February, 1999
	A Welcome from Rob Wertz The New NSNA President WELCOME TO ONE AND ALL as I begin my term as president of the North Shore Neighborhood Association. This year will be full of challenges and opportunities for the association, and hopefully a little bit of fun and camaraderie, too. First, many thanks to outgoing president Lane Lastinger for doing such a fine job in 1998. I have inherited a healthy, well-organized, active association. Also, our financial situation has improved markedly, due primarily to the tremendous success of our first-ever Candlelight Tour of Homes. Hats off to all the volunteers who made this holiday event so enjoyable. Thanks also to our outgoing board members for their efforts last year, and congratulations to the three newest board members. We have elected a talented group of individuals who I know will serve you well over the next year. PLEASE BE WATCHING for delivery of your 1999 Neighborhood Survey, which will be delivered to you in February or March. The survey gives you, the residents of North Shore, a chance to voice your opinions on what you would like this neighborhood to look like in the future. The survey will be key to revising our Neighborhood Plan, the guiding document for how North Shore will grow and change over the next few years. Both the City and the Association will use the revised plan to help guide improvements and development activities. But your input is needed beyond just filling out this survey. I urge you to voice your opinions on other matters which concern this neighborhood and may not be addressed in this questionnaire. Come to the Association's general meetings, talk to the board members, and become a member of one of the committees in an area that interests you. The health and vitality of the association and the neighborhood ultimately rest with its residents. I look forward to serving you this year and eagerly await your participation. Return to NSNA Home Page | Return to Archives
	New Board Brings New Faces JOYCE FREY, who in 1998 missed election to the NSNA Board of Directors by one vote, this year was the top vote getter for the same position. In all, 88 ballots were cast in the annual election held on January 18. Ms. Frey, who received 71 votes, is the executive director of a retirement community and has board experience with other organizations. Others elected to the board, all for one-year terms, were outgoing president Lane Lastinger, 68 votes; Greg Burton, 67; Steve Lange, 64, Debra Roman, 64; Debra Disch, 52; and Jackie Guensler, 48. Mr. Burton and Ms. Guensler are new to the board, as is Ms. Frey. Three other candidates missed election by just a few votes. They were Kate Hawk, 47 votes; and Arlene Bartley and Cliff Gephart, 45 votes each. The candidates for officer positions were unopposed. They were Bruce Denson, president-elect; Mary-Alice Lange, secretary, and Jim O'Donnell, treasurer. The new NSNA president is Rob Wertz, who as the 1998 president-elect, took over his new position automatically. Likewise, Mr. Denson will become president in January, 2000. ONE OF THE THINGS that through the last decade has distinguished the NSNA from many similar organizations, is that the board has constantly been refreshed with new members. A check through past election results shows that 50 individuals have served as officers or board members since 1990. On average, individuals have served for two or three years. Perhaps most important is that nine individuals have served as president. Mary-Alice Lange is the only person to have held the office twice, in 1992 and 1994. (The NSNA bylaws do not allow a person to succeed him or herself as president. After a year away from the job, though, a person can run again.) Ms. Lange is also distinguished in serving most often on the board or as an officer. She has served as president, president-elect, secretary or board member from 1990 through 1994, and from 1997 into 1999. The next most active member during the decade was Jim McGarvey, who served as treasurer or board member from 1991 through 1996. Although no longer on the board, Mr. McGarvey is still active in the association. Newsletter editor Timothy J. Baker served in various positions from 1993 through 1997. Several people served for four-year stretches. Return to NSNA Home Page | Return to Archives
	Tour of Homes is Tour de Force By Deborah Mitrovka 1998 Candlelight Tour Chair WOW! BRAVO! WONDERFUL! GREAT! You are having this again next year, right? Those were just a few of the comments I received on the evening of the tour, and for many weeks after. The first annual Old Northeast Candlelight Tour of Homes was held on Sunday, December 20th, and it was a beautiful evening for a holiday home tour. Commitment to a successful first tour, and many hours of work, came from dozens of volunteers. The home committee set its goals high and exceeded all of them. We did not know if we would have 200 or 2,000 of our neighbors and those from out of town who would come out to enjoy and celebrate with us, but we did have a count of more than 700 that night. This single event was the most profitable fundraising event in the history of the organization. We doubled our treasury in one night! The homeowners who graciously opened their doors for the evening felt it was all worth the time they spent preparing their homes in the spirit of the holiday season. Several stated they would do it again in a heartbeat. The 10 houses that were open for the tour, including three bed and breakfasts, were all prime examples of the diversity of home styles we have in the North Shore neighborhood. The neighborhood has hundreds of historically significant homes that have undergone a rebirth in the last several years. You realize how important that is when you have an event like a home tour, and see the homeowners' pride in their restoration efforts. Also, to hear from the tour attendees how great the houses are and how beautiful the neighborhood is, just reinforces the importance of having the home tours, and having residents offer their homes to be selected for future tours. IT WAS ALSO GREAT to see other groups join in on the festivities of the evening. We had hayriders traveling down our brick streets and carolers strolling with candles for all of us to be reminded of the true feeling of neighborhood community. We want to encourage many more church and community groups to get involved next year with us. In closing, I want to tell you one of the comments that stayed with me from the tour experience. An Old Northeast resident said to me that this tour made her feel so proud of her neighborhood, and it felt so good to say "yes" I do live in the Old Northeast, and "yes" it is a great place to live. So, with that thought I personally look forward to our second annual holiday tour of homes, and for those of you that missed out this year, go ahead right now and mark your calendars for the Sunday evening before Christmas 1999! See a report from Greg Burton, one of the homeowners who took part in the parade. Return to NSNA Home Page | Return to Archives Back to top of page