June 2023 Meeting Minutes
Attendance: 62 individuals
● 42 members and neighbors
● 20 guest and representatives
Call to Order 6:39 p.m.
Announcements
• New neighbors
o Melissa & Mario on Alamosa
o Blanca & Alisha
o Alex & Lucy from Carnitas Lonja
• Congratulations VP Krystin & Diego on baby Demi’s arrival
• About Life is Good Real Estate Services (RPNA Business Member)
o Mary Kay Schultz’s full-service real estate business (commercial, residential)
• About Carnitas Lonja (RPNA Business Member)
o Alex Paredes has run the business for 6 years and will be moving across the
street from current location; will only be closed 1-week
o Seeking more vendors for diversity of restaurants on the property (Lonja
Square)
▪ Hope to drive down crime and offer low rent for new businesses, but
need customers to support
▪ Lover’s Pizza (owned by Dustin & Victoria) opening in July serving NY
style pizza
• About Devora Realty (RPNA Business Member)
o Nate Young’s real estate business
• About the D5 Senior Center – Maria Andrade (Senior Center Nutrition Specialist)
o For independent seniors 60+
o Offers computer classes, gym, etc.
o Food Bank pops-up for qualified seniors
o Hours are Monday – Thursday 7am-8pm and Friday 7am-4pm; located by
Dollar General
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o Jeff asks Maria to think about opportunities for RPNA to partner with senior
center
(1st door prize drawing)
• About Urban 15 – George Cisneros (Co-founder & Director)
o Urban 15 is an arts organization
o Film Fest in September
o Seeking two community board members
o Halloween parade with drummers and dancers
Treasurer’s Report
● Jamie Palochak presented report – see full report for details (sent 6/26)
Old Business
• Updates on Everkleen Motel and surrounding area – SAAFE Officer Arredondo and
Enrique Trevino (D3 Policy Director)
o Dangerous Assessment Response Team (DART) warrant/SWAT raid
whereby guns, drugs, etc. were recovered
▪ Some criminal activity re-locating to Sunset Inn, Royal Inn
▪ Keeping open the possibility that both Everkleen & Sunset Inn will be
shut down
▪ If you see something, call it in
o D3 homeless encampment addressed
o Increasing patrol Mitchell & Steve due to vagrancy, etc.
o Vagrancy behind Carnitas Lonja
▪ Coordinating with Solid Waste to clean-up
• Roosevelt Park Swimming Pool update – Teri Castillo (D5 Councilwoman)
o Aiming to open mid-July
o If any pool seasons are extended, RP is at the top of the list
• Trash Pick-up Committee announcements – Ken Gould (Committee Chair)
o Spent $208 on supplies
o Next pick-up will be on Presa in September, followed by one more this year in
October and Basura Bash in ‘24
o We need more people to show-up at these events
• Family Day in the Park Committee – Jeff Hunt (President)
o Thanks to Crescendo for providing music lessons to kids
o It was a success
(2nd and 3rd door prize drawing)
New Business
• SAFFE Officers’ Updates
o District 3 – Officer Arredondo
▪ Drive-by at Hanford & Roosevelt
▪ Issues related to cars on Weaver
▪ 1322 Roosevelt criminal trespass and drugs
▪ Homeless at Circle K Roosevelt & Steves (no response from Coco
Loco)
▪ City garbage bins have been recovered from Mitchell & Railroad
▪ School & Roosevelt has another corner bar with prostitutes
o District 5 – Officer Hernandez
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▪ Activity along greenbelt
▪ Concerns around need for seniors to protect identity
• School Supply Drive for Robert B. Green Elementary – Jeff Hunt
o Bring supplies to next meeting
o George Cisneros suggests Spanish/English dictionaries and thesauruses
• Movie in the Park Committee – Jamie Palochak
o To be held on Sep 30 in Roosevelt Park (movie TBD)
o Thank you to Bakke Development who will sponsor again
o Motion to hire security officer (up to $200) by Jamie was seconded and
approved by vote of the general membership.
o Potential raffle featuring local businesses
• Day in Southtown – Jeff Hunt
o To be held Oct 14 11am-2pm in Roosevelt Park
o Need committee members to plan
• Halloween Parade & Block Party – Jeff Hunt
o Contact Krystin or Grace (or Tom) if you want to help plan
• CPS – Dan Macias
o Joined by phone, but it was recommend he come to meeting in August to
speak with NA
o Dan can help with costs/bills and provide literature
• Artwork Reveal for World Heritage Entrance – Renee Talamantez and Kimberly
Mirelez (Department of Arts & Culture) and Jacob Tobar (Artist)
o Plan shared & feedback requested
o Design in July and installation begins later this year
• ACS – Shannon Sims (Director)
o ACS is working on strategic planning/budgeting priorities
▪ They need more people
▪ Focus on wellness clinics in underserved districts with partners ADL &
Humane Society
▪ Focus on increasing spay/neuter
• Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) clinic will be
operating at Brooks
o Free pet vaccination & microchip event on July 1
▪ Reminder: microchip is the law
o Expansion last year with new kennels to increase capacity (# of animals,
spay/neuter surgery suite)
o Seeking community involvement
o There is no stray problem; it is a roaming dog problem
▪ Spay/neuter
▪ Keep animal on property
▪ Don’t buy a dog – adopt
o Protocol for dangerous dogs
▪ If there is a threatening animal, call 311 and complete the dangerous
dog affidavit at ACS so they can seize animal (affidavit is escalation)
• SA Feral Cat Coalition – Monica Caballero (VP)
o If you call 311 about feral cats, they will refer you to SAFCC
o Outside homeless cats are not a cat problem but a people problem
o Programs include:
▪ Help with humane trapping
• Cage requires $75 deposit
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• Partner clinics increase spays & neuters
▪ Help line
▪ Adoption
• Trap Neuter Release (TNR) – Karen Speer (ACS D5 Advisory Board Member)
o There are many healthy cats who live outside with no owners, no tag, no
microchip that should be TNR’ed
o Clipped eartips indicate a cat has been fixed and released as a community
cat
o If cats are injured, call 311
• Spay/Neuter Signs - Jennifer Brown Galletti (Animal Rescuer)
o Signs for $12 to benefit Busted Mutts & Footbridge Foundation
• Updates from Diego Bernal’s Office – Analyssa Garcia
o New house session starts tomorrow
• Update from District 3 – Enrique Trevino
o Mosquito abatement at Concepcion
o Inspections at Concepcion confirm site is clean
o New sub station to open on South Side
• Update from District 5 – Teri Castillo, Derek Tulowitzki
o Elected for 3 more years
o There are current board & commission vacancies
o Working to improve infrastructure (storm water, bridges, sidewalks)
o Back to School Fair on Aug 5
o Budget meetings being held to determine what to debate/advocate for
▪ Neighborhood encouraged to show up
▪ Jeff will ensure our issues get on the list
o Thank you to our SAAFE officers who tackling a lot
o Utility Assistance Office Hours regularly held at Collins Garden Library
o Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Project Community Involvement
Session on July 22 9AM – noon at Tafolla Middle School
• Update from County Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores’ Office – Frankie Gonzales-
Wolfe (Chief of Staff)
o Will support animal issues with funding assistant where possible
o Have some leftovers gun locks from lock & storage program
o ESD bill passed allows for building of fire station in rural county with EMS
o Funding for mental health counselors/therapists in ISD with an aim of
breaking school-to-prison pipeline
o Happy Pride!
(4th raffle prize drawings)
Questions & Concerns:
• New construction on East Whitter 24 hours/day
o Will be investigated
Next meeting is Tuesday, August 22 at 6:30 PM at Freetail Brewery
Meeting adjourned 8:05 p.m.
Submitted by: Jessica Stuart
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Date: 07/18/2023
