Minutes from Feb. 21 meeting

Karla called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.

Treasurers report: Chris was sick, Karla reported balance is about the same.

Karla passed out copies of “Annual Report of Activities  -  2001” for Willemette Village (attached).

Karla reported on a meeting with the East Sector police office, noted she had talked to Jeff Kniese who apparently showed up for the meeting the week prior; had prior commitment for tonight’s meeting.

Ray White reported he had attended the United Neighborhood organization meeting, Karla asked about grant money and he noted he thought that was going to be brought up at the next meeting.

Website: Chris Stuard reported that the neighborhood association now has a website, which was made possible with donated web space courtesy of his employer The Forrestal Group.

The site’s address is www.forrestal.net/wvna

He reported that the site includes a schedule of our meetings, list of officers, a map to the church, message board, chat room and even a classified section.

There was discussion about a membership directory, whether to include members names, addresses, etc. A decision was put off until a meeting with more in attendance.

Karla noted that flyers with meeting dates and the website address will be included with the CERT team packets that will be distributed around the neighborhood. Those packets will include city directory, addresses, questionnaires, etc. Chris Stuard noted Re/Max sponsored the printing of the flyers and a thank-you note needs to be sent to the owners,: Steve, Dave and John Martin.

Some of this same informational packets will also be available for Robin Stuard to give to newcomers to the neighborhood.

Karla reported National Night Out will be Tuesday, August 6. This year’s East Sector event will be at Lorraine Park. She asked if anyone wanted to help with the committee to plan events. She is on the committee. She also noted they will need people that evening to hand out food, cook, pick up trash, etc.,

Karla passed along information from Officer Buickel about Cops & Lobsters, a police fund-raising event for Special Olympics. It will be March 19, lunch and dinner, at Red Lobster. Police officers will work as servers and hope to collect tips for Special Olympics to help raise funds for transportation, medals, etc.

Jim Emerson shared with the group petitions from United Senior Action, which lobbies for lower prices for prescriptions for senior citizens. A copy is attached.

Karla noted because of the low attendance she would postpone working on filling the various association committees. She also passed out a sheet from the Mayor’s Office which asked the neighborhood associations to list short-term and long-term goals. Instead of sending it in, she thinks we should use it internally to help in our planning.

She also noted she had ID pens available for $2 apiece for marking property, and showed some ultraviolet readers, costing $7.65, which scan over the writing. She asked the group about donating 4 or 5 of those small readers, about the size of a pager, to the East Sector office. She said a South Sector neighborhood group had ordered these readers and had donated some to the South Sector office. Officer Randy Matthews said five should cover it, providing one for the desk, one for the sergeant and three for the CPOs. Chris Stuard made a motion to purchase five of the devices to donate to the East Sector office; Harlon Jones seconded it. All were in favor. Karla was going to check into ordering them through the South Sector neighborhood group.

Officer Randy Matthews gave the crime report from Jan. 11 to Feb. 21.

2 burglaries

            2200 block of Hercules a chain saw was taken; two suspects were arrested later.

            1651 Herndon: trailer and other items taken from a garage over a 2-week period.

1 criminal mischief: 2200 block of Harding, involving a car, they have a suspect.

Shots fired: at Oak Hill Pharmacy, 2 different times bullet holes in windshield,

happening between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., using a high-caliber handgun.

He advised if anyone hears anything that sounds like shots to call 911.

Several residents had questions about 4-wheelers racing through the neighborhood; he advised them to call when they saw it so officers could try to catch them in the act.

He reported there was no court date yet for Chad Bosse; he was ordered to Stepping Stone and then to the Safe House until his court sentencing. He said he did not think the trial was close. Midge reported his brother, Jeremy, had shouted at her from the street in front of her house and made a religious slur, which said she reported to an officer. Randy told her he could be charged with intimidation and/or a hate crime.

He reported Nick Wilkerson had been jailed with another person on charges of burglary involving storage units

Randy also reported that, as of April 1, he is being transferred to the new motorcycle patrol. Because of some cutbacks, East and West sector are losing a CPO apiece. He said probably Debby Williams or Tim Buickel would be the new neighborhood representative and he would try to bring them to our next meeting.

There was a question about the work on Morgan Avenue and it was noted they are laying drainage lines.

Regarding the right-turn-only lane at Morgan and Weinbach, he reported he has written about 19 tickets since he started watching it, and that tickets cost $90 to $95.

He noted Bill Barnes is working the information desk and still must wear depression gloves because of his burns.

Karla said she has more Tip Lines magnets.

Our next meeting will be March 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Karla adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,