(Editor’s Note: Each month THE PAPER will report on the Council meetings to keep residents informed of the actions of this impertunt neighborhood board.)
In its August 6 meeting, the Council listened to representatives from West End Townhouse, THE PAPER and the Day Care Center describe their work and problems.
The representatives questioned John Roach about West End Townhouse and its objectives in the community. Mr. Roach pointed out that the organization is now closer to the neighborhood with the shares owned by St. Roch’s than it was pre-viously when the shares were controlled by Continental Telephone. St. Roch’s was chosen, Mr. Roach stated, because the telephone executives were frantic to get rid of the stock and they needed a non-profit organization which was able to assume immediate responsibility for the project.
Some of the Council members questioned the motives of the for-profit organization. Mr. Roach pointed out that since the majority of the board trustees were neighborhood residents and since the stock is owned by a neighborhood church that he was positive that West End Townhouse would not undertake any remodeling or rennovations that were not in keeping with wishes of the neighborhood Lucier Further, he said, Mr. before his death had stated that the board of trustees would work closely with the Council and that he was sure that the new board would keep this promise Washington Heights representatives. Council members from these areas pledged their coopertion. The editors also described the critical need for an advertising manager if THE PAPER is going to remain financially soivent. Washington University been approached for -help in thizmatter.
The Day Care Center’s funds will run out after this summer, Ernest Garrett, Council member and president of the Day Care Center board, reported.Funding is being sought from other foundations. At a previous meeting the Council accepted the Day Care Center as a sub-committee of the Council at the request of the mothers and Day Care board.
The financial committee reported on the $3,500 deficit facing the Council. The deficit was caused when funds expected did not come in. The Council will announce plans to meet the deficit at the next meeting.
The Council voted a request that Bruce Hall submit the results of an $8,000 survey which he conducted in 1969 for the Council by the September meeting of the Board.
Sharon McPherson, chairman of the committee on citizen participation, reported that 70 people attended a meeting in an attempt to develop a grassroots dialogue with members of the community about area needs and problems. She plans to continue these meetings throughout the area. (A full report on these meetings will be given in the next issue of THE PAPER.)
The Goals Committee headed by Pat Kohn made several proposals to the Council. The committee proposed: that the Community School Board be the standing committee on education for the Council, giving help when needed or requested; that a formal relationship between the Council and Washington University be established with goals and proposals spelled out in de-tail; that the Council receive reports from the residential service; that the Council provide information for the Housing Standard Code Enforcement and where resources for home improvement are available at the lowest interest rate; that THE PAPER report on Council activities, and that the Coun establish time tables for co.__ munity projects.
The executive director, Jim L’Ecuyer reported that the Kingsbury Rehabilitation Proposal to rehabilitate the 5700 block of Kingsbury was being pushed in Washington D.C. by lobbyists operating under the Mayor’s “Challenge of the 70’s” program. (A full report on this proposal will be given in the next issue of THE PAPER.)
Originally published in The Paper, September 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_09.pdf, printed pages 1 and 8.
