HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
CYCA Elects Officers, Talks Code Enforcement
By Louis Goggans/MicroMemphis Reporter
April 6, 2011
The Cooper-Young Community Association held its annual election at its Young Ave. headquarters. Two of the four CYCA officer positions were up for grabs: vice president and secretary.
A room of about 20 Cooper-Young residents and CYCA members voted in favor of re-electing June Hurt as vice president and Andy Ashby as secretary.
John Kinsey, CYCA president, said he enjoys the annual election because it allows officers to see what Cooper-Young residents desire to help improve their community.
“The election allows us to empower our volunteers and help them take leadership positions with the organization,” Kinsey said. “It also helps us reach our mission statement, which is to make Cooper-Young a safer and better neighborhood.”
CYCA has been active in Cooper-Young since 1976. The organization, which meets the second Tuesday of every month, has four officers and nine additional board members. Each serves out a two-year term.
Kinsey’s position as president will be up for election next year, as well as Jason Word’s treasurer spot.
“I welcome anyone who wants to run for president next year to get involved and take the opportunity to lead the organization,” Kinsey said.
CYCA also held its general meeting during the election.
Members discussed the success of their Friday, April 8th art auction, “Art for Art’s Sake,” which raised more than $12,000. The money will be used for organizational events, fundraisers and community clean-ups.
A name change for a CYCA committee was also introduced at the meeting. The organization’s ‘Code Enforcement Committee’ has been switched to the ‘Code Awareness Committee’.
Kristen Huntley, CYCA’s community director, said the name change was made because the committee does not technically have the authority to enforce any code violations in the city.
“The new committee was created to empower residents to understand city codes and ordinances,” Huntley said. “We try to work in cooperation with the City and Cooper-Young residents to empower and reach a good resolution.”
Huntley said that Memphis’ Department of Housing/Code Enforcement have helped the committee distinguish what is and isn’t a violation of city code.
Huntley noted that a car left on a block that is inoperable or abandoned, is an example of a violation of city code.
Glenn Althoff, CYCA volunteer, said he’s been living in Cooper-Young for 16 years and over that tenure, has seen CYCA help improve the community significantly.
“I’ve seen neighbors bind together more,” Althoff said. “There’s a lot less transience. There have been speed bumps placed on streets, so cars go slower. The houses are better. It’s definitely a lot safer.”
Huntley said when she moved to Cooper-Young from Greensboro, North Carolina four years ago, she “didn’t know what the big deal was about it” but her feelings have changed.
“Four years later, I can’t imagine living in another neighborhood. I just love it,” she said.
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