Minutes - April 22, 2008

JoAnn Morton, president of SENA, called the meeting to order.

Minutes for the March 25th meeting were read and approved.

The first speaker was Tim Burke, representing the Albany Public Library. He gave an update on the branch improvement effort underway. A party marking the closing of Howe Library was held last Thursday. A temporary library space for this area should hopefully open in about 3 weeks or so at the Albany Housing Authority administrative building on South Pearl St. Construction on Howe is expected to begin late May or early June. The Pine Hills branch is already closed. The renovation on these 2 branches and the former funeral home on Delaware Ave that will become the new Delaware Branch are "10-12 month projects." Hopefully by springtime 2009 all three branches will be open for service.
Construction of two new buildings - the John J. Bach branch (on New Scotland Ave) and the Arbor Hill branch (to be built on the vacant lot between 1st and 2nd St) is slated to begin late July or early August and should take 12-14 months to complete.
By the end of 2009 all 5 of these branches should be open.

A question from Mac Mowbray (South End property owner): can we be assured that there won't be cost overruns and that the project won't end up costing twice as much or more than the $29 million?
Answer: Dasny is our construction manager. They were chosen because of their experience and expertise. They know we don't have any extra money and that everything needs to be kept within budget. There are disincentives in the contracts to counter delays and cost overruns.
Questions were raised about the historic Howe windows and whether they might be stored somewhere. Also whether there will be adequate maintenance of the Howe Library after it is reopened. The window issue will not remain unresolved before construction begins; and it is the intention of the library system to maintain its buildings well.
Mr.Burke spoke also of the proposed 2009 Library Tax levy (reflecting the 4.13% budget increase) and the May 20 election for library trustee (the 3 candidates: Lois Parsons, Jose Lopez, and Charles Carr).

The Youth Organics project was brought up by president JoAnn Morton. Yoko Chaumont, who was accepted into its spring program, spoke briefly about it. It is for youth 14-17, and is a 6 week - 3 times a week job. Besides doing organic gardening, there is a community outreach aspect and a cooking lesson component. The summer program is still open for applicants.

Steve Longo of the Albany Housing Authority gave updates on the 40 unit Eagle Court project. The required archeological digs have been completed and the project should be done by the end of December. A 2007 allocation of funds from NY State is being used to develop 30 more units on Morton and 10 on Broad and 4th.

Matt Montesano: At 200 Grand St. on April 9th at 6pm there was an incident of a multiple stabbing with a kitchen knife.
A burglary on Sloan St resulted in the loss of a laptop, a DVD player, a gold ring, etc. Car burglaries resulted in loss of a cell phone, a SONY digital camera, credit cards, $500 in CDs etc. Buildings have been broken into for renovator's tools. Also copper has been stolen from some buildings.
Matt attended training for correct installation of car seats (94% are installed incorrectly). Let him know if anyone needs help in this area. Also there is a limited number of car seats available if someone you know needs one and doesn't have one.

President Morton spoke of incidents of graffiti on Alexander St, Delaware St, Clinton St, and on the Duraclean building.

Benna Eldridge gave an update on Trinity's job fair. Many employers were participating and 1500 fliers were being distributed.

Christie Ray-Marchetti, a representative of the National Cancer Society, spoke of upcoming screenings at Albany Med on Saturday May 10, 8-11:30am.

Next meeting: Tuesday May 20th, 6pm, at Crenshaw Memorial Center.

Volunteer Drivers - American Cancer Society

The Capital Region American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to drive cancer patients to get their treatments (some need treatments 5 days a week). If you would be interested in helping to drive one of these patients, even just one time, it would be greatly appreciated.

For more information please email southendna@gmail.com

Thank you.

SmartWorks Senior Services

SmartWorks- get rewired, not retired

SmartWorks, the Capital Region's volunteer leadership project, is looking for retired professionals who want a rewarding, stimulating way to stay engaged and involved with their community, careers, and peers.

SmartWorks, a program of Senior Services of Albany run by returning-retiree Nikki Smith, pairs retired professionals with non-profits looking to accomplish specific projects within their agencies. It's a win-win situation, a retiree takes on a new challenge, and a non-profit benefits from the skill and experience of a seasoned professional.

To date, SmartWorks has placed 39 volunteers in projects at more than 20 nonprofits including The Law and Justice Center, The Albany Institute of History and Art, and Women's Employment and Resource Center.

SmartWorks positions are flexible, and each project has a specific start and end date. Projects are professional in nature and often require a high level of expertise. Past projects have included implementing a management plan, developing a marketing strategy, creating financial workshops, and coordinating a major fundraising event.

SmartWorks is now recruiting a new set of volunteers for projects around the Capital District.

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, call Nikki at 472-2714.

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Senior Services of Albany is a non-profit, public service organization (501-c-3) serving seniors and their caregivers in the Capital Region for over 55 years. Senior Services of Albany operates several Senior Centers, Meals on Wheels, and provides information and support services, caregiver services, transportation and Adult Day Care. Learn more at www.seniorservicesofalbany.com

Homeowner Rehabilitation Program (HARP)

SOUTH END IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION

HARP Grant Program

Let Us Help You With Your Repairs!!

Contact SEIC at (518) 436-8777

Requirements:

* Must own and reside in your own home located within the South End of Albany. For this grant, the boundaries are Madison Ave to the North, Trinity Place to the East, the City line to the South, and Delaware Ave to the West.
* Must meet the following HUD income guidelines. This number represents 40-60% of area median income:

# 1 Person Household: $29,640
# 2 Person Household: $33,900
# 3 Person Household: $38,100
# 4 Person Household: $42,360
# 5 Person Household: $45,720
# 6 Person Household: $49,140

* Participants will be required to complete one of the workshops offered by the Affordable Housing Partnership (AHP). Two options are “Maintaining Your Home” and “How to Hire a Contractor.”

For more information please visit our website at

www.seicalbany.org

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