DRAFT Minutes

Attendees:

WAC Members: Christopher Pitts, Steven Gusenoff, Marcia Cooper, Hunter Malasky, Eve Bould

Community Members: Cindy Rubin

Quick recap

The Waban Area Council meeting focused on current village issues and organizational updates. Christopher led the discussion about resident parking sticker requirements on Wyman Street, where Cindy raised concerns about the city's interpretation of permit eligibility and enforcement of two-hour parking limits. The council discussed plans for a beautification project, with Christopher reporting preliminary meetings to secure a landscape architect for Waban village improvements including lighting and landscaping upgrades. Steven expressed interest in attending future planning meetings and suggested creating a more visible WAC presence at the Welcome Waban event on September 19th. The council also discussed honoring former member Sally Lipshutz with a proclamation at the upcoming event. Marcia provided a brief treasury update. The conversation ended with discussions about recruiting new board members and potentially hosting educational forums about city government operations.

WAC Member Next steps

Welcome Waban Event: Prepare a table, QR code, print brochures for the Welcome Waban event on September 19th.

Secretary/Minutes: Eve to distribute meeting minutes from this meeting as well as May (no meeting in June).

Treasurer: Marcia to contact Village Bank re: online access to WAC account.

All Members: Reach out to potential new members for the Waban Area Council and encourage them to attend meetings.

Potential Agenda Item for September Meeting: Discuss and plan a potential forum series on how the city works.

Meeting Summary:

Meeting Procedures and Council Activities

The group discussed May’s WAC meeting, which centered around a Q&A with Dr Nolin, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools. The council noted that the event was informative and included valuable dialogue regarding curriculum, hiring, budgets, and other matters. Eve noted that she needed to distribute the minutes from that meeting and would do so prior to the next meeting. 

Christopher noted that Julie Irish and Rena Getz were absent due to other city business.

Community Member Concerns

Cindy Rubin shared several concerns as a Waban community member. Cindy raised concerns about hiring practices at local schools including potential age discrimination and certification concerns. Christopher explained that while the board understands her frustration, they do not have jurisdiction over school hiring matters and suggested she seek legal or advocacy help instead. The conversation ended with Christopher reiterating that the board focuses on village-level issues rather than school administration matters.

Additionally, Cindy raised issues she has experienced with resident parking enforcement in Waban. She explained that while regulations allow for two parking stickers per dwelling unit, not all streets are designated for permit parking. She described problems with the two-hour parking limit enforcement, noting that the city doesn't track when cars are moved, potentially resulting in tickets even when parking rules are followed. Christopher suggested that Cindy write to Ward 5 City Councilors including Rena Getz, Julie Irish, and Brittany Charm, as well as John Rice, to address these parking issues and explore potential solutions.

Cindy also highlighted challenges related to road construction projects and detours creating delays and traffic locally. Christopher expressed sympathy and explained that this issue relates to ongoing issues with street work coordination, noting that utility companies like National Grid and private contractors frequently fail to communicate with the city about road work schedules and locations, creating driving difficulties for residents. The group explored potential solutions, including police notifications and social media updates, though these would require better advance coordination and more resources than are currently available. 

Waban Square Beautification / Revitalization 

Christopher provided an update on the beautification project, reporting that he had a preliminary meeting with John Rice and Rena Getz to discuss hiring a landscape architect to create plans for upgrading landscaping and lighting, particularly along Beacon Street near the Strong Building.

Christopher explained that multiple city agencies have jurisdiction over different aspects of public spaces around Waban Square, including lighting, landscaping, and water management. He noted that while progress is being made through discussions with city officials, the process will be slow. Steven expressed concern about the Waban Library being hidden by tall trees and overgrown vegetation. Christopher acknowledged these issues while emphasizing the need for a comprehensive plan to address the problems.

Steven expressed strong support for the project and requested to be included in future communications and discussions/meetings. Christopher explained they are starting by engaging with city leadership.

Cindy asked about a leaning tree on Wyman Street, and Christopher directed Cindy to contact Mark Welsh, the city's arborist.

Welcome Waban Event, September 19th (1-3pm, Waban Library)

The group discussed the upcoming Welcome Waban event on September 19th. Christopher proposed creating proclamations to honor Sally Lipschitz and Theresa Fitzpatrick, for their contributions to the WAC and Waban Improvement Society, respectively. 

The board discussed plans to have an information table with brochures including a QR code for email signup / website access. 

Treasurer’s Report and WAC Membership

The group also addressed financial matters, with Marcia reporting approximately $900 in the treasury account, and discussed the need to recruit new board members to reach their full complement of nine members.

Adjournment