EMAN finding success in attracting sponsors for its May Dance Party

As East Mt. Airy Neighbors (EMAN) nears an event-filled season there are logistics to be worked out.

The group met on Tuesday night to discuss the status of fundraising efforts, including tickets sold for the upcoming Mt. Airy Day on May 7 and a dance party that will be held on May 14.

The focus of these events, said President Dan Muroff, is on membership and development.

Janet Amato, committee chairperson for Mt. Airy Day, said that memberships and sponsorships have been coming in daily to support the community event. Executive Director Elayne Bender announced that $7,000 in sponsorships and ads has been raised for the dance party.

Muroff added that Leonard “Doc” Gibbs will be performing at the dance party and that the nationally-recognized musician could draw crowds.

Despite the progress in the planning of these events, the general feeling in the room was that of disappointment over the city’s “nickel and diming” of the community event. Amato noted that the organization will be charged $3700 for a police presence and that they were billed $250 last year for a health department inspection.

Bill Ewing proposed further research into the seemingly arbitrary health department bill.

 

EMAN Community Living

Also on the agenda for the evening was the annual meeting of EMAN Community Living. President Bill Ewing appealed to the group for people who might be interested in joining the board.

EMAN member Kent Reichert immediately volunteered and Muroff nominated Vernon Price in absentia.

Ewing accepted those nominations and added that the group would be in contact in the near future to discuss financial issues as well as ways to utilize the $100,000 funds that they have at their disposal.

 

Matter of Money for EMAN

EMAN will be receiving $3,500 from the Northwest Fund to be used for operating expenses. The group will explore options for the use of this money.

In the Treasurer’s Report, Dutch Klugman announced that the group had finally resolved the 990 form from 2009 with the federal government approving the change in EMAN’s fiscal year to end in sync with the calendar year after a $39 fine.

Klugman added that he still needed to work on the Schedule A and B forms of 2007 and 2008 but expressed confidence that the group was on the right track.

 

Political Forum

As the May primaries are quickly approaching, residents in Mt. Airy need to make their final decisions as to whom they will support for city council. Traditionally, EMAN and West Mt Airy Neighbors (WMAN) have held a joint candidate forum. With the news that WMAN Executive Director Lizabeth Macoretta plans to resign, the group will explore the option of holding a forum for Eighth District City Council contenders independently.

“We’re hearing from candidates every day,” said Bender stressing the urgency of the matter.

 

Safe Streets

After last month’s presentation by Safe Streets President Robyn Kulp, EMAN continued its discussion of possibly absorbing the diminishing group’s mission by maintaining the police bike patrol initiated by Safe Streets. Additional costs would be covered by various fundraising efforts.

Kulp reiterated her willingness to work with the group through the transition.