On behalf of the incoming AWCC Executive Board I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! It’s looking like another exciting year in our neighborhood and the Board members are ready to get to work.
We want to acknowledge exiting Board Members – Elaine Stone, Tim Zinn, Carol Gomrick, Fran Barbush and Dan Adam – and thank them for their many hours of service to AWCC and their efforts working with new Board members to ensure a smooth transition. John Desantis will continue on the AWCC Executive Board as Past President, but deserves a particular mention and thank you for his work as President over the past two years. John obviously is passionate about our neighborhood, he has generously given his time and knowledge, as well as his home, to protect and advance the neighborhood vision. This is true not only of his recent term as President, but for many years before and many to come – thank you, John!
During the transition to the new year and new board there are ongoing projects that will need AWCC involvement without a pause. A couple examples of these are CCAC’s proposed new Workforce Development Center and the Southern Norfolk Railroad raised tracks proposal. As the 2019 Housing and Planning Chair, Ashley Webb will have a lot on his plate and will look to us for input and support.
Cathy Serventi, 2019 AWCC Treasurer, is another Board Member with a full plate right away. The beginning of the year marks the beginning of the budgeting process. This year, Cathy and the Finance Committee will be working on ways to make this process, and the subsequent financial reporting, a little clearer and easier to understand.
Allegheny West Civic Council budget, non-budget expenditures, support or non-support of projects affecting us, to name a few examples, is determined by vote of the membership. I would encourage everyone to become familiar and participate so that the voice of Allegheny West truly reflects the majority of residents in Allegheny West.
Allegheny West Civic Council membership meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm at Calvary Church. With everything else in our lives, it’s hard to allocate time for neighborhood meetings – can you make every other meeting? One a quarter? What do you need to stay up-to-date on the things you’re concerned about? I’d love to hear from you – drop a note to president@alleghenywest.org and let me know what you’re thinking. Keep in mind though, you have to attend a meeting and vote to have your opinion officially counted.
Ann Gilligan
President, AWCC