January 25th 2005

Hi Everyone.

Well, I'm pseudo back from maternity leave and wanted to send a neighborhood update e-mail. There has been quite a bit going on. In April 2004, many of you participated in the Neighborhood Assessment Project in tandem with the Department of Neighborhoods. The results of that survey and the meeting with that arm of Metro Gov have been compiled and will soon be posted on the www.bnainc.org site. In a nutshell, a lot of what we said through the surveys at that time, is being addressed through the Preston Corridor revitalization effort.
However, there were two major themes not being addressed in that effort.
One of which was the request for a BNA newsletter and the continuance of the annual picnic. So, it is our hope to create two committees to address these specific events. Rhonda Henning is heading up the newsletter effort and we are still in need of a leader for the annual event committe. Some suggested this event be held around the blooming of the Iris's in the neighborhood. Some liked the informal gathering in October. So there are things to consider. If anyone is interested in leading the annual picnic committee, please let me know. I will assist on both committees, but cannot lead them at this time. The Metro United Way has offered us $2500 in support of our efforts to fulfill our goals foudn during the assessment project. We can have this money so long as we raise the match. Again, we are getting big and we need a leader for this fund raising piece as well.

Last August, myself and members of the Preston Corridor coordinating meeting met with the Mayor and his staff to garner his/their support for the effort to transform the negative image related to the corridor between Hess Lane and Phillips Lane. He was moved by our presentation and saw that $130,000 was set aside in the bond budget as seed money for the effort. This month the architectural firm, Gresham Smith, was assigned to our corridor. Please plan to attend the next corridor meeting at 7pm tomorrow 1/26 at Audubon Trad Elem School.

This past November our neighborhood was one of two spotlighted that the annual Mayor's Neighborhood Summit. Rhonda Henning helped to get or neighborhood taped for the event and I gave a small speech at the key note ceremony. We were also highlighted in the Common Thread magazine issued y the Dept of Neighborhoods.

So, things are REALLY good. Please let me know if you are interested in being a part of the 3 above-mentioned efforts specifically related to our neighborhood.

Liz D. Martin