Forest Park Civic Association Meeting Minutes: January 14, 2025

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 14 January 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:04 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

Slate of Candidates for 2025 was read by the secretary. There are 2 positions open: the Civic Action/311 Officer, and Area 14 Area Representative. The slate was accepted. Vote was taken and all volunteers were elected to their positions.

Guest Speaker: Sarah Pomeroy – Senior Assistant City Attorney, Zone Initiative at Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein’s Office. 

  1. Sworn in officers, committee chairs, and area representatives. 
  2. Explained the different areas that her position deals with. 
    1. Shared info about area hotels – they have major issues with 2 hotels in the area and are working them through the court process. They will have approx. 60 days to come into compliance, or will be ordered to shut down.
    2. Working closely with the Community Shelter Board to help their process move smoothly and help with issues they may have.
    3. They work with liquor licensing and filing injunctions if people are breaking the law.
    4. They work with the apartments in the area – with owners, tennants, HUD, and other governmental agencies.
  3. City Attorney Zach Klein’s Zone 1 Community Safety Meeting will take place on January 23, 2025, 6:00 p.m. and will be at the Northern Lights Columbus Public Library, 4093 Cleveland Avenue. The meeting will be a chance for folks to speak directly with Zach about safety issues and concerns they have in the community.
  4. Sarah’s contact info: 614-645-8619 scpomeroy@columbus.gov

Vice President Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com – No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

  1. Attendance:
  • Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, CA, LH, EM, TS, KG, QM, SB, AH
  • Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: MSt, DP
  • Area Reps in Attendance: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13
  • Area Reps Absent: 1,6,8,10,14
  • Total meeting attendance: 30
  1. Reviewed minutes from Dec. 2024, no changes or corrections needed, minutes were approved and were entered into the official records.
  2. Attendance Sheet for January 2025

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

  1. Reviewed reports from November and December. Reports were approved.
  2. The first half of our grant from the City of Columbus was received! The Grant Committee is busy making plans to put those funds to work and are excited to see what they do!
  3. We received two new household memberships, some advertising dollars and donations to our various function areas. Expenses included finishing paying for the island maintenance and our security patrols.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra – marysguerra@howardhanna.com – No Report

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

February 2025 issue will be ONLINE only – just like the January copy.  Due date for articles/photos/ads is January 25th please. 

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

See report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  – No Report

Civic Action/311 Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com – No Report

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com – No Report

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com – No Report

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com – No Report

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

See Report in Forester

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com  No Report

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com – 

  1. The Board of Trustees met with the members of the Grant Writing Committee on Dec. 18 to make sure there was alignment between the Committee’s goals and the goals of the FPCA. The minutes were posted online and in the Forester.
  2. The first grant installment check for $2500 was received on 12/28. 

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Absent Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us. If you have any information that you would like posted, please contact one of the above 3 people.

OLD BUSINESS

Concerning the FP signs, it was suggested to try to get the city to replace all of the signs that have been removed/damaged. Tabled until January. Update: Devin Deal responded that he felt this was a reasonable request and that we should collect and submit all of the information about the previous sign to 311 and let him know when we do that so he can help facilitate the completion of the project.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

  1. The Board of Trustees met with the members of the Grant Writing Committee on Dec. 18 to make sure there was alignment between the Committee’s goals and the goals of the FPCA. The minutes were posted online and in the previous Forester.
  2. All officers and committee chairs should have 1 goal for the year ready to present for next month.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM

A short Board of Trustees meeting was called after the general meeting. No minutes were taken.

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

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