NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING SUMMARY
May 21, 2009
Following is a summary of the last Neighborhood Watch meeting. The next meeting is scheduled to be held at the St. Joseph Township Building at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2009. Refreshments will be available and child care will be available if you wish to bring your children. Please join us at this meeting. There are some important topics to be discussed. See below. Deputy Billman has been invited to the meeting but we are unsure if he will be able to attend at this point.
SUMMARY
On Thursday, 5/21/2009, the Neighborhood Watch Committee met with residents interested in getting more information about the Neighborhood Watch program.
Information was provided to the group on the Neighborhood Watch program and activities to date were reviewed by Jim Brock. Problems throughout Crestlake and nearby areas that might be improved by this program were listed. The problems that have been noted to date include 4-wheeler use on commons, vandalism of public and private properties, fighting, speeding, suspected drug activity, speeding including drag racing and complaints about compliance with local and neighborhood ordinances/regulations.
BLOCK CAPTAINS: Also discussed was the ongoing need for Block Captains and how additional Block Captains might be encouraged to volunteer. Block Captains have been identified for Areas 4, 8, 9, 11, 12 15, 16,18 and 21 so far. That leaves 12 areas that do not have Block Captains. Crestlake residents at the meeting were encouraged to think about Crestlake residents that they know in other Neighborhood Watch areas who might be interested in serving as a Block Captains. If they thought of anyone, they were encouraged to contact the person or tell a Neighborhood Watch Committee member who will contact the person. This discussion will be continued at the next meeting.
Meredith Riegel was given information to help her to contact the residents in the area where she is a Block Captain. Other Block Captains at the meeting briefly reviewed their activities as Block Captains.
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP: At this time, the Neighborhood Watch Committee consists of 3 members of the Crestlake Board. Two of these Board members are also Block Captains. A discussion about who the ongoing Neighborhood Watch Committee should consist of. This discussion will be continued at the next meeting. Community input on this topic will be very important.
FUTURE MEETINGS: It was announced that Neighborhood Watch meetings were being scheduled on a monthly basis and would be held at the St. Joseph Township building on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. It was decided that refreshments would be provided at the meetings and that children could attend the meetings with their parents. Future meetings will consider if information on personal and community safety would be provided at meetings, meeting frequency and if guest speakers should be sought to make presentations.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Some area Block Captains are planning Block Parties for their areas to increase social interactions in their areas, provide additional information to people in their areas about the Neighborhood Watch program and increase resident participation.
The meeting was adjourned at about 8:15 and the next meeting was announced for June 18 at 7p.m.
