Forest Park Civic Association Meeting

Date: 9 January 2024

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:03 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via role call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

1. Sarah Pomeroy, Senior Assistant Columbus City Attorney, swore in all FPCA board members, committee chairs, and area representatives. 
2. Ed thanked Sarah for all of her hard work for the Northland area. He thanked returning FPCA officers, chairs and reps, and welcomed all  new members to their positions.

Guest Speaker: State Representative Munira Abdullahi

Munira Abdullahi is the representative for Ohio House District 9 – Northland area. She gave a brief introduction on how she came to live in Forest Park and how she became our District Representative. Her biggest passions are healthcare (focusing on lowering the cost of insulin and other diabetes services) and education. She is here for us and is interested in helping to make FP a better place. Please call her with any questions or concerns you have, Munira Abdullahi, 77 S. High Street, 10th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215; office: (614) 466-2473; email address: Rep09@ohiohouse.gov

Vice President Trevor Secord – tsecord@une.edu

Northland Community Council (NCC) Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, TS, LB, CL, MS, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LH, AP, KG
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: MS, DP
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 3, 4, 9
• Area Reps Absent: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 (Area 14 remains vacant )
• Total meeting attendance: 23
• 2024 FPCA January Attendance

1. Reviewed minutes from December 2023 meeting, no changes or corrections needed; minutes were approved and entered into the official records.

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. 3 new household memberships – and two paid their PayPal fee, so thank you!
2. Two expenses – First, a $15.00 bank charge for the returned check due to a stop payment on a membership check. Attempted to contact the residents with no success. Second, Andrea used some of her social committee funds to help with the teen Christmas present program.
3. We are still about $2,000 under budget on household memberships. At $30/each, that equals about 66 households. We are also down on business memberships. We need 6 more to make budget.
4. Anything anyone can do in these last couple of months is helpful.

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

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

1. Will bring a handout of due dates for the 2024 year of when to expect article/ad submission and when Forester will go to print. 
2. January Forester will go online by Sunday January 6.
3. As of this date, February Forester will be online as well. 
4. Jan 23rd is the due date for the online version of the February Forester.

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

Block Watch meeting at 6:00 pm.

Code Enforcement/Issues meeting at 6:30. 

The regular FPCA meeting  at 7:00 pm. 

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

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

We have 14 Welcome Folders to be delivered. Area Reps will be contacted by Laura to pick up their folders.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu mmateru@hotmail.com    No Report

Social Activities Andrea Philipsen – andrea@yellowumbrellahomes.com

Andrea is planning and preparing lots of fun events for the upcoming year. She will keep us posted with a list of events in the Forester.

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

Northland Community Council (NCC) Report

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

Website Administrators Scott Biggs – sbiggsmail@yahoo.com, Dave Paul – dwpaul@fpcivic.org  

Our website is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!!

OLD BUSINESS

1. Compost Exchange is trying to make Forest Park a hub. We need 25 neighbors to sign up and commit to the exchange in order for that to happen. Right now we have 10 people interested. If you would like to find out more about it, contact Laura Hayes, our Welcome Committee Chair. Laura is putting a hold on this project. The city of Columbus has opened a recycling and composting center at Busch Park (Olentangy and Bethel)
2. It was proposed that Councilman Remy come as a guest speaker. Ed will contact him.
3. Andrea is proposing a local craft fair in the Spring. This idea has been taken off the table and canceled.
4. The sign for the main entrance for Forest Park East was vandalized. It is in the process of being repaired by the Sign Team. The frame has been repaired, and the sign will be replaced within the next few weeks, weather permitting.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

News From Area 5 Rep Scott Biggs concerning work done in Woodward Park concerning power outages.

Meeting adjourned at 8:08 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA