Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner
The Annual Meeting of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association will be held Tuesday, January 10 at the St. Joseph's Society Hall on César Chávez.
This event is one of the highlights of the year for the Association. It's always well-attended, there's plenty of good food, and neighbors have a great opportunity to catch up and socialize. Please mark your calendars now. We'll send out more information soon.
What: LNA Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner
When: Tuesday, January 10, from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm
Where: St Joseph's Hall, 420 E. César Chávez
The meeting includes election of officers and directors. In order to vote in the election, you must have a paid membership for 2012. We'll send out an email with dues information within the next week or two. We also plan to deliver a paper announcement, including dues information, the week before the event.
Candidates
Listed below are nominees for positions as officers and directors. It takes a commitment of time and effort to serve in one of these positions, and we appreciate the willingness of these individuals to make that commitment.
President
Syeira Budd. Syeira Budd has been a Lavacan for six years. Syeira currently serves on the LNA board as a member-at-large and previously served as secretary from 2006-2008. She participates on behalf of the neighborhood in SAHA's Victoria Commons Committee and San Antonio's Historic Districts Council. She has also organized several Lavaca house crawls throughout the years and looks forward to organizing more in 2012. Syeira works for Villa Finale, a National Trust Historic Site in the King William area.
Vice President
Jim Feuerstein. Jim Feuerstein has been a resident of Lavaca for seven years and lives in the Refugio apartments. Jim is a partner in a small software and services business, Magellan's Law, and he and his business partner, Jane Gennarelli, organize the Lavaca and Friends Happy Hour at La Frite every Thursday.
Jim is the current vice-president of the LNA and has also served one year as a member-at-large of the board. He manages the LNA membership database and is responsible for LNA communications. He is also the board's liason with SAHA.
Secretary
Margie Rodriguez. Margie Rodriguez has been a resident of the Lavaca neighborhood for fourteen years, raising a son, Alex, and witnessing the changes the neighborhood has undergone during that time. She works for KLRN as an auction representative -- this will be her third year working on the annual Blazing Gavels TV auction -- and she also organized this year's Lavaca garage sale. Margie is committed to Lavaca and her neighbors, and she wants to do her part in building an even better neighborhood for the future. Margie is the current secretary of the LNA and is a candidate for the same position in 2012.
Treasurer
Gerry Schaefer. Gerry Schaefer and his wife Terry have been Lavaca neighborhood residents since November, 2004, initially renting at the Refugio apartments for 18 months and since then as homeowners on Barrera. Gerry and Terry have three children and four grandchildren who currently reside in Wisconsin and Florida. Gerry is the current LNA treasurer.
Gerry's professional background is in sales and business development, and he's currently working as a marketing representative for UPS. Gerry has a BBA Degree in Marketing and an MBA Degree with an emphasis in E-Business, and has also studied and worked in the field of accounting. Gerry looks forward to the opportunity to contribute his time and talents to serve the needs of our Lavaca neighborhood.
At Large Directors (three positions)
José Cruz. Jose Alfredo Cruz was born and raised on Callaghan Avenue in Lavaca and returned to the neighborhood upon his homecoming from culinary studies in Vermont. Nine years later, Jose still calls Lavaca home after renovating the same home that he grew up in as a boy. He spends his time painting and his passion for cooking has allowed him to branch out into Vegetarian Catering by Jose, a distinctly Vegan catering company in Southtown.
With an intense drive for community activism, Jose is excited over the possibility of the opportunity to give back to the neighborhood that has helped shape him. José has served as an at-large director during 2011 and is a candidate for the same position in 2012.
Alex Perez. Alex lives on Leigh Street and has been active in the neighborhood and the Assocation for many years. He is a candidate for an at-large position on the board.
Janyce Sisson. Janyce Sisson has been a resident of Lavaca for two years and owns a home on Devine Street, which she renovated. Before moving to the neighborhood, Janyce had lived in suburban San Antonio since 1977. She moved to Southtown for a different neighborhood experience, and she has been deeply involved in neighborhood events and activities since her move.
Janyce spent most of her career years managing home and family activities for a family of six. She has also worked with several small business ventures involving antique sales, home remodeling, and floral design. She is committed to the well-being of Lavaca and looks forward to serving as an at-large director.
Non-Resident Owner Director (one position)
Juan Manuel Fernandez. Juan Manuel Fernandez has been restoring properties in Lavaca for over six years. In that time, he has worked in ten properties in the neighborhood. His current projects are 107 Leigh, 117 Panama, 206 Devine and 213 Lotus.
Juan is a registered contractor with the City of San Antonio, member of the Greater San Antonio Builders Association, Texas Association of Builders, National Association of Home Builders, Build San Antonio Green and Energy Star Partner. He currently serves on the board of the AEM (Mexican Businessmen in San Antonio).
Juan served as Non-Resident Owner Director in 2011 and is a candidate for the same position in 2012.
President Emeritus
This position is not directly elected. It is held by the Association's president from the pior year.
Curtis Bowers. Curtis Bowers has served as the 2011 President of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association and is looking forward to his new role as President Emeritus. He has served on the board for four years: two years as a general board member, one year as the Vice President, and last year as President. He is honored to have served our neighbors and appreciative to have had the support of a wonderful board.
Curtis has served as the Lavaca representative on the Southtown Chamber of Commerce and is involved in and monitoring the HemisFair Park Area Redevelopment planning as well as the Victoria Commons Master Planning. Curtis is also Broker Owner of Front Porch Realty, LLC and has assisted several new neighbors when they recently moved into Lavaca and King William. He has lived on Callaghan Ave in Lavaca for over four years.
Victoria Commons Update
The Victoria Commons development project is generating a lot of discussion and comment. There have been several public meetings about the project, and SAHA has also met with smaller groups from the neighborhood.
The Artisan Park homeowners have been especially concerned about the part of the development that will be going in behind their townhomes. Originally, SAHA had planned to fill that entire area with additional townhomes. However, the initial phase didn’t sell out and the market has since turned down. So SAHA is now talking about putting rental units in that space, with some ownership units around the edges.
The Board of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association recently discussed the issue and asked the Association's vice-president, Jim Feuerstein, to speak with SAHA and ask some questions about that part of the development.
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