Hillsdale 
Neighborhood
Association

Wednesday, 7:00 PM February 4th, 2004

The meeting was called to order at 7 pm.  The Agenda was approved. John G. motioned and Duane seconded approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.  Keturah stated that the HNA had $125.08 in funds and corporate filing fees of $50 are due.

1. Presentation by Doug Morgan ­ SW Rep. To Portland Public Schools Q1: How can we bring schools and communities closer together? Morgan says schools and community groups are working together.  He does not know whether community groups should be able to use Wilson at a minimal charge.  Position of HNA members is that schools, particularly Wilson HS, should be available for community meetings.

Q2; Status of school closure issue:  Morgan stated that the PPS had approved a cluster planning process, which is a master planning process to address the issues of school size, boundary changes, space allocation, feeder patterns. etc.

Demographics of District are that there are 2500 less students with $12 million less in funding.  Reasons for declining enrollment: families moving out, charter and private schools, moving to Vancouver etc.

Members of the HNA, particularly Celeste, noted that, as presently described in the cluster planning process, the opportunity for public input appeared to be very limited.  She stated that the time frames associated with the cluster planning process were so accelerated as to not allow for a meaningful public process.  Celeste stated that, at a minimum the following changes should be made to the cluster planning process: 1.  The schedule of the meetings should be published well in advance of the meetings; 2. There should be more than 1 public workshop ­ for instance there should be one workshop 1/3rd of the way through the process and another workshop 2/3rds of the way through; 3.There should be one or two community members on the task force and 4.      With regards to the analysis of Space Allocation, there needs to be a common agreement upon the data that is being used as a basis for decisions.

Member of the HNA stated that there was a “cloud” hovering over SW schools and that the school closure issue needed to be addressed so that parents could have certainty for the next 5 to 7 years.

Q3:  What is the “mid-level redesign”?  Morgan stated that his is the effort to redesign and reform the middle schools.  At the present time, the focus of this effort is around the issue of “curriculum adjustment”, i.e. the issue of comparability of curriculum across different middle schools.

Q4:  What is the PPS District response to our request for cans and servicing of those cans on Hillsdale Park for the dogs?  Morgan says that Kerry Hampton told him “not a problem” but that the cans and servicing of the cans could not be accomplished  in the near future.

Q5:  Will the PPS carry our message to the City of Portland that, as it relates to the safe Routes to Schools, we need infrastructure to make these routes safe (as opposed to the education and training)?  Morgan says:  yes PPS will carry that message to the City.

2. Wilson Pool presentation:  Presentation made by Richard Bosch of Parks Bureau and John Heilli. Contractor will start in the summer. A roof could be added later.  Members of the HNA stated that they wanted to work with the design team on exterior signage issues, including street signs directing folks to the pool.

3. SWHRL Dispute: SWHRL rejected mediation. ONI will look at boundaries.

4. Safe Routes to School: Don read a list of projects that he had reviewed with Willie Poinsette. Don also provided her with a written copy of the list of projects for her approval.  Glen made a motion to endorse the list of projects read by Don and to send the list of the City.  Duane seconded the motion and all approved.  Copy attached.

5. Hillsdale Park Off Leash hours: Don reviewed the issues of dog use in the Park with Lee Buhler, who is the SW rep to the Dog Off Leash Committee.  The Hillsdale Committee will not meet until Parks agrees to participate.  It was noted that the signs adjacent to the school playing fields are not up.

6.Other Items

  -Send ideas re Hillsdale plan to explorepdx.com/hna.htlm -         New paving material will be installed on I-5 which will be quieter, funding is in place for 5 new pedestrian crossings, construction not yet begun, we do  not know why.  Traffic is being deverted from I-5 to Barbur. -         Tram meeting at SWNI: new revised tram cost is $20-30 million. SWNI is on record as saying that the City should not pay for the tram -         Stairs at 19th and Fairmont are done.  Stairs under Terwilliger and Custer Custard will begin construction by volunteers go in next couple of weeks.

Susan made a motion to adjourn, Duane seconded the motion and the meeting adjourned at 9:05.

List of Safe Routes to School Projects approved at this meeting.

Projects for Robert Gray:

1. Install sidewalks on west side of Sunset Blvd from SW 18th to Capitol Highway.

2.  SW25th and Beaverton Hillsdale Highway.  Repair, put in steps, and gravel the pathway from the highway crosswalk south to Bertha Street, and build a gravel trail from Vermont to the unimproved street SW 25th.

3. SW Kanan from SW 23rd east to approximately SW 24th, aggressively prune the brush or out of control landscaping along the path to make it safer to walk the path down this street.

4. SW 21st from SW Kanan to the dead end of SW 21st north of SW Dewitt.  Improve the trail, prune and gravel.

5. Gain agreement from the Portland Christian Center for an easement for children  and adults to enter from Dosch and walk through the church property and then construct a trail across the Park and school property to SW Kanan and/or to the northwest corner of the school property where a new gate is needed.  This will also let folks walking their dogs to get to Hillsdale Park without having to cross the school play fields. These paths will help keep the dog walkers on a specific area and help to control the location of the dogs.

6. Stripped cross walks at SW 18th and Sunset Blvd, SW 18th and Kanan.

7. New signal at SW BH Hwy and SW 18th addressing the presently un-signaled traffic coming west on SW Capitol Highway.

8. Retime signals from SW 25th through SW Sunset in Hillsdale so that the hours when students are going to or from class, the signals operate on demand of the pedestrians.  Currently the Robert Gray School schedule is: 8:00 AM for guided study, general classes begin at 9:15 AM, general time school is over 3:30 PM  after school events generally over by 4:30 PM.

9. Re stripe the parking area to the east of the school per the plan developed in 2002 with PDOT.

10. Signage: A. Robert Gray Sign at SW Boundary and entrance to southbound pedestrian path to the school.  Repair the path on school property so folks do not have to walk in water on the asphalt.

B. Robert Gray Sign at Dosch by entrance to church, possible another at edge of park directing children to path or paths

C. Robert Gray Sign at SW Vermont and SW 25th, and SW Bertha and SW 25th showing way to Robert Gray.

D. Robert Gray Sign at SW 21st at entrance to path, and sign at Kanan and SW18th, and Kanan and SW 21st indicating path down SW Kanan.

E. Robert Gray Sign at SW Martha on Sunset

F. Post School Zone signs and associated speed limits from 400 feet north of SW Martha to Capitol Highway.