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News You Can Use – May updates and heads up on June!
Memorial Day Ceremonies in Devendorf Park - Monday May 30th, Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, with City Leaders and hosted by our local American Legion Post 512, for those who missed it.
Reminder – Next CRA No Host Gathering - Wednesday June 8th – 4 to 5:30 PM – at Anton & Michel. Join us for this great opportunity to casually mix and mingle with fellow members, while enjoying your choice of bites and beverages (on your own nickel).
Upcoming Important City Hosted Meetings – Get Involved!
The City website provides packets and meeting details at ci.carmel.ca.us/meetings. And be sure signup here to be on the City email list – per topic, meeting, events and weekly Friday Letter for the latest.
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City Hall – Friday June 3, 11 AM – Meet and welcome our new Carmel Police: Chief Alan Ward – Swearing In Ceremony - in person and online.
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City Hall – Regular City Council – Tuesday June 7, 4:30 PM– FY 2022/2021 Budget Approval, Climate Action Plan Presentation and more – in person and online.
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City Regular Planning Commission – Wednesday June 8 – Important Wireless Ordinance workshop with the Commission (regarding Residential Cell Towers) – online (ad possibly in person too). Learn more on this residents efforts and how you can contribute on this CRA webpage here.
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SPECIAL Community Workshop – Design Traditions 1.5 – Tuesday & Wednesday June 21 & 22 from 4:30-7 PM in Carpenter Hall in person and online. This will include hands-on table-top small groups to compile community feedback on what architecture “fits” and why or why not. For everyone concerned about the future architecture changes in recent years – these are do not miss sessions! CRA will continue to nudge you to participate.
CRA Business Recognition Award bestowed to 5th Avenue Deli
CRA was proud to honor and hear the story of the proprietors of 5th Avenue Deli. Congratulations to Elpidia and Carlos Herrera! To learn more about 5th Avenue Deli and this recognition program with prior years Carmel businesses recognized, please visit this page.
 
Highlights on Annual Meeting May 19th at the Carmel Youth Center
Fred Bologna, our CRA President, welcomed everyone, after a 2-year gap from this annual CRA tradition. We gathered in part to celebrate CRA’s 35-year anniversary, now with over 845 members, with the support of our community and membership.
- As mentioned above, Fred announced our Business of Recognition Award to the 5th Avenue Deli – with a standing ovation and personal journey of the wonderful proprietors Elpidia and Carlos Herrera.
- He then introduced the all-volunteer CRA Board of Directors – that now welcomes the 2 new well-known locals Janice Bradner and Mike Brown. Like many of our Board Members, Janice and Mike also participate in multiple non-profit organizations throughout our area. Visit this page for all of our profiles. Fred also recognized and offered thanks to Ann Nelson for her 9 years of CRA Board service.
- Fred also thanked the Carmel Youth Center for hosting our evening, including its interesting history going back to its origins in 1949.
Ken White, our CRA Vice President & civic liaison, kicked off his “Matter of Civic Interest” topic, reinforcing the value of all our voices in civic topics. He continues to enthusiastically highlight the three essential, critical and timely topics that all CRA members should pay extra attention and engage, as they will materially impact our Village in this next year.
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These three start off with the Design Traditions 1.5 project – reflected in the Workshop coming up June 21 & 22 above – where City Planning, Winter And Company, a Citizen Steering Committee and the Planning Commission will be working to update our Design Guidelines and Zoning Codes. All these pieces must align with and to the General Plan in this project. Be sure to participate.
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Next is the upcoming updates to our Telcom Ordinance (See STOP Residential Cell Towers page) to address the look and placement of cell towers in residential neighborhoods.
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And also the City’s efforts to Stop PACASO timeshare ownership in our Village – reminding everyone that our Village original ordinance (over 20 years ago) was contested by the Real Estate industry fighting our code all the way to the Supreme Court, where we won! Therefore, we cannot allow this time-share variant to slip in the back or side door.
- Ken mentioned and introduced the local teams working on two of these critical items, specifically: Karyl Hall & Neil Kruse of Carmel Preservation and Tasha Witt, Alissandra Dramov & Christy Hollenbeck efforts of the STOP Residential Cell Towers team. Click on links for details.
- He wraps up his segment, holding up a Carmel Citizen’s Report created in 1991 on what they'd like to see (their vision) for our Village by our 2016 Centennial. If you concur with its findings, we still have work to do. You can find this 2016 Vision Report, the 23 years later CRA 2016 status update and our City’s 2016 Centennial Booklet on our Great Carmel Reading webpage HERE.
Nancy Twomey – Communications & Programs Chair – runs through the major efforts and accomplishments, with callouts for what is next before year end.
- Starting with “The Voice”, 5x/yr and its new expanded periodic distribution to all of ZIP 93921, this printed/mailed piece covers major issues, history, efforts, people and activities of interest. Our email “News You Can Use” newsletter is issued monthly, with over 24 issues since June 2020, covers City Council Highlights and shorter-term events by CRA, the City, other organizations and more. Our Archive page includes both of these publications. Our CRA website has had over 150,000 visitors in the past 2 years, with great recent & upcoming items on the main page. Check out the CRA Facebook page with 920 followers with great interactions throughout our community and CRA YouTube Channel with our past programs and over 900 views in just 2 years.
- Shifting to CRA Programs – Nancy mentions the 12 informational programs in the last 2 years, many online only and now more in person. These Programs also include our Annual Meeting, No-Host Gatherings (every other month), say hi to us at Carmel Farmers Market (last Thursday each month 10-2), semi-annual Feast in the Forest in Pebble Beach, semi-annual Citizen of the Year, semi-annual Candidates Forum (coming up this September) to help prepare for election year voting, annual Halloween Parade CRA participation and annual CRA Holiday Gala. Plus we’ll have new informational programs, including an upcoming new date for the great history provided by John Sanders on the Del Monte Hotel & 17 Mile Drive and others.
Janine Chicourrat – Board Member & today’s designated arm twister, sharing her story of CRA involvement. Janine highlights opportunities for our membership to contribute to CRA by pitching in to our programs and more.
- These opportunities include helping with any of our annual or semi-annual programs with logistics, planning, setup, décor, sign-in etc.
- CRA is also looking for official program lead for our March-October monthly Beach Clean Up.
- And also, we are looking for a program lead for our VIP membership discounts and offers extended by local Carmel Businesses. Today our VIP Program has 19 Restaurants and 27 Merchants extending CRA Members offers.
- Finally, CRA is looking for volunteers as writers for the various online and printed publications.
PLEASE email [email protected] with how you can participate.
Fred retakes the podium for Member Q&A and Wrap Up
Member Topics: Hugo updated attendees on the Rancho Canada cross country course project; Jody from the Chamber is looking for Visitor Center volunteers, Tasha of the STOP team encouraged attendees to sign petition and learn more, Jeff reminded everyone to join the community exchange on the Climate Action Plan 5/24, another member expressed angst on the still limited Post Office hours, and Betty had comments about an article in the Voice on home addresses.
Fred and other Board Members reinforced that all comments and suggestions are valued, with follow-up items identified. Fred closed our annual meeting reminding everyone to vote in the primaries, and invited the discussions to continue over beverages and finger foods.
Thanks to everyone for your CRA support and your passions for
the future of our amazing village for generations to come!
Cheers! Your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. |
