JULY 2022 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MINUTES
July General Membership Meeting
July 6, 2022
Approved Minutes
1. Call to Order + Opening Remarks (President-Elect)
Abbey Bethel, President-Elect, led the meeting in Michael Pastore’s absence. Abbey called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
a. Recognition of Attendees: Elected Officials, Directors & Officers, New Members
Board Members present included: Abbey Bethel, President Elect; Chris Currington, Secretary; Jim Dallas, Past-President; Margi Koors; Nancy Lambert; Stephen Shuman; and Gary Toribio.
Board Members absent included: Michael Pastore, President; Debby Brown, Treasurer; Craig Marham; and Karen Moske.
Committee Chairs present included: Richard Eaton, Beautification; Veronica Putz, Historical; Julie Price, Membership; Jay Gibbs, Plan Review Team; and Laura Grace, Co-chair, Soulard Station.
Elected Officials and Special Guests included: Jack Coatar, 7th Ward Alderman; and Officer Kevin Dilg, SLMPD.
Abbey welcomed meeting attendees. The first summer concert was held June 25 with the Jay Curtis Blues Band. $260 was given out in a raffle. Abbey thanked the organizations that donated to the concert.
New member present included Travis Cummings, who moved to Soulard and works at Channel 5.
2. Secretary’s Report
Chris Currington, Secretary, said that the minutes from the June General Membership Meeting had been added to the SRG website and he hadn’t received any questions or comments. Chris asked for a motion to accept the minutes as final.
Margi Koors made the motion to accept the minutes as final. Marilyn Morris seconded the motion.
The vote was taken.
All members present voted in favor of accepting the draft of the June General Membership Meeting minutes as final.
3. Scooters in Soulard Update
Jack Coatar, Alderman, 7th Ward, introduced himself and said that the St. Louis Board of Alderman is currently in session, but they go on break the next week. Currently, they are working on funding gaps for the homeless and will appropriate funds in the next week. The second “chunk” of the $250 million from COVID rescue funds and how to spend it will be decided in the fall. Jack is trying to get money for the Soulard Farmers Market.
Scooters have been banned downtown because they were causing many problems. At any point, there were 1,000 scooters, and people had to be 18 years old to use them. However, anyone can create an account and rent up to six scooters at a time. For Soulard and area neighborhoods, Jack said the alderman are working to revoke the ordinance allowing the scooters and tell the scooter companies, “goodbye.” They’re not quite there yet though. If anyone has a complaint, they are encouraged to send Jack an email – the more evidence of nuisance, the better.
Margi Koors asked about the barcycles and playing music after 10 p.m. Jack said there will be a meeting with the barcycle companies to discuss rules and regulations.
4. Neighborhood Crime Update
Officer Kevin Dilg, 3rd District Police Liaison, said that each of the districts were given tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. At this meeting, there was a drawing to give two sets of two tickets. Attendees with the tickets will be sitting with other 3rd-district neighborhoods.
Officer Dilg then gave the crime report. Part 1 crimes are up 19.3 percent. He also discussed robberies and burglaries, and a map of where Part 1 crimes were committed.
Officer Dilg said that, starting July 16, Missouri will participate in the 988 suicide and mental crisis hotline.
Gary Toribio asked when to call the nonemergency line vs. calling 911. Officer Dilg said the calls are answered by the same people. If anyone thinks they need the police, they’re urged to call 911.
5. Bastille Day and Call for Volunteers
Stephen Shuman, Board Liaison to the Community Involvement & Events committee, gave the report. Stephen said that volunteers were needed for the Bastille Day weekend events.
The parade and “beheading” were set for July 16, and there was a map on the tables of where the parade would start and end. The mob will gather at 4 p.m., and the beheading will be around 6 p.m. at Soulard Market Park. The next day will continue with the Sample Soulard Sunday. Soulard Business Association (SBA) is trying to turn this into a bigger tradition.
Stephen said that volunteers are needed to be ambassadors to make the parade and Soulard Sample Sunday a success. The volunteer tasks are simple.
The parade route is different this year to accommodate most of the businesses on the route, and it will begin and end in the same place. It will be less than a mile and won’t cause traffic on Russell.
Gary Toribio asked if Stephen had any more information about Soulard Sample Sunday. Stephen said it’s similar to the Taste of Soulard (Mardi Gras event), and people can purchase tickets provided with a map of participating businesses. There was more information in the recent emailed issue of The Blaster and online. There will be various pickup locations for the purchased tickets.
6. Presidents Update
Abbey Bethel had one update. The financial fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The Board is currently looking at the budget for FY23. All committee chairs and liaisons presented their proposed budget to the Board. The next Board Meeting is July 20, and it is hoped that the Board will approve the budget. Then, at the next General Membership Meeting (Aug. 3), the vote will be taken by membership to approve the budget.
7. Committee Reports
a. Beautification
Richard Eaton, Beautification Committee Chair, said that more than 40 planters/pots are being cared for by ~10 people. They have a watering crew that goes out every other day, and it takes about four to five hours. He thanked Marilyn Morris, who lets waterers use her golf cart to drive and connect hoses to fire hydrants.
As far as the planter/pot maintenance, there has only been one incident with a pot near 1860s.
Richard is also asking to revise the committee’s budget since it costs $100 a day for watering.
b. Community Involvement & Events
See above for the Bastille Day report from Stephen Shuman.
c. Membership
Julie Price, Membership Committee Chair, thanked everyone who attended the membership drive (May 4, “Quatro de Mayo”) at South Broadway Athletic Club. Julie mentioned the gift at the membership drive – the “Follow Me to Soulard” license plate covers. Julie also said the Star and Lifetime Achievement Awards were given. Julie thanked her committee members for their help putting the membership drive together.
To date, there are ~450 members of SRG. The committee is currently having discussions about printed rosters and making them available online. The Membership Committee is working with the Communications Committee to see how to do this safely and securely.
There was a blood drive in June. This may become an annual event.
There’s a planned wine tasting/recruiting event July 24 from 4-7 p.m. at the Soulard Station. There will be more information on Facebook. Julie asked committee chairs and Board members to attend. At the last recruiting event, 11 new members joined SRG.
Julie said there will be an “Ambassador” contest this year. This is to recognize those who bring the most new members to SRG.
The committee is also planning an “Off the Island” event with 40 participants. The committee is working to put this together for the fall of 2022. It will be for SRG members only.
d. Parlour Tour
Nancy Lambert, Board Liaison to the Parlour Tour Committee, said there wasn’t much to report, but the committee will have it’s first meeting in about a week.
e. Plan Review Team
Jay Gibbs, PRT Committee Chair, went over a list of five items of changes/additions to properties in Soulard.
f. Safety
Jim Dallas gave a reminder to sign up for the camera program, and there were flyers on the tables with more information. The Safety Committee is trying to increase the number of neighborhood participants.
g. Soulard Station
Laura Grace, Soulard Station Committee Co-chair, said that the committee is planting and watering, and they recently stripped and painted/stained the kitchen area. The bricks (engraved, for the patio area) have arrived and will be installed in the next month or so. Some bricks have to be removed and replaced with new bricks in the correct order. There will be an open house at the Station to see the patio. Laura asked for volunteers to help with maintenance/updates at the Station.
8. Cardinals Ticket Raffle
The drawing was held for two sets of two tickets. See “Neighborhood Crime Update” above.
9. Adjourn
There was a brief discussion about where to hold the after-meeting social. It was decided to meet at Social Bar and Grill.
Stephen Shuman made the motion to adjourn the meeting. Ben Schloesser seconded the motion.
The vote was taken.
All voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:11 p.m.