OUR MESA NEIGHBORHOOD

LMNA co-presidents Berni Bernstein(left) and Cathie McCammon

In TMP’s attempt to piece together LMNA’s long history with very few records available and a spatter of current information, we interviewed three senior leaders of the organization and went over a few available documents.

Why the group? Bob Kallman and wife Ruth of Shoreline Drive, both former presidents and part of its few active leaders throughout the years, told TMP: “The group came about because the Mesa, mostly farmlands then, was being overlooked by the city government. ”

Bob only remembers Herb Wulbrant as one of the founding members. The Kallmans joined LMNA in 1949 when Bob’s family bought a property on the Mesa.

What were the agenda? “Mostly, the physical infrastructure on the Mesa, such as road widening and general improvements of existing facilities, ” Bob recalls. Ruth cited that a perennial request with the city government to this day is the undergrounding of utility lines.

According to Bob, the group generally meets a few times a year to listen to speakers on proposed or on-going community development projects or to political candidates running for office. It would also meet to discuss some concerns such as, when the group successfully objected to the condominium project to be constructed by Washington Elementary.

Meetings followed the Robert’s Rule of Order.

Why did the group dwindle down? “We got busy raising the children and the younger people who could have continued with the work were moving out for career opportunities elsewhere, ” Bob recalled sadly.

A Revival In 1966, a proposal to extend the shopping center west on Cliff Drive triggered the re-activation of LMNA. There was more concern about the need for added parking spaces by the shops rather than extending it.

TMP learned this from Sue Trescher, an experienced lawyer on land use and health law who, together with Bob Kallman and Dave Liquornick, took up this cause of the community to the city.

Sue recalls: “More projects to increase the density of housing in the area came up within those next two years. ” The activist group sat by the shopping center collecting signatures for the petition to stop the constructions. The rental housing on Red Rose and Elise Ways became the last of such housing intensification.

“Today, there are three other groups working on development issues, ” Sue cites. “Two of them from the Marine Terrace area which are for unlimited development; the other is against this ‘mansionization’ and is for slow growth and more parking. ”

Association records seemed to have disappeared with the waning interest of intervening years. Bob remembers endorsing a box of documents on his presidency to his successor.

None of the former or current officers knows the whereabouts of the original bylaws of the organization although Laura Rasmussen, another LMNA leader says that she makes about ten copies of the five-times revised version yearly for new officers. One the few paperwork with Sue was her resignation letter as a Board Member (due to her hard-pressed engagement with the county’s health care authority) dated July 22, 1986. The group was still called La Mesa Improvement Council. Ruth Kallman was president and Dennis Wayman, secretary.

Minutes of the executive board meeting on May 30, 1996 meeting show a La Mesa Neighborhood Association letterhead. The members in attendance were Kevin Young, Laura Rasmussen, Anita Lynn, Ada Babine, Stan Tabler, Frank Ramisch and Wendy Hawksworth.

The meeting discussed the City Budget, assigning Anita, a budget analyst, to report to the June 25 general membership items relevant to the Mesa; the Environmental Health Department Report focusing on the beach pollution problem and inviting Gary Winant from said department to speak at the general membership meeting; Jeff Copes reporting bid and work on “1000 Steps” by mid-July; a Dogs-on-Beach Ordinance on the city council agenda which was indefinitely shelved; a request for Marty Blum to report on the Wilcox property; and Laura to inquire about the progress report on the Lazy Acres expansion.

Sue remembers it was Laura, then president, who proposed the name change: to reflect that causes are being undertaken by this neighborhood community.

The June 25, 1998 general membership meeting held at SHIFCO included the minutes of the March 28 annual meeting:

the treasurer’s report by Kevin; an Allied Neighborhood Association meeting report by Laura; a new ordinance on making panhandling illegal; a planned use of more calming speed bumps, need for fire vehicles and available funds.

Laura, then outgoing president, reported on the accomplishments of her administration: 170 households in the mailing list (membership fee was $10 per household) ; regular meeting and newsletter; pursued reopening of “1000 steps” by June 1996; a tree planted at Cliff and Shoreline by gas station; sidewalks on Meigs and West Carrillo for safer walk to shopping area; consideration by City Council to allow dogs on leash on the beach east of the Shoreline steps; participation in the City’s Circulation Element Update Task Force; raising Association dues; revised the bylaws; representation t appropriate city meetings, the outgoing president suggested that members should sign up for action areas and form committees.

A discussion about officers as private business persons ensued: ”What limitations should be placed on an officer in regard to business? ” It referred to use of LMNA in advertising oneself. Two questions were voted on: “Is it appropriate to mention any position of office in the Association held by a business person advertising his/her business? ” Vote: No. “Is it appropriate to list Association membership in advertising? ” Vote: Yes.

The nominating committee presented the nominees who were later confirmed, as follows: Kevin Young-president, Laura Rasmussen- vice president, Wendy Hawksworth-secretary, Ada Babine-treasurer. The new directors were Frank Ramisch and Anita Linn; the continuing directors, Stan Tabler, Kathy Burke, Melanie Abbott.

A motion to revise the bylaws to clarify conflict of interest was carried. A committee was formed: Alison Adams, chair, Sue Trescher, Cathie McCammon, Ada Babine, James Johnson and Laura Rasmussen, members.

The new president then presiding, introduced the evening program. Mesa Beat Officer Don Chase spoke as well Police Captain Greg Stock, who said that officers “are trained to make arrests and should not be regarded as social workers. ” Parak Dept. spokesman Jeff Cope presented news about local parks; George Girth of the City Traffic Dept presented their projects, including traffic “calming” techniques and street light installation on La Marina and Cliff by CALTRANS per city request.

The minutes showed that the meeting started at 7:20 and ended at 9:15 in the evening.

Two more documents showed Kevin’s letter to the County Board of Supervisors one dated July 7, another July 11, 1996 requesting funding in 1996-97 of the Ocean Monitoring Program of the Environmental Health Department.

A March 11, 1997 nominating committee report prepared by Sue showed Kevin Young-president, Dave Tabor-vice, Wendy Hawksworth-secretary and Ada Babine-treasurer; directors- Carolyn Geiger, James Johnson, Laura Rasmussen.

Dated August 22, 1997 was a View/Privacy Ordinance draft from the Task Force, ”a citizen group concerned about Santa Barbara city and county. ”

On the current LMNA, Berni Bernstein gave TMP a copy of LMNA’s April 17, 2004 Mesa Spring Cleanup Project activity schedule. It identified areas on Cliff Drive, the Douglas Family Preserve, and the beaches for trash pickup, weeding, mowing, sweeping.

Berni says that LMNA now has over 300 members and meets several times a year, disseminating information through its own mailing list, the local print media, internet media blogs and flyers at store fronts.

Recent agenda items include undergrounding of wiring from the Fire Station to Flora Vista, emergency planning for the Mesa, and a City Council Candidates’ Forum.

LMNA hopes that Mesa residents will educate themselves on the newly adopted Single Family Design Guidelines, by which home designs contribute to a desirable living environment through compatibility with surrounding neighborhood, preservation of the city’s visual resources, and promotion of long-term sustainability.

LMNA has a string of laudable projects worthy of a closer look by our present Mesa community. Certainly, there have been more people involved in the previous undertakings who deserve our appreciation.

TMP presented this small available fragment of its history to give our Mesa neighbors today something to digest as they draw in some sense of past community activism to help them create their own visions for the Mesa of the future.