NSCNA Blog Archive


  • NSCNA Luminaria Walk

    On Tuesday, December 21, the NSCNA Social Committee sponsored a Luminaria Walk at Pillow Elementary, starting at 6 pm. Amelia Cobb headed up this event, assisted by neighbors who helped her put up and take down two circles of  luminaries around the Pillow Elementary track. The 500 luminaries were made from candles and white paper bags.

    Neighbors walked around the track and congregated at the refreshment table for cookies and hot cocoa. Amelia’s husband Brian set up a lovely arch of hanging candles near the refreshments. Kids seemed to enjoy the chance to run around the playground after dark.

    Many, many thanks to the Cobbs and to the helpful volunteers who worked to make this lovely luminaria walk a success!


  • Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011
    Time: 6:30 – 8 pm
    Location: Pillow Elementary, 3025 Crosscreek Dr.

    The main order of business will be voting for Officers and Directors for 2011.

    The Nominating Committee has made the following recommendations for 2011:

    • Chip Rosenthal (President)
    • Kenneth Webb (Vice-President)
    • Donna Eager (Secretary)
    • Cheryl Carter (Board Member)
    • Amelia Cobb (Board Member)
    • Ernestine (Ernie) Garcia (Board Member)
    • Donald (Don) Jones (Board Member)
    • Alice Kubacak (Board Member)
    • Jon Menegay (Board Member)
    • Mary Jane Wier (Board Member)

    No recommendation was made for the Treasurer position.

    All the Nominating Committee recommendations will be placed on the ballot. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor, at the meeting. You can even nominate yourself.

    If you have any questions about what’s involved in serving on the board, please contact Chip Rosenthal or any of the current board members.

    Bylaws Changes and the Election

    In December, we approved changes to the association bylaws that impact the election.

    Membership year has changed, but 2010 members will be eligible to vote — If you were a member in 2010, you paid for a membership that runs through January 31, 2011. Thus you will be eligible to vote in the election. Moving forward, memberships will run through December 31.

    Board candidates must have a 2011 membership — If you wish to be a candidate and serve on the NSCNA Board of Directors, you will need to have a 2011 membership. That’s because the bylaws now require that directors be members of the current year, which started January 1. You may renew your membership at the meeting, or do it online via PayPal. For more information, see our Join NSCNA page.


  • Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011
    Time: Immediately after General Membership Meeting (approx. 8 pm)
    Location: Outside Pillow Elementary, 3025 Crosscreek Dr.

    Dear Neighbors,

    At our September 7 General Meeting, we decided to apply for a City of Austin Urban Forest Grant, to plant trees around our neighborhood for shade and heat mitigation.

    This month we got some great news: The City has approved our application, and awarded us $8,000 for this project.

    This is a great opportunity for our neighborhood. The project will not require any association funds. It will require volunteer effort and continuing oversight from our Beautification Committee, which I’m confident we can provide.

    I’d like to see us act quickly to claim these funds and get the project underway. The next step is for the board to approve the contract. Unfortunately, the current board is unable to meet before the end of the year, and we will be electing a new board very shortly — at our meeting on January 4.

    Therefore, I would like to call a Special Meeting of the NSCNA Board of Directors on January 4, immediately after the General Meeting, to be held out front of Pillow Elementary, for the purpose of approving the Urban Forest Grant contract.

    I am not making any presumption about next year’s board (or President), and the newly elected board may very well choose not to act on this item. But by issuing this call for a special meeting, I am giving them the option to meet and act, so those funds can be claimed without further delay.

    I will contact 2011 nominees (both those recommended by the Nominating Committee and anybody else who expresses interest) with this information. Please let me know if you would like a review copy of the contract. You can call me at 573-5174 or email me at president@nscna.org.

    Chip Rosenthal
    NSCNA President 2010


  • photo of luminarias walkDate: Tuesday, December 21
    Time: 6 – 8 pm
    Location: Pillow Elementary, 3025 Crosscreek Dr.

    We are planning a candlelight walk around the Pillow track, also knows as a luminaria.

    Traditional luminarias are made from brown paper bags weighted down with sand and illuminated from within by a lit candle. These are typically arranged in rows to create large and elaborate displays.

    This walk will take place on December 21, starting at 6 pm.

    We are looking for additional volunteers to help with setup and cleanup. It shouldn’t take too long and the more folks that can help out, the faster the work will be completed and the sooner merriment can begin! Setup will begin at 4 pm.

    If you have any questions, contact Amelia Cobb at ameliacobb@comcast.net.


  • Date: Tuesday, December 14
    Time: 6:30 – 8 pm
    Location: Pillow Elementary, 3025 Crosscreek Dr.

    We be voting on bylaws changes that were discussed at our November meeting. You can download a copy of the proposed changes here.