A New Meeting Place!
If you look for the FPDA meeting at Timo’s on March 20th, you won’t find us there. We will be at Su Casa, 2030 East Yandell at noon with early diners at 11:30.
Over the past few years, FPDA has struggled to find a place to meet. We have tried several location, lived through the Amigo’s fire and finally through the ownership change to Timo’s. And now we find ourselves confronting a new challenge—this time a positive one. Through the hard work of Kristen Perez who has taken the job of Membership Chair and run with it and with the able assistance of Tracy Carter, we are growing and meeting attendance is growing too. Our last meeting showed our potential and highlighted that we may soon outgrow Timo’s ability to accommodate our meeting.
Several members suggested that we explore other locations. Greg Malooly and Howard Goldberg told us that Su Casa has changed owners and Greg owns the building. They offered to approach the new owners on our behalf. Your Board has met there and Kristin has met with the owners individually. Based on these conversations and experience, we are going to give it a try. The room can seat 50 people and there is lots of parking. We hope that the move is a positive one for all. To be successful, we need to continue to grow our meeting attendance and ask all our members to make every effort to attend every meeting. We promise to continue to seek out programs that will be of interest to all and certainly ask for your suggestions.
As we leave Timo’s, we thank them for their support over the past years. They provided a place for us when few options were available and worked with us on our Christmas parties. We wish them well in the future and encourage all our members to continue to enjoy their restaurant individually.
Program
This month’s program is a new take on an old area of concern and is the suggestion of Geoffrey Wright who also arranged the program.
We have discussed and just plain cussed the whole concept of “city plans” for a long time. Who decides on these? Who makes them? How are they made? And much more.
Now we have a chance to have our questions answered. Our program will be presented by Mr. Philip Etiwe, AICP, CNU-A, Director of Planning and Inspections for the City of El Paso. Mr. Etiwe has been asked to discuss what Planning and Inspections does and is responsible for and its relation to Capital Improvements. We hope he will touch on any matters of importance to Five Points. Mr. Etiwe has told us that his presentation will leave time for questions from our members.
I can say, that Planning and Inspections is one of those city departments that probably will effect each of us a business owners, residents or property owners at some point. If you are building, remodeling, rezoning or just a victim of some large city change, Planning and Inspections are impacting you. So, even if you are not interested in “the big picture” for Five Points, come and learn about a sometimes little known or understood function of city government that can have a big effect on your life.
Next month, we will have Mr. John Balliew, President and CEO of El Paso Water Utilities. We have asked him to discuss the usual sore subjects of water and sewer rates and storm water rates. We are also particularly interested in storm water plans for the central area of town and the status of Corps of Engineers project. If you live, work or own property in the central area, this program will be of interest to you.
In May, we will have what is fast becoming our regular spring program, our own Central Appraisal District, the folks every property owner loves to hate. Yes, I have been informed that this is yet again another reappraisal year. Hang on to your seats. Love them or hate them, they are a part of our lives and established by state law. So if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em. We are fortunate to have the Chief Appraiser and Executive Director Dinah L. Kilgore as a member and Board Member. As she has done in the past, she and/or her staff members who regularly attend our meetings, will bring us “the numbers”, changes in state laws and guidelines for protesting values assigned to your property. This is a program that is important to every property owner in El Paso and is a unique opportunity to hear this presentation.
We will be scheduling a “return engagement” of the popular Ellen Smyth Chief Transit & Field Operations Officer for the City of El Paso. Ms. Smyth is responsible for Sun Metro (buses and street cars), Environmental Services (trash, etc.), Streets & Maintenance, and has recently assumed responsibilities for city real estate. Talk about affecting our daily lives! We always welcome her direct responses and candor. This year we hope to learn about her new role in real estate along with update on her other responsibilities.
See you on Wednesday!
– Fred Evans, president
Fantastic