Sandalwood and Yellowwood Dr.
• We will need: trucks and trailers, physically fit adults and teens, drivers, navigators, lifters, and a few on-site managers to keep everyone coordinated. We will again provide route maps and a list of addresses for delivery crews.
• If we do not get enough big trailers volunteered, we will rent a Uhaul trailer(s). 
• Our highest need is physically fit people to load and unload mulch for a few hours.
• The deadline for orders is Friday, April 19th. The final order is due to Ohio Mulch on April 22nd. 
• Orders and delivery is limited to Forest Park.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

Secretary, Lou Bernard, asked for suggestions for possible guest speakers in the future. He received a list of great ideas, and will coordinate with Erin (Volunteer Coordinator) to begin making contacts.

Meeting adjourned at 8:11 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA