Minutes of the Crozet Community Association Meeting
May 12, 2011 from 7:30 to 9:15 PM
Field School Auditorium
Attendance: 31 people present.
Welcome/Agenda Review: Tim Tolson, President, called the meeting to order at 7:30 and asked for any agenda additions or revisions. Several were offered.
Minutes of March 16, 2011: The minutes were corrected to read that the meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM. The minutes were approved as changed.
Treasurer’s Report: Emery Taylor, Treasurer, reported that the balance in the bank is $502.42 and that the signs ($1654.50) have been paid and are already installed.
Moment In History: Phil James gave a timely history moment about his recollection of “4th of July” in Crozet. He showed a collage’ of pictures taken in Crozet on July 4th 50 years ago. He recalled the parade going from Crozet High School to the park. Raffle tickets were for 35 cents to 50 cents for such things as a refrigerator or radio or even a 250-pound hog. He recalled the “greased pig” race and other notable activities. Thanks to the fireman, the Downtown Crozet Association, the Crozet Park Board, CCA, and many other organizations, the 4th of July celebration will continue as a Crozet tradition.
Featured Speaker: Ms Joyce Stratton of People Places, a local foster care & adoption agency. There are in Albemarle County and Charlottesville 249 children in need of foster care. There are 5,294 children in Virginia. June 6th she will have a foster care orientation program at 1002 East Jefferson Street. There are many ways to help: short term foster, mentoring, adopting, long term foster care, making a difference. There are different tiers of foster care that can be provided for these children. Website: peopleplaces.org Phone 979-0335
Old Business:
Update on Crozet Trails Crew: website: crozettrailscrew.org Jessica Mauzy reported that this Sunday, May 15 at 8:30 AM, the trails Crew will be working on the GreyRock project. Second workday for the project is June 4th. Hopefully a lot of GreyRock neighbors will come to help. She showed the graphics of the Trails Crew T-shirt that will be given to everyone who puts in “sweat equity” into the Trails’ projects. Next CCAC meeting, May 19, will be dedicated to a discussion to help the program to allow school children to walk to school. Save October 15th, for the second annual Crozet Trails Day, which will be a walk and bike around Crozet. She is hoping for a lot of cool activities going on by Crozet businesses and organizations to support such an event.
Crozet Entrance Signs: Tim Tolson reported that the signs are paid for and are already erected at the respective locations. Karl Pomeroy, President of the Crozet Lions, described the landscaping that the Lions Club will do around each sign as well their commitment to maintaining that landscaping.
July 4th Plans: Mike Marshall gave the following tentative schedule:
July 2nd – 4 PM Parade to begin at Crozet Elementary School, end at Claudius Crozet Park
5 PM Activities at the Park, representatives from different organizations and businesses
9:30 PM Fireworks.
One activity planned is a softball game on the ball field between the Fire Company and the Peach Tree Coaches.
The night before activities at the Park will be a Swing Dance at the park—July 1 featuring Salute to Swing band that played here in February.
There are a variety of committees already meeting to plan the whole event. Others are encouraged to join in the planning to make this an old-fashion hometown family event.
Re-Store’N Station Update: Sandra Mears, a resident of Free Town Road, gave a brief history of the project and the community concerns. May 16th is the ARB meeting at the County Office Building (1-4 PM) to discuss the second floor issue. Frank Calhoun of Scenic Virginia is requesting that county should be consistent and respectful of the neighbors. He discussed the issue of the Traffic Study done in 2009, but not made public until recently.
New Library/Parking: Bill Schrader showed a map of the footprint of where the new library will be built and the parking lot. He also pointed out where the Claudius Center will be in respect to the new library. He also gave a brief history of the project and that the county is preparing for a “soft bid” on the project. Hopefully the Board of Supervisors will feel the need to go ahead with the project or otherwise, it will go back into the pool of projects until 2016 to be re-evaluated with the many other CIP projects. He also showed an artist’s rendering of what the new library would look like.
Crozet Park/PARC Pool Dome Fundraising: Heidi Sonen reported that $33,400 more is needed for the community fundraising. To meet the $200,000 goal in order to receive the matching grant funds. Over $100,000 of professional expertise has already been donated in kind to this project. A project that might have been at a cost of $1.2 million is happening in Crozet for $600,000. PARC have applied for major grants and the PARC should know more in June if the grants will be rewarded. Jo Ann Perkins mentioned that the Arts and Crafts Festival this past weekend was a success and there is another Arts and Crafts planned for October 8th and 9th. Plan to volunteer to help with this community fundraising for the park.
Jarman Gap Road Closure: Tim Tolson reported from a conversation with Lee Catlin that Jarman’s Gap Road will close for about 2 ½ months. This will be a different spot that the last time Jarman’s Gap Road was closed. This is for the box culvert installation where Powell’s Creek crosses Jarman’s Gap Road near Haden Lane.
Green Olive Tree: Jo Ann Perkins reported that the Green Olive Tree had moved its business from Old Towne Shoppes Center to across from Music Today. She thanked the community for their kind donations in items to be resold back to the community. The proceeds from these sales go into many community projects. This is a great place to volunteer.
New Business:
Charlottesville Airport (CHO): Bill Schrader presented a drawing of the airport and the extension of the 800 feet of runaway that is being added. This is costing $39,600,000. He explained the physics of the humidity and the jet fuel for the small regional jets that are the main jets in and out of CHO. On high humidity, high heat days, the current runway is not long enough for safe takeoff, so flights are cancelled. This runway extension is not so larger jets can land and takeoff, they already can. Air Force One landed here for President Obama’s visit. The airport authority is upgrading a lot of their services to attract more airlines and traffic. He compared the difference in cost of flying out of Charlottesville as compared to flying out of Richmond and encourages everyone to compare costs and use their local airport.
Crozet Afghan Fundraising: Doug Castle spoke on designing a Crozet afghan to raise funds. There has already been a Crozet afghan done by the fire company’s ladies auxiliary. Time for another one? More information to come.
Supervisor Update: Ann Mallek sent her regrets at being unable to attend tonight’s meeting. She has spoken with VDOT about changing several speed limits in Crozet entrance corridors for safety reasons, for example along Crozet Avenue near the Meadows entrance.
Correspondence: Thank you note from WARS for the donation from the Swing Dance Fundraising.
WAHS Cross Country: Kim Conley announced that the WAHS Cross Country Team will have a new cross-country trail. June 5th will the first public debut of the trail. She also reminded us of the letter carrier food drive this Saturday.
Fun Run: Heidi Sonen announced May 21st is a Fun Run at Crozet Elementary to raise funds for a counselor at Crozet Elementary.
Fireworks Donation: David Wayland made a motion to amend the March 12 motion about donating $200 to the Crozet Welcome Signs to donate that $200 to the July 4th fireworks fund since the Crozet Welcome signs were now fully paid. The amended motion was seconded by Lisa Goehler, and pass unanimously.
CCAC Meeting: Next Crozet Community Advisory Council (CCAC) meeting is May 19th at the Meadows Community Complex at 7 PM. The meeting will focus on discussing how to foster and get permission for students to walk to school.
A Round Of Thanks: Tim Tolson requested that we show appreciation to Mike Marshall for his four years of dedication as chairman of the CCAC and his guidance of the community through the Master Plan of Crozet. There was a standing ovation for Mike.
Adjournment; The meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM
Jo Ann Z. Perkins, Secretary of the CCA, prepared these minutes
Approved by unanimous vote at the September 8, 2011 CCA meeting.