Community Input Meeting Notes
6/25/2017 1-3:00 pm at Red Tree Coffee Shop

The below notes are brainstorming that occurred during the 6/25 Oakley Community Input Meeting. The OCC Board Members in attendance (Colleen Reynolds and Stacy Lehman) will follow up up on each section discussed, and will give updates/follow up to discussion at next Community Input meeting (goal to have these meetings every 2-3 months). The below topics were brought up by residents in Oakley in attendance to the meeting. These meetings have the goal of providing further discussion after OCC meetings as well as hearing from our neighbors, and giving residents an opportunity to share their stories, concerns, or ideas to improve our neighborhood.

1. Community Gardens: Residents discussed many benefits to community gardens (increase sense of community and stewardship, get to know others from various life stages/backgrounds, learn about different groups/clubs/activities in the community, increase eyes on the street/more people visible around town). Community member Lisa Staggenborg shared her experience in her previous neighborhood and the overwhelming benefits their community garden had to the neighborhood. Cincinnati Civic Gardens also helpful in starting community gardens. Four things needed for a successful garden: Access to parking, water, sunlight, flat piece of land. Would be a citizen ran program, plots would be paid for by residents. Looking into feasible public property in Oakley that would work for this use.

2. Citizen Watch Program: Community member Cathryn Isaac would like to lead Citizen Watch program. Ideas include creating a schedule for folks to walk in groups of 3 in the neighborhood certain times of the night (also picking up trash, while they are patrolling) to increase citizen presence on our streets. She has already gauged interests from the community on NextDoor and has organized a meeting to take place 7/27. OCC board is contacting officers Princess Davis/Shawn Tarvin to see about the possibility of an extra training for Oakley for the Citizens On Patrol Program, logistics, safety of volunteers, etc. to share with Cathryn.

3. Community Engagement: Below are several ideas from the community as well as OCC Board Members to improve community engagement and neighborhood involvement:

    -Periodic updates from Oakley Library at OCC meetings and work on stronger relationship with library overall. Discuss with librarian possibility for historical Oakley section, “Oakley Stories” showcasing historical information about the neighborhood. Partner with Historical Society for neighborhood tours (suggested historical ghost tour in October). Stacy Lehman to meet with librarian to discuss above ideas as well as invite to OCC meeting.

    - Street Ambassador Program. Discussion of how to engage neighbors and parts of our community that are not reached at OCC meetings and/or through social media. How can we be better neighbors, and how to make our neighborhood safer. Plan to initiate a program to connect neighbors and improve engagement/involvement in Oakley. Good feedback from community at meeting, more information and details to be shared at upcoming OCC meeting. Date TBD.

    - Great American Clean Up in late summer/early fall date TBD to address some of the neighborhood’s concerns for areas with higher need for clean up.

    - Movie night on the Square date TBD and details to come. Colleen Reynolds looking into cost/logistics/etc.