Gifford Park Assoc. General Membership Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 18, 2021
DATES TO REMEMBER
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Saturday, Nov. 27: Small Business Saturday in downtown Elgin! Please shop local!! Lots of fun for kids and adults all month long - see the Downtown Neighborhood Association website for a lineup of festivities.
- No General Membership Meeting in December
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Thursday, Jan. 20: GPA general membership meeting, 7 p.m. at Elgin History Museum [EHM]
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Monday, Jan. 31, 2022: House Tour Kick-off Meeting, 7 p.m. at EHM
IN ATTENDANCE
Paul Bednar, Barbara Evans, Tyler Grace, Linda Hawkins, Janine Hnatusko, Sarah Hunt, Trish LaFleur, and new members Mike Maginity and Joe/Katie Cavalcante
UPDATE ON DAN MILLER
After opening the meeting, Trish gave an update on GPA President Dan Miller, who is recovering from his 2-story fall from the scaffolding at the Nancy Kimball cobblestone house on October 26th. Currently at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, he will soon be transferred to a rehab facility in Elgin. Encouraging messages may be sent to him via the Gifford Park Association web page: https://gpaelgin.org/send-dan-your-best-wishes.
SECRETARY's & TREASURER's REPORTS
The minutes of the October 21, 2021, general membership meeting were approved unanimously.
Though some incidental expenditures may have been made last month, that treasurer Pat Miller did not send in a report of them is understandable; thus there is little change in GPA's overall balance reported in October: $150,678.865. Matt Martin did note that included in that figure is the approximately $9,000 this year's house tour netted.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
Note: Until officially appointed by the newly elected officers, the chairs of these committees are acting chairs.
As GPA's former wreath man Paul Kuester is now living in Wisconsin, Paul Bednar volunteered to purchase the holiday wreaths for the Elgin Historic District signs. Sarah and Barbara will help him install them.
Sarah noted that in addition to such activities as leaf raking at the Millers on Nov. 20th and neighborhood clean-up days, she's working on planning larger events to be held every quarter and headed by different GPA members so as to not burn anyone out. And she spoke at length about the value of bringing EHD residents together to create a cohesive neighborhood.
As a result of the letters Janine sent to new EHD residents, GPA has three new members, all of whom are eager to become involved with our organization. She has also ordered free samples of bags for the information to be given to new residents and members.
Trish and Barbara attended Janine's recent committee meeting at which ways to grow and involve members were discussed.
After reviewing the report he made at the October general membership meeting, Matt encouraged all who are interested in being a part of the tour steering committee to attend the 7 p.m. Jan. 31 kick-off meeting for tour #40 at the history museum.
Among the ideas brought up at the Nov. 8 house tour wrap-up meeting was the need put more of the house tour profits into the neighborhood toured. After the neighborhood for tour #40 is determined, this will be discussed more specifically. Matt also noted that an art group wants to provide the homeowners with framed drawings of their homes.
Trish is working on improving GPA's Facebook page as well as on updating our website. Mike spoke of the need to ensure that anyone who goes to GPA.com is automatically linked to the GPA.org site.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Grant Committee
Because bringing those interested in joining the committee up to speed on what had been discussed/decided prior to the pandemic hiatus was out of the question for Pat Miller shortly after Dan's fall, the meeting scheduled for November 3rd was postponed. With the holiday season approaching and Pat still fully occupied with Dan, it was felt that this meeting should be postponed until after the holidays. You will be notified when it is rescheduled.
2. Commemoration of Chuck & Audrey Behrens' Role in Forming GPA
At the October meeting, Dan had suggested that their son Ben's donation of $400 and the money donated to GPA in Chuck & Audrey's memory be used for some kind of commemorative plaque in Gifford Park. None present this evening had other suggestions but decided to table this item for the time being.
3. Election of Officers
Because no one volunteered to serve as GPA president, vice-president, treasurer or member-at-large, the election has been postponed until our January general membership meeting in hopes that after reading the attached section from our by-laws that details what each of these offices involve, some will say, "I can do that," especially as they will be able to count on those of us who have held these positions to help them ease their way into the roles. Descriptions of positions and committees are below the minutes.
We also hope that someone will recognize that perhaps one of the best gifts that could be given to Dan would be to volunteer to take on the duties of president in order to give him one less thing to worry about. For the same reason, his wife Pat would undoubtedly appreciate someone assuming the job of treasurer. And though Barbara is willing to be the secretary, she, too, hopes a newer member will volunteer for the job, especially as she is willing to substitute if that person can't make a meeting.
4. Frequency of General Membership Meetings
Based on last month's discussion, Sarah made the motion 1) that general membership meetings be held quarterly rather than monthly and feature special programs and 2) that the monthly meetings be board meetings. Tyler seconded it.
After discussion, the motion was unanimously voted down because it was thought that even though the monthly board meetings would be open to all, people would be even less likely to attend them and thus less likely to become actively involved in the organization. We would then also be deprived of new ideas, the life-blood of any organization.
In lieu of the quarterly programs for the general membership that was proposed in the motion, it was suggested that we strive to occasionally include interesting programs/presentations in the monthly meetings and shorten the business meeting when we have them.
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Robert's Rules of Order
Matt noted that those appointed to City commissions are required to watch a video on Robert's Rules of Order and suggested that those unfamiliar with parliamentary procedure or in need of a refresher watch one of the short videos on YouTube.
2. Leaf Pickup
For those whose on-street leaf collection day is Thursday, due to Thanksgiving, their on-street pickup, which will be the last of the season, will be Saturday, Nov. 27.
Bagged leaves will be collected through December 3rd, but after Nov. 30, stickers will be required on the bags.
Trish called for a motion to adjourn. Made and seconded, it was approved unanimously. Afterwards, we remained to chat with each other and especially our three new members.
GPA wishes all a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Evans, Secretary pro tem
