June Meeting and Potluck

We had a great meeting and potluck on Wednesday June 10th at my house here on Damon Avenue. The turnout was good and so was all the food everyone brought.

Shirley Kaye, who is our new crime prevention specialist and Neighborhood Watch Coordinator from the Northwest Service Center came and gave a talk. She updated us on the changes that are happening at the Sheriff’s department right now.

Here are the highlights:
The Sheriff’s service centers area boundaries have been changed. We are no longer in the area serviced by the Carmichael Service Center in the Raley’s shopping center on Manzanita and they will no longer be working with us. Our new center is the Northwest Service Center in North Highlands where Shirley works. It is located at 7511 Watt Ave. #105, North Highlands, CA 95660. The phone number is 332-7794. Their website is: http://www.sacsheriff.com/organization/field_services/garfield_station/west_service_center.cfm

(My editorial here: I think it’s sad that after years of a great relationship with Francie Fitzimmons and the folks at the Carmichael Service Center, we can no longer work with them due to the redistricting. For us, it makes no sense as the Northwest Service is farther away in a different neighborhood.)

The Sheriff’s department budget for this coming year is currently under review and the Problem Oriented Police program is slated to be entirely cut, among other things. Apparently there will be some final decisions made in the next few weeks. Watch the news for updates. Here a link to one recent article: http://www.sacbee.com/localgov/story/1956501.html

She also talked about a new online issue reporting website the service center will be using. (I don’t have a link to it yet, but will let you know when I hear about it.)

Aside from Shirley’s talk, we discussed new Hemlock Street stop signs which are slated to be installed anytime now, (unless they slashed the budget for it.) The plan went through multiple planning phases over the last two years and had final approval from the Board of Supervisors in April. Last we heard they are to be installed sometime in “late spring”, so we’ll see what happens.

Also, we revisited the old street light issue again. We do not have an agreement in our group whether to pursue getting street lights here or not. About half think it’s a good idea and half not, and we’ve heard arguments for both sides of the issue. I will see if someone from SMUD can come and talk to us about it for an upcoming meeting to explain what options we have. Perhaps if a few people or a half a block want them, they can be installed without affecting those homeowners who don’t want them.

Our next big event will be National Night Out, Tuesday August 4th. We have preliminary plans to hold it near the corners of Holyoke and Meckel!

That’s about it for now. Thanks to all who helped out, lent tables and chairs, helped set up, brought food, thanks to Stan for some of the pictures, and especially to Shirley Kaye for coming to talk to us.