Directors Present: Cathy Parks (moderator), Lorraine Armstrong, Carol Gruszka, Cheri Riley

Directors Absent: Kent Carroll, Stacy Vermette

Opening:  Cathy Parks, moderator and meeting host, opened the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting at 6:00 p.m.

Old Business:

• Harvest Fest Analysis:  Directors briefly discussed the disappointing turnout for Harvest Fest 2023, when only a few families attended, despite free food (burgers and hot dogs) being offered. Low turnout was projected to have been a result of holding the event on Veteran’s Day. A few ideas for future events were also proposed (spring egg hunt at Big Lake, future Harvest Fest scheduled to coincide with Halloween). No decisions were made due to the absence of the Social Director.
• Poor Attendance at General Meetings: Attendance at the most recent general meeting in November was abysmal, with only about a dozen people attending, including guest speaker Margaret Zak.  Her presentation was inspiring, however, and she has agreed to return in February, along with Jim Bay, another SoUL (Stewards of Our Urban Lakes) environmentalist, to help answer questions and advise neighbors of the efforts that will be required to revitalize our two lakes: Lake Pasadena and Lake Disston. If, however, most neighbors are not interested in continuing the organization, we must also accept that.
• Neighborhood Newsletter: Cheri Riley has investigated the feasibility and cost for sending a periodic Lake Pasadena Newsletter by bulk mail to help generate interest in neighborhood activities (or anxieties). She even formatted a proposed newsletter and volunteered to “sponsor” (i.e., pay for) the first mailing to see if it generates more interest in LPENA. Postal requirements state that mass mailings might take as long as four weeks before delivery.
• Lack of Follow-Through:  Directors also spoke of our own lack of follow-through for ideas proposed in the past (Yard of the Month contest, monthly Porch Parties, Christmas caroling). While this deficit is likely a combination of busy lives and unexpected emergencies (deaths, sickness), we must all determine to do better in the future.

New Business:

• 2024 Officer & Director Nominations: The first 2024 general meeting of LPENA will be held at Menorah Life at 6:30 p.m. on February 20. This is the time a new slate of officers must be elected, with the BOD normally proposing willing nominees and additional nominations being taken from the floor. We are actively seeking nominations, self or otherwise, from the community to add to the Board.  If anyone has considered participating, now is the time to step up.  If you would be willing to serve as an officer or director, please let us know before our next BOD meeting on February 13. (See contact information on the Home page of our website (www.lakepasadenaestates.com).
• New Storm Drain Installed: The City replaced the concrete storm drain on the Little Lake at the intersection of 4th Avenue N and 61st Street on January 17.
• Spring Yard Sale: Our door-hanger calendar of 2024 events notes that LPENA will “socialize” (via social media) simultaneous neighborhood yard sales to be held on March 1. This is an error and should be on March 2. These yard sales would actually be multiple individual sales in our neighborhood occurring on the same day and at the same time; participating neighbors would keep all their own proceeds. LPENA’s role would simply be to make known that interested parties could visit several yard sales within just a few blocks, a convenience for yard sale enthusiasts. If you are interested in participating and would like for your address to be advertised, please respond to carol@prismeffects.com and she will see that your address is included on our social media notes of the yard sales.
• Posting Activities on www.lakepasadena.com: Cheri also requested that upcoming LPENA calendar events be prominently displayed on our website Home page.

Reminder: Please submit your annual membership dues via cash or check ($25/household) to any director or via Square ($26.05/household). THANK YOU!

Square link:

Closing: The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Gruszka, LPENA secretary

Treasurer’s Report:  Carol also provided the following treasurer’s report subsequent to the meeting:

Operating Account: $1,839.64 ($2,694.64 less $810 reserved for cul-de-sac fence maintenance and repair)
Income: $189.90, mini-grant from city; $24.99 dues (via Square on 1/27/24 – please let us know who submitted these dues since Square does not designate donor)