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Davis Manor Neighborhood Council
January 2004 Edition
http://members.dcn.org/dmnc
Editor: Kevin Wolf - [email protected]
Annual Meeting, Potluck and Board Elections
The DMNC will hold its annual general meeting on Monday, March 8 starting with a potluck at 6:00PM. After supper, we will review this year�s projects and set our goals for the coming year.
We will also elect new board members. Our board consists of seven members. They are elected for two-year terms. The board members meet monthly but take the summer off. You can find out about the job responsibilities in the bylaws at http://members.dcn.org/dmnc/docs_index.htm
Every other year, three or four have expired terms and must be reelected or replaced. It is time to locate the candidates who are willing to serve. Don�t be shy. Step up nominate yourself, or someone else if you are unwilling. Call Jean Smith at 750-3523 with nominations.
City Council Candidate Forum Hosted by DMNC
- Monday January 12 from 7 - 8:30 pm at Valley Oak Elementary
On March 2, citizens will elect 3 of 8 candidates to join incumbents Ruth Asumundson and Ted Puntillo on the Davis City Council. These five representatives will make numerous decisions that will affect residents in the Davis Manor neighbor-hood. Now is the time to find out their opinions on and help educate them about your concerns.
On Monday, January 12 the DMNC will host a candidates� forum for the neighborhoods adjacent to L Street and Pole Line. There are too many neighborhoods for each to have their own forum so we have combined ours with these neighborhoods to the north because we share much in common.
Some of the issues that the candidates will address include:
- The future of the Davis Manor shopping center
- Traffic on Pole Line and L Street with the Spring Lake development south of Woodland and the proposed Covell Village development.
- Traffic calming in neighborhoods.
- The city budget problems and how lack of funds will affect services to neighborhoods such as street trees, traffic calming, park maintenance and more.
- Problems with absentee landlords and rundown houses that don�t get investments in energy conservation, mold prevention and other improvements.
- Possible infill development at the PG&E yards south of Fifth Street and east of L Street.
The final list of pre-set questions is at the DMNC website (http://members.dcn.org/dmnc). We hope to post answers as well. (Anyone want to help take notes at the forum? Contact Kevin Wolf at 758-4211). There should also be time for participants to ask their own questions of the candidates, though with eight candidates, time is tight.
Please come to this forum and encourage others to as well. Just having a good turnout tells the candidates (and future city council members) that our neighborhoods are active and deserving of their time and attention.
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Energy Conservation, Mold Control and More in the Stanley Davis Home
An Interactive, Solutions Workshop with Energy Experts
- February 3, 2004 7-9 pm at Valley Oak
Sponsored by: The DMNC and the City of Davis Energy Efficiency Project
The Stanley-Davis homes typical of the Davis Manor Neighborhood and other areas in east Davis can benefit greatly from improvements in energy conservation and moisture control. Mold grows where there is moisture and improvements in windows, insulation, heating, cooling and more can not only result in significant energy cost savings but also can prevent mold from growing in the houses.
With the help of the City of Davis Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP), the DMNC is sponsoring the second, free workshop on how to best improve these small, open beam ceiling homes with stucco that enters the ground, single pane windows, and little to no insulation in walls or roof. Done right, and energy conservation improvements can significantly reduce moisture in the home and the mold that it grows.
The workshop will also cover problems with pests such as termites that the design of these homes facilitates. For example, the stucco that goes into the soil provides an entryway for termites. Solving this problem helps prevent termites and reduces moisture from entering the home.
The material from the first workshop will be available at the DMNC�s website (http://members.dcn.org/dmnc).
DEEP is providing for the professional expertise of Jim Obannon of Richard Heath and Associates (RHA) from Chico. Jim has already toured about a dozen homes in the neighborhood taking photos and developing background material for the workshop. He found good examples of the right and wrong way to make �improvements� on these homes.
DEEP is able to cover workshop costs with funding from ratepayers through the "public goods charge' collected by PG&E and distributed according to California Public Utilities Commission mandated energy surcharge on energy bills. DEEP will give three energy efficient light bulbs to any household that hasn't already received the package worth up to $30. There will also be door prizes for participants.
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Neighborhood Street Tree Meeting
One of the highest valued assets of our neighborhood is our magnificent street trees that canopy over our streets and sidewalk, shade our homes and reduce our summer cooling bills, and improve the value of our properties. Unfortunately they are at risk and cause problems.
About four years ago, the DMNC worked with the city to plant over 60 replacement trees beneath the neighborhood Modesto Ashes because they were expected to die off and be removed. The city�s good work with mistletoe removal and finding a predatory wasp to control the Ash�s whitefly problem have resulted in healthier trees that could be with us for many years to come. So what do we do with the under story trees?
Big, stately Hackberries line the streets on the west side of the neighborhood and escaped the problems plaguing the Modesto Ashes so no replacement trees were planted beneath. Now an exotic aphid is causing bug excretions of tree sap to rain on the cars and sidewalks creating a sticky mess for all. This insect infestation isn�t expected to kill the trees but it may be difficult to eradicate them and their sticky mess.
On Monday, February 9 at 7:30 pm, the DMNC will host a meeting immediately before our monthly board meeting to talk with representatives from the City Tree Commission and Public Works staff and think through the options we have to protect and enhance our magnificent street trees. All are welcome. The meeting will be at 716 N Street.
Traffic Calming on Colgate
Over 50% of the neighbor households on Colgate have signed a petition to add traffic calming undulations to their street. This is the first step in the city�s process for determining whether the undulations will be installed.
Don and Sue Sawyer (753-2929) are organizing the effort. The next step involves city staff gathering speed and traffic data for the street. After that, there will be a workshop to help determine where on the street the undulation should go and what improvements should be made to the traffic circle.
Any street in the neighborhood can pursue a similar process and potentially gain the same traffic-calming feature. Residents on Duke and M should consider this because undulations on Colgate may increase traffic on their streets. For directions, see http://members.dcn.org/dmnc/docs_index.htm.
DMNC Board members
Fred Buderi - Vice President
758-8203 [email protected]
Jen Nachmanoff - Social Coordinator
757-6249 [email protected]
Laurie Rivers - Secretary
756-5263 [email protected]
Sue Sawyer - Treasurer
753-2929 [email protected]
Jean Smith - Outreach Coordinator
750-3523 [email protected]
Kevin Wolf - President
758-4211 [email protected]
Wanted: Some friends of the path to the community garden to help in planting, mulching/weeding, and occasionally watering this stretch. Day jobs or long-term options. Good vibe benefits. Contact any board member if you are interested.
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