Minutes for Be the Change Baederwood meeting May 13, 2009
 
Introduction by Meg Sheketoff
 
Approximately 30 people were in attendance.
 
Candidates for Cheltenham Commissioner contest spoke
 
Jeff Muldawer - Ward 4 Spoke about his  years of service, Wyncote residency, availability, tenure openness and wanted the opportunity to continue his work in the township.
Kathy Hampton - Ward 4 Discussed her desire to fill the post her newness to the township and to politics, her platform will be open and  involved
 
Questions were asked of both candidates from the audience.
 
Art Haywood - Ward 2 discussed his involvement in Educational activities, his background, education and platform of increasing involvement of the constituency.
 
Drew Albert - spokesman for the endorsed Democratic slate candidates for Judge.  He reviewed the names of the candidates, asked for volunteers at the polls.  If interested in reviewing the slate or volunteering, additional information can be found at: http://www.judgeswecanbelievein.com
 
Meg then continued with other items on the agenda
 
Carol Trotman spoke to the group about Educational reform and the importance of the group to embrace this platform.  She discussed academic excellence, education gap, the need for volunteers to participate as tutors, mentors to encourage students, and to engage the students in community service activities.
 
Meg introduced the Steering Committee members and their roles, she reviewed the term for the committee, one year from May 2009 - June 2010.  After six months, November / January, there would be a review of the steering committee and changes in leadership can be made at that time or the members could continue their roles until June 2010.
 
Meg mentioned the Obama social event for June 20. This was put in the parking lot for a vote on whether to have two meetings in June or just one event for the month.
 
Meg introduced the steering committee members.  Clipboards were circulated to solicit volunteer for the various steering committee activities.
 
Marsha Levell, Web master - asked for help with the web page.  Primarily asking members to provide editorial content, information to aid in building & designing the web page.  We reviewed the possible domain names and put them to a vote.  The available choices were:  Baederwoodbethechange, BTCBaederwood, BethechangeBaederwood.  All of the available names would be registered as .com, .org, .net.  The domain name was put to a vote, BethechangeBaederwood .com .net .org was chosen by vote by the group.  Harriet Schiffer suggested using Hostica.com to house the website.
 
Nate Kleinman, Human Rights - Discussed the success of the Lobbying activities with Congresswoman A. Schwartz's representative, Julie Slavet, on Monday May 11 @ 8:30.  Congresswoman Schwartz was thanked for her votes on the Jubilee Act and votes on the Obama budget.  The breadth of this discussion can be found in Nate's email to Ms. Slavet thanking her and recounting the discussion.  
Nate also discussed the process of Lobbying, what it involved why it is important and asking the attendees about any other matters or issues or legislative leaders who we should meet with going forward.  He then discussed the Sister Community and the Agriculture project with heritage seeds.
 
Connie Collins, Community - Discussed upcoming event in May and June.  May 17 a bike event, May 19 the primaries get out and vote, June 10 next meeting date and the June 20 event, an Elkins Park event, the barter board which was discussed on Fox29 News.  A podcast of the Fox29 broadcast was circulated via email.  We voted to only have the social event June 20 and would have our next business meeting July 8.
 
A few of the steering committee members were unable to attend but their names  and their roles were announced.  Debbie Bernstein, Membership; Kathleen Joyce; David McVeigh-Schultz, Environment; Abbie Synan, Secretary.  Connie and Meg reminded the attendees we were still looking for another steering committee member to serve as a liaison to local political groups in Abington, Springfield, Jenkintown & Cheltenham.  The hat was passed around to offset the cost of refreshments and supplies.
 
Next we asked for an update on the Jenkintown train hub construction proposal.
 
Alda McHugh,  attended the meeting earlier in the week regarding the implications and proposed plans for the Jenkintown - Wyncote train station.  The Greenwood Avenue bridge was slated for replacement beginning Fall 2010 regardless of the decisions regarding the J-W train station.  They expect it to take one year to replace the bridge.  Discussions regarding roundabouts vs. traffic lights vs. bike lanes need to be decided.  The decisions regarding this were left to Jenkintown township to decide.  If a roundabout is installed, bicycle riders would have to walk their bikes starting 100 feet prior to approaching the roundabout then they would have to walk their bikes through and over the bridge.  Pedestrians would be prohibited from walking through the roundabout due to traffic.  Jenkintown township agreed to having traffic signals to facillitate pedestrians and cyclists.  There is a 611 Corridor study currently underway to review the impact of converting the J-W station into a transportation hub.  They are considering adding local buses to go from the station to Cheltenham mall through the neighborhood streets, having the 77 bus come into the station area, rebuilding the ticket office, possibly relocating it, installing elevators and stairs reminiscent of Fern Rock. 
It was suggested that BTC members write to local [Ward leaders], county [Joseph Hoeffel, Bruce Castor & James Matthews] , state [Abington: Rep. Josh Shapiro, Rep. Rick Taylor, Rep. Brendan Boyle, Cheltenham, Springfield & Jenkintown: Rep. Lawrence Curry, Hatboro: Rep. Thomas Murt,  Sen. Vincent Hughes, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, Sen. LeeAnn Washington, Gov. Rendell] and federal [Cong. Allison Schwartz, Sen. Arlen Spector & Sen. Bob Casey] legislative members to get them involved in this matter and to elicit their support regarding the appropriate sizing, parking needs, having more trains each hour on the individual train lines to reduce the congestion at J-W station (R2 Warminister, R3 West Trenton, R5 Lansdale/Doylestown).  Also to incorporate the parking area behind the defunct Eckenhouse car dealership into the Noble train station. 
To find your local state senator and state representative go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/county_list.cfm?CNTYLIST=MONTGOMERY
 
For more information regarding the Jenkintown - Wyncote station activities go to the web sites below:
Cheltenham Chamber of Citizens http://www.cheltenhamchamberofcitizens.com/
2005 feasibility study http://www.cheltenhamtownship.org/trainstations/Jenkintown-Wyncote%20-%20Final%2006-14-2005.pdf
SEPTA http://www.septa.com/news/construction/wyncote.html
Philly inquirer article http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20090421_SEPTA_plan_to_build_parking_garage_draws_protest_from_Montco_neighbors.html
Online petition http://www.petitiononline.com/r3dsh03s/petition.html 
 
Next we discussed the defection of Sen. Arlen Spector back to the Democratic Party.  The implications of his defections, what it would mean for Democratic hopefuls who may or may not run against Sen. Spector in the primary.  Sen. Spector has the support of Gov. Rendell, Pres. Obama and other party leaders making it unlikely that other party faithfuls will want to oppose him.
 
The votes for Web name, number of meetings in June and the hat was passed (decisions listed above) were conducted.  Reminders to attendees to collect their seeds for the Heritage seed project with Nate and then the meeting was adjourned.
 
Respectfully submitted by Marsha Levell