Board Members & Committees

Officers

Fern Bomchill-Davis, President
Philip Graff, 1st Vice President
Emily Rose, 2nd Vice President
Chris Beer, Secretary
John Knoche, Treasurer

Directors

Sue Apey
Debbie Day
Alice Huff
Jeff Pines

Jaqui Thams
Dirk Vos

Administrators

Shirley Baugher
Leslie Wolfe

OTTA Committees

CAPS PROGRAM

CAPS is a strategy to keep neighborhoods safe by using police in a new way and building a partnership for crime prevention among the community, the police, and other City departments. The CAPS partnership is really quite simple:

Each of the City’s 25 police districts is divided into beats—small geographic areas in which the Chicago Police Department, City agencies, and citizens work together to fight crime.

A team of police officers is assigned to each beat for at least one year. This allows residents to get to know their beat officers and the officers to get to know both the residents and the neighborhood. Beat officers patrol the neighborhood, responding to police emergencies on the beat and working with neighbors to solve crime problems in the area.

Beat officers are supported by other teams of police officers in the district. These officers respond to emergency calls for service and focus on specific problems such as gangs and drugs.

Through CAPS, residents become partners with the police and work with beat officers to identify and solve crime problems in their neighborhoods.

Other City agencies take care of those conditions that can lead to crime in a community, such as graffiti, abandoned buildings and cars, and broken alley and street lights.

Recently, the Block Captains’ Program was revived by a number of concerned neighbors. This group assures that information about problems is disseminated on a timely basis and that neighbors are always aware of any criminal activity in Old Town and the surrounding areas.

The Old Town Triangle is located in beat 1814. Regular beat meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of every month in the Triangle Center, 1763 N. North Park Avenue at 7:00 p.m. All Triangle residents are encouraged to attend these meetings, address issues of common concern, and work with the beat officers to solve these problems. Shirley Baugher, OTTA Administrator, serves as the liaison between CAPS and the OTTA.

GALLERY COMMITTEE

The Gallery Committee began at the same time art classes were initiated, more than forty years ago. The Gallery was initially used to exhibit student art. Now, artists from the entire Chicagoland area are invited to apply for an exhibit and must be juried in by the Gallery Committee. If selected, the artists are given a month-long show. Occasionally, they are paired with another artist with whom their works are compatible.

The Association advertises for artists in the Chicago Artists Coalition bulletin and in The Reader. Artists must promote their own work in their respective neighborhood publications. They must also provide refreshments for the openings, which traditionally are held during the first week-end of their exhibits. The artist of the month usually designs, has postcards printed, and mails them to selected guests. The Association also sends announcements to Triangle members and to the Board of Directors.

In June, students painting in the Art School hold a special exhibition of their work. This show is one of the most popular and well-attended openings of the entire year.

The Gallery Committee is chaired by Leslie Wolfe, OTTA Administrator.

HISTORIC DISTRICT / PLANNING & ZONING

On September 28, 1977, members of the Historic District Committee succeeded in having most of the Old Town Triangle area designated a Chicago Landmark by the City Council of Chicago. Today, the Historic District/Planning & Zoning Committee acts as a liaison between the Old Town Community and the Landmarks Commission, reporting the Committee’s recommendations and working cooperatively with the Commission to preserve the historic character of the neighborhood.

Each month, members consider requests for proposed exterior changes to existing buildings, new construction, and applications for zoning changes in the Triangle. Their deliberations range from the appropriateness of building materials used in rehabbing and construction projects to the height of fences and building additions. The Guidelines for Alterations to Historic Buildings and New Construction, prepared by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, serves as the basis for their recommendations. These recommendations are sent to the Alderman of the 43rd Ward and to appropriate city commissions and departments for approval. In every instance, the final decision on any rehab project rests with the Landmarks Commission.

Since neighborhood relations figure prominently in any rehabilitation project, members of the Historic District/Planning & Zoning Committee work with neighbors to maintain good relations between persons who are making changes to their properties and those who live in adjoining buildings.

On matters of neighborhood-wide concern, such as the rezoning of the area around the site of the old Marge’s restaurant and bar, a community meeting is held and all neighbors are invited to express their views on the issue. In most cases where a community meeting is held, the 43rd Ward Alderman is a key participant in the proceedings.

The Historic District/Planning & Zoning Committee meets in the Triangle Center, 1763 N. North Park Avenue, on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. The Committee is chaired by Jeff Pines, OTTA Director. Interested neighbors with knowledge and experience in the area of historic preservation are invited to become members.

MEMBERSHIP

The purpose of the Membership Committee is to maintain the existing membership and to encourage neighbors who are not currently members of the organization to join. The Committee hosts membership parties, publishes the OTTA newsletter, maintains connections with existing members and solicits new membership.

All interested neighbors are invited to participate.

The Membership Committee is co-chaired by Chris Beer and Shirley Baugher.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE

Please don't think of us as The Neighborhood Improvements Committee so much as YOUR Neighborhood Improvements Committee (NIC) .

All interested neighbors are invited to participate.

Even though Old Town is among the most vibrant, well situated, and rewarding of Chicago's neighborhoods, there is always room for improvement. Your NIC is committed to addressing the ongoing and changing needs of our community, as is consistent with OTTA's organizational goals. Identifying and responding to those opportunities is the business of your NIC.

So if you have a vision, a suggestion, or (heaven forbid) a complaint, make it our business by attending one of our regular meetings on the third Monday of every month (except June, December, and January) at the Triangle Center, 1763 N. North Park Avenue, at 7:00 p.m. NIC is chaired by Dirk Vos, OTTA Board Director.

The NIC also oversees two programs which are geared to help Old Town residents maintain the unique charm of our streetscapes. The Old Town Parkways Tree program provides assistance to residents interested in replacing missing or dead trees in the parkways in front of their homes. The Old Town Triangle Brick Repair, Replacement and Beautification program offers an incentive and sourcing assistance for residents interested in mantaining the integrity, safety, and character of our brick sidewalks and parkways.

OLD TOWN ART FAIR

During the second weekend of June, the charming, tree-lined streets of Old Town set the stage for 260 nationally-acclaimed artists and an estimated 50,000 art lovers. The artists featured in the Old Town Art Fair are chosen by an independent jury of professional artists, gallery owners and museum curators. The Old Town Art Fair features a wide range of art mediums, including 2D- and 3D-mixed media, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, and works in metal, stone and wood.

The Old Town Art Fair is the OTTA’s largest fundraiser. Proceeds from the fair benefit a host of local schools, youth groups, and neighborhood improvement projects.

All neighbors are encouraged to volunteer at the Old Town Art Fair. The 62nd Annual Old Town Art Fair will be held on June 11th - 12th, 2011. For more information, email volunteer@oldtownartfair.org.

The Old Town Art Fair is led by Emily Rose (OTAF General Chair).