Newsletter

The President’s Message

October 23, 2015 / Comments Off / Posted in: November Newsletter 2015, The President's Message

Photo courtesy Raphael Rodolphi

This past September, members of the MBRA board and neighbors, along with Councilman Grayeb, Councilwoman Jensen, city staff, and representatives from Bradley’s Police and Student Affairs office, participated in a walking tour of the MBRA area. We identified Barker Avenue as a street representative of the problems we are encountering within the entire MBRA boundaries – the slow degradation of the integrity of our neighborhood. As we walked down Barker we noted properties, past and existing problems, asked for guidance on what is considered a code violation and how we as a neighborhood should address these issues. Within a few days, Code Enforcement was canvassing the neighborhood and issuing citations.

We followed up the walking tour at our October membership meeting with a presentation from city staff on Code Enforcement. Joe Dulin, Assistant Community Development Director and Raven Fuller, Neighborhood Enhancement Coordinator spoke to those in attendance and provided background on their process, types of things they look for and how we, as individuals within this neighborhood, can and should address issues that we all notice with properties. They outwardly admitted that staff is limited and that citizens can assist code enforcement inspectors by reporting issues to the city. They provided a number of ways to do so.

If you are using a smart phone, the city has an app, Peoria Cares, where you can report on a number of different issues including Zoning. After selecting a category, you can type in the location of the property, provide a description of the problem and even take a photo of the property in question, and send it all directly to the city.

You can also do so through the city’s website, www.peoriagov.org/peoria-cares-ureport/. Or you can report a violation the “ol’ fashion way” by calling Code Enforcement at 309.494.8620. Raven Fuller, who I introduced earlier, is also a good resource for questions or reporting issues to. She can be reached at 309.494.8636 or at rfuller@peoriagov.gov. We will have a demonstration of the app/website at the November membership meeting.

Not everyone shares the values most of us have regarding home ownership and community. And, unfortunately, city budgets over the years have forced a reduction in staff positions. So it is critical for us to assume a specific role in the process of code enforcement. Do not hesitate to immediately reach out to the city if you have a question or when you note a violation. Document violations and forward them on to the board after reporting them to the city so that we can ensure that specific issues are being addressed.

Finally, I would like to invite you to the November membership meeting to not only view a demonstration of the Peoria Cares app/website but to also discuss the traffic concerns and issues present on Moss Ave and the surrounding streets. There is a continuous issue with volume, speed and aggressiveness of drivers. Scheduled to attend this meeting will be city staff including Public Works and the Peoria Police Department. If you have concerns, I strongly urge you to attend.

The President’s Message

October 12, 2015 / Comments Off / Posted in: October Newsletter 2015, The President's Message

Greetings everyone and welcome to Fall!

And welcome to a new chapter in the communications for the Moss Bradley Residential Association. For the past few years, this newsletter and accompanying website have been produced and maintained by Carolina and Steve Erke. Before that, by Kelly Kolton. As life is forever moving and changing, so it has for the Erke’s who we thank for their years of dedication to enhancing the communication of our membership. We wish them well with their business ventures.

As one chapter closes, another begins. I’d like to introduce all of you to our new “team” that will handle a variety of communications for our organization.

Colleen Johnson and Mary Ann Armbruster will be handling the responsibility of producing the monthly newsletter and Sarah Gruber will manage our Facebook page. We thank them for stepping up and taking on these responsibilities. It’s an important role they all play in our organization.

This summer has been atypical as we usually take a hiatus from membership meetings and board activities. However, this summer brought us a number of items that involved both entities.

The most notable, Washington School, called for two special membership meetings to review and ultimately accept the plan from Sam Mach and his wife, Thai Lam Phung, for a Buddhist Temple to inhabit the former school.

On Tuesday, September 8th, City Council approved the sale and authorized the City Manager to draft and execute the purchase contract. Mr. Mach now must perform his due diligence and close on the property.

We will continue to work with the city and Mr. Mach on the establishment of the temple. I know we all hope for this to be a success and add another layer to our already diverse neighborhood.

Brian

The President’s Message

May 5, 2015 / Comments Off / Posted in: May Newsletter 2015, The President's Message

May signals the end of another “membership year” which is highlighted by our Annual Pot Luck Dinner. There are a number of items to touch upon as we come to this point of time.

First, we all need to extend our thanks to two members who have served in leadership roles on the MBRA board. Jim Evenhuis and Dr. Jim Adams will be moving off of the board. Both have made major contributions and assumed leadership roles during their terms. Dr. Adams had served as Treasurer while Jim has served as Vice President and President. On behalf of all of us-thank you for your dedication and leadership!

This departure opens the door for two new board members who are certain to bring a new voice to MBRA. These individuals, along with the slate of officers, will be presented for membership approval at the Annual Meeting on May 6th.

The summer will also bring a number of activities. The city of Peoria will be supplying a dumpster for a neighborhood clean up on Saturday, May 16th, from 8 AM – Noon in the 1600 block of West Barker.

The 35th Annual Moss Avenue Antique Sale & Festival takes place on Saturday, June 13th from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. And we have our annual July 4th celebration planned for Saturday, July 4th, starting at noon on the grounds of the Pettengill-Morron Moron House. Along with this celebration will be the children’s bike parade and the dedication of a new monument at Tri-Corn Park.

As a reminder, there are no membership meetings June – August. We will return to our meeting on Wednesday, September 2nd. Our program that evening will include presentations from the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and Steve Fairbanks, Neighborhood Development Specialist, City of Peoria. Our membership meeting for October will include a presentation from Joe Dulin, Zoning and Code Enforcement with the City of Peoria. Joe will be talking about a number of items including renters and landlords – and answering questions – which I am certain we will have a number of.

Enjoy the summer!

Brian

The President’s Message

March 3, 2015 / Comments Off / Posted in: March Newsletter 2015, The President's Message

A neighborhood has a profound impact on one’s quality of life, yet it is difficult to define. At its best, it fosters a sense of place and encourages social interaction.

As we all look at what we all call “our neighborhood”, what makes it great? A truly great neighborhood is one in sync with your current lifestyle.

Forbes.com recently listed a number of components common to ALL great neighborhoods. Here are some of those components, listed in no particular order:

Pride in ownership

All great neighborhoods have this in common. Pride in ownership is obvious when the residents… “maintain their homes and care about their neighborhood.” Neighbors participate to connect and create local groups that bring the residents together for the betterment of the area.

Low crime rate

Low crime rates give a neighborhood a sense of ease and calm. As safety and security are everyone’s concern, crime is a quick way to tell if a neighborhood is improving or not. You can usually spot a transitional and improving neighborhood by the improvement or decline in its crime rates.

Outdoor activities abound

Being close to the outdoor adventures you love can sweeten the appeal of your neighborhood. Being super close to places to jog, or pedal can keep you riding high about your home. Proximity and access to tennis courts and golf courses are also qualities that keep your neighborhood on par.

Access to medical care

This is important for all residents, but especially for seniors and retirees looking to find that perfect place to retire and for families with young children. Being close enough to get to a hospital or doctor’s office quickly is key for many people in various stages of their lives.

Family friendly

Lots of other families in the neighborhood are a real draw for buyers with children. There are more opportunities for children to play, socialize, and make lifelong friends. Carpooling groups and other children’s programs are much more accessible when the neighborhood is overflowing with kiddos.

Close to public transportation

Easy access to public transportation is a fantastic plus for a neighborhood and an amenity for almost any lifestyle. From a commuting millennial to a retiree who wants to keep the car at home, public transit is a solid upgrade to any neighborhood.

Walkability

Being able to leave the car keys at home and hit the pavement to walk to markets, shopping, restaurants, parks, and all the other amenities your neighborhood has to offer can alleviate a lot of road rage … and make you fall even deeper in love with your neighborhood.

Richard Florida, a noted urban theorist stated, “And then the most important factor is what I call the quality of the neighborhood itself. Does it have trees? Does it have open space? Does it preserve its historic architecture? In other words, does it have some kind of physical beauty? This quality, the aesthetic character, is the number one factor in making a great neighborhood.

So, how great is our neighborhood?

Brian Buralli

The President’s Message

February 1, 2015 / Comments Off / Posted in: February Newsletter 2015, The President's Message

The Benefits of a Walkable Neighborhood

Envision a warm summer day – probably not difficult to do in early February. As you do, take a look at all the people out on the sidewalks walking, running or biking.

I walk through our neighborhood nearly every day, sometimes with my wife, always with my two dogs. As I do, I see a lot of people doing the same, out for a simple stroll with their dogs and of course the ever-present runners. A recent stroll along Moss Avenue and through the neighborhood got me thinking about how walkable our neighborhood really is.

I am certain you’ve heard the term “walkable” used in the media before. The city of Peoria is working to make many sections of our city “walkable” including the Main Street corridor. Besides being an economic driver, a walkable neighborhood is more importantly a quality of life issue.

Walkability is defined as a measure of how friendly an area is to walking. Walkability has many health, environmental, and economic benefits. Factors influencing walkability include the presence of sidewalks or other pedestrian rights-of-way, traffic, and safety, among others.

Walkable neighborhoods are great on many levels. A recent study probed how walks mitigate aging and stimulate our minds even if one has degenerative problems. A daily walk or two improves mental acuity and vitalizes the walker. Walking is particularly useful as a daily activity of aging adults and seems to keep cognitive decline at bay. My guess is that this also help with the cognitive functions of not-so-elderly adults and children as well.

And it goes without saying that a walkable neighborhood contributes to the physical well being of our neighbors. People who live in neighborhoods that are conducive to walking experienced a substantially lower rate of obesity, overweight and diabetes than those who lived in more auto-dependent neighborhoods, according to a pair of studies presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 74th Scientific Sessions®. Health benefits abound!

Having a destination worth walking to in the neighborhood is another advantage and will inspire more walks.

A nice, walkable neighborhood is a tremendous value that cannot be quantified by calculating transportation and time savings. The positive impacts on the community, environment and health are priceless.

Brian Buralli

The President’s Message

November 26, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: December Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

December 2014 Greetings friends & neighbors!

The holidays are here and with that comes a fast approach to the end of another year. We’ve seen a good deal go on within our neighborhood…a lot of activity.

The year started quietly but picked up quickly as Spring arrived.

The application by Westminster church for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of a digital sign began a long journey in April. Well intentioned discussions and very honest and open dialogue with the team from Westminster has shown us how “neighbors” should address disagreements. However, we remain in disagreement over the application. This situation will play itself out over the coming months as the issue is slated for final resolution at either the meeting in December or January. We, as an organization, will stand in opposition of the application.

May brought us our annual membership Pot Luck Dinner and meeting which had record attendance. We also saw the Peoria Marathon literally run through our neighborhood. We received a number of accolades from the event organizer regarding our hospitality and support.

Holiday Party 2014 Early June saw the 34th Annual Moss Avenue Antique Sale & Festival bloom into a great success. With record participation and attendance, the event will help MBRA with its annual Hanging of the Greens as well as help seed further re-investment into our neighborhood.

Past re-investment activities have included antique stop sign posts and purchasing shares in the Moss Bradley Revolving Fund. Tentative plans for this year’s proceeds are to continue to invest in antique stop sign posts further into the neighborhoods and with a few more successful sales continue that process until the entire Moss Bradley neighborhood has these stop sign posts.

July brought us two items of note: The Annual Fourth of July concert and interest in the old Washington School location. A beautiful summer day greeted nearly 150 neighbors as we savored Spotted Cow ice cream, children rode ponies and we all listened to the Peoria Pops.

This was quickly followed by a membership meeting to discuss two RFP’s that had been presented to the City of Peoria for the purchase of Washington School -most notably from Montessori School. A presentation was held followed by a vibrant question and answer session. Membership voted on approval of the RFP which was presented to the City of Peoria and then approved by the city council. The purchase of Washington School by Montessori is still in process as the team from Montessori works through a number of challenges that have arisen. It continues to be their hope to complete the purchase and begin school in the fall of 2015.

Much has happened this year and we all have a lot to be thankful for. I invite all of you to attend our Annual Holiday party which takes place on Friday, December 5th at the home of Jim Adams. Details for this event can be found within the newsletter. And don’t forget to take part in the Peoria Historical Society’s “Splendor of Christmas Past”, a tour of five historical homes in two historic districts of Peoria. The tours take place on Saturday, December 6th and Sunday December 7th. You can find more information within this newsletter or by visiting the PHS website at peoriahistoricalsociety.org.

From the Board of Directors for the Moss Bradley Residential Association, we wish all of you a Happy Holidays and prosperous New Year!

Brian Buralli

The President’s Message

November 3, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: November Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

Communication.

The secret of success in any large organization is good communication. Associations like ours is no different. Organizations that have good means of communicating usually end up with a more informed and happier membership.

The means of communication available to us are include our monthly newsletters, our annual meeting, monthly membership meetings, the MBRA website – mossbradley.org, and informational e-mails. We use these resources regularly to communicate with each other and deliver content and information that we believe is relevant and important.

Some of what we communicate to you is general in nature and is not overly time-sensitive. We typically convey that information through our membership meetings and monthly newsletter. Time-sensitive information is distributed through email. We do so as it is today’s ideal way of reaching people who are difficult to otherwise reach.

Some recent examples of time sensitive communications include the quickly-called special membership meeting regarding the Washington School RFP process and updates on the progress of the Westminster signage issue.

Are these items unfamiliar to you??

For our communication to be effective we need to have as complete a system as possible so that we are communicating with as many of our MBRA members as possible. Many of you have provided us with your contact information with the renewal of your annual membership. However, our list of detail is still incomplete for others of you.

I ask those of you who have not supplied us with your email addresses to consider doing so. Your email address will not be shared with anyone and will be used to communicate MBRA -related subject matter.

Providing us your email is a simple process by emailing mossbradleynews@gmail.com. In doing so, please provide us your name, address, phone number and of course, email address.

Brian

The President’s Message

September 28, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: October Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

While doing some research for a client, I came upon a white paper published by the Urban Institute that focused on Neighborhoods. I found it of interest as I was reading it the day after our September membership meeting.

One of the hallmarks of our neighborhood and our association is our diversity. We do not use the term casually and to look at the makeup of the people, the homes, the backgrounds, the opinions…we can all truly say we are a diverse group.

I share the following with you as food for thought. Enjoy!

Brian Buralli

President's Message

The Value of Neighborhood Diversity

Neighborhoods matter to the well-being of children and families. They are the locus for essential public and private services, with schools perhaps the most significant. Quality grocery stores, reliable child care, safe after-school activities, and healthy recreational facilities also shape the quality of life a neighborhood offers its residents.

Neighbors help transmit the norms and values that influence behavior and teach children what is expected of them as they mature. Teenagers in particular are profoundly influenced by their immediate peer groups, which are often dominated by neighbors and school mates who have the potential to either fuel healthy competition over grades and athletics or pressure one another to join risky adventures or engage in illegal activities.

Where people live influences their exposure to crime and violence, including the risk of being a victim of burglary or assault. And research increasingly suggests that exposure to crime and violence has far-reaching consequences, such as persistent anxiety and emotional trauma.

Finally, some neighborhoods offer better access to job opportunities than others. Although few people work in the same neighborhoods where they live, proximity to job centers and the availability of mass transit can open up or constrain employment opportunities.

President’s Message

August 31, 2014 / Comments Off / Posted in: September Newsletter 2014, The President's Message

The calendar may not say it, and maybe not the weather either – depending on when you read this – but summer is over. Bradley is back in session and most of Peoria’s schools are teeming with children and young adults.

September 2014 Agenda-2 There has been a lot of activity taking place in our neighborhood since we last met in May at the Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner. The Peoria Marathon made its way along High Street and down Moss avenue on a crisp, yet sunny morning in mid-May. The race organizers and participants stated how much they appreciated the support of our neighborhood and were impressed by the encouragement shown to the runners.

One of the true signs of summer, the annual Moss Avenue Sale & Festival, took place on a gorgeous Saturday in June. Reports back from the committee charged with the event report a great day of sales and very happy vendors. If you were out on the street that day, you realized how successful this year’s event was. We need to thank Jan Krouse, who has chaired this event for so many years, for her dedication to making this an extraordinary event. And kudos to her entire team for making it work so seamlessly!

We continue to see a revival of two important elements within our boundaries. Earl Power Murphy and his wife Natalia Villanueva Linares are moving forward with their plans to restore the Hale Memorial Church located at the corner of High and Main streets. Their recent month-long Indiegogo crowd funding campaign, along with some additional donations, have provided them the funding to repair portions of the exterior of the building including the roof, gutters, and doors. On July 23, 2014 they received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission allowing them to commence with the repairs.

Also along Main St., the Renaissance Park Community Association continues to focus their collective energy on projects and events that improve the safety, health, and welfare of our neighbors and make West Main Street/Renaissance Park a better place to live and do business. Two recent events, “Better Blocks Project” proved to be huge success bringing large attendance and introducing our neighborhood to even more people.

This summer has also seen very positive action taken with the Washington School located at 839 Moss. The use proposal, submitted by the Montessori School, was approved first by the MBRA then by the Peoria City Council. According to John Meredith Cox, Head of School for Montessori, plans are to work on the school immediately and begin classes there full-time, Fall of 2015.

The MBRA Board of Directors continues to work closely with Westminster Presbyterian Church on a resolution to their request to replace the existing reader board. The issue first went before the Historic Preservation Commission in May and has been continued to the August meeting. There should be an update on this at the September MBRA membership meeting. There is quite a bit that has gone on in the few short month since May. And much more to take place in the remaining few months of this year.

I hope you enjoy the Fall and the beauty it brings!

Brian Buralli

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