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Minutes of the November 12, 2015 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Robby McClure, club president at 12:15 P.M. Chip Hale offered the invocation and afterwards Gordon Korb led the club in song accompanied by Bill Oppenheimer on the piano. Tom Martenstein welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests of members.
Student Guest: Linda Mayson introduced Jeon DaYoung, a student at the Alabama School of Math and Science as this week’s award winner.
Announcements :
• Robby announced that the board will meet on November 19 following the club meeting.
• In Helen Hassell’s absence Robby announced that the Membership Committee reports that 17 new members have joined our club since July.
• Robert Greer gave a brief presentation on the history of the Rotary Foundation and the $3 billion spent on causes since its modest start in 1917. He reminded the club that our $25 donation each quarter assists in these projects.
Program: Michael Chambers – Five Important Business Lessons
District Governor and Mobile Rotarian Michael Chambers was introduced by John Dukes. Michael discussed five important business lessons he has learned and shared them with an appreciative audience. The five are:
1. Evolve with change or perish. He gave the example of Eastman-Kodak which ignored the seismic change of digital imaging and stuck to film.
2. Recognize what could disrupt your business or someone else will. Michael gave the example of Wikipedia’s rise and the collapse of the encyclopedia.
3. Find good people and invest in them. He noted the wave of millennials born after 1985 who simply “do not think like us.” They are motivated differently and demand meaningful work and flexible work arrangements. There is a large competition for this age group, Michael added.
4. Set goals, establish deadlines and do not fear failure. Success he said can be incidental and noted the discovery of penicillin was by accident.
5. Remember that the way we communicate has changed drastically. Successful people learn how to reply quickly without losing that critical personal touch.
Michael applied these lessons to Rotary explaining that clubs must adapt to attract and keep younger and diverse members. He said it is vital to show prospective members that in addition to building personal relationships, the Rotary club accomplishes relevant and meaningful work.
After receiving a standing ovation, Robby thanked Michael for his talk and presented him with a certificate noting that in his honor a donation had been made to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program.
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 P.M.
Tom McGehee

Kerri Renee Coumanis presented a program titled “By Brick, By Bateau, By Block: Land Banking.” She described it as a stepping stone toward neighborhood revitalization. Currently, Alabama is ranked #9 in America in protection of private property rights.
One of the biggest challenges to our community is the increase in tax delinquent and vacated parcels in our inner city. Since post World War II, urban renewal has been managed by the Mobile Housing Board. Much has changed since the Revised Alabama Land Bank Authority Act, which was passed in 2013.
In cooperation with the National Redevelopment Project, our local authorities, such as the Mobile Historical Development Commission, are working to put abandoned properties back into the free market. Ms. Coumanis gave several examples of success stories, which have helped regenerate entire blocks, because of removal and repair of blighted properties.
Her examples included 458 Chatham, which was originally built in 1876, 450 Charles Street and 906-908 Delaware Street. These were also good examples of public/private cooperation in obtaining funding. Restore Mobile, Inc., is working in partnership with the City of Mobile to encourage revitalization.
Interestingly, Ms. Coumanis spends a substantial amount of time on Amazon.com. She related several stories about the hunt for ownership, and the challenges related to that search.
As of now, at least 46 properties have been positively affected by these programs in the last 2-3 years. A vivid example is the Old Shell Road corridor in midtown.

Minutes
October 29, 2015 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to order: After a series of equipment malfunctions the meeting was called to order by club president Robby McClure at 12:15 P.M. Mike Brown offered the invocation and then Gordon Korb led the club in song accompanied by Les Greer on the piano. Tom Martenstein welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests of members.
Youth Merit Award: Abigail Denton, who is ranked first in the senior class of Baker High School, was presented this week’s award.
New Members: Laura O’Connor of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce was introduced by Les Greer. Clint McFerrin General manager of Cintas Uniform Services was then introduced by Bill Sisson.
Paul Harris Recipient: Bill Kinnaird was recognized as the newest Paul Harris Fellow.
Program: Downtown Parks Conservancy
Cart Blackwell introduced William Hanes and Kellie Hope who work with the Downtown Parks Conservancy which they explained, seeks to improve parks in the downtown area. A power point program highlighted local citizens’ thoughts on what makes a park successful.
Hanes termed Mobile’s Bienville Square as the city’s “Signature Park.” He said that through an alliance and support from the city and the Downtown Alliance, Hearin-Chandler Foundation, and the Sybil Smith Foundation, the organization has raised $100,000 with $29,000 set aside for the installation of tree lighting in the square. Ms. Hope said that the installation should begin shortly and be finished in six to eight weeks.
The rest of the money raised, Hanes explained, will be used to implement a master plan for the square for its continued improvement. His organization is in the process of receiving its 501C# status to allow donations to be tax deductible he added.
After a series of questions and answers, Robby McClure thanked the speakers and said that a donation in their honor has been made to the Child Advocacy Center.
The meeting adjourned at 12:55 PM.
Tom McGehee

Minutes
October 29, 2015 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to order: After a series of equipment malfunctions the meeting was called to order by club president Robby McClure at 12:15 P.M. Mike Brown offered the invocation and then Gordon Korb led the club in song accompanied by Les Greer on the piano. Tom Martenstein welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests of members.
Youth Merit Award: Abigail Denton, who is ranked first in the senior class of Baker High School, was presented this week’s award.
New Members: Laura O’Connor of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce was introduced by Les Greer. Clint McFerrin General manager of Cintas Uniform Services was then introduced by Bill Sisson.
Paul Harris Recipient: Bill Kinnaird was recognized as the newest Paul Harris Fellow.
Program: Downtown Parks Conservancy
Cart Blackwell introduced William Hanes and Kellie Hope who work with the Downtown Parks Conservancy which they explained, seeks to improve parks in the downtown area. A power point program highlighted local citizens’ thoughts on what makes a park successful.
Hanes termed Mobile’s Bienville Square as the city’s “Signature Park.” He said that through an alliance and support from the city and the Downtown Alliance, Hearin-Chandler Foundation, and the Sybil Smith Foundation, the organization has raised $100,000 with $29,000 set aside for the installation of tree lighting in the square. Ms. Hope said that the installation should begin shortly and be finished in six to eight weeks.
The rest of the money raised, Hanes explained, will be used to implement a master plan for the square for its continued improvement. His organization is in the process of receiving its 501C# status to allow donations to be tax deductible he added.
After a series of questions and answers, Robby McClure thanked the speakers and said that a donation in their honor has been made to the Child Advocacy Center.
The meeting adjourned at 12:55 PM.
Tom McGehee

Minutes of the Rotary Meeting – October 22, 2015
By: Henry R. Seawell, IV
Invocation, Song, Music and Pledge
Robbie McClure called the meeting to order. Garrett Williamson gave the invocation.
Larry Sindel led the song and pledge. He was accompanied by Bill Oppenheimer on the piano.
Introduction of Guests and Visitors: Tom Martenstein
Student Guest: The student of the week was DeShawn Sewer, a Senior from B.C. Rain High School, introduced by Saty Putcha.
The Touchpoints winner for September 2015 was Cart Blackwell. A donation was made to The Friends of Magnolia Cemetery in his honor.
Program
Speaker: Ashley M. Dukes, presenting on behalf of the “Midtown Mobile Movement”
Ashley M. Dukes was the speaker at our October 22nd meeting. Dukes obtained her undergraduate and masters in accountancy from the University of Mississippi. Her passion for Midtown Mobile began when she and her husband, Whit Dukes, purchased a historic home from Whit’s grandfather on Dauphin Street, between Carlen and Fulton. Dukes gave an account of the unanticipated devastation arising from the Christmas Day Tornado of 2012. After the storm and rebuilding, she became determined for midtown to turn over a new leaf and become a more livable, walkable city.
Dukes observed that, in recent years, the streets of midtown Mobile have become more friendly to automobiles and less so to pedestrians. She was inspired by Jeff Speck’s book, “Walkable City,” and was influential in the establishment of the “Midtown Mobile Movement,” which seeks to mold midtown Mobile in that framework. A walkable community is designed to grow pedestrian friendly infrastructure, promote accessible commercial development, and enhance visual appeal. The benefits of such are significant and include improved health, a safer community, and general corporate well-being.
The first project that has been embraced by the Midtown Movement is the Old Shell Road Project. The objective is to achieve walkability down Old Shell from Interstate 65 to Broad Street. If this goal is accomplished, a walkable environment will have been orchestrated – in conjunction with the Village of Spring Hill – from University Boulevard to Broad. Once this lofty goal is complete, the Midtown Movement aspires to create similar walkable thoroughfares along the remaining midtown corridors.
A charrette will be held from November 18 – 20, 2015, giving midtown residents an opportunity to meet with urban planners and attempt to establish a more comprehensive strategy for midtown Mobile. The location has yet to be determined. However, interested persons can be kept abreast of these and other developments at www.midtownmobile.org, or on Facebook at Midtown Mobile Movement.
The meeting was adjourned.