JPCC meeting – April 11, 2011
Hosted by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington
30 people in attendance.
Board members in attendance: Ryan Curran, Ryan Morgan, Judith Levine, Wendy Hathaway, Paul Byron
Crane, Cary Davis and Margo Robb (secretary).
Any edits to these minutes can be sent to margorobb@speakeasy.net
I.
II.
Introductions
Judkins Park Events
 Shakespeare in the Park – Opportunity for a big neighborhood picnic
 Stan Locke and Randy Wiger attended from the city – Contact at our neighborhood
center at Jackson and 23rd and Parks & Rec, respectively. Randy will send list of events
in the area – includes Uwoja (8/6-7), West Africa in the First World. Could be good to
partner with them. Other events: Juneteenth on 18th in Pratt Park, Good Vibe Concert
around mid-July at Lavazzo, Central Area Community Festival around August 20 at
Garfield, Black Dollar Jazz at Powell Barnett and Pratt Parks, Banadori (Seafare).
 Randy will send a schedule of the athletic fields. There is a skate park in the works.
 Meg Olsen from the Colman Park Association attended. She talked about the Friends of
Judkins Park. There is a levy opportunity fund, through Pomegranate funded by Tully’s.
Brainstorm what we could do in the park. Need 8-10 people to hash out plans. Ryan
Curran, Alex Wakeman and Margo Robb put their names in to be a part of the group.
 Ideas for Judkins Park – Giant August Night Out, monthly Games Day (on a Saturday or
Sunday) – play games and then potluck, Friday Night Kickball (pick-up), Outdoor movies
at the Park (for $750, partyoutfitters.com and getting permission to show these movies
at swank.com ($350 for newer titles, less for older titles). Maybe show local
independent filmmakers?
 There are small SPARK grants ($100) available for activities – there is a 6 week turn
around time.
 Christa Thomas was interested in the sculptures and background about them. Randy
said this information could be found in matching fund files.
 Randy put out a warning to dog owners in the area to put their dogs on leash. He
requested that patrollers come as many neighbors aren’t leashing their dogs. There is
Blue Dog Off-leash park off Massachusetts (this time of year it is a mud pit, though).
Suggested maybe some A-frame signs directing people to Blue Dog. Contact COLA—
Citizens for Off-Leash Areas.
 Paul Crane asked about the tennis courts – the only way they will get refurbished if
enough people call to complain about their state. John Martin, Parks crew chief, would
be 1st point of contact. (Where does the money come from?)
III.
IV.
V.
Solar Power
 Presentation by Martin Blunt about solar roof structures. Barb from Cohousing invited
him as Cohousing is investigating the possibility of installing some panels.
 No sales tax on equipment right now. In 2 years, there will be sales tax. There is a
$2250 solar panel incentive through July 2020. Also, tax credit. Electric rates will be
going up in the next decade from 9 cents to 19 cents.
 Estimated panels of 100 sq feet provide 1000 hours of electrical power a year.
 Bi-monthly meeting at REI. Information available at solarwashington.org.
 Question about retrofitting. They don’t typically mess with the roofing so as not to
interfere with the warranty on roofs.
Earthquake Preparedness
 Emily Clark attended a meeting at the Douglass-Truth Library and brought information
to our meeting about what we should be doing to prepare for an earthquake.
 Recommended: 3 days supplies as emergency sites will take some time to get up and
running. Water, radio, first aid, light, clothing and blankets, sturdy shoes by bed. Also
speciality items: medication, information, comfort items, photographs, money,
 Our neighborhood crisis center is at Garfield Community Center.
 Suggested that neighbors reach out to other neighbors to form a knowledge base –
where are the gas turn-off valves in people’s houses, who might need extra help. Also
know about neighborhood resources – who is a doctor or nurse? Who has a chainsaw,
crowbars, etc.
 Go under something (standing in a doorway is not longer recommended). Don’t go
outside. When ground shakes: drop, cover, hold (Under table/desk, inside wall of
house, corner, column, or between rows of chairs (Beneath, Beside, Between). Be away
from windows.
 Who will help us? We have to help ourselves. Look in neighborhood for injury and need
for water. Cell phones will not be working.
DESC
 Concern from neighbors about the inclusion of DESC’s center in our neighborhood. The
vote to support the Good Neighborhood Agreement on the JPCC council was 4 in favor,
2 opposed and 2 abstaining. Neighbors asked the board members to explain their votes.