About 40 residents attended the Mentelle Neighborhood Association’s general membership meeting Oct. 26 at Ashland Elementary School, which included the election of officers.
Elected for the calendar year 2017 were: Shelly Fortune, president; Linda Worley, vice president; Tom Eblen, secretary; Richard Coles, treasurer; and board members Elaine Cook, Bethany Baxter, Shelby Reynolds, Jessica Mohler and Ann Olliges.
Officers reviewed the past year’s highlights, which included:
- The association got a new website, which includes a blog for news updates. Eventually, the association hopes it will replace the more costly and less timely printed newsletter. Residents can sign up for email alerts whenever a news item is posted. So far, 90 people have signed up.
- A state historical marker was placed in the Mentelle Park median to commemorate the entire neighborhood’s history as well as the history of the nearby Mentelle School, where Mary Todd Lincoln was a student.
- Neighborhood identification signs have been posted at many entrances to the area. Some signs are still pending because of right-of-way issues.
- The association sponsored several well-attended neighborhood social events in the past year, including a beer tasting, the summer picnic and the Easter egg hunt and book swap.
- There has been an increase in association membership. There are now 76 life member households and 22 annual members. Anyone interested in membership should contact Richard Coles.
- Jake Gibbs, the 3rd District Urban County Council member, awarded the association a $1,500 grant for street-tree planting. That is $500 more than in recent years. Since 2012, the association and city have provided matching grants to help Mentelle residents plant 45 trees. Nine more trees are scheduled to be planted, and money is available for six more. If you are interested in getting matching funds to plant a street tree, contact Elaine Cook.
Other items of note:
- Speed tables are being considered for Aurora and Given avenues and Bullock Place as the result of a recent city traffic study.
- The board is working with the city and the J.M. Smucker Co. to address noise coming from the Jif peanut butter plant at night. Several residents have complained.
- The board met recently with the owners of Cosmic Charlie’s, a music club moving to National Avenue. It was a positive meeting, and the owners said they want to work with the neighborhood to avoid problems with traffic or noise.
- An updated neighborhood directory will be published soon.
- This year’s neighborhood home tour, which was to have been in September, was canceled because not enough residents could open their homes. Shelly Fortune said she hopes to organize another tour in 2018. (Mentelle had its first home tour in 2014, and it made about $3,000 for neighborhood projects.) Mentelle alternates home tour years with the Kenwick Neighborhood Association. Shelly also asked for suggestions of other fundraising ideas for the association.
- Richard reported that the association is in good financial condition, with $7,994.14 in the bank. A financial report is available upon request.
Following the meeting, David O’Neill, Fayette County’s property valuation administrator, discussed his process for reassessing home values. State law requires reassessments every four years, and Mentelle Neighborhood is scheduled to be reassessed in 2017 and 2018. He said to watch for an assessment notice in the mail after April 15. If you do not receive a notice in the mail, you can check your property information on Fayettepva.com. Please check it for accuracy. The deadline for correcting or contesting an assessment is the third Monday in May.
State Sen. Reginald Thomas attended the meeting and urged residents to sign up for email updates from his office.