Meeting Minutes for June 2023

Meeting Minutes from the Bemis Park Neighborhood Association meeting for June 13, 2023

Attendees at tonight’s meeting, which began at 6:30 p.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church. A total of 12 people attended:

Club budget: Treasurer Dave B reported that the account had $18,547.55, much of which is from the $24,000 in grant money the club has received to pay for ongoing upgrades to the Walnut Hill Reservoir baseball diamond.

Here are the four grants we received, due largely to Mary M’s hard work applying for them:

• ●  College World Series: $12,500

• ●  Mayor's Neighborhood Grant: $5,000

• ●  Midtown Neighborhood Alliance: $ 1,500

• ●  Omaha Community Foundation: $ 5,000

  Because Mary M’s grant application efforts were more successful than anticipated, the club is also looking into adding new bleachers that fit current codes, and donating the current one to a Benson Little League field that doesn’t have bleachers.

  Garage sale and neighborhood cleanup:

  The garage sale run by Arlene C and other club members held in tandem with the clean up day brought in $150. There were also a lot of neighbors pleased to swap some of their items and at the conclusion Goodwill took everything not worth tossing into the garbage. Next time the club decided it would do more advertising and potentially try to coordinate with neighbors. The idea was that neighbors running their own garage sales would give a percentage of what they earned, and then whatever did not sell they could also have Goodwill take away. In addition to offering that idea, Vicki P advised putting signs on 33rd and Cumming streets and 33rd and Hamilton streets in order to get exposure to drivers passing through. There's going to be another cleanup day in the fall.

  Get ON my lawn!

  Vicki P also proposed the club potentially start a program with OPPD to pay kids a stipend to rake leaves in the fall and shovel snow from driveways in the winter. She’d been involved in one in the past that proved successful, she said. Mary M thought the InCommon community center might be interested in reaching out to teens in the area to participate. It also helps different generations to connect while solving a neighborhood problem, Vicki said.

  Goodbye to Vice President Megan H

Megan H, our vice president officially resigned after moving out to the neighborhood and into Dundee. So Mark Z took over the role for the remainder of her term this year.

Helping Hawthorne Rise

The meeting concluded after President Joe P let members know the owners at 3506 Hawthorne Ave, are seeking city approval to add a building with an indoor pool, creating a six-car garage and additional rooms.

Free money, if you qualify:

Omaha's Exterior Repair Program:

Program sponsors are offering forgivable loans to low and moderate-income homeowners residing east of 72nd Street to repair roofs, porches/decks, doors, windows, siding, foundations, and the removal of lead-based paint hazards. To take advantage of this opportunity, interested homeowners must complete a pre-application form by June 30.

The completed pre-application form can be emailed to joyce.stevens@cityofomaha.org or submitted via mail or drop-off to 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 1111, Omaha, NE 68183, attention: Joyce Stevens. If you have questions, planning staff will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. for open office hours on June 27th and June 29th, from on the 11th floor of 1819 Farnam St., or contact Alyssa Silhacek at alyssa.silhacek@cityofomaha.org or 402-444-5150 ext. 2017 before June 30.

A limited number of projects will be chosen for completion this fall, and if you’re not chosen, your application will be reconsidered the following spring. Initial selection of eligible projects will occur on July 19th, with full applications due by August 2nd. The projects will be evaluated based on their impact and proposed improvements. Rehabilitation projects are anticipated to commence on November 1st. To learn more about this program read this brochure.

Covid-19 Assistance

The Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund (NHAF) provides relief to pandemic-impacted homeowners who experienced a COVID-19 related financial hardship that began or continued after January 21, 2020.

• ●  Qualified homeowners who also meet certain income limits may receive up to $40,000 in assistance.

• ●  Up to $40,000 of assistance is available for past-due mortgage payments, past-due utility and internet payments, past-due real estate taxes, HOA dues, and homeowners or flood insurance.

• ●  Homeowners who apply after June 30 may join an online waitlist. If funds are available, priority will be given to waitlist applicants facing an active foreclosure.

• ●  Learn more at NebraskaHAF.com.

Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything except a great movie

I know some of you are “worried” you might have missed May’s meeting minutes.

There were no minutes from May, as the club decided to host a viewing of the movie "Devil's Clouds” about the tornado May 9 at Augustana Lutheran Church. Thanks to Arlene C for the great idea of us watching it and bringing popcorn!

Meeting notes submitted by BPNA Secretary Patrick Garmoe