Announcements: • Benji Timm noted that remediation had begun at 3000 N. Humboldt Blvd., the former location of a dry cleaner. Construction will begin in Spring 2005 for the Alterra cafe. • Nancy Centz announced that the building which houses the Riverwest Co-op is 100 years old. There will be a celebration on Saturday, Dec 18 to include music, refreshments and a visit by Santa. Update from Ald. D’Amato: • On Dec 14, at 3 p.m., there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new walking bridge crossing the river at the site of the old North Ave. Dam. • The license has been approved for a restaurant owned by Omar Gagale called “Timbuktu,” to be located at 520 E. Center Street. • The request for a zoning change has been approved for Center Street Auto. This property still needs review and possible remediation. If condemned, it will go up for bid. • Aldermen D’Amato and McGee will meet with Carrie Lewis next week regarding the Reservoir/Kilbourn Park Plans. • About 80 interested developers attended an informational meeting on the RFP process for the Johnson Controls property. The review committee needs two neighborhood representatives, for which Suzanne Zipperer and Laura Martin volunteered to serve. The review committee will recommend 3 –4 finalists who will be invited to present their plan for review at the February RNA meeting. The RFP is due January 26, 2005. • An update on the conflict within the East Village Neighborhood Association regarding the overlay district was given. The owner occupants remained in the majority, and the Common Council committee approved the proposal. • Tim Vertz and Sonya Knauss announced that a public meeting to present the City Water Works Reservoir Reconstruction Plan is being planned by Carrie Lewis at OW Holmes School, to be held Jan. 2005. • Plans were introduced to develop a logo for the Riverwest Neighborhood Association, for which one sample has been recently submitted. Tim Vertz suggested a logo contest for local schools and artists. Details to be discussed at the January meeting. • Lorraine Jacobs noted that an article in the Sunday, Dec 12 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel addressed City Development Commission goals regarding development, specifically mentioning the Humboldt Blvd. Jewel Osco site and proposed Target Store on E. Capitol Dr. • Lorraine Jacobs noted a response from WE Energies regarding service in Riverwest. The complete email response will be sent to the RNA listserv. In short, WE Energies reviews the feeders serving the city and targets those with a poor service record during the year. As a result 2-3 feeders serving Riverwest have been targeted for update, for which improvements are usually completed by April 1. Further inspection of other equipment is done through the year. Check the WE Energies home page www.we-energies.com and call 800-662-4797, 800-242-9137, when outages occur. They have initiated a service for follow up on all calls. Board Nominations • Sonya Knauss moved and Tim Vertz seconded that the proposed slate of candidates be accepted as a whole. This was approved by consensus of those present. The following neighbors will serve on the Board: Laura Martin (Co-Chair), Henry Cannon, Michael Peragine, Steve Servais and Self Wise Allah The next meeting will be held Jan. 11, 2005. Anticipated agenda items include: plans for the RNA logo contest; Neighborhood input on plans to consolidate a liquor store on Holton with the Midget Mart, 2500 N. Booth St. (Wright), for which the owner plans improvements and a change of liquor license; discussion regarding neighborhood vision for Johnson Control site; and review of the RNA Position Paper on Reservoir Reconstruction.