SUNSET HEIGHTS NEWSLETTER
February 2008
Our next meeting will be on February 25, 2009
Our principal guest and speaker will be Supervisor Sean Elsbernd. He will overview the happenings in the City in general and City Hall in particular. He will also welcome your questions.
At our January meeting a highlight of our program was presentation by Heather Zacks of San Francisco Community Boards. For those were not able to attend I am including a en explanation of Community Boards as sent to me by the organization.
Community Boards is a public, conflict resolution resource for neighborhood associations like NOPNA. NOPNA’s slogan, “Respect the Neighborhood, Be Part of the Community,” could also be Community Boards’. Our mission is to help resolve those conflicts that diminish a neighborhood’s shared quality of life: negligent neighbors, loud pets, irresponsible roommates, blocked driveways, noisy businesses, unpruned vegetation, poor property maintenance or unresponsive absentee landlords.
With nearly 30+ years of experience, Community Boards’ Neighborhood Mediation Program can help those trying to cope with such problems. Our philosophy is to openly address a conflict in its earliest stage, rather than having it fester into a feud or escalate into verbal harassment or physical assault. If a conflict has been long-term or ongoing, we can help untangle the issues and get to the heart of the problem.
All of our mediations are delivered by a panel of trained volunteers – reflecting the diversity of the City – in English, Spanish or Cantonese. Assisted by these community mediators, the disputants safely and respectfully discuss the problem and work together to create a workable, shared solution. Few problems are either too big or too small for Community Boards' assistance. We can help two people settle a personal issue, or large groups working to address a public dispute.We encourage any resident, small business owner or advocacy group to bring their issues and disputes to us. No matter how many times we see the same type of dispute, Community Boards always gives the same personalized attention and respect to each party involved. Every conflict is unique because the people involved are unique. Ultimately, we provide opportunities for residents to become better neighbors.
The majority of Community Boards’ services are free of charge, and we do request donations. Also, we are always eager to maintain the diversity of our pool of volunteer community mediators. Our next 40-hour training, Basics of Mediation, begins Friday, February 27. Contact us at 415-920-3820!Dennis Minnick next presented a slide show on the typical projects completed in the past by the contractor selected to build our new building on 9th Avenue. If the contractor continues to do the same fine quality of work on our new building as shown in the slides, SHARP will have a building to be proud of.
We will have two wonderful art events in our fair city in 2009. First, there is the “Artistic Luxury” exhibit at the Legion of Honor showing outstanding works by Fabergé (Peter Carl), Tiffany (Louis Comfort) and Lalique (René). The exhibit extends from February 7 to May 31, 2009. For details write legionofhonor.org or call 415.750.3600. Later we’ll have a reprise—after some 30 years--of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs from June 27, 2009 to March 28, 2010 at the de Young. 30 years ago I saw it at the old de Young Museum. For details write www.deyoungmusem.org or phone 415.750.3683. If you have the good fortune to visit the de Young, be sure to go up to the top of the tower for a wonderful view of our new Academy of Science with its “green roof.”
Due to low attendance of the February 10 Senior University class and some last minute scheduling issues, SAN is canceling the next two Senior University classes (Feb 16th and 24th) covering Pedestrian Safety in the Sunset. The next class is scheduled for March 2. For more details please contact after February 17:
Pi Ra, Senior University Director, Senior Action Network
965 Mission St. #705, San Francisco , CA , 94103
Telephones: 415.546.2096 wk, 415.225.2080 cell
Classes will be held on
February 10th, 16th, 24th & March 2nd 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
AT Taraval Police Station Community Room, 2345 - 24th Ave. at TaravalGGHNA is announcing a volunteer day for weeding at the 16th Ave Tiled Steps
on Saturday, March 7. Time: 10:30 AM to 1:00PM.
Wear long pants, long sleeves, and sturdy shoes. Bring a hand trowel, if possible. Refreshments will be served!Finally, I expect that all if you who read the Chronicle saw the article in the February 9th edition titled “S.F. to upgrade city’s trickiest intersection.” That of course is St. Francis Circle with five roadways and three sets off LRV tracks coming together. I believe that you’ll agree that something must be done at this location. The estimated cost is $8.2 million! What is going to be done for that amount of our money? I will let you know at a later date.
Vern Waight, Editor, Phone: (415) 564-7760, Office: 1711 Tenth Ave.,
Email: vernatsf@aol.comsharpnewslEb09vhw