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LDNA Meeting – 10/26/15 7PM, LTC

Present:

Susan Purdy

Jack Moynihan

Stephen Greene

Corey Sciuto

Carolyn Alphen

Treasurer’s Report: $277.29

LPD Report: Lt. Siopes

No real major crimes this month; concern about vagrancy and criminal activity in front of the TD Bank building on Central St and in the tunnels and back alleys of Prescott St. Discussion about increased police presence (including the surveillance van) and/or cameras. Recommendation to call police and give address so hotspots show up in reports.

Craig Thomas, Chief Design Planner, DPD

Rehab facility building planned for the existing temporary parking lot by 110 Canal. New temporary lot built on existing snow field, on the side away from Canal Place III. Additional building over by Point Park where the National Park Service currently stores their boats.

Discussion about the garage planned for the lot next to Canal Place III. Asked to share out Shadow Study: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7i98ByItbw7bXJuanVveENfM1UzQ2JVa1Y0ak8yS3FWdHNF/view?usp=sharing

Public Meeting on 11/16 with regard to Pedestrian access around the Lord Overpass.

Yovani Baez-Rose, Neighborhood Planner, Katie Stoll, UML Intern

Discussion about Neighborhood Innovation Grants. More information here: http://www.lowellma.gov/dpd/planning/Pages/General/Neighborhood-Innovation-Grants.aspx. The DPD will be hosting a public meeting on November 19th from 6:00pm-7:30pm in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall.

Closing Notes

City Election – 11/3

NO MEETING 11/23, No December Meeting. Meetings resume 1/25.

Lowell Walks, Lord Overpass area, 10/31 10AM-11:30AM. Starts at LTC.

Motion to adjourn – passes, 8:36 PM.

Present:

Jack Moynihan

Susan Purdy

Stephen Greene

Carolyn Alphen

Corey Sciuto

Approve minutes: Passes

Account balance: $277.29

Capt. Kelly Richardson discussed last month’s crime report. Available as usual at http://www.crimemapping.com/Map.aspx?aid=757087ee-5d73-4726-9505-4e1ac44d2f0b

Supt. Bill Taylor – adding cameras to Kerouac Park. Adapting a system like that in Worcester that allows LPD to network together any camera on the internet that wants to be part of the system, into a central location. Being rolled out to local businesses.

Kathleen Marcin recommends that the LPD talk to the condo associations downtown about installing cameras.

Supt. Taylor on panhandling – numerous interviews have shown that the panhandlers downtown are addicts. Panhandling laws are up to the Supreme Court.

Craig Himmelberger – Glad Lowell is much safer than it has been, but opiate issues are way up. Has anyone talked to Gloucester?

Supt. Taylor – Not opposed to the program and glad the conversation has been started, but nobody has actually turned drugs in in Gloucester. Heroin is a lot more addictive and a lot cheaper than it used to be and often cut with Fentanyl. Cruisers now have Narcan in them. Used eight times in the first 24 hours.

Sam Litvin – Can we look into some sort of marking system for locations, like the canal walks and alleys, that don’t have addresses? It’s hard to call in places.

Supt. Taylor – We’ll look into it more.

Susan Purdy asks if we’d reconsider the regional dispatch center

Supt Taylor thinks the last proposal was a bad deal for Lowell for numerous reasons.

Chris Hayes and Aurora Erikson, Lowell Votes.

Door to door canvassing to increase the vote.  Handed out material about the current election season and is looking for volunteers.

Meeting ends.

After agenda conversation about economic development being a good topic for October, and how to reach out to more people.

Yovani Baez-Rose at Neighborhood Planning will be on the agenda in October.

Joe Laroque was here to reach out to us for Representative Mom.

Susan motions to adjourn, Jack seconds.

04/27/15

Start 7:07

Treasurer’s Report:

$262.29

Lowell Historic Board:

Steve Stowell, Jim Wilde, Dick Lockheart

Steve, Jim, and Dick discussed the history and the mission of the Lowell Historic Board.

Quarterly Newsletter, Sign up here: http://www.lowellma.gov/dpd/devservices/historic/Pages/default.aspx

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LowellHistoricBoard

Doors Open Lowell: May 14-16

Susan: Does the LHB aim to preserve a particular time?

Steve: The 19^th century. We aim to be sensitive to this time period.

Corey: The Father John’s Building sign looks like it was blasted off.

Steve: Yes, there was a lot of problem with seepage there; there was nothing they could do. We had them stop work and verify. Similarly, the TDBank fence is temporary.

Carolyn: What is the situation with the lighting?

Councilor Belanger: We need to improve the bulbs, and reflection; in progress.

Councilor Samaras: It needs to be fixed. We want businesses to leave some lights on at night as well in their stores and put lights on their signs, façades, etc.

Lowell Police Dept:

Capt. Richardson, Sgt. Langaways

Captain Richardson discussed the incident a few weeks ago where a gun was pulled in Kearney Sq. The suspect was arrested and the gun was recovered in the Roy Garage.

There is a new foot patrol route from the Library down Merrimack St. There is an officer dedicated to the homelessness problem downtown.

<related Q&A>

Joy Mosenfelder, Merrimack Valley Time Exchange

Website: http://www.cbacre.org/programs-events/mvte

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerrimackValleyTimeExchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mv_time

230 member skill exchange program.

Skill Share – May 16, 26 Workshops: https://millcityskillshare.wordpress.com/

June Party

June 13^th? In Lieu of meeting. Still in planning.

Lowell Votes

Increase voter turnout in the city. Turnout in local elections is about 11%, 40% in national elections. Meeting, May 4, Pollard @ 6:30

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowellVotes

Coffee With a Cop

Join the Lowell Police Department, UMass Lowell Police and National Parks Police for Coffee with a Cop at Cafe UTEC on May 4th from 5:30 – 7PM. Thank you to Cafe UTEC for supplying the refreshments!

Adjourn, 8:39

7:08 Start Time

Accept Last Meeting’s Minutes

Stephen moves, Jack seconds

Carolyn – Treasurer

$212, hasn’t changed.

Rep. David Nangle

• From the Highlands; lives in Sacred Heart
• Has represented Lowell since 1999
• 70 funding (schools)
• Susan – what’s the status of the high school?
  • The state will decide in January if we are getting funding for a new school or a renovation. State aid is in the mid-70s cents on the dollar.
• Susan – What’s the status on the Courthouse?
  • Superior, District, Housing, and Probate should move into the new courthouse. Juvenile should stay put. The project has grown from $75M to $200M.
  • Current target it 2018
• Corey – Lord Overpass work?
  • Money is there ($17M) but the city has the details.
  • Brian Hoey, Office Administrator, to get Corey any details.
    • Councilor Leahy – Planning begins this year

Ballot Questions:

• Gas Tax: $.21 -> $.24 most recent increase. Rep. Nangle voted against indexing to inflation.
  • Patrick promised an increase from $200M to $300M of Ch. 90 (Road) funding. Rep. Nangle voted yes.
  • Nangle is fine with the annual votes to increase the tax.
  • 50% of bridges in MA are deficient.
• Nangle is against the bottle bill increase. We are too close to NH to absorb the cost and overall Lowell does a good job recycling.
  • Kathleen Marcin – there is no recycling downtown.
    • Nangle – I may propose a bill to require condominiums/apartments to require recycling.
    • Stephen to work with Rep. Nangle
  • Gaming
    • Nangle is for casino gambling in Massachusetts
    • Question is worded backwards.
    • Will make revenue for MA.
  • Paid Sick Time
    • Small businesses are against this.
    • Five paid sick days a year.
    • Nangle believes the Unions are behind this push and is very conflicted.

Captain Richardson

• 7:54
• Been having a lot of trouble with a group of kids on Bridge St / Kearney Sq. Turns out that these people were involved in the Shots Fired call on the 600-block on Bridge St in Centralville.
• Otherwise, nothing too unusual this month.
• Lot of focus on disorder due to bikes.

Councilor Leahy

• Impressed with the foot traffic due to the Monster Bash and UML Homecoming.

Mike Demaris

• Communication issues around repaving Market St
• Corey to contact Mike to talk to IT about hosting PDFs to share out.

Jack and Susan

• Did a voter registration drive @ Brew’d. Signed up four people.
• Absentee ballots were dropped @ Ayer Lofts and were extremely popular.
• Chris and Aurora put out a table @ Mass. Mills. People didn’t know about the election and that people thought they had to pay.
• Corey to talk to a UML class for Bill Berkowitz representing LDNA.
• Chris and Aurora moving forward w/ DIY Lowell.
• Jack mentioned that the city is looking at a Business Improvement District (BID).

Meeting adjourned 8:53

Susan moves, Dwight seconds

1. Welcome, Introductions of Board and Guest: Jack Moynihan, Co-Chair LDNA

2. Approval of 08.25.2014 meeting Minutes as posted

3. Lowell Economic Development Director: Allison Lamey
   1. 3 categories of Focus:
      1. Support existing business’s large & small;
      2. Support property owners and those looking to move business into Lowell;
      3. Developing a Workforce competitive with other locales
   2. Various items being addressed:
      1. Preparing employee’s with needed education/skills through UML & MCC
      2. Loading zone changes/additions with change in traffic flow
      3. Improving Streetscape throughout Downtown i.e. Planters/Signs/Flags
      4. Energy efficient programs for Businesses
      5. Outreach to Businesses telling them of assistance they can request from City
      6. Working with Realtors for Business
      7. Working with Multiple City Departments to enhance Business Environment

4. Police Report: Captain Kelly Richardson
   1. Introduced Officer Matt Penrose who set up Police on ATV’s, Bicycles; all working well
   2. Reviewed Downtown incident Report.
   3. Discussed Police activity to reduce Crime & Issues in reducing such
   4. One Skateboarder has been issued a ticket; will require he & parent appear in court.
   5. Discussed Bicycles, skateboards on Sidewalks; Jay Walkers, etc.

5. Report on Social for LDNA: Stephen Greene, VP LDNA:
   1. Will delay for warmer weather to increase event activity and attract more residents. Enterprise Bank will give us space in their Parking Lot for event.

6. Susan & Jack (Co-Chair’s LDNA) working on a Voter Registration Project for Downtown to increased Registered Voters for November Elections.

7. Susan Purdy Co-Chair LDNA to ask MA House Rep for our District, David Nangle to address next meeting re: 4 Ballot Questions pro’s & con’s.

Respectively submitted,   Susan Purdy, Co-Chair LDNA for Corey Scuito, Secretary LDNA

7:00 Start

Eric Eby  – Two Way traffic conversion

Market is underutilized, Merrimack overutilized. People will adjust. Brickwork and signage to still be done. Signal adjustment at Arcand and Dutton to be done to favor Merrimack St over pedestrians.

Concurrent pedestrian signals…drivers are failing to yield. Requires education and enforcement. Might switch Shattuck St back if it gets underutilized as a two-way street.

Question: How long do pedestrians get to cross?

3 ½ ft per second. Federal standard. Some are being considered for extension.

Question: Can we allow lefts on Bridge, John, or Kirk?

Bridge is right out. We are trying prohibition first but might reconsider. People are doing it anyway anyhow.

Question: Has the light at the Howe Bridge/Pawtucket St been re-timed to handle the rush w/ University Crossing opening?

It’s been difficult to work there because the sidewalks are all still being reconstructed. This is a dedicated-cycle pedestrian signal, state design, and it takes a long time to change, which encourages jaywalking.

Question: Can we do something about pedestrians crossing against the light?

<Missed answer>

Question: Bridge to Merrimack seems to still have a green arrow, even though Prescott can go.

Seems to be a solid green light.

Question: Can we work with UML to discuss pedestrian behavior?

Yes, supposedly was done last week.

* Overall, people are happy with the changes.

* The No Right Turn signs for trucks and buses are confusing and might be removed.

* Shattuck may be reverted to one-way if it remains underutilized as-is.

7:30 – Captain Richardson’s report

Email: krichardson@lowellma.gov Direct line: 978-446-7210

Officer Smith is the Segway cop.

Gang @ Merrimack and Central is gone because we removed the bench.

We’re looking to keep people moving along down here.

There was an issue (fight) downtown today; we added two more officers.

12 Motor Vehicle breaks this month – many unlocked cars.

A few other minor incidents.

Narcotics squad has been very busy on Upper Merrimack St.

Question: Should we always call the police if we see something? Can dispatch handle that?

Yes. To the specific incident, we need a zero-tolerance policy on the disorder.

Question: Are we going to be too hard on kids?

No, there’s a large gap between kids acting up and the fights, etc.

Question: Do you use SeeClickFix?

Yes – we have 48 hours to get back to people. For police-related issues, please call the non-emergency line because of the delay.

Question: Is there anything we can do about the problems non-residents are causing around Boott Mills? Police are chasing people through our properties two weeks in a row.

We’ll take a look.

Question: What can we do to enforce the traffic rules downtown better?

It’s constant reminding of kids to follow the laws, there’s only so much we can do.

8:05

Treasurer’s Report: $212

Report on new logo, survey

8:15

Development in the old power plant in Canal Place: September 4th, 6:30 PM, council chambers.

8:20

Social @ Enterprise Bank or Athenian Corner. Volunteers welcome! Looking at Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Economic Development office looking to help out.

8:25

Pawtucketville is having some FEMA representatives about floods September 8. Corey to email LDNA about this.

8:30

Chris Hayes citizen involvement (DIY Lowell).  Looking to develop some ideas that citizens can do to improve the city. Phased from brainstorming to implementation: chris.g.hayes@gmail.com (217)-722-9516

8:40

Improvement areas? Sidewalks. Clean windows. More, better trees.