Treasurer's Report: Sandra McNeill: $226 brought in; $2567.06 balance

Committee Reports
Community Issues, Sara Hollberg: Sara referenced the emails sent on Corridor overlays and also that Booker T. Washington Center is hosting many new events.

Commercial Property, liaison to NBG, Craig Peterson: In reference to Corridor Overlay, the plan would be to begin with West Beverley and Greenville Ave. first.

Joel Hodson introduced Michael Keatts who did a presentation about the Greenway project to the NNA Board. Michael pointed out that this project has been presented to City Council in 2005 and to the Recreation Advisory Board and both responded to it favorably. Michael did a power point presentation of the map and photos made by Livingston Lewis. After the presentation the board discussed what involvement NNA should have in the project. Topics of discussion were:
1. Find a small portion of the project we could focus on: such as within Gypsy Hill Park or the portion of the Greenway from Central Ave. to Gypsy Hill Park
2. Start small by supporting one very small section of the Greenway and putting up signs, trash cans, etc.
3. Sara will consider asking the city for the 60 page report on the Greenway and if there is a committee appointed if we could participate.
4. Everyone will think and bring up this topic in the next meeting

Old Business:
1. Feedback about Winter Social: Barbara Martin brought up the idea of having styrofoam coffee cups for the soup, so one could taste small amounts of more soups. Sally Mueller suggested that we could have used more bread. We had a great variety of soups, 11 in all. The speaker started later than we had scheduled because many people didn't start arriving until 5:30. Some board members suggested encouraging folks to help themselves to appetizers before the speaker, to avoid hunger pangs during the speaker's presentation. Shirley Masters spent $50 to rent a PA system for the speaker. The board approved to reimburse Shirley for this expense and set aside money for future socials for renting a PA system.

2. Thanks to everyone for helping out with this successful event and to Ed Miska for stepping in as emcee in the absence of Shirley, who was ill that night.

New Business:
1. The board discussed requests from Newtown businesses to be included in email announcements sent out to NNA members. The board discussed having links for Newtown business websites on our website. In this way we could help Newtown businesses that are not walk-in retail businesses, but not necessarily include them in the email announcements. Bob Craycroft, webmaster, will bring his recommendation to us next meeting, when we will continue discussion about the matter.

2. Since the Staunton Democratic Committee is hosting a forum for City Council Candidates on April 27, the board decided to forgo doing our usual forum this year, but we will take this event back in the future if no one else is sponsoring it.

3. Brown Bag lunch, March 7, 2008, 12 noon at RR Smith Building, 2nd floor and Public Hearing on March 27, 2008, 7 pm on Corridor Overlay.

3. The board approved to give Rick Chittum, our speaker this year, a $50 downtown gift card and to continue this in the future for our speakers at the Winter Social.

4. Ed Pickett has proposed a "Life Membership" status for $100. The board approved this. It should appear in the newsletter.

We were all treated to a lovely repast of vegetarian lasagna, salad and fresh fruit bowl prepared by Sandra McNeill. Thanks Sandra!

Next meeting: Thursday, April 10, 6:30 at Belle Grae Inn, Shakespeare's Lounge