Butler Committee Meeting Minutes

July 3, 2007

Submitted by Jane Phillips (Recording Secretary)

Committee members present: Juan Melli (Webmaster), Laura Soltesz (Social Chair), Shannon Hughes (Chair), Nicole Jui (Garden Co-Coordinator), Patrick Ross (Bugle Editor), Dante Ricci (GSG Rep), Jane Phillips (Secretary), Rodrigo Casassus Coke (Dolly Coordinator).

Community members present: Bronwyn Smith, Audra Pompeani.

Meeting called to order at 9:35 pm.

Shannon (Chair): Need to hold elections for GSG Rep, Bugle Editor, Social Chair today. Audra Pompeani would like to take the Bugle editor position. Dante Ricci has agreed to stay on as GSG Representative, and Bronwyn Smith would like to take the Community Room Coordinator position. The Committee members present approved these changes by show of hands, and the new members of the Committee were told about the responsibilities of the positions. Laura Soltesz has officially been voted back into the Social Chair position.

Shannon mentioned that she drafted an email detailing what the Committee would do to address issues that arose as a result of the survey. Shannon thinks that we can try to set up an insulation clinic – maybe ask people from Home Depot to come over and show people how to insulate, maybe bring things that people can buy. Shannon will follow up to see if this is feasible. Many people in Butler do not know that simple things like insulated curtains, storm windows, etc. can help.

Major maintenance requests are due after the August meeting. We need to put the laundry room on the list, also picnic tables and grills, also maybe covered bike sheds and dog run, etc. Patrick mentioned that there is one clothesline that has already broken, and Shannon will follow up about this but it is probably not major maintenance.

Bronwyn mentioned that there are two swings missing in the playground. She also asked if there are blue light emergency boxes in Butler, and the Committee thinks that there are none. We should also ask about getting better lighting in the complex (need to determine whether this is major maintenance). Shannon will send these potential requests to Jeff Dwoskin and Tara McCartney to ask their opinions.

Shannon mentioned that a resident is worried about drivers going the wrong way in the complex. She will follow up to determine whether anything can be done (a specific concern is that there is no “one way” sign at Halsey Ct. and Butler Ave.).

Juan Melli (Webmaster): Two people have used the email address he set up to email about broken washing machines in the past month. He would like to have the email address publicized more in the community so that people can report each time a machine is broken. Patrick suggested that members of the Committee check the laundry room more often and email each time the machines are broken. Juan will follow up to send email to Butler community to let them know to report broken machines. Juan mentioned that Tara met with Patti Smith, and Patti Smith would provide statistics on how often the laundry machines break down, etc.

Dante Ricci (GSG Rep): There was no GSG meeting next month. Dante will contact Tara to find out when we will get money from the Events Board.

Patrick (Treasurer): Will help Audra figure out which publishing program to use for the Bugle. Might need to get an updated version of PageMaker, or get another program. For the accounts, Patrick says that we have $0 in the University account. The garden account has $564. Patrick confirmed that, in the past, there has been money handed out from the University account for the garden, and money from the Garden account for non-garden expenses. It was decided that the money in the Garden account would stay for gardeners, and at the gardeners’ discretion, it could possibly be used for other events.

Laura Soltesz (Social Chair): Butler yard sale went well. Many people from outside Butler showed up to buy things. The signs that Nicole Jui made worked out very well – Shannon saved those signs and they will be put in the Committee storage room near the laundry. Laura wants to know if we can poll residents to see what they would want as events. She would provide a list of potential events. Shannon proposed having a suggestion box at each social event. Laura met a person who would like to set up a chess club, and would like funds from the Committee for snacks, etc.; Juan suggested that the Committee give some small amount of money (~$20) from the Garden account for the first meeting to see how it goes. Dante mentioned that this individual could also ask for money directly from the GSG or Dante could ask for the money as the GSG Rep (would need to be open to all grad students).

Laura also mentioned that she would like to hold a welcome event, and will follow up at the next meeting.

Rodrigo (Dolly Coordinator): The dolly is very busy. We have had the same dollies for many years, and one of them is not used much because it is large and heavy. He suggested that the Committee consider buying a dolly/flatbed combination. He will look up prices and bring them to the next meeting. Rodrigo mentioned that during the electric storm, lightning struck one of the houses in Butler, and his wife’s computer was destroyed through the ethernet cable (not through the electric outlet).

Nicole Jui (Garden Co-Coordinator): Offered to make signs that could have pull-off portions with the email address for broken laundry machines. Nicole mentioned that we should maybe advertise for the dolly more. Shannon mentioned that almost every plot in the garden is in use. Nicole was thinking of setting up a community plot and then having the food be available to whomever wants it.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 pm.