Ravinia Neighbors Association IN-PERSON Board Meeting @ Jeff Cohen Photography, 485 Roger Williams Avenue, Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
I. Call to Order 5:39pm and Roll Call and Approval of September Minutes (Ed Kugler (Noah Plotkin
absent)). Attendance (no quorum): Ed Kugler, Beth Grey, Doug Purington, Jeff Stern, Lori DeKalo- HP
Chamber, Andrea Barattini-HP Chamber, Faye Rosenberg-Vintage Rescue, Richard
Rosenberg-Vintage Rescue
II. President’s Report (Noah Plotkin) Ed Plotkin said Noah did not have anything to contribute.
Discussion of inclusion of the Ravinia District in the annual downtown HP sidewalk sale (Andrea
Barattini & Lori Dekalo for HP Chamber of Commerce) Lori and Andrea: HP Chamber organizes annual
sidewalk sale. Since 2022, HP required the Chamber to bring in unarmed security, but this is an
unfunded mandate. Many of the Ravinia businesses are members of the HP Chamber. Yet, to do
something in Ravinia at same time as the downtown sidewalk sale is complicated because they want to
focus on downtown and there are not enough funds for security to cover downtown and the other
business districts, including Ravinia. The downtown sidewalk sale brings in outside vendors who
used to be at the Lot which is now closed. The Chamber had one staff member last year and this year
they have two staff members, so it would be difficult to organize an event in more than one
business district. Security is the biggest obstacle. For those reasons, there is a preference to
have a Ravinia event on a different weekend and the business owners at the RNA meeting seemed to
agree even though Ed tried to organize a Ravinia sidewalk sale which was not so successful. The
Chamber suggested Ravinia organize something other than a sidewalk sale, to attract more attendees.
They’re also thinking of rebranding the downtown sidewalk sale to attract more attendees.
Ravinia receives less attention than the downtown district and Ravinia businesses are finding
roadblocks to their success. One example is that the City is stopping a yoga studio from coming
into Ravinia due to retail rather than service zoning for the location they seek. Other Ravinia
businesses received zoning variances but for some reason the yoga studio did not get a variance.
These are some of the reasons the RNA is requesting the assistance of the HP Chamber.
The Chamber will work with the RNA to create a separate event for Ravinia. The Chamber has a weekly
eblast with over 1000 people receiving the communications which cover community events, webinars,
member specific messaging, and more. The Chamber has social media channels and promotes new members
for the first 3 weeks of membership. RNA can get community facing events or philanthropic events to
the Chamber. The Chamber works with Wayfarer. Also, the Chamber has a Health and Wellness Expo
coming up. They recommended that Ravinia businesses receive the City’s Placer AI data to track the
identity and numbers of people who are coming to HP.
III. Residents Time: Open for discussion ----
IV. Treasurer’s Report (Michael Babian). Michael was absent. Beth requested the Treasurer’s Report
by email.
V. Publicity/Membership/Ravinia District Report (Doug Purington)
• Membership Update:
o 6 new members, 5 renewals, 4 ads
o $1,365 monies turned in
▪ $950 for 4 ads
o 2024 membership campaign began May 2024
▪ YTD monies = $5,1953 (including ads)
o 2023 Revenue
▪ Membership dues = $3,750
▪ Ads = $1,675
▪ Total = $5,425
▪ 2024 revenue should be comparable
• Publicity Update:
o Continuing to do Mailchimp emails and RNA Facebook postings on behalf of merchants
o Ravinia District’s annual Cookie & Cocoa Crawl to be announced soon
• Ravinia District Update:
o Happi Sushi is now in new location at 517 Roger Williams and doing great business
o Fluffy Bunny is still waiting for the approval of their building permit with no date for opening
o Dollop Diner Café is slated to open Spring 2025
• Newsletter Update:
o Fall/Winter 2024 Newsletter
▪ Content/Ads submitted to editor To be published in late November
• Annual Membership Update
▪ RNA synergy w/ Ravinia Festival: Doug and Mike Babian had an impromptu meeting with Patrick
Gipson of Ravinia Festival to get more synergy. Gipson wants to join RNA in December or in the
future. Gipson emailed Doug regarding this possibility.
VI. Previous Action Items:
• Update on RNA T-Shirt Project: ----
VII. New Business:
• RFM Update: 2024 Season Wrapup & Holiday & Winter Activities (Ed Kugler)
VIII. Other Business/Additional Comments or Concerns from Board Members: Beth objected to a change
in the by-laws that was added to the by-laws after she agreed to be recording secretary and was
elected to the post for 2024-2025 fiscal year. Doug said that for some time he was asking Beth to
submit minutes at least 2 weeks prior to the next board meeting, and Beth pointed out that she said
she would make a good faith effort to do that, but never promised or agreed to that requirement and
offered to resign. Instead, Doug and the rest of the board members present asked Beth to stay on
and Doug agreed to send Beth an email acknowledging that for this fiscal year Beth would do her
best to get the minutes in 2 weeks before the next meeting but would not be required to do so.
IX. Adjournment 5:30pm (Next Board Meeting: December 10, 2024)
