Trustees in attendance: Sue Allen;; Abe Bruckman; Paul Ciupa; Steve Henstridge;; Christine Kowalski; Alice Ratka; Lynea Reindel-Derwis; Matt Reitz;

Excused absence: John Appledorn; Greg Huth; David Lawhun; Jim O’Connor; Dane Reich

Staff: Robyn Sandys

Matt Reitz called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm.

Minutes: The minutes of the June 19, 2008 Board Meeting; July 2, 2008 Special Board Meeting; and the July 8, 2008 Executive and Finance Committee Meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s report was read and accepted

The Executive Director presented the budget for the current fiscal year (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009). The Executive Director will revise the budget downward to take into account a $15,000 income mistake noted during the Board discussion and a $1,500 fee payable to Key Bank (see below) in connection with the annual reauthorization of the credit line. The Board voted to approve the budget pending the necessary revisions. The Executive Director will e-mail the revised budget to the Board for approval by e-mail.

President’s Report: Matt Reitz reported that OBCDC and the three neighborhood associations held their final mediation meeting. Representatives of OBCDC (3 Board members & 3 staff) and the neighborhood associations (3 from each) will meet to on how to move forward. The Board discussed having representatives of the groups sit on the Board as ex-officio, non-voting members, even prior to the proposed change in the Code of Regulations

The President and Executive Director have sent Councilman Cummins a written response to Councilman Cummins’ request for specific questions and comments concerning each of the funding conditions that accompanied the Councilman’s funding for Fiscal Year 2009. The primary source for the response was the discussion of the conditions during the Special Board Meeting on July 2, 2008. The Councilman said that he would reply by July 18, 2008.

Councilman Reports:

Councilman Cummins was present and reported the following:

His office is experiencing a high number of constituent calls concerning vacant properties (status in foreclosure, damage, high grass). He is trying to find an efficient way, in terms of time and resources, to respond to the calls.

The State approved the Denison Avenue senior housing. NRP will proceed with a $12 million, three-story, 61-unit low income senior apartment on Denison Avenue near the former East Denison Elementary School. NRP would improve and maintain the landscaping. Property on Fern Court will be paved over for a parking lot. Demolition of existing structures on the site will begin in Fall 2008 and new construction will begin next year.

Councilman Kelley was present and reported the following:

The former Memphis School site is an unlikely candidate for senior housing. It did not score high enough with the State for low-income housing credits.

The City is close to signing off on State and local capital project funds for Loew Pool. The funding would cover redoing the deck, building a spray park, and expanding the pool area.

The Loew Park security contract has not yet been implemented.

Tennis lessons will be available at Larchmere and Loew Parks until August.

Ward 16 crime is down in major violent and property categories for the first 6 months of 2008 compared with a similar period in 2007.

The Cleveland Charter Review process is moving along. Recommendations are due in council by August 1. The are 49 major proposals.

Executive Director Report: The Executive Director presented her report which is found in the narrative that accompanied the meeting agenda.

The Executive Director’s report included:

Resolution 07-08-001 - OBCDC Board of Directors acceptance of the final report from Floyd Browne Group regarding the Lower Big Creek Greenway Restoration and Redevelopment Plan

Resolution 07-08-002 - Renewal of the Key Bank Line of Credit for $150,000 for one year from the date it is finalized.

Resolution 07-08-003 - OBCDC Board of Directors acceptance of the final report from Anderson Economic Group for inclusion in the Ward 15 & 16 Master Plan.

The board unanimously approved the three resolutions listed above.

The board also unanimously approved, following discussion, one-year contracts for services:

Accounting: McManus & Dosen

Legal: Cowden & Humphrey

IT Support: CBG Tech Solutions

Annual Audit and Forms 990: KPFF, LLC

OBN distribution: Icon Expedited

OBN Printing: DCI

The Board authorized the Executive director to enter into a written contract with the Editor of the OBN for $1200 per month, with the Executive Director having discretion to approve up to $1,400 per month, should the need arise.

The narrative of the Executive Director’s report provides status on the pending Russ Panas lawsuit. The Executive Director said that she had learned, just prior to the Board Meeting, that the attorneys in the Debra Zeleny lawsuit had reached a settlement. Details were not available, other than the amount was in the settlement range discussed on July 2, 2008. Details will be available to Board Members.

The Board voted to approve the OBCDC logo shown on a piece of letterhead included in the Executive director’s report with the proviso that the shade of green was subject to adjustment.

Committee Reports:

Fund Raising: Per Executive Director Report

Code of Regulations: Steve Henstridge reported on behalf of Greg Huth that the Committee had finished its work.

Board members each received a text of the proposed changes to the code and a three-column spreadsheet, section by section, showing the prior text, the changes, and the proposed text. The full Committee would like to meet with the Board either at a special meeting in August or devote the August meeting to answering questions about the changes, followed by a town hall meeting with the members to discuss the changes.

The Board discussed ways of making the material available to the members prior to the town hall meeting: the OBCDC website; publishing the new text in the Old Brooklyn News; placing copies
in the Public Libraries’ reference area and announce it in the OBN.

Board Development: Lynea Reindel-Derwis reported that so far 10 people have expressed interest in running for Board seats and have submitted biographical information. Current Board Members whose terms are expiring at the Annual meeting and Board Members appointed to fill vacancies during the year must also submit the necessary information if they wish to be on the October ballot.

Adjournment:

Matt Reitz moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 pm. Motion approved.