Mistletoe Heights Neighborhood Association Meeting

May 19, 2015 @ 7:00 – 8:30pm

Attendees:

Officers: Josh Lindsay, Chad Jung, Jeri Jo Blackmon, Valerie Ewing, Mary Peipert.
Neighbors: 19

Special Guest Speakers: Rita Beving, Jessica Latchaw, Jacob Browning

Host: The Ewing’s residence at 1303 Mistletoe Drive

7:08 pm Meeting started with Josh Lindsay, Mistletoe Heights Association President, introducing the special guests: Jessica Latchaw is with Blue Zones, Rita Beving is with the Clean Water Fund and Jacob Browning is the Community Engagement Liaison for the City Manager’s Office.

7:11 pm Rita Beving, the first guest invited to speak at the meeting, is the North Texas Coordinator for the Clean Water Fund.  She provided a slide show presentation discussing water efficiency strategies to help conserve water.  Handouts listed plants that save water (Xeriscape).  Why conserve? Despite recent rains, drought is an ever present reality due to decreasing rainfall and increasing evaporation. Reservoirs are old water conservation concepts and the most inexpensive.  Water desalinization is the most expensive form of getting water. In January 2015 our water bill increased and it is predicted to rise annually.  Municipal use is the greatest use of water with 60% being from outdoor irrigation.  If you change your lawn sprinkler to water the lawn “manually” instead of automatically, it will save 35% more water.  Irrigating lawns exceeds irrigating crops. Rita Beving provided pamphlets at the meeting detailing much of her presentation.

Contact info: rita.beving@gmail.com and www.cleanwaterfund.org  phone: 214-557-2271

7:46 pm Jessica Latchaw, Blue Zones Neighborhood Specialist, spoke next.  Blue Zones will be in Fort Worth for 5 years (3.5 years remaining).  Fort Worth is the first large city in the U.S. to take on this project.  The purpose is to encourage changes to our community that lead to healthier options. Why the name?  Research began by pinpointing areas around the world where people were living the longest and those areas were circled with a blue pen: Loma Linda, CA is the only such area to exist in the U.S. Others are Icaria (Greece), Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica).  The people inhabiting Blue Zones share common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity.  She stated that longevity is 80% environment and 20% genetics.  The Power of 9: nine principles inspired by the people who have lived the longest: move naturally, wake up with a purpose, down shift, 80% rule, etc (see the website for additional details). www.BlueZonesProject.com. 

Contact info: Jessica.Latchaw@healtways.com

8:11pm

1. Call to Order – minutes from the last meeting held by the officers in April 2015 were distributed.  A motion was made to accept the minutes from the last meeting with motion seconded and approved.  Jeri Jo Blackmon mentioned that the minutes were printed in the last newsletter. 

2. Soundwall/Berm update: Irrigation system will be installed by the city this Fall 2015.  The city will also provide trees but we are responsible for planting them. Construction will also begin soon that will shorten the corner at Mistletoe Drive and Rosedale to allow for more plants and trees in that area.  As for the berm; a neighbor proposed an idea that might reduce transient activity.  His idea was to extend the Trinity Trail path to the top of the berm and create a path along the high point all the way to Buck.  A drawing will be done to incorporate this plan including path and tree placement so that the irrigation can be placed accordingly.  A motion was made to draw a plan with the motion seconded and approved.    

3. Pedestrian Bridge: pushed back to 2016.

4. Jason’s Deli: the initial plan was to have a wall between the street and the restaurant; this is not complete yet but is in progress.  There may be a soft opening this weekend so look for it.

5. Newby Park Movie Night was cancelled and the new date is yet to be determined.

6. Banquet on the Boulevard Part II: This is a block party from 7-11pm between Forest Park Blvd and Jerome on Mistletoe Blvd.  The street will be closed off.  All Mistletoe Heights neighbors are invited.

8:25 pm Mary Ellen Peipert mentioned that the next Newsletter will not be out until July 1^st.

8:28 pm Jeri Jo Blackmon mentioned the July 4^th party at the Triangle.  There will be two bounce houses: one for young children and one for older children. There will also be snow cones. Treasury report: the people who have contributed so far will be in the next newsletter. 

8:31 pm Meeting adjourned.