Tremont Gardens Citizens Association 25th, 2009 7PM

Meeting began at 7:10 with an introduction round. In attendance was:

Sue (last name needed)
Stalin Ramasamy
Ed Unger
Stacy Stacks
Susan Reed
Cathy Myers
Sarah Meltzer
Tom Carmel
Debbie Carmel
Al Crider
Janet Hubble, guest speaker. Janet’s email address is: Janet.Hubbell@fairfaxcounty.gov

Agenda and budget data were distributed. For a soft copy please email: tremontgardensca@gmail.com

Recognition:
 Each person recognized received a certificate and token gift.

Ed Unger & Lee King – Donation that enabled us to purchase materials for a new sign. Continued maintenance of the common area

Al & Dottie Crider – Years of maintaining the common area

John Falls – Years of maintaining the common area

Rita Lynn & German Mejia – Years of maintaining the common area and yearly new flag donation.

Common Area Update:

Flag Pole Garden Event Success: Thanks to Stacy for coordinating the effort, creating and distribution flyers, providing drinks and snacks for all. Due to the efforts of Stacy Stacks the event was a huge success. Many neighbors showed enthusiasm by donating plants, muscle and time to make the garden beautiful. A few kind neighbors, Gene Giess and German Mejia, came by to help dig the garden with their tillers. If it wasn’t for our neighbors pitching in we would have been digging for hours.

Rt 50 Common area entrance: The sign parts are in and will be assembled and installed during the month of July. Several neighbors with experience are going to install the sign. Anyone interested in helping please email tremontgardensca@gmail so you know the date of the install. It is tentatively scheduled for a weekday afternoon the week of the 13th or the 20th. At this point it’s hard to pin point an exact date since the volunteers are self employed and need to be flexible with their time.

Communication

Website: We have a website (https://tremontgardens.wordpress.com) up and it currently contains basic information. Please take a look at it and provide feedback on content. If you want something on it please provide all content so we can get it posted. The site is a free as wordpress is the host. We can use flicker to post any photos from events on this page. In the future if we want our own sight we can choose to at a cost of approximately $ 130.00 per year.

Events

Community Yard Sale: Coordinated by Greg Vaitekunas, will be held July 18th, all are encouraged to participate. Your yard, your stuff. Put it out and they will come. Flyers were distributed, common area signs are up and the website has been updated, all advertisement will be done by TGCA volunteers.

Ice Cream Social: Watch for more details, via common area signs, website updates and flyers. Coordinated by Al & Dottie Crider, Debbie & Tom Carmel. Sept 12, 12:30 – 3:00PM

Winter Social: Jan- Feb timeframe. Need a coordinator to volunteer

Fall & Spring Clean Up: Will need a coordinator to volunteer

Neighborhood College: The suggested time and curriculum is attached to this email. Please respond with interest and comments on the curriculum quickly so we can have arrangements in place to start in October. Please note: There is no test, no grading. This is simply a way to gain knowledge about communities, neighborhoods working within Fairfax County. We can choose our own topics but some suggestions are: FFC Government, FFC budget, demographics, zoning and neighborhood enhancement, Public safety (police/fire rescue and animal control), building a strong community, community leadership.

Diversity/ multi cultural training, etc.: Janet Hubble came to speak to us about the Fairfax County sponsored Community College. This is an easy 6 week program (a few hours once a week) to learn about our community in Fairfax County. Janet spoke in length about the advantages to having a community neighborhood college and that this fall would be the perfect opportunity to start the program. A group of 12 is ideal but they will conduct the program with fewer participants. Gathering interest from nearby neighborhoods enabling a robust program to take place.

TGCA by-laws: A copy of the, constitution and by-laws Tremont Gardens Citizens Association was distributed for the main purpose of obtaining a vote to amend this document. Attendees chose to delay the vote to amend to a later date thus providing time to review the document. More updates to come as they unfold on next steps and procedures regarding by-laws. For a copy of the by-laws please email tremontgardensca@gmail.com

Next Steps:

Neighborhood College
– Interested parties should email tremontgardensca@gmail.com

Neighborhood Watch
– Project needs to be kick started, more information to come

Neighbor to Neighbor program
– Brain storming sessions to be planned. This programs intent is to solely to look out for each other, helps each other in many ways. The program is in its infancy so anyone wanting to brainstorm please email tremontgardensca@gmail.com.

Next Community meeting scheduled for Sept 24th 7:00PM Shining Star Church

Meeting Minutes from June 25