Summary

# of Neighborhood Organizations assisted: 6

# of Faith-Based Organizations assisted: 4

# of Municipal Agencies assisted: 3

# of Non-Profits assisted: 6

Introduction

The NTAC has moved forward with establishing new partnerships in the Enterprise Communities of Alorton, Brooklyn, Centreville and Washington Park. This expansion is not only reflected in this report but also in our NTAC News Letter, which is written and edited by Ms. LaTonya Burton, Interim Community Planner. The NTAC News Letter will be distributed during the second week of April.

Alternative Spring Break

NTAC and ESLARP coordinated and worked with students from Colorado State University, Grand Rapids Community College, University Tennessee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Centennial High School of Champaign, Illinois. Students from Grand Rapids Community College and University of Illinois worked at Bride of Christ Church in East St. Louis installing dry wall, painting and doing general clean up. Students from University of Tennessee worked at the Katherine Dunham International House. They cleaned and removed debris from the interior of the house, scraped paint from the walls and ceilings and patched holes in the walls and ceilings.

Students from the University of Illinois worked at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church in Brooklyn. U of I students painted the interior/exterior window frames and painted the interior stairs and the basement floor. Students from the University of Tennessee cleaned the alley and lots near Southern Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Brooklyn. U of Tennessee students also cleaned up two lots adjacent to the Masjid Al-Muhajirun (Mosque) located at 1823 Baugh Avenue, East St. Louis, Illinois.

Alta Sita Neighbors, Inc. (ANSI)

ESLARP and NTAC staff met with Ms. Delores McKinney, Principal of Alta Sita Elementary School in order to plan an after-school-planning program with approximately fifty children as part of the Alta Sita Neighborhood Improvement Initiative. This activity will occur on Friday April 5, 1999 from 3:30 to 5:30 PM.

We plan to have approximately twelve-graduate architecture, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning students as well as ESLARP and NTAC staff work with the children. The class theme is "Working Together to Make Alta Sita a Better Neighborhood in Which to Live, Work and Play". The class objectives are: to enhance Alta Sita students’ understanding of the concept of neighborhood; to expose Alta Sita students’ to the ways in which architects, landscape architects and urban and regional planners work together to improve urban neighborhoods; to elicit Alta Sita students’ perceptions regarding the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats confronting the Alta Sita neighborhoods; and to gather Alta Sita student opinions regarding what concrete steps might be taken to revitalize their neighborhood.

Bride of Christ Church

As mentioned previously in this report, students from Grand Rapids Community College and ESLARP/NTAC staff installed drywall and painted in the basement of Bride of Christ Church as part of the Alternative Spring Break activities.

Carver Community Center

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) attended Carver Community Center’s Board of Directors meeting on March 11, 1999 to discuss the proposed date of commencement of the Carver Roof Repair project (3^rd week in April), modifications to their by-laws and the 501c3-application process. I also facilitated a pre-construction meeting on March 31, 1999 with the roofing contractor (Martin Roofing, Inc.) and the Executive Director of the Carver Community Center (Ms. Ohala Ward).

Dorris Helping Hand Shelter

Ms. Burton is currently working on a HUD grant (Continuum of Care Grant) in order to receive funding for renovations to the Helping Hand Shelter facility.

ESLARP Work Weekend

On March 26^th and 27^th U of I students cleaned up lots along Trendley Avenue, canvased Alta Sita Neighborhood and painted in the basement of Bride of Christ Church.

East St. Louis Community Action Network (ESL CAN)

The NTAC staff attended the ESL CAN monthly meeting on March 20, 1999.

East St. Louis School District 189

Ms. Burton prepared a map of East St. Louis that indicated the location and number of schools in the city.

East-West Gateway Coordinating Council Meeting

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) gave a presentation at the Transportation Redefined Forum on March 22, 1999 regarding the relationship between transportation and community.

Empowerment Zone (EZ)

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) attended the Empowerment Zone Core Planning meetings (March 1^st and 29^th,), and the entire NTAC staff attended the EZ Public Forum in East St. Louis, Illinois on March 23, 1999.

Edgemont Neighborhood Association

NTAC staff attended ENA’s monthly meeting on March 15, 1999.

Faith-Based Organizing

The NTAC staff prepared for a FBO meeting scheduled for March 9, 1999 at the NTAC office. Seven ministers from the Greater East St. Louis Area were invited to attend this meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to have ministers discuss what the mission of Faith Based Organizing should be as well as how the community and church can be good partners in community revitalization. Two of the seven invitees confirmed that they would attend but unfortunately, no one attended. Therefore, the NTAC staff decided to set up individual meetings with each of the seven targeted ministers. A series of survey questions were developed that would be used when interviewing each minister.

Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) executed pre-construction administrative duties for the phase two development of the Artisanal Village project and prepared and submitted the application and certificate of payment forms for the Dunham Museum wall and ceiling repair project to CDBG and the contractor. ESLARP and NTAC staff facilitated the Dunham Board of Directors meeting on March 16, 1999 and prepared a letter inviting Dunham affiliates to a meeting regarding the Katherine Dunham Birthday Celebration.

Masjid Al-Muhajirun (East St. Louis Islamic Mosque)

NTAC/ESLARP staff and University of Tennessee students cleaned up two lots adjacent to the Mosque located at 1823 Baugh Avenue, East St. Louis, Illinois.

Neighborhood Planning Seminar in Community Organizing

ESLARP/NTAC is sponsoring this seminar to introduce local civic leaders to the philosophy, theory, methods and practice of community organizing. The course has been developed to assist neighborhood residents in acquiring the knowledge and skills required to create and lead effective community organizations. Participants will learn through a combination of readings, lectures, discussions and exercises. The meeting dates are March 27th, April 3rd, and April 10th, 1999. The course instructors are Ken Reardon, Ph. D. (UIUC), James Jones (ESL CAN Director) and Paul Foppe (UIUC Graduate Assistant).

NTAC Project Coordinator and Project Associate Interviews

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) attended interviews for seven different candidates at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on March 2^nd, 3^rd, 8^th, 11^th and 12^th, 1999.

Olivette Park Neighborhood Association

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) attended OPNA’s monthly meeting on March 4, 1999. On March 24, 1999, I attended the East St Louis Planning Commission meeting where OPNA presented their end of the fiscal year activities. Ms. Burton prepared maps of the Olivette Park Neighborhood for this presentation.

Operation New Spirit

Ms. Burton prepared a map of East St. Louis that indicated neighborhood boundaries.

Quinn Chapel A.M.E Church

As mentioned previously in this report, U of I students painted and cleaned Ouinn Chapel A.M.E. Church located in Brooklyn, Illinois.

Southern Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church

As mentioned previously in this report, University of Tennessee students cleaned lots and an alley near Southern Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church located in Brooklyn, Illinois.

The Greater East St. Louis Urban Resources Partnership

NTAC and ESL CAN staff are organizing a petition and letter writing campaign on behalf of the Greater East St. Louis Urban Resources Partnership (URP). The URP program is currently being audited by the OIG, therefore funding is on hold for 1998-99 projects. We are writing letters, etc. to encourage the USDA and NRCS to release funds and allow the program to continue in the Greater East St. Louis area. On March 17, 1999 I attended an URP Steering Committee meeting.

Village of Brooklyn and Stites Township

On March 9, 1999 I met with Mayor Ruby Cook to discuss future community development projects and to discuss NTAC program activities available to Brooklyn. Ken Reardon met with Ms. Juanita Clemons, Stites Township Supervisor, to discuss the possibility of having a community meeting to describe ESLARP/NTAC services to the community residents and municipal agencies. (A tentative date was set for April 16, 1999).

Washington Park

Ken Reardon and I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) attended a meeting at the Washington Park Senior Citizen Building on March 17, 1999 to meet with Washington Park neighborhood residents and organizations, municipal agencies, the Illinois State Police, CORO and Bruce Reppert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The meeting agenda was community organizing, future community development projects and non-profit organization training.

Winstanley/Industry Park Neighborhood Organization (WIPNO)

I (Craig A. Miller, Sr.) met with WIPNO Board members on March 23, 1999 to evaluate an appraisal prepared by Cheryl Oliver Realty of the 1240-1242 Gaty Avenue Building. I wrote letters inviting WIPNO Board members, Nataline Harper and Chris Anderson (CDBG) and the East St. Louis Housing Authority to discuss the possible sale of the Gaty Avenue building to the East St. Louis Housing Authority. The proposed date of this meeting is April 1, 1999. I also met with Mr. L.D. Ward Acting Director of WIPNO to discuss future plans for the organization.

Budget*

 
 

Vendor	Budget Category	Amount
Craig A. Miller, Sr., Interim Director/Architect	Salary	$3,750.00
LaTonya Burton, Interim Community Planner	Hourly	$2,146.50
U of I Benefits	Benefits	$969.93
C.L. Wicks	Rent	$750.00
AmerenUE	Utilities	$114.90
Illinois Power	Utilities	$103.30
	TOTAL	$7,834.63

*See attached bills and time sheets.