2024 March 23: UMNA Annual Meeting

All UMNA meetings are open to the public. General meetings provide information & encourage discussion. Business/Annual meetings include decision-making. Only UMNA members may vote.

The meeting notes are directly below. A copy of the agenda may be found below the meeting minutes.

Annual Meeting Meeting Agenda*

Date: March 23, 2024 at 2:00 pm

Location: Jeremiah's Tavern

Business Meeting Items (15 minutes)
- Nominating Committee report & election: (Only UMNA members may vote)*

Proposed Slate of Board Members*

Rome Celli, resident of Werner Park (At large)
- Rome is a 63 year old Rochester native who lives with his wife, Elizabeth Forbes, at 64 Werner Park. Elizabeth and Rome have been married just shy of 30 years. They have two adult boys. Rome has been a NYS licensed real estate broker for 42 years. He has had quite a bit of experience serving as board president of community groups including two other neighborhood associations, many non-profits as well as president of a local town chamber of commerce and an elected member of a local school board. Rome has been serving as interim president of UMNA for the past year.
Tim Guyot, resident of Alliance Avenue (At large)
- Tim has been in Monroe county since 2005 and moved to Upper Monroe in 2018. He appreciates the vibrance and variety in our neighborhood and is ready to engage more to support the neighborhood goals. He's held various positions on the board of the Rochester Amateur Radio Association for the past 8 years, and is familiar with the operation of local not-for-profit organizations. His current areas of interest for the neighborhood are maintenance and improvement initiatives, encouraging support for local businesses, and bringing attention to nearby activities and attractions.
Janet Clarke-Hazlett, resident of Roosevelt Street (At large)
- Janet has lived in the Rochester area for almost 50 years, 11 of them in the Upper Monroe neighborhood. She is an enthusiastic promoter of Upper Monroe, especially our friendly neighbors and supportive businesses. Now retired from a career as an academic and school librarian, Janet is an avid walker, volunteer, quilter, traveler, and devoted Grandma. She has experience managing the finances of an HOA, and is interested in being more involved in UMNA.
Rebecca Seal, resident of Alliance Avenue (At large)
- Rebecca moved to the Upper Monroe neighborhood with her husband John in 2014, and works as an occupational therapist for the Rochester City School District. She was and still is attracted to this neighborhood for its diversity, dog friendly vibes, proximity to the city, and abundance of parks within walking distance. While Rebecca is new to serving on a community board, she looks forward to being part of a team that supports the vitality, safety, and respect of all our neighbors.

*These board positions are two years in duration.

Proposed Slate of Officers*

President: Rome Celli
Vice President: Tim Guyot
Treasurer: Janet Clarke-Hazlett
Secretary: Rebecca Seal

*Officer positions are one year in duration.

Approve 2024 UMNA Budget (requires vote - UMNA members only)
- 2024 UMNA Budget

Review of 2024 UMNA Workplan (15 minutes - Does not require vote.)

Panel presentation & discussion: Crosman Terrace Historic District and the potential of identifying another historic district in Upper Monroe. (30 minutes)

Recognized historic districts are a popular tool to help neighborhoods preserve important local history. Crosman Terrace secured an historic district designation in 2022. The Highland Park neighborhood did the same in 2023. The ABC Streets neighborhood secured a district many years ago. The Cobbs Hill neighborhood is in the process of doing so right now. Neighborhoods are preserving important homes and buildings in the process. Owners are saving thousands of dollars when undertaking needed exterior repairs. You will learn if your home can be included in an expanded district in Upper Monroe and what that might mean.

Guest Panelists:

Megan Klem, Director of Preservation Services for The Landmark Society of Western New York, will provide information about the background & purposes of Historic Districts in general including the distinction between Rochester's "Perseveration Districts" and the National Registry's listing of "Historic Districts". She will also touch on the tax credits owners can use to help offset needed exterior repairs to homes located within a recognized district.
Libby Ford, resident of Crosman Terrace and a leader in the effort to secure the Crosman Terrace Historic District, will talk about the driving rationale to create the Crosman Terrace Historic District, the process, the cost(s), the impacts over the past year since the designation became effective.
Bob Thompson, president of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, will describe HPNA's experiences developing their district; what distinguishes the district in HPNA from the district on Crosman Terrace; and how the HPNA experiences may inform UMNA's interest in a larger district.

Various Reports (30 minutes)

Report: Southeast Neighborhood Service Center (SE NSC)
- Prep for 2024 “Clean & Preen” (Clean Sweep) - Saturday, May 4th
Report: Rochester Police Department - Goodman Section
Update on various UMNA activities
Liaison: City Council (Mary Lupien)
Liaison: County Legislature (Lisa Hasman)
Liaison: Cobbs Hill Village (Lee Sengbusch)
Liaison: Wide Water Gardens (Gail Weiser)
Liaison: Washington Grove (Kristy Liddell)

*The sequence of these agenda items may vary.

This program is free and open to the public. You do not have to be a member of UMNA to attend. Only members will be allowed to vote on matters identified above.

This program is also listed on our Google Calendar. CLICK HERE to go to the official UMNA Events Calendar.

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